Best Car Camping Mattress for the Money

It seems you’re about to start outfitting your car for camping. Well, then you need the best car camping mattress since setting up a tent in the dark can be tough.

A vehicle camping mattress is now a camping essential ideal for any overland and camping trips. You’d get the needed comfortable rest space in the rear seat, and sometimes including the trunk.

Best car camping mattress

As a norm on this website, we’ve made the picks based on top quality and reliability. Of course, none of these picks are influenced by any manufacturer as you find on other websites. That said, below are the best car camping mattresses:

1. Car Air Mattress Backseat HIRALIY Inflatable Car Mattress

We used this camping mattress for car over one of the weekend trips for two nights in a Chevy Silverado crew cab. Honestly, this stayed inflated much of the time, and it’s even easy to inflate and deflate. It won’t lose air when you stop inflating it with the pump.

Pros:

a. Dimensions

The inflating dimensions measure around 53.94 x 34.25 x 17.72 inches or 137 x 87 x 45 cm. If your car backseat won’t be sizable for these dimensions, don’t buy!

Also, the maximum load we’ve noticed is 440 pounds.

b. Reliable material

The material used for this camping mattress is quite reliable and not too susceptible to leakage. We’ve noticed up to 3 layers of tough resistant material. When cleaning, only use a damp cloth.

c. Portable electric air pump

It arrives with an electric air pump you use for inflation and deflation—these processes complete within 2 minutes. Just make sure to inflate the 2-layer valve caps one by one and screw them tightly after inflating.

Cons:

Well, no big downside. However, after 24 hours of inflation, you’ll notice a slight natural leak. This is normal, nonetheless. Make sure you inflate your camping mattress again according to your desired firmness.

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2. SUV Air Mattress, Berocia Thickened Car Bed Inflatable Home Air Mattress

Our tester and the wife camped out with this car camping mattress on a Toyota Prius for 7 days. It stays inflated for days, only that you have to top off the main area, especially if you’re a guy at 265lbs.

Pros:

a. Quite comfy

It has a flocking surface and a thickened design with environment-friendly PVC material certified with CE RoHS.

b. Quick inflation and deflation

Inflation and deflation are quite speedy, you’d complete the process within just 90 seconds. The super bearing capacity reaches 300kg (i.e., 661 pounds) weight and is comfortable for up to 3 adults.

c. 3 airbags

Comes with 3 separate airbags. Just fold the last bag for your rear seat bed. It’s cold-resistant too.

Cons:

No major negatives. However, after a few hours of sleep on this camping mattress, there’s a slight separation of the sections. The dip between the top and lower sections will be felt around your hip area. The solution is to put foam padding on the top to even things out. Alternatively, just roll a blanket or towel there for added comfy.

Overall: a good car camping mattress—works as advertised in most cars and can be used as a regular air mattress in the tent.

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3. ABE Non-Inflatable Car Mattress

If you take your pets and kids for a long road trip, this non-inflatable car mattress is your best bet. Super comfortable for sleeping and decent for keeping your rear seat level. It’s designed to protect your leather upholstery from scratches and spills.

Pros:

a. non-inflatable

You don’t have to inflate this vehicle camping mattress, making it quicker to use.

b. Double-sided design

Its double-sided design means you can use both sides for your SUV. One of the sides is a black premium PU leather while the other is a cartoon Oxford cloth.

c. Foldable

Easy to fold for storage. You can store it in your truck or rear seat without taking up space.

d. Easy to install

Unlike traditional tenting, this doesn’t take any time. A few seconds and you’re done. All you have to do is buckle up and hang the strap on the headrest pole of your car seat.

Cons:

No major negatives. However, the mat halfway tends to block the back center AC vents, which restricts airflow. This camping mattress is not designed for such a large rear cabin area apparently. The solution is to point the vents upward. Overall: highly recommended.

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4. QDH SUV Air Mattress-Thickened Car Bed Back Seat Mattress

Just don’t fill this fully and you’ll be okay. Also, heat from sitting in sun can expand the air too much, resulting in some air loss. And cooling at night will make this car camping mattress too soft. Observation: keep it out of the sun!

Pros:

a Universal dimensions

It measures about 72.8 x 51.2 inches. Depending on your SUV, this air mattress may have an error of just 1-3 inches. Nevertheless, it’s large enough to cover the entire trunk. Just put down the backrest and you’re good to go.

b. Waterproof material

This air mattress uses waterproof scrubbing fabrics, making it even easier to clean. You can remove water stains using a dry rag. To wipe the surface, get a damp cloth for the best results.

c. 12V air pump

It comes with a reliable 12V air pump connected to the auxiliary outlet within your car. This pump is lightweight and inflates the mattress within 2 minutes. Thus, you should be able to set up your camping mattress in the car within 5 minutes—way quicker than setting up a traditional tent.

Cons:

No downsides to talk about. However, like any air mattress, it loses air over time. Just prepare to top it off before bed. Also, try to inflate it mostly (but not fully) before you reach the place you would be sleeping.

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5. Rightline Gear SUV Air Mattress

We had this inflated for 24 hours before using it to stretch it out—it did not lose air overnight. Honestly, it’s well-built. The pump inflates really quickly and the deflate option pulls the air out optimally. When not in use, you can store your mattress under the cargo area, so it’s always ready to use.

Pros:

a. Universal

Not only is this camping air mattress tough, but it’s also universal for most SUVs, crossovers, minivans, and Jeep Wranglers.

b. 1-year warranty

Up to 1-year manufacturer’s warranty. You’d also get help for your questions or concerns.

c. Measurements

73” L x 54” W x 7” H and has a T-shaped design that fits the wheel wells.

d. Comfy

Offers the needed comfort when sleeping.

c. Easy to install

It comes with a 12V air pump that makes inflation really convenient. Just use the valve to inflate your mattress within seconds. There’s also a patch kit, stuff sack, and set-up guide in the package.

Cons:

This car camping mattress does not use a Boston valve for inflation. It instead uses a large flapper valve and one small arrangement. Perhaps, the smaller one makes slight adjustments to the mattress pressure—it seems cheap though, and also tends to introduce another point where leakage can possibly take place.

Overall: a good air mattress. Easy to inflate and deflate with its 12-volt inflator which arrives with a long cord.

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Things to look for in a car camping mattress

From our picks above, you don’t have to worry about any features to look for. But if you’re curious, below are things to consider when getting one for your camping or expedition:

a. Padding

The padding type of your car mattress matters—it could be:

• air
• closed-cell foam pads
• open-cell foam

This pick depends on your need for a comfortable night’s sleep. Our selections use a decent built-in sleeping pad for comfy, so you don’t need additional padding.

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b. Dimensions

Your vehicle dimensions need to be considered when picking your preferred car camping mattress. Take the measurements and see if it matches or is anything close to what the camping mattress description says.

You need a mattress that fits snuggly enough so you can move around while sleeping without fear of falling off the rear seat or trunk. If your vehicle’s measurements do not go any closer to the product description, don’t buy! Not even if the description says “universal”.

c. R-value

Consider whether you would be using the mattress in your car only or outside as well, for instance, in a tent. If so, you want a mattress design with this flexibility in mind. The R-value discloses the potential warmness of the mattress or pad. In the summer, for instance, you’re looking at an R-value of about 0.1 to 2.0 while an R-value of 4.5+ would be better for winter temperatures around 14 degrees Fahrenheit.

d. Sleeping pads

You may need a sleeping pad to protect your inflatable mattress from dirt or debris such as sticks, pebbles, and stones. The pads should be able to roll up and pack away for convenient storage.