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Best camping mattresses and sleeping mats 2027
Chris is an expert product tester, sometimes working up a sweat assessing exercise bikes and treadmills, other times lying down on the job testing pillows and air beds.
The best camping mattresses will stay inflated and comfortable all night long, giving you a great night's sleep under the stars. The worst are uncomfortable, noisy to roll around on, and may end up flat as a pancake in the middle of the night.
We've tried and tested sleeping mats from top retailers including Argos, Decathlon, John Lewis and Mountain Warehouse.
As well as measuring inflation and deflation speed, we assembled a panel of testers to try the mattresses for comfort, ease of use and more.
We named two Best Buys that stand out from the crowd, plus a Great Value recommendation if you're on a budget.
How we test to find you the best
Comfort
We assemble a large panel of people to try all the mattresses, rating them on how comfortable they are while you're lying on your back and side.
Inflation speed
After a long day outdoors, you want your camping mattress to be ready to flop down on in a flash. We time which ones inflate the fastest.
Ease of packing away
Nobody wants to spend hours wrestling their camping mattress back into its bag. We've done the hard work for you to find the easiest to stuff away.
We also test...
how easy the mattresses are to set up and how noisy they are to roll around on.
Need an air bed at home for overnight guests? See our reviews of the best air beds
The camping mattresses we tested
Only logged-in Which? members can view the test results below.
Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations below.
| Camping mattress | Price | Score | Comfort | Inflation speed | Ease of packing into case | Deflation test |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to reveal Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations Unlock tableGet Full Access for just £5 per month for your first 3 months. Cancel at any time. Already a member? | 81% | |||||
| 81% | ||||||
| 79% | ||||||
| 78% | ||||||
| 67% | ||||||
| 66% | ||||||
| 66% | ||||||
| 53% |
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Unlock tableGet Full Access for just £5 per month for your first 3 months. Cancel at any time.
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Dates tested: October 2026. Page last checked November 2026. We're not able to show every retailer, and cheaper prices may be available.
All the camping mattresses we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the best options from our tests.
Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations below.
Berghaus Double Self Inflating Mat
Max user weight 200kg
How do you inflate it? Auto-inflate valves
Dimensions (H x W x D) inflated 200 x 132 x 10 cm, folded 71 x 40 cm
Need to know Includes a carry bag
Bestway Flocked Double Air Mattress
Max user weight 300kg
How do you inflate it? Manual valve
Dimensions (H x W x D) inflated 191 x 137 x 22 cm, folded 31 cm x 35 cm x 9.5 cm
Outwell Dreamscape Insulated Double
Available from Outwell (£92)
Max user weight Not stated
How do you inflate it? Manual valve
Dimensions (H x W x D) inflated 205 x 140 x 12 cm, folded 37 x 22 cm
Quechua Ultim Double Comfort Mattress
Max user weight 220kg
How do you inflate it? Auto-inflate valves
Dimensions (H x W x D) inflated 200 x 136 x 8 cm, folded 70 x 52 x 12 cm
Need to know Includes a carry bag
Quechua Comfort Camping Mattress
Max user weight 220kg
How do you inflate it? Auto-inflate valves
Dimensions (H x W x D) inflated 200 × 136 × 8 cm, folded 70 × 52 × 12 cm
Need to know Includes a carry bag
Quest Elite Velvet 15 Double Self Inflating Mattress
Available from Outdoor World Direct (£199.99)
Max user weight Not stated
How do you inflate it? Auto-inflate valves
Dimensions (H x W x D) inflated 201 x 132 x 15 cm, folded 71 x 33 x 32 cm
Need to know Includes a carry bag
Vango Shangri-La Lux 12 Double Self-Inflating Mattress
Max user weight Not stated
How do you inflate it? In-built pump or auto-inflate valves
Dimensions (H x W x D) inflated 200 x 132 x 12cm, folded 72 x 32cm
Need to know Includes a carry bag
Vango Shangri-La II Double Sleeping Mat
Max user weight 120kg
How do you inflate it? Auto-inflate valves
Dimensions (H x W x D) inflated 200 x 132 x 12 cm, folded 69 x 27 cm
Need to know Includes a carry case
How we test camping mattresses
Many free-to-access websites review camping mattresses using just one tester, basing scores on their preferences. These sites may also receive products free of charge, directly from manufacturers.
Which? tests are different. Our test scores are based on measurements and ratings, and brands can't buy their way into our testing. We select the most searched-for camping mattresses, and we pay for every single one we test.
We also regularly revisit the camping mattresses on sale to see if there are any more popular models that need testing, and when we find them, we do.
We’re not influenced by third parties ,,and we don't accept freebies from product manufacturers or retailers. As a not-for-profit organisation, we have no owners, shareholders or government departments to answer to, so we work entirely on behalf of you, the consumer – nobody else.
Read our full statement of editorial independence.
Comfort: how pleasant are they to lie on?
- We assemble a panel of testers to try out each mattress consecutively.
- Each one is rated on how comfortable it is for lying on your back and side, as well as how easy it is to get on and off.
Inflation and deflation: how quickly and easily can they be pumped up and down?
- We time each camping mattress to see how quickly it inflates.
- While many mattresses have auto-inflate features, most need topping up – we note how much additional pumping is required.
- We also weigh the beds down over several hours and note how much they deflate.
Ease of packing: how easily do they fold up?
- The worst camping mattresses are a real pain to fold away, which is why we wrestle all of them back into their bags and note how easy it is to do so.
Is an air mattress good for camping?
An air mattress is a good choice for a comfortable camping experience. But before you buy one, measure your tent to make sure it will fit inside with enough space to move around.
Also, double-check you have enough room in your luggage or car boot, as some of the air mattresses we tested are quite bulky – even when they're packed away into their bags.
Some will need an additional pump to inflate or top up, so don't forget to pack this as well.
How to inflate and deflate a camping mattress
This depends on whether it's self-inflating. One of the camping mattresses we tested, the Vango Shangri-La Lux 12, has a built-in electric pump, so you can inflate or deflate it at the touch of a button.
For the other self-inflating mattresses, locate the valve and flip it to the 'inflate' side. Allow it to let air in until you can no longer hear it inflating. This may take several minutes. You'll then need to top it up with a pump or by blowing directly into the valve.
To let air out, flip the valve to 'deflate'. Fold up the mattress and push out as much air as possible to make it easier to pack away.
If there's no auto-inflate feature, you'll need to open the valve and inflate it with a pump, or by blowing in air, before closing it again.
Is a camping mattress suitable for overnight guests at home?
Yes, but be aware that camping mattresses are flatter than other inflatable beds, as they're designed for tents.
We've tested many air beds, which tend to be more suitable for home use.