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Exped is the current king of the semi self inflating mattresses but there are other worthy considerations which are more affordable, especially on sale. I went with a Lost Horizon I found on clearance for half price. Probably not as bomb proof as the Exped, but after about a dozen trips this summer it’s going strong without issues. The bottom line is these type of mattresses are exponentially more comfortable than anything else on the market. I will never go back. The only drawback is they don’t roll up small.
This one was a bit out of my price range but I bought one on Amazon by a brand called lost horizon. I feels the same and it’s about half the price. It’s gone on a few adventures with me.
Lost Horizon is great for cold camping, they'll stay fully inflated at below freezing, but you do need a pump to deflate it properly, still the most comfortable camp mattress I've laid on
Goto REI and try a few out! "Self inflating" is a little misleading, as you might still want to blow a few breaths into it to fill it to your comfort level. Klymit are pretty thin and lightweight which are good for backpacking. I've got a CORE brand mattress that is working for me in my RTT. I had a Lost Horizon brand off Amazon but it ended up developing a leak and their Customer Support was unreasonable to deal with so I tossed it. I've heard NEST are super comfy so check them out too.
Bf and I got the lost horizon matress (the double is less than half the price of megamat, including a pump to help deflate) and we are very happy. It‘s 12cm thick and that is the sweet spot. I also tested 8cm thickness and that was not enough. The LH feels like our bed, honestly. Some thoughts: If you get two singles they slide against each other and apart from each other very easily. Dunno how people solve this. I hate the noise that movement creates and it wakes me up more than anything. I am very glad we got the double to not have to deal with that. My bf weighs obly a bit more than me (20kg) and I don‘t feel the matress getting harder when he lies down. It pretty much feels like if I was laying there alone. I think it‘s the thick foam inside. I feel him move but less than I expected bc it’s „like in my real bed“, not like „I’m on a ship of an air matress and we are sinking….“ ;) For sleeping bags: I‘d prefer cotton on the the inside but I am a summer camper who hates the feeling of sythetics on my skin. Don‘t get a mummy, get a double sleeping bag that can be split into two or the other way round two singles that can be connected ;)
Since you're just planning to car camp, and not backpack, then get a self-inflating foam camping mattress. You can get the Lost Horizon on Amazon in the Single Slim size 62"L x 26"W x 3"T
I got a lost horizon self inflating mattress and it’s like a whole queen mattress
Sorry I worded that bad I meant it feels like a real mattress not an air one
I love the LostHorizon Single for on my cot. Super comfortable, affordable and got it on sale around $100 on Amazon. Not on sale is about $120
Lost horizon on Amazon in cot size. It’s shorter than the other sizes but 30” wide which is sweet. I have two lost horizons and for the money I’m not sure they can be beat
I’ve got two lost horizons paired with ZenBivy. Unbeatable combo
Both. Single for myself and double for when my wife comes or if it’s not going to be cold and I want to sprawl out. My single pad is 28” wide and I no longer feel the claustrophobia of sleeping bags. Highly recommend and i believe there’s a good sale for 4th of July.
Lost horizon has been more than good enough for me
We just got a Lost Horizon today and man i might use it tonight instead of my normal mattress. Obviously havent used it camping but initial thoughts are that it was worth the 200
Will do! We’re making sure right now that we have no leaks. I love that you can use the bag as a pump. Could piss me off when tryna deflate and roll it back though. But yeah it’s super duper comfy I think we’re gonna get great sleep when we camp going forward