Exped - MegaMat Max

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

I’ve used the megamat and even the megamat max and can’t seem to dial in the comfort. It’s either rock hard or a waterbed for me.

I switched from an [Exped Megamat Max](https://www.rei.com/product/244272/exped-megamat-max-sleeping-pad-long-x-wide) to a [Zempire Monstabed](https://www.rei.com/product/241305/zempire-monstabed-single-air-bed). You'd need the space in your tent for the taller bed, but it's incredible for sleeping, and is nice for getting in and out of bed, too. It packs smaller than the Megamat Max, but I'm not sure how ideal it is for backpacking unless good sleep is worth the weight. IMO it is the single best car camping option, though! I'm also a side sleeper and I finally have a place for my hips to go. It has two independent air cavities which I like from a redundancy perspective. The 12" bottom does most of the heavy lifting (I fill it to hard as a board then let air out for a quarter second) then the 4" foam can be separately adjusted for more or less cushion.

Yeah so far I've been comfortable with the build quality! I have the duo/twin version because it's usually me and at least a dog, and it has withstood (trimmed) dog nails with ease. I do make a point of never laying on it with clothing that has zippers, but I do the same with my Exped. The bottom is a much thicker material than the sides and top. It ships with a patch kit which looks perfect for small punctures, but I don't think the patches are enough for a tear. I do use a footprint and my newest tent has a heavy-duty tarp bottom though so I don't know that I've exposed the mat to any real risk.

Megamat Max or Dometic Highrise 15. Like someone else said, you can buy two and place next to each other for maximum width. I purchased a cot from Helinox and still placed a mattress pad on top, but in my opinion, the two mattress I mentioned are much more comfortable.

I also recommend the exped mega mat. After owning the mega mat 10 and duo I bought a mega mat max and have never regretted it. Warm, comfortable, and massive.

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.

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.

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.