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Does anyone have one of these?  If so, what are your thoughts on them regarding durability, comfort and warmth (as opposed to our current airbeds on floor set-up)? 

Just visited the local camp shop and they had some reduced to £34.99 (instead of the RRP of £79.99).  Being a very naughty impulse buyer, I managed to leave the shop with a pair for the kids

Would really like to get us one too, but have no idea whether you could somehow strap the bases together to make a double? -they also sell bases w/o the air mattress top.

Are the ones you got like this? Where did you find them at £34.99, if you don't mind saying?

There was a thread running, last week, about the Coleman Trailhead, at  £44.99 (half RRP) which is similar, but on a different cot base ( a bit like the Outwell bed).

Previous threads have discussed putting a double airbed on top of 2 x camp beds, and some folk said they use self-inflating mats as well.

I should imagine you would be warmer than using an airbed on the floor, but then you have quite a lot more bulk to carry (how compact are the ones you bought, when packed, please?). You would also have to check you have the room in your inners to accommodate them, especially taking into account the height, if your bedroom inners are sloping at all.

They're the larger 'Trailhead' (30x80x18").  Very much an impulse buy.  They had one set-up in the shop and I was really impressed by the sturdyness and quality of the frame and mattress. Packs are surprisingly small -will nip to garage and measure for you in a bit.

Got them from our local independent camp shop (Marcruss Camping, Bristol & Bitton).  They were priced at £39.99, but I was very cheeky and asked for a discount  -hence the £34.99 price!  They don't have a website, but I know they do take telephone orders and only charge true 'cost' for p&p.  Am sure that if you called the Bitton shop you could get them for the same price.  Let me know if you want the No.

Our inners are pods, but do slope (loosely/saggily) at the ends.  Am hoping they'll be ok -we have 30+cm of clear space at the end of the bed and only sleep two in a 3-4 man pod- fingers crossed!

Can you remeber the rough title of the thread?  Have tried searching for it, but can't seem to find it anywhere! 

Hi Liddenham,

According to my measurements, pack size is 7x6x38".  They are fairly long, but I got them in the boot end-on with room to spare (Volvo saloon). 

Weight-wise:  I think they're fairly light (managed two w/o struggling) -probably about the same weight as a packed double readybed- although I would consider them too heavy for the roofbox, but that's more because their narowness means that you could (and I would) still fit masses more in iykwim!

HTH

Thanks for that, Mary. Do the mattresses fit into a sleeve on the cot and, if so, do you insert them prior to inflating? What is the sleeve fabric?

I'd just worry about those cot ends, catching against the inner tent (or, flysheet, come to that), and think we'd have to put a mat under the feet to stop them damaging the inner tent groundsheet.

I like the look of them, and the fact they get you off the floor, but find airbeds faffy enough and so are really thinking of using Airics this season...

Quote: Originally posted by msmith570 on 18/3/2008

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They're the larger 'Trailhead' (30x80x18").  Very much an impulse buy.  They had one set-up in the shop and I was really impressed by the sturdyness and quality of the frame and mattress. Packs are surprisingly small -will nip to garage and measure for you in a bit.

Got them from our local independent camp shop (Marcruss Camping, Bristol & Bitton).  They were priced at £39.99, but I was very cheeky and asked for a discount  -hence the £34.99 price!  They don't have a website, but I know they do take telephone orders and only charge true 'cost' for p&p.  Am sure that if you called the Bitton shop you could get them for the same price.  Let me know if you want the No.

Our inners are pods, but do slope (loosely/saggily) at the ends.  Am hoping they'll be ok -we have 30+cm of clear space at the end of the bed and only sleep two in a 3-4 man pod- fingers crossed!

Can you remeber the rough title of the thread?  Have tried searching for it, but can't seem to find it anywhere! 

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It's here.

Probably nothing you don't already know, though.

Thanks Liddenham!

The mattress inflates first then you slide it in.  Apparently the bed itself takes seconds to put up (according to camp shop).  The fabric seems really good quality and feels like some sort of thick wicked cotton, but still fairly soft.  Will fleece line and also use a sheet this w/end, but in the shop they had it set-up with a sleeping bag on top and it looked really inviting!  I wouldn't have any probs just using a simple sheet + bag in the summer.

Quote: Originally posted by Liddenham on 19/3/2008

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I'd just worry about those cot ends, catching against the inner tent (or, flysheet, come to that), and think we'd have to put a mat under the feet to stop them damaging the inner tent groundsheet.

I like the look of them, and the fact they get you off the floor, but find airbeds faffy enough and so are really thinking of using Airics this season...

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Know what you mean regarding the cot ends, but I really don't think it will be  problem as the mattresses are taller than the bed and therefore if anything hits the inner it'll be the mattress and the inner should just slide away from it iykwim!

We usually use heavy fleece picnic rugs on the floor, but I'd imagine that if your groundsheets a reasonable standard you really wouldn't have anything to worry about.

In terms of airics:  the shop said that you can by the base seperately (for £30 w/o the extra discount which I cheekily got -so poss less than £30?).  They had an airic under the bed to show that you could use these with the base.  TBH -I think I'd just go for the bed with mattress and when the air mattress dies, swap for an airic.  That way you'd still get the sleeve to slide the airic into (although you'd have some spare material, but am sure it'd be a minimal prob to tuck-in/let overhang the sides).  Also, the pack size is so small (inc air mattress) and the mattress such good quality (i.e. doesn't seem the 'leaky' sort), that for the sake of a few mins pumping the mattress up I'd just go for the combined option.

Wow ...massive rambling reply -sorry!

Hi Mary

That sounds like a great buy. I am also looking out for a comfortable alternative to airbeds and look forward to hearing how you got on with them? I've also seen Airics mentioned - what are these? We have been caravanners for many years and this is our first season tenting (and looking forward to it :-) , so are relatively new to all the different equipment.

Have a great weekend and hope the weather is nice for you, but here in Cambridgeshire, its blowing a gale and raining - not ideal camping weather!

Sue

Hi Sue,

I don't know any techy stuff about the airics, but having seen them I'll do my best to answer your question!  They're a very slimmed down version of an airbed, but feel much softer and have both the advantage of minimal pack-size and less cold air circulating under you at night.  -Hopefully someone will come along and provide a more techy answer for you!

Tracey -my thoughts precisely regarding the under-bed storage!  Just hoping that standard sized storage boxes will fit as we don't have any others and I can't justify buying more! 

Quote: Originally posted by suenbal on 20/3/2008

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Hi Mary

That sounds like a great buy. I am also looking out for a comfortable alternative to airbeds and look forward to hearing how you got on with them? I've also seen Airics mentioned - what are these? We have been caravanners for many years and this is our first season tenting (and looking forward to it :-) , so are relatively new to all the different equipment.

Have a great weekend and hope the weather is nice for you, but here in Cambridgeshire, its blowing a gale and raining - not ideal camping weather!

Sue

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Welcome to the site, suenbal!

You might be interested in this thread.

Well we're back and although we only lasted a night due to the ferocious wind, the beds were fab! 

We put the frames up in about 10secs, inflated the mattress' in the standard time and then slotted the mattress' in the covers.  All very straighforward and incredibly simple.  I had a quick lie down and they were very comfy with a fleece blanket on top (def. warmer than the readybed with sleeping bottom and a fleece blanket).  The kids slept soundly all night and were both warm as toast (Vango Nitestar bags plus fleece liners x2 -neurotic mother!).  Also managed to get storage boxes underneath with no probs.

I would definitly recommend the beds ...only wish they came in a double!

Liddenham:  despite the wind and the pummeling the tent took, the corners of the beds caused no damage whatsoever.