Portable Air Mattress

Most of us probably know people who could literally fall asleep anywhere. It wouldn't matter if they were in the car, in the company break room, or at the park, if they felt sleepy they would be minutes away from peaceful bliss. For these kinds of folks and for the rest of us too, a portable air mattress offers the opportunity to sleep anywhere.

Portable air mattresses started out as the single camping mattress that was inflated through a direct mouth-to-valve operation. Millions of people around the world have experienced the air mattress headache that results from trying to inflate one of these mattresses quickly. But with new mattresses, there are other options.

Advances in Portable Air Mattresses

Foot pumps have replaced the human lungs on the least expensive models. You simply insert the hose into the valve and pump away until you reach the desired firmness. It couldn't be easier. More expensive models sometimes come with electric pumps included. There are even a few mattresses, intended solely for home use that can be connected to either end of a vacuum cleaner.

Regardless of the model and inflation method, the whole idea of the portable air mattress is to avoid having to be terribly uncomfortable when we don't have access to our own bed. They are great for camping, of course, but they are also ideal for other things too. Like visiting your daughter at college during family weekend; going on a family vacation with only two hotel beds and three kids; even camping out in your own basement while the upstairs portion is undergoing remodeling. Wherever you need to sleep, take a portable air mattress.

Deciding Which Portable Air Mattress To Buy

The only caution here is in finding the best rated mattress to buy. This is one instance where you get what you pay for. The cheapest, single-chamber air mattress will probably be sufficient for a night or two with the average adult. But think of them as disposable mattresses. They will stretch and flatten after repeated use, and that's only if they hold all the air for an entire night. If you want a good night's sleep, be prepared to pay a little more.

Air mattresses with multiple chambers will give you the best support and least amount of air loss. If you'll be using the mattress somewhere that might be drafty or a bit cool, think about a raised air bed. Cold air falls, as any good camper knows, and the higher you are off the ground, the warmer you'll be.

There's also the matter of linens and whether or not you want a faux velvety texture as opposed to straight vinyl. Provided you use bed linens, the vinyl surface will be cooler in the summer while the velvet will be warmer in the winter. Some portable mattresses give you both options on opposite sides.

If, for some reason, you are considering long-term use of an inflatable air mattress, make sure to buy the best you can find. They can be a couple of hundred dollars, but it will be worth it. A low-standing air mattress can be used with your regular bed frame, but you'll get better support and less mattress stress if you remove the box spring first. Replace it with a piece of smooth plywood then place the mattress on top.

At the end of the day, portable air mattresses aren't just for camping anymore. They are to help us sleep anywhere we find ourselves.