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australia:beds

Table of Contents

air beds, mattresses and stretchers for camping

see also:

  • I don't sell any of these nor do I receive any remuneration if you buy them, and I have not personally reviewed all of them, they are listed here to give you perspective

Introduction

  • sleeping is perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of camping for many people and what you sleep on is only part of the issue
  • there are various options depending upon whether you are hiking or can carry the extra weight and bulk in your vehicle
    • stretchers and air beds are really only suitable for those with tall, larger tents such as touring tents you can stand up in, although some like to use a stretcher with their swag
    • self-inflating air beds are great for camping near your vehicle even in smaller 2 person tents
    • if you are hiking, a thermally insulated ultra-light air mat is probably your best bet

Stretchers

  • these get you off the ground and in many cases you will not need an additional mattress for comfort although most use a self-inflating mat as well
  • some prefer to have their swag off the ground as well to minimise issues with rain water pooling under swag
  • in hot climates allow more air cooling
  • pros:
    • allows storage of gear, clothes under the stretcher
    • keeps your sleeping gear dry in case of rain flooding the tent - you and your sleeping gear are off the ground so have a better chance of staying dry
    • warm air rises, and so inside a 2P tent a stretcher will have you closer to the warm air
    • can provide additional comfort
    • extra height makes it easier to get in and out of bed especially if you are getting on in age
    • extra height makes it easier to put your shoes on by sitting on edge of stretcher
    • if it has individually adjustable height legs, you can get a better sleep on sloping ground - and thus allow more flexibility as to where you can pitch your tent - flat ground can be hard to find!
  • cons:
    • air underneath you means you can be colder - ensure you have an insulated mattress
    • generally heavy and bulky
    • lighter weight ones can take time to assemble and are generally quite narrow
    • legs may damage tent floors so you should also use a floor protector such as a mat
      • potentially the flat bar leg design may distribute load more and cause less floor damage than the X-bar designs with small feet
    • some are a bit too narrow for many campers who may prefer a king size 100cm wide stretcher for more comfort

Stretchers with individually adjustable leg heights

Single stretchers

ultra-light < 2kg (and narrow)

light 2-3kg (and narrow)

relatively light 3-6kg (and most are narrow)

moderately heavy 6-10kg

heavy 10-13kg

very heavy > 13kg

  • San Hima folding stretcher
    • 96cm wide 228Lx96Wx59cm; steel frame and 3 x cross legs; 600D Oxford fabric; 200kg weight limit;
    • folds to 114×19.5×12.5cm; weighs 13.25kg
    • suitable for swags.
    • Temu ~$AU85
  • Oztent RS-1S King Single Stretcher for swags
    • designed for use with the Oztent RS-1 Swag; frame has additional anti-sway stabilisation;
    • 107cm wide, 51cm high; 200kg capacity; 300D polycotton canvas; steel frame; 15.2kg; packs to 23 x 112 x 20cm
    • $AU269
    • now replaced by Series II which has a heavier duty stretcher 600D fabric

