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You will find any posts on this site regarding this topic. It is all about personal preference and how much room you have for transport.

Many will argue that good airbeds provide the highest level of comfort and if you like the luxury of your bed then this will be the best for you. However, airbeds are not good insulaters becuase of the volume of air and will need layers of insulation above and below the airbed to stop heat transfer from the ground into the bed and then on to you.

Self inflating mats are a good alternative where space is at a premium because they take up less room both in storage and are narrower than airbeds. They come in various thicknesses and can take some time to aclimatise to. They do not require upper insulation as they are an internal mixture of foam and air and therefore are not  prone to the cold although I still use a ground mat under mine.

I confess that I like the comfort of my Coleman Comfort airbed when we go away as a family but I still get a good nights sleep on my mat when I go away with my Scouts. However I am a good sleeper and have been know to sleep in one of those thin woolies insulation mats with no problem.

Nigel

Nigel

If you are thinking about an airbed and are bothered about insulation look at the Exped Downmat http://www.exped.com/exped/web/exped_homepage.nsf/b43HomePageE?openframeset

I have just started using one and find it to be excellent. Previously I used a Thermarest Prolite. I have a contact that can get the Downmat 7 full length for around £75 plus post. Maybe you can get them cheaper.

We use airbeds in various sometimes in combination with a camp bed....either way, we use thin foam camping mats underneath and a square sleeping bag on top, then a duvet....My husband sleeps on one of those taller canvas camp beds, with a piece of 2 inch foam on top, then a duvet....and he has by far the best bed !....this year I am having a higher camp bed too, but for our weekend trip in two weeks I will be using a semi filled airbed on top, sleeping bag, duvet....but I'd rather have foam.  I tried to get some two summers ago....and I was amazed at the price of the stuff !!!...unless anyone knows better??

We find the foam doesn't have to take up much space...it goes on the bottom of the trailer with heavy stuff to squash it down....but getting hold of it in the first place is a nightmare....I got one thick yellow piece and one ' egg box ' type piece from my dads loft...other than that....I haven't been able to to find anymore ( we need two more bits so everyone can have some for our family ! )....

Hi Genie04

You dont give your location so can only advise as to where I live.

On our local market we have a stall that sells different sizes of foam matting, and different types of cushion/beanbag fillings, foam chippings or polystyreene pellets, you could make your own covers 2 pieces of material sewn together to make a large bag and then use the filling. We have a 3" thick piece of foam 6-6 x 4-6 and it rolls down small and have got my mum to make a mattress type cover for it.

Remember there is always a way round a problem.

Regards

 Steve.

personally id say airbed especially if u going with misses

you can have fun

just wait till she gets in sac give it couple mins till she nice and comfy then join her and fall on to airbed next to her

WATCH HER FLY THRU THE AIR

its so funny ull not sleep all night reminising  of her face wen she suddenly took off lol

 Hi one and all, I and my family do not like sleeping on the ground. So we bought 3 foldup campbeds that go into their own bags. Just clip the ends on and you have a very sturdy comfortable bed. I then put a self inflating mattress on top for extra comfort. I paid about £20 each from towsure but you can also get them from argos, buy it try it and if you dont like it you might be able to return it providing its not excluded from their 16 day money back guarantee. They are much higher than the gelert ones, recommended ***

Quote: Originally posted by Beccylovespurpl on 24/4/2007

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An airbed is probably more comfy.  We use a coleman comfort double in a ready bed outer.  That's one of these http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-1428744-10294381?url=http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3400236/Trail/C%24cip%3D49764.Furniture%2Band%2Bfurnishings%3EC%24cip%3D49809.Beds%3EC%24cip%3D49819.Airbeds%2Band%2Bready%2Bbeds.htm ,

 

basically  a sleeping bag with an airbed built in. We've never insulated it like people suggest and have been perfectly warm even when it's really cold in April.  Maybe the ready bed provides enough insulation by itself, maybe it's  the fact that there is 2 of us in it sharing body warmth.

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I wanted to do this with our single ready beds and a coleman comfort, but it wouldn't fit. does the double fit? I ended up using a single fitted sheet on upside down and sewing the readybed to it. I didn't want to fork out for new sleeping bags as well as air beds and we already had the ready beds but found the airbed in them too thin.