Stretcher v Self inflating mattress

Hi Robbo26,
I would give some thought to getting the boys a single swag each. They will last beyond their teens and are probably the most comfortable option IMO.
I have never tried the strechers so cant comment, but as you say looks like a fair bit of kit to carry.
Self inflating matterss is an ok option for a night or two. Two weeks straight... hmm dunno.
We have a heavy rubber air bed for the misses and I, and I hate it - wake up with a sore back every time. Also have a double swag, but with both of us in there its just not wide enough. I think the best option for us will be to get some high desity foam (like in the swag) that is the same width as the air bed - should roll up nice and tight too.

Good luck with it.


Ash

I use an OzTrail self Inflating mattress and this year have used it on a two, then three and then four week trip.

I lay it on the floor of the tent and have a sleeping bag on top.

It doesn't give me any back trouble - I'm 6 foot 3 and no budgie.

cheers

I'd go for a good self-inflating mattress. We've had the same ones for about 10 years and no problem at all. Easy to set-up and break down again when packing up. I guess the only 'down side' is that if you get flooded, you'll get wet and on a stretcher you'll stay dry. Mattresses are much lighter and take less space. I was convinced when the sales lady asked me for my car keys and hid them under a mattress...I couldn't feel them when I lay on it. Definitely don't feel the cold like you do with a rubber air mattress. Cheers

Hello Robbo 26
As said before, if possible and room permits get the the boys a swag each and they are set for years, and will be a lot warmer in the winter months in a swag, they can still be rolled out in a tent, Bill

Hi Robbo

A stretcher would never have worked for me as a kid as they were to weak
to withstand jumping on and fighting off your brother - never work now either
- not to sleep with your (my) wife.

I don't think cold and damp is an issue - the simplest $6 closed cell foam
camping mat solves that.

However a bigger issue is a thick enough mattress to reduce uneven ground.
(IMHO you need 100mm minimum)

In summer I find that the self inflator on the ground is actually to warm
and prefer a small LiLo which is significantly cooler as air circulates
inside it.

For your stretcher though you can use a much thinner mattress
and sometimes they come with same.

What I have seem work well was a jackaroo brand cheapy from K-Mart.
A few years ago way under $36 for a 35mm self-inflator, sub $50 for strecher.

Before we upgraded to the camper and caravan, I found the most comfortable sleep I had was on the self inflating matress on the camp stretcher. Maybe you could start off with the self inflating matress, and if it is too unconfortable, then look at adding the stretchers as well. 2 stretchers and 2 matresses will still take up much less room than 2 swags.

Grinner

Robbo,

We have both and use them depneding on the situation. Generally, for the kids (4 & 6) we take the stretchers. The stretchers manage to keep them in their beds without them rolling out. The other good thing about stretchers is that we can put some luggage underneath them.

If we are going somehwere overnight or need to pack light we take the thermarests. The kids manage to roll off these and susually end up sleeping partly on the floor.

Cold and damp are not going to be a problem at Woddy Head over Christmas. But if you are going somewhere where it's cold, the worst thing you can do is to use a stretcher by itself. In cold conditions we use the stretcher with a thermarest.

Hope that helps.

R

Thanks everyone,

A great response and good advice.

My wife and I have read the forum and we have been persuaded by everyone's experience and input to get both the stretcher and the self inflating mattress in the end.

It is unfortunately more expensive and more stuff to pack.

But we agree that the stretchers offer storage underneath a tidier tent?
And that hopefully the stretcher will confine them and stop them sprawling over the floor as discussed.

I will try a thicker mattress and hopefully this will alleviate my concerns about those metal edges on the stretchers as well.

Will let you know how we go.


Cheers Robbo

Do your homework on which is a good quality stretcher as a lot of them break easily. I personally find a 100mm self inflating mattress on the ground very comfortable and have slept on one for months no probs. I don't like how they bend and "crinkle up" when you put them on a stretcher. They are designed to go on the ground. There are specific foam stretcher mattresses that are designed for stretchers.

why not buy 1 stretcher and one self inflating mattress - let the kids alternate nightly then after the holiday let them decide which works best

Hi New Member & welcome,
I found that with the stretcher, the cold comes up under you bed & freezes you
I found that they were too hard to sleep on comfortably on your side., I was in an old sleeping bag though. Not so padded.
We now put a canvas tarp under the tent which extends out the front of the tent .
This helps protect the tent floor.& an old time plastic tablecloth with a sort of flannel backing under an airbed on the tent floor.
This helps stop little particles getting under the air mattress.
You need to keep the dirt out of it as best you can.
Sounds a lot of work but it isn't.
Ours is a Coleman mattress & is reasonably priced.
As usual they don't make em like they used to.
We go camping or 4 weeks at a time packing up & moving on each morning.
I think its in our profile images.
Take care, Safe travels Ma

I am a bit stunned on how many people like self inflating mats. I use a thermorest when bush walking because it packs light but there is no way it compares with a good swag or quality stretcher bed. Not all stretchers are bad quality..... we have an very strong one but it is packed away in the camper and a bit of a drama to get out.... I think it might be a companion. I prefer it to a swag as it is cooler in the hot but it is much more bulky and difficult to set up. I would not inflict a growing back to more than a few days on a thermorest..... you never know what damage you are doing. For my old back on a thermorest I take a few nurofen for the pain and a antihistimine so I can sleep..... not comfortable at all.

I thought stretchers were for oldies!
2 Boys aged 8 and 11 will sleep fine on anything. Our kids slept on 1cm foam hiker mats for a long time.

Looking back, single swags would have been the best solution for our family. Very simple to set up and the kids "own" them. They can also use them for sleepovers at home and at their friends places. Our 3 year old granddaughter had her first taste of sleeping in a swag recently - absolutely loved it.

Would go the self inflatables, still have the one kicking around from when i went camping as a kid with the parents. Have gone through 3 or 4 stretchers with our kids and they tend to wear out tent floors.
Cheers Andrew

Another option - a bit more $$, but I've slept in one and they're comfortable as anything - and flat pack fairly neatly...

http://www.kulkyne.com/au/Tent-Cots/

Our family has tried all of the mentioned sleeping options both for us and our two kids.

We have found that the large stretchers with a good sleeping bag and sleeping mat are the best for the kids. We found that by packing the kids stuff in plastic tubs with lids ($14 BCF) that they slide under the stretcher keeping their tent neater and their clothes dry. They have had LOTS of rain on this set-up without anything getting wet.

We also went from the 4WD mat to the large stretchers a well.

As for tarps under tents
I choose to use Shade cloth under the tent as it does not retain water under the tent, and its lighter. unlike those that use tarps under the tent I make my shade cloth groundsheet about 1 metre larger than the tent all round which helps in keeping everything cleaner