Exped - MegaMat 15

I'm a little late but I'll add a +1 for the exped megamat. I bought the extra wide one last year(solo version) for my Subaru Forester. It doesn't inflate that much on its own and I have to inflate it with the pump but it's very easy. I didn't install a platform in my car and I slept really well on it without the slightest back pain the next morning.

Another vote for the Exped Megamat, especially the 15 if space isn’t an issue. Fill it and then let out a little air. It’s like sleeping on your bed at home.

Exped MegaMat Duo 15. You’re losing 8” of width vs a queen bed but it’s the most comfortable sleeping pad you can buy. Alternatively, if you absolutely need the extra 8” buy two MegaMat 15 LXWs and put them together. You’ll have 61” of width.

Exped MegaMat 15 Max. It's like sleeping on a bed at home. Or if you really want to baller out buy a 30" wide cot like the Helinox Cot Max and put the Exped pad on top of it. Then get a down quilt from Hammock Gear, ZenBivy, Enlightened Equipment or Paria Outdoor Products.

Keep in mind infants CANNOT sleep on a camping mattress. They lack the back strength to turn themselves over in case they end up on their stomach. Regular air pads and even the MegaMat fully inflated is NOT safe for an infant. You need a very firm mattress for your baby and they should never sleep in the same bed as you. Crib mattresses are usually small enough where they could be brought with you camping. As far as a recommendation for the adults get an Exped MegaMat or one of it's clones. Exped MegaMat 15 (the best on the market) Exped MegaMat 10 ALPS Outback Mat REI Camp Dreamer (note this only has a 1 year warranty) Nemo Roamer 3D Thermarest MondoKing 3D Big Agnes Captain Comfort Sea To Summit Comfort Deluxe Stoic Cloud and Cloud Lux (Stoic is a Backcountry.com brand)

Exped MegaMat 15 LXW or the Hest foamy are the most comfortable by far on the market. They are expensive though. The MegaMat 10 is a bit less expensive but not as thick. You can look at some of the Exped clones though and they are quite comfortable. ALPS Mountaineering Outback Mat Big Agnes Captain Comfort Hikenture semi inflating foam mat King Camp semi inflating foam mattress Lost Horizon AirSoft REI Camp Dreamer (warning, only a 1 year warranty) Sea to Summit Comfort Deluxe Stoic Cloud and Cloud Lux Thermarest MondoKing 3D You can usually find the Exped MegaMat 10 at most REI stores as a return in the ReSupply (Garage Sale) section. They are usually 50% off or so. Just make sure to bring a portable air pump like a FlexTail Gear or Exped air pump to test in the store. Just be careful as there are NO returns and your warranty from Exped might also be denied if they can determine it was a ReSupply purchase. They usually tell if it is a ReSupply purchase because REI likes to take a silver Sharpie and put an X mark on the product. If the X is on the outside stuff sack then your are ok, it they put it on the actual mat you consider the warranty void with Exped. If they put an X on the stuff sack then just don't send the stuff sack into Exped if you ever have a warranty claim.

Look into the zempire monstabed. It’s a combo of air mattress and foam. I like it more than my exped megamat 15

I’m 6’2” and just got back from 5 days in the desert sleeping on my Exped Megamat 15… bulky? Yes. Expensive, Yes. Best camping sleep ever? YES! Absolutely amazing.

Exped is the answer. I have the MegaMat 15 and it truly is amazing… not cheap, but worth it.

100% the Exped Megamat 15. As others have mentioned, this is close to a home mattress experience. Of course, it is near the low end Sealy and Serta twin mattresses.

I second, me and my wife switched from an inflatable king bed to two mega mat 15s. Pricy, but worth it.

I just bought the MegaMat the Plush 6” thick one! I finally fucking slept the night without tossing and turning every 30 mins and waking up groggy Get the mini electric pump, just turn it on continue with your camp setup and come back in ten mins or so and your done Rolling it up there’s a technique people moan about it but it’s doable just takes 5-10 mins

We've been doing more car camping and less backpacking as we get older... the last few trips we had one of the really tall air mattresses. I love the height of them, how you can sit on the edge of the bed and put your socks on...and they're actually pretty comfy... BUT. They do lose air over a few days and if you have a super Floppy Spouse like I do, then it's like being on one of those giant water pillow things at the lake when you're sleeping at night. Especially if Floppy Spouse has to pee every thirty minutes at night like mine does. I just got the Exped Megamax 15 based on extensive research. It's spendy but... I'm old. I didn't love going back down to ground level, but I figure with a stand-up tent it's not so bad, and the tradeoff with comfort and not being disturbed by Floppy Spouse was worth it. I got it a few days ago, blew it up at the house and made Floppy Spouse come over and Flop away... it is REALLY comfortable. We will be trying it out this weekend for the first time but initial impression is that it's money well spent.

Go with a thicker EXPED. You bought one of the thinnest car camping mat they make.

I have the megamat and it’s amazing. They have a thicker one too.

Recently went camping with my 5 month pregnant wife and she slept on our new cot + exped megamat setup. She’s a side sleeper and said it was the most comfortable setup she’s ever slept on outside of our bedroom. 

