5 tests × 10 mattresses
The 10 Best Camping Mattresses for Couples (Bought & Tested!)
These 10 two-person camping mattresses set me back over $1,100, and my partner and I spent 6 months sleeping on them — every single night, outdoors and indoors.
This page contains affiliate links, and that means that I may earn a commission if you buy something, at no extra cost to you. You can find my full disclosure policy here.
The Podium
Quick Summary
Here’s everything I recommend.
Exped MegaMat Duo
My most comfortable, highest-quality, most versatile and easiest-to-use mattress — the top score of all 10.
9.2/ 10 overall
Most Portable
Klymit Double V Uninsulated Sleeping Pad
8.6/10
- Total weight: 2.7 lbs
- Packs to 11 x 7 x 5in
- Stuff sack doubles as the pump
- High quality
Portable + Insulated
Klymit Double V Insulated Sleeping Pad
8.4/10
- R-value: 4.4 — 3-season ready
- Total weight: 3.6 lbs
- Extremely versatile
- High quality
Best Value for Money
Sierra Designs 2-Person Camping Air Mattress
7.3/10
- Least expensive PVC-free pick
- In-built pillow
- Thickness: 7.0in
- User-friendly Boston valve
Best Budget Pick
Intex Classic Downy Airbed
6.3/10
- Very inexpensive
- Decent performance and comfort
- Thickness: 8.5in
- 2-in-1 screw-on valve
Jump to: The Rest of the Best ↓ How I Tested ↓ Why You Can Trust Me ↓
The video
If you prefer watching to reading, check out my video here instead.
Camping Guidance
30K+
Table of contents
- 1. Exped MegaMat Duo (Best Overall + Most Comfortable)
- 2. Klymit Double V Uninsulated Sleeping Pad (Most Portable)
- 3. Klymit Double V Insulated Sleeping Pad (Portable + Insulated)
- 4. Sierra Designs 2-Person Camping Air Mattress (Best Value for Money)
- 5. Intex Classic Downy Airbed (Best Budget Pick)
- The Rest of the Best
- How I Tested All 10 Mattresses
- Why You Can Trust Me
Best Overall + Most Comfortable
Exped MegaMat Duo
Test scorecard
Exped MegaMat Duo
9.2out of 10
Comfort10
Ease of Use9.7
Portability5
Versatility + Sizing9
Quality10
Key info
- I bought theMedium Double
- TypeSelf-inflating
- Dimensions73.5 x 42.5 x 4.0in
- Weight7.7 lbs
- Pumping1 min
- Deflation + pack up2 min 45 sec
- R-value8.1
Pros
- Crazy comfortable (plush, soft, quiet, minimal bouncing, warm)
- Very user-friendly
- Incredibly versatile
- Extremely high-quality
Cons
- Expensive
TL;DR
If comfort’s your priority, the Exped MegaMat Duo is the most comfortable camping mattress for couples that I’ve tested — and my Best Overall, with the top score of all 10.
It’s crazy plush, super soft, and the surface is flat so there’s no weird dips or contours that poke into your body. The fabric is quiet, bouncing is super minimal, and it’s also my warmest mattress with an R-value of 8.1.
And that’s not all. It’s also my highest quality, most versatile and easiest to use mattress.
The Medium size that I bought takes me just 1 minute of pumping to inflate, and less than 3 minutes to deflate and pack up nicely. I can also use it for all seasons, even in winter, and in all tents, no matter how short or narrow.
However, it’s my most expensive camping mattress on this list. But because I have a 5-year warranty, and I use the Exped MegaMat Duo very frequently, it’s given me plenty of bang for my buck.
Check out the Exped MegaMat Duo:
Most Portable
Klymit Double V Uninsulated Sleeping Pad
Test scorecard
Klymit Double V Uninsulated Sleeping Pad
8.6out of 10
Comfort7
Ease of Use9
Portability10
Versatility + Sizing8
Quality9.8
Key info
- TypeAir pad
- Dimensions74.0 x 46.0 x 2.5in
- Weight2.7 lbs
- Pumping2 min
- Deflation + pack up3 min 15 sec
- R-value1.3
Pros
- Very compact and lightweight
- High quality
- Very user-friendly
Cons
- (No serious flaws)
TL;DR
The Klymit Double V Uninsulated Sleeping Pad is easily the most compact and lightweight camping pad for couples on this list — it packs down to just 11 x 7 x 5 inches.