Double / Queen Stretchers

  • these are a potential great addition if you want to sleep in a larger tents without integrated floors to act as fly tents or hot tents and wish to elevate your 2P Mozzie tent or Swag off the potentially flooded ground
    • most 2P tents are about 200-210cm long x ~140cm wide and will thus fit nicely on many of these stretchers and can be kept in place with a large thick memory foam mattress which should then give you the best of all worlds with the proviso of the midline bar (see below)
  • BE AWARE that most have a midline pole which will mean you can't really sleep in the middle
    • if using mattresses, two single mattresses are more comfortable than a double mattress because of this bar and even a 15cm thick mattress will result in a noticeable bump in the centre and cause you to roll away from it
    • these are designed for one person to sleep on each half
  • most are made with 600D polyester and powder coated frames
  • Kamp-Rite Queen Kwik Cot Stretcher
    • 216L x 140W x 48H cm packs to 107L x 28W x 28H cm
    • 16.5kg
    • $AU239
  • Outdoor Connection Quickfold Queen Stretcher
    • 216 x 142 x 47cm
    • $AU249
  • Wanderer Tourer Extra Wide Queen Stretcher
  • Trail-X O.G Double Easy Fold Stretcher
  • OZtrail Easy Fold Queen Stretcher
  • OzTRail AnyWhere Bed Queen
    • powder coated steel expanding leg system
    • 20cm thick PVC air bed (needs BYO pump) inside a fitted FlannelTek pocket - many have issues with slow deflation overnight and not comfy - see reviews
    • 198L x 147W x 60H cm packs to 75L x 32W x 27H cm
    • 15kg;
    • https://www.snowys.com.au/anywhere-bed-queen $AU229
  • Darche Kozi Queen Stretcher 1440
    • 200 x 144 x 42 cm LWH packs to 102 x 16 x16cm; fast fold style;
    • NB. only 300D poly; 16.2kg; $AU239
  • King Camp KC4005 BlackStrips
    • 16.6kg; 1200D Oxford; Heavy duty flat circle steel tubes;
  • Kulkyne Kampers XL Double Stretcher (no middle bar)
    • uses a midline tension strap instead of a middle bar
    • 230(l) x 146(w) x 50(h) cms packs to 19kg 127(l) x 11(w) x 22(h) cms (bag 1) + 8kg 80(l) x 11(w) x 6(h) cms (bag 2);
    • 27kg; Takes a LONG time to set up and is complex!
    • https://www.kulkyne.com.au/double-stretcher.html $AU399

Stretcher/cot with incorporated tent

  • the main purpose of these is to provide an elevated tent which won't be in a pool of water when it rains heavily overnight
  • these are best used UNDER a tarp or awning in heavy rain as waterproofing may not be adequate and they need to be well ventilated to avoid condensation
  • NB. setting up or packing up the easy fold styles of these is best done on clean dry ground - so if ground is wet you will get the inner wet as well when packing up
  • NB. the mesh on these are prone to being damaged during packing up - take care to protect it - at least with the Oztent you can fully unzip and replace the mesh
  • for weight and sustainability at cost of convenience and ease of set up, a separate stretcher and swag or tent may be a better option

1P tent

2P tent

  • Dune 4WD Ultimate Stretcher Tent Grey Double
  • Kamp-Rite Double Tent Cot
  • generic Chinese Pure Bliss folding compact twin/double tent-cot
    • essentially a slightly smaller version of the Kamp-Rite Double Tent Cot
    • 2.1×1.26×1.2m high (30cm height off ground and 2P tent then is 90cm high)
    • front and rear mesh doors;
    • head and toe mesh windows; (no mesh in ceiling);
    • ceiling and fly fabric (with door awnings and head/toe vents?) is 210D PU
    • steel tubing;
    • close down tent part to use as a lounge (but you will need to lie on the tent)
    • can be mounted onto roof rack
    • packs flat to 1.27×0.82×0.16m; 19kg;
    • NB. TOO BIG to fit in most roof pods. It needs to go longways into a station wagon boot and would cover most of the boot and rear seat area!
    • https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/152572457005 $AU325

Air beds

  • these are usually made of heavy duty PVC and are generally comfortable
  • PVC stretches from internal air pressure, body weight and temperature changes
  • most will need pumping up at least every 2 days
  • some have an internal dual pump system features a noisy primary pump which controls inflation, while a secondary pump works “silently” to maintain your support throughout the night - depending upon version, they will obviously require a 240V power supply or have an in-built rechargeable battery (eg. Bestway Alwayzaire Dual Pump QS Airbed)
  • come in either mat height (~12cm), standard height (~22cm high) and double height (~48cm high)
  • cons:
    • relatively heavy and bulky so not for hiking but not as heavy as stretchers
    • require inflating hence need a pump - most of these are very noisy
    • many have 240V internal pumps - you may not have access to 240V in your tent unless you have a powered camp site
    • most stretch and require further inflation
    • can be damaged requiring repair kit to get it inflatable again
    • air can make you colder
  • double height without 240V pump