We just have a simple single person coleman cot. The exped is really the key piece. Whatever cot you go with, just make sure its wide enough to support the width of the exped you go with.  Both pack up pretty compact for the amount of comfort it provides. Obviously not for backpacking but good for car camping

We actually have the megamat lxw, which is a single person but extra long/wide. It packs up to about two sleeping bags end to end, but maybe a bit slimmer?

For camping, we use exped megamats (extra long/wide)--and I find them super comfortable even though I have back issues.

I don't think any of them have real memory foam. It doesn't compact as much, etc. I have used Thermarest and REIs. But the best IMHO is the Exped Mega Mat. Not cheap but well worth it since you want non backpacking size.

Exped Mega Mats. I bristled at all the hype about them until I got one. I liked it so much I got one to replace a mattress in the apartment, since it works especially well when my back issues flare up. Cots alone are not that comfortable, and are considerably cold. So most use a mat on top of one much of the time.

If you have an rei near buy you could buy it and simply return it no issues if you don’t like it. But I have one and love it as well

Exped mega mat. Mine is 10cm of orthopedic hedonism.

when I’m at home I like a thin wool pad on the ground, I love an extra firm sleeping surface. the exped mega mat is nice. You can inflate it quite hard. Unfortunately it deflates through the night so it doesn’t stay as firm

We bite the bullet and bought two MegaMats. They have a Duo pad for couples, but we sometimes camp separately.

Been sleeping on an Exped Mega Mat and a cot for 3+ months, and an Exped on top of an overly soft mattress for a year before that. I have lower back issues, and this has been one of the best mattresses I have slept on in years.

I find the cot/Exped combo more comfortable/supportive than the Exped/mattress, so it seems to help in that regard. Possibly just better firmness match for me. I have used the Exped on the floor or in back of a car a handful of times, but didn’t notice a big difference between that or the cot (as far as I remember).

If you want something that’s still somewhat portable and packs down a bit exped mega mats are genuinely great. We went through 3 air mattresses in as many years. Got these and never had a leak in 3 years now and I sleep through the night. If your strictly car camping and don’t mind more bulk I’ve heard the Hest systems are unbelievably comfortable like taking a nice comfy hotel bed camping with you. Good luck!

Exped mega mat with the mega pump to inflate and deflate well. Slept without being able to feel the floor. No pain except for some issues from how I slept on the bus lol.

I (64M) love an Exped air mattress or a cot for sleeping. I always used a cot for many years but got talked into an Exped, not cheap, and I have to say it is awesome. It stays firm and fills up in minutes with the supplied pump and takes up minimum space when empty and it is light.

Have you ever spent the night in a crash pad? It's pretty awful... REI will let you lay on pads. If you have one near by, go try the Megamat out. You'll understand.

Own and tried several other sleeping pads, megamat is the best (unless you backpacking)

XPed mega mat makes a solid mattress for cold car camping.

Yes. Air mattresseds suck. The megamat is 10000% worth it's price.

If you aren’t needing to carry it long distances go with the exped megamat. Comfiest sleeping pad you can get.

Expend Megamat is the best. I put it over the EO mattress and it’s like home. Stay away from the iKamper one.

The MegaMat is just a self-inflating mattress. It’s filled with foam, so when you release the compression straps and open the “in” valve, the foam expands which draws in air. Most camping self-inflating mattress are cored out, they have channels or holes cut through the foam to reduce bulk and so they pack down smaller. If you puncture one, it’s not a disaster like an air bed. Your body weight pushes air out but the foam is constantly trying to draw air back in. Any decent camping shop will sell self- inflating mattresses. I have a Zempire one.

Another vote for Megamat. Wife and I share the biggest one they make and we're both more than happy with it.

We bought the Exped air mattress that really fits well in the back and made our own mosquito net window covers. Love it!

I also love my megamat! It's more comfortable than my bed.

I have limited experience since we only started camping last year but I cannot recommend enough the Exped Megamat camping mattress. We used the Exped Megamat Auto mattress since we were sleeping in the car and it’s got the tapered sides for the wheel arches but the normal Megamat would be ideal for your situation. Great for side and back sleeping. It can be super firm or you can let out some air and adjust it to your preference. Definitely worth considering if funds allow 👍 Will be taking our dog on a car camping road trip this year so will soon find out how dog proof they are! We’ve got a couple videos showing the mattress set up and in use. Edit - don’t listen to me, others have provided much better solutions 🫡

Just splurged on a megamat for car/tent camping and had the best sleep in a long time while camping.

Might still be worthwhile for grip but realistically, putting an 1/8" pad underneath you air mattress will not protect it from anything that would otherwise cause a puncture. Anything sharp enough to actually puncture an air mattress (sharp rock points, stick ends/etc) will poke right through that 1/8" foam without any trouble. This has happened to me once in \~50 Sierra nights from a small sharp rock end stick out that was embedded into the ground (impossible to see beforehand), it went right through both my tyvek groundsheet and DCF tent floor. I think the only true ground protection would be a thicker CCF like z-lite or megamat (which is what I use now), and I also prefer this since they double as camp sit pad/yoga mat/nap mat/etc.