Here’s what it looks like beside a 32-ounce Nalgene bottle:
It’s not just portable — it’s also very high quality and very user-friendly. The FlatValves are low profile and feel rugged, the entire pad is made of thick 75D polyester top and bottom, and the stuff sack doubles as a very efficient pump that can inflate it with or without air flow, without even having to blow into it.
Also, the Klymit Uninsulated Double V has no serious flaws. It just can’t be used in off-season camping — if you need something for 3-season camping, the next pick would be perfect for you.
Check out the Klymit Double V Uninsulated Sleeping Pad:
Portable + Insulated
Klymit Double V Insulated Sleeping Pad
Test scorecard
Klymit Double V Insulated Sleeping Pad
8.4out of 10
Comfort7
Ease of Use8
Portability9
Versatility + Sizing9
Quality9.8
Key info
- TypeAir pad
- Dimensions74.0 x 47.0 x 2.5in
- Weight3.6 lbs
- Pumping1 min 30 sec
- Deflation + pack up4 min 45 sec
- R-value4.4
Pros
- Compact and lightweight
- High quality
- Extremely versatile
Cons
- Takes a few minutes to deflate and pack up
TL;DR
The Klymit Double V Insulated Sleeping Pad is one of my most versatile camping pads — its R-value of 4.4 covers not just summer, but 3-season camping too.
It can be used not only for camping, in all 2-person tents (even ones with low peak heights!), and traveling — it can even be used for shorter backpacking trips. It’s the perfect pad for people who want just 1 pad for everything.
Like the Uninsulated version, this Klymit Insulated Double V is also extremely high quality and user-friendly, complete with thick 75D polyester and rugged FlatValves, and an even bigger pump-cum-stuff sack for a slightly quicker inflation.
However, because it’s more insulated and thus thicker, the roll-top of the stuff sack is a bit more difficult to fit it back into. It also weighs almost a pound more than the Uninsulated Double V, and has a 60% bigger packed size.
Check out the Klymit Double V Insulated Sleeping Pad:
Best Value for Money
Sierra Designs 2-Person Camping Air Mattress
Test scorecard
Sierra Designs 2-Person Camping Air Mattress
7.3out of 10
Comfort7.3
Ease of Use8.3
Portability8
Versatility + Sizing5
Quality7.8
Key info
- TypeAir mattress
- Dimensions77.0 x 54.0 x 7.0in
- Weight6.6 lbs
- Pumping3 min 30 sec
- Deflation + pack up2 min 30 sec
- R-valueNone
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Pretty comfy, comes with in-built pillow
- User-friendly
Cons
- Pump is low powered
- A bit bouncy
TL;DR
The Sierra Designs 2-Person Camping Air Mattress is easily my least expensive PVC-free camping mattress for couples — and my Best Value for Money.
Despite its inexpensive price tag, the Sierra Designs is surprisingly comfortable, even with the divots along the entire mattress, and it’s my only 2-person camping mattress that has a comfy in-built pillow at one end.
It also comes with a user-friendly and high quality Boston valve that is well-positioned, making it very easy to inflate and deflate the Sierra Designs Air Mattress. The stuff sack is oversized, so it’s really easy to pack the entire mattress away even if it’s not fully deflated.
However, the included pump is pretty low powered, and mine even stopped working a few months in. There’s also some amount of bouncing, but it’s not the worst I’ve seen in an air mattress. Overall, the pros greatly outweigh the cons — perfect for anyone looking for a comfortable PVC-free 2-person air mattress without a large budget.
Check out the Sierra Designs 2-Person Camping Air Mattress:
Best Budget Pick
Intex Classic Downy Airbed
Test scorecard
Intex Classic Downy Airbed
6.3out of 10
Comfort6.3
Ease of Use7.5
Portability6
Versatility + Sizing4
Quality7
Key info
- I bought theFull
- TypeAir mattress
- Dimensions73.0 x 53.0 x 8.5in
- Weight6.8 lbs
- Pumping4 min
- Deflation + pack up1 min 30 sec
- R-valueNone
Pros
- Very inexpensive
- Decent performance and comfort
Cons
- Bouncy
- Made of PVC
TL;DR
The Intex Classic Downy Airbed is the mattress I paid the least amount of money for — yet it performed pretty decently.
For the price that I paid, I was surprised to find that the baffling is a lot more gentle and more comfortable than I thought it would be, and the hard plastic 2-in-1 screw-on valve was also decent quality and user-friendly.