Self-inflating air mattresses

  • these are larger and heavier than hiking air mattresses that you need to inflate but are also generally thicker and more durable
  • risk damage or loss of cap and not inflating
  • there are thicker versions which use foam as well - see in next section for these

Car camping foam mattresses

  • a double will generally fit snuggly in most 2P tents as these tents are usually 1.3m wide and more than 2.1m long
  • a double will NOT fit in the boot of a station wagon as the distance between the wheel hubs is only 1.1m or so
  • strongly consider buying a 3D wall styled mat as these support you better and you can bind two together
  • most are 197cm long, a few, such as the Thermarest MondoKing 3D are 203cm
  • singles are generally 65-70cm wide, king are 75-77cm, jumbo 90cm and twin or double are 132cm wide (the doubles fold in half before rolling up), while Queen are 148cm wide
    • Darch ATM models come in 90cm, 110cm and 140cm wide.
  • the better mats have one way valves (eg. Exped, Thermarest, Zempire Monstamat, Blackwolf Hexatherm 3D) so you can make multiple attempts at squeezing air out without more air coming back in when you are rolling it up
  • choose a mat with high R thermal insulation value of at least 6-8 if camping in snow or in a rooftop tent
  • these are very bulky, not suited to hiking
  • before 1st use, they should be left out in the sun for 45 minutes with the valves open to help undo the vacuum sealing process they go through (or left open overnight)
  • should be stored flat with valves open to avoid memory foam issues otherwise it will take longer to self-inflate
  • self-inflation for many mats only gets to around 90% inflation so if you want it more firm you will need to pump some extra air in (but doing so on cheaper mats may make them more bouncy)
  • avoid inflating with moist air as this may decrease the life of the laminate - delamination is generally the most common defect in self-inflating mats
  • cheaper versions of these tend to be unbonded - ie the outer is never bonded to the foam and thus the air can distribute away from your heaviest part - your butt - in this case, the less air you have in there the more even may be the support - consider sleeping with one valve open! Over-inflating by blowing air into them just tends to exacerbate the issue.
  • “3D” design means they have stiffened side walls that wont collapse easily and this also makes them easy to join together using straps.
  • the wider ones in particular can be more difficult to roll up tightly
    • with the valve open fold it into thirds then seat on it for a few minutes until the air is released
    • then open up and do a large roll up, again with the valve open then sit on it again to deflate more air
    • now, if it is a double, fold it in half, (an assistant can keep the valve end folded over while you roll it tightly)
    • then roll it up as tight as you can, finally, lock the valves closed
  • single stretcher bed mattresses
  • folding foam mattresses

self-inflating memory foam mattresses

single or king size

90cm wide mattresses

  • Blackwolf Hexatherm XL Single 3D Diamond Cell Mattress
    • 200L x 90W x 10H cm; packs to 92L x 29cm; R7.9; 3D; 4.1kg; 30D / 190T material;
    • single 360deg rotating valve (yellow side is deflate) as with the Zemfire Monstamat
    • not as firm as a Zemfire Monstamat due to different foam structure but you can top the air up with supplied bag pump to make it firmer so it is easier to adjust firmness than the Zemfire
    • Youtube demo of using the straps to join two of them
    • discontinued
  • Darche All Terrain Mattress (ATM) roof top tent mattress
    • 10cm thick, bonded, 3D, premium open cell high density foam 23kg/m²;
    • top: hardwearing 75D peach finished polyester with PVC coating
    • Bottom: waterproof 300D oxford with PVC coating
    • heavy duty materials but the price to pay for this is they are bulky, heavy, hard to deflate fully and hard to roll up
    • ATM 900: 195cm L x 90cm W x 10cm H, 6.21kg; 4 valves; packs to 99L x 25W x 22.5H cm; $AU299 on special $AU256 https://www.wildearth.com.au/buy/darche-all-terrain-mattress-900-4-valve-black-oran/T050803001A
  • Dune Jumbo Premium (red):

