Mattresses

Thermarest, better quality, roll up smaller than others, we have two that are over twenty years old.
Store them inflated but not capped, always use a tarp under tent floor and they will probably outlast you.

I agree with Peter - therm-a-rest are great and you can get various thicknesses and lengths to tailor them to your requirements . They are more expensive , but last a hell of a long time .I have three of various thicknesses and they have never "let me down ".
Cheers ,
Willie .

I have numerous matresses which include Thermarests - both the standard type & also the camp rest. My wife reckons that the Thermarests are built for people without hips & hates them. Recently did a trip around the border tk using 2 x 4wd matresses. These are a lot more bulky than the thermarests but are heaps more comfortable & at $69.00 each, they don't have to last for 20 years! - came with a repair kit too! The construction of the 4wd matress is such that all would not be lost if the matress were to get a hole.
Found the blow up air beds & matresses transfered ground chill & were best for floating down a river on!
Cheers, Tony

G'day HK, I regularily go camping and initially used the blow-up-mattress until it got a puncture, I then bought a good priced camp bed from Ray's Tent City in Preston, Vic. but after a few nights in it the cross bars that make up the legs started to dig into the ribs...so went back to the blow-up-mattress, only trouble with the mattress is that being low on the ground I had trouble getting out of bed inside the tent. Hence my latest piece of bedding equipment is a fold-up bed which I purchased at Harvey Norman in Preston, Vic. At $240 it is fairly expensive, but with a 4inch thick foam mattress and a base that is similar to a trampoline for the mattress to sit on I think it is well worth the price for a good comfortable sleep. Also it is much easier to get out of...similar to your bed at home, and it folds up to 4ft x 3ft x 10in.

Regards, John

For the last 15 years we have been using a 1" (25mm) layer of very high density foam covered on side with vinyl and the other side cloth.
Wife stitched up the covers, I bought the foam.
This foam is denser (??) than high density foam.
Put vinyl side down to stop condensation.
Rolled up it goes on the roof rack, about 350mm dia for a double bed.

Hi hk
anaconda
have 4wd on sale at 40% off.
Good luck.

I reckon for all trips, you need a good mattress and a good chair. If you have the room, go for the "4wd mattress".

We bought a double one a few years back when they first came out. It looked reasonably compact, but never ever could fit back into the bag it came out from :-) Its now in our double swag, and is the most comfortable mattress you could want. Also, because of its thickness, you are well insulated from the cold ground.

Ours is supposed to be self-inflating, but we just roll it up like any other foam mattress. Our rolled up swag, complete with sleeping bags, and pillows is about 500mm diameter, and 4 foot 6 long.

Cheers
phil

G'day,

as a former bushwalker, I have used thermarest (and similar) self inflating mattresses for years and regard them as providing the best reliability, comfort and insulation one could hope for, under all conditions.

Had to modify my opinion somewhat when my (last) mat (an "Earth Mat" I think) delaminated on me one hot day while on Northern Cape York ! This was despite having valves undone, and while it was inside a tent. Made it completely useless for anything, but particularly as a mattress - think of a large mattress - shaped bubble !

Still, I replaced it with a similar model when I made a trip back to nearest supplier (not on CY though!).

I have found that anything over about 50mm thick is wasted - adjusting the amount of inflation provides a means to tailor your mattress to your requirements, and to allow for hips, etc., I generally slightly over inflate ( ie. let mattress slf inflate and finish it off with a couple of puffs - let some out when I'm actually on it) - I find this works well.

Stay away from airbeds - good for flotation in rivers etc., but little else !

cheers
Terry
2003 HZJ78 Troopy Camper

G'day HK,

Check out post 20805 for my opinion and much more info on this subject.

Avagoodn
Pezza

DWH Off Road Mats for my kid. She reckons it's great. We have the camper mattress.