However, it’s quite bouncy, and it’s made of PVC (which I’m not a big fan of, because PVC is naturally heavy, doesn’t pack down small, and smells for quite a few days). But the Intex Classic Downy Airbed is still perfect for someone who doesn’t camp very often, someone who’s on a tight budget, or someone who needs a quick or last minute sleeping solution.
Check out the Intex Classic Downy Airbed:
Everything else I tested
The Rest of the Best
Above are my 5 top picks. The other 5 mattresses I bought and tested have all since been discontinued, so they’re out of my top picks — but here’s what I found, and my full reviews stay up:
- REI Co-Op Camp Dreamer Double (8.1): My old Runner Up — comfy, soft, and generously sized (almost a Queen), but it’s the bulkiest mattress I tested, and REI has discontinued it. For a self-inflating mattress, get the Exped instead. Read Exped vs. REI →
- ALPS Mountaineering Vertex Air Bed (7.6): The best air mattress I tested — the complete package, with a powerful rechargeable pump that inflates it in just 1.5 minutes. Discontinued, so it loses its spot.
- Lightspeed Outdoors 2-Person Camping Air Mattress (7.6): Almost the same design as the ALPS with high quality TPU-laminated 150D polyester, but a less user-friendly valve and a weaker pump (mine died in a few months). Discontinued.
- Etekcity Upgraded Camping Air Mattress (6.3): A true Queen with the largest dimensions (80 x 59in) and highest profile of the bunch — but PVC, and my heaviest at 13.4 lbs. The model I tested is discontinued (there’s an updated design I haven’t tested).
- Coleman Quickbed Air Mattress (5.8): Reasonably priced, but you get what you pay for — pronounced baffling that poked into my body, no 1-way valve, and my lowest score. The model I tested is discontinued (an updated design exists that I haven’t tested); get the Intex instead.
The 5 testsHow I Tested All 10 Mattresses
I put each mattress through 5 tests: comfort, ease of use, portability, versatility, and quality.
- 6 months: My partner and I slept on one of these every single night
- ~300 lbs: Our combined weight on each mattress
- Outdoors + indoors: In tents from 2-person to 4-person
- Dozens of cycles: I inflated, deflated and packed up every single one
Comfort
For comfort (25% of the overall score), I looked at the thickness, type, bounciness, noise and sleeping surface of each mattress.
| Mattress | Thickness (in) | Type | Bounciness | Noise | Surface |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exped Duo winner | 4 | Self-inflating | Minimal | Quiet | Softest, flat |
| REI Dreamer | 3.75 | Self-inflating | Minimal | Quiet | Soft, flat |
| ALPS Vertex | 6 | Air mattress | Moderate | Moderate | Firm, gentle baffling |
| Lightspeed | 6 | Air mattress | Moderate | Moderate | Firm, gentle baffling |
| Etekcity | 9 | Air mattress | Minimal | Velvety | Firm, thick baffling |
| Sierra Designs | 7 | Air mattress | Moderate | Moderate | Firm, gentle baffling |
| Klymit Insulated | 2.5 | Air pad | Minimal | Loudest | Firm, baffling |
| Klymit Uninsulated | 2.5 | Air pad | Minimal | Loudest | Firm, baffling |
| Intex | 8.5 | Air mattress | Maximum | Velvety | Firm, baffling |
| Coleman | 8 | Air mattress | Moderate | Velvety | Firm, thick baffling |
- Exped + REI Dreamer (self-inflating): The most comfortable — contouring foam, flat surfaces, closest to a regular bed, quietest
- Air mattresses (6–9in thick): Thick enough that I never felt the ground in any position
- Etekcity + Coleman: Fully inflated, the pronounced baffling poked into my body
- Klymit Double Vs (2.5in): I could sometimes feel the ground; loudest fabric (a slight crinkle — not bags-of-chips loud)
Ease of Use
For ease of use (25%), I looked at the inflation, firmness adjustments, and the deflation and pack up of each mattress.
| Mattress | Pumping | Deflation + pack up | Adjustments | Stuff sack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exped Duo winner | 1 min | 2 min 45 sec | Yes | Yes |
| Lightspeed | 2 min 30 sec | 2 min 30 sec | Yes | Yes |
| Klymit Uninsulated | 2 min | 3 min 15 sec | Yes | Yes |
| ALPS Vertex | 1 min 30 sec | 2 min 30 sec | (Yes) | Yes |
| Sierra Designs | 3 min 30 sec | 2 min 30 sec | (Yes) | Yes |
| Klymit Insulated | 1 min 30 sec | 4 min 45 sec | Yes | Yes |
| REI Dreamer | 1 min | 5 min | (Yes) | Yes |
| Etekcity | 2 min | 2 min 45 sec | No | Yes |
| Intex | 4 min | 1 min 30 sec | (Yes) | No |
| Coleman | 3 min | 2 min | No | No |
*Pumping time only — add 11 minutes of unpacking + self-inflation for the Exped and REI, and 1 minute of unpacking for the rest. Deflation is single-person, by body weight, and includes packing. (Yes) = firmness adjustments possible but fiddly.
- Fastest pumping: The self-inflating Exped + REI Dreamer (1 min each, after ~10 min of self-inflation); slowest = the Intex
- Self-inflating tip: Store them unrolled with the valves open — stored compressed, they take 30 minutes to an hour
- Klymit pump-sacks: Filled by bags of air, no blowing — 11–14 bags (Insulated), 14–17 bags (Uninsulated)
- Easiest firmness adjustments: Exped, both Klymits + Lightspeed — just press the inflate valve’s in-built flap
- Worst for adjustments: The Etekcity + Coleman plug valves let out too much air at once
- No stuff sack: Intex + Coleman
Portability
For portability (10%), I looked at the weight and packed size of each mattress.
| Mattress | Mattress weight (lbs) | Total weight (lbs)* | Packed size (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klymit Uninsulated winner | 2.5 | 2.7 | 11 x 7 x 5 |
| Klymit Insulated | 3.3 | 3.6 | 12 x 7.5 x 7 |
| Sierra Designs | 4.8 | 6.6 | 14 x 8 x 7 |
| ALPS Vertex | 4.8 | 6.1 | 18 x 8 x 6 |
| Lightspeed | 5.0 | 6.8 | 17 x 8 x 6 |
| Intex | 6.8 | 8.5 | 20 x 12 x 5 |
| Exped Duo | 7.2 | 7.7 | 23 x 11 x 10 |
| Coleman | 7.6 | 9.3 | 21 x 14 x 5 |
| REI Dreamer | 11.6 | 13.0 | 29 x 15 x 12 |
| Etekcity | 13.4 | 14.9 | 13 x 17 x 12 |
*Total weight includes the stuff sack, pump, batteries and cables. Ranked by weight — packed size tracks it closely. The REI and Etekcity tied for last: the Etekcity is heavier, but the REI is bulkier.
- In a league of their own: The Klymit Double Vs — nothing else comes close
- Self-inflating mattresses: Naturally heavier because of the foam
- Air mattresses: Need a pump — a 4D-battery pump alone weighs about 1.7 pounds
Versatility
For versatility (20%), I looked at insulation (can it be used for summer, 3-season or winter camping?), backpacking, whether it fits into 2-person tents, and the versatility of the pump.
| Mattress | R-value | Seasons | Backpacking | Pump |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exped Duo winner | 8.1 | Summer to winter | No | Manual, no batteries |
| Klymit Insulated | 4.4 | Summer + 3-season | Shorter trips | Manual, no batteries |
| Klymit Uninsulated | 1.3 | Summer | Shorter trips | Manual, no batteries |
| REI Dreamer | 6.5 | Summer to winter | No | Manual, no batteries |
| ALPS Vertex | None | Summer | No | Electric (rechargeable) |
| Lightspeed | None | Summer | No | Electric (battery) |
| Sierra Designs | None | Summer | No | Electric (battery) |
| Intex | None | Summer | No | None included |
| Coleman | None | Summer | No | None included |
| Etekcity | None | Summer | No | Electric (rechargeable) |
- Winter-ready: Exped (R-value 8.1) + REI Dreamer (6.5)
- 3-season: Klymit Insulated (R-value 4.4)
- Summer only: Every air mattress — little to no insulation
- Backpacking: Only the Klymit Double Vs — not ultralight, but fine for shorter trips
- Most versatile sizing: Exped Medium + both Klymits — the size of 2 regular sleeping pads, low-profile, fit even narrow 2-person tents
Quality
For quality (20%), I looked at the material, valves, stuff sack, pump, and air retention of each mattress.
| Mattress | Material (top) | Valves | Pump | Air retention |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exped Duo winner | 50D nylon | 2 FlatValves | Manual | 100% |
| REI Dreamer | Polyester | 2 hi-flow TPR | Manual | 100% |
| Klymit Insulated | 75D polyester | 2 FlatValves | Manual | 100% |
| Klymit