110cm wide mattresses

  • Darche All Terrain Mattress (ATM) roof top tent mattress
    • 10cm thick, bonded, 3D, premium open cell high density foam 23kg/m²;
    • top: hardwearing 75D peach finished polyester with PVC coating
    • Bottom: waterproof 300D oxford with PVC coating
    • heavy duty materials but the price to pay for this is they are bulky, heavy, hard to deflate fully and hard to roll up
    • ATM 1100: 195cm L x 110cm W x 10cm H, 7.23kg; 6 valves; packs to 117L x 25W x 25.5H cm; $AU329 on special $AU284 https://www.wildearth.com.au/buy/darche-all-terrian-mattress-1100mm-black-orange/T050803002A

twin/double mattresses

  • Dune 4WD Mat Grey
    • 10cm thick; air tends to go to head and foot ends leaving your butt sinking;
    • double: 7.7kg, packs to 136 x 24 x 21 cm; $AU149
  • Zempire Monstamat Twin Self-Inflating Mat
    • 201x132x10cm thick; 30D super stretch ripstop polyester (surface); Open cell foam, cross cored ; 30D top / 75D bottom;
    • 9.5R thermal rating; 6kg; packs to 70 x 33 x 33cm; needs to be stored flat with valve open to prevent foam memory issues; 30min to self-inflate then can blow into it for final inflation;
    • $AU299 https://www.bcf.com.au/p/zempire-monstamat-twin-self-inflating-mat/617437.html
  • Blackwolf Hexatherm 3D “Queen” Leisure Mat
    • 201L x 130W x 10H cm; R7.9; 3D; 5.5kg; 30D / 190T material;
    • single 360deg rotating valve (yellow side is deflate) as with the Zemfire Monstamat
    • not as firm as a Zemfire Monstamat due to different foam structure but you can top the air up with supplied bag pump to make it firmer so it is easier to adjust firmness than the Zemfire
    • $AU449;
  • Blackwolf Hexatherm 2D Mega Deluxe II Double Mattress - Gibraltar
  • Darche All Terrain Mattress (ATM) roof top tent mattress
    • 10cm thick, bonded, 3D, premium open cell high density foam 23kg/m²;
    • top: hardwearing 75D peach finished polyester with PVC coating
    • Bottom: waterproof 300D oxford with PVC coating
    • heavy duty materials but the price to pay for this is they are bulky, heavy, hard to deflate fully and hard to roll up
    • ATM 1400: 195cm L x 140cm W x 10cm H, 9.37kg; 6 valves; packs to 148L x 27W x 28.5H cm; $AU379 on special $AU299 https://www.freddys.com.au/products/darche-all-terrain-atm-mattresses?variant=28231131856989
  • Oztent Stratus Double Self-Inflating Mattress
    • 201 x 132cm x 10cm thick; R7.3 thermal value; 4.5kg; packs to 70 x 30cm; 30D top / 190T/75D bottom;
    • $AU439
  • Exped Sim Comfort Duo 7.5:
    • 197 x 125 x 7.5cm; packs to 67 x 23cm; R 7.6 rating; 3.35kg;
    • $AU469 but now discontinued.
  • Exped Megamat Duo 10 LW:
    • 197 x 132 x 10cm; packs to 70 x 30cm; 4.6kg; R8.1 rating; 3D side wall mat design; minipump (hand pump) included to top it up; sidewinder stuff sack;
    • completely fills a wide 2-person tent; 50D top / 75D bottom;
    • $AU599; sometimes $AU349 on special https://www.tentworld.com.au/buy-sale/exped-megamat-duo
  • Nemo Roamer Double
  • Exped MegaMat Max Duo 15 LW+

Queen size mattresses

Hiking air mattresses

  • these are the most compact and light of all mattresses
  • many have thermal insulating materials but many of these are very noisy each time you move
  • risk damage and not inflating
  • see sleeping mats for hiking

Hiking foam mats

  • these are generally carried on the outside of backpacks as they are somewhat bulky
  • have the advantage that they won't fail on your trip but not really comfortable
  • one could use a yoga mat but they are a bit too thin for comfort
australia/beds.txt · Last modified: 2024/09/04 18:33 by gary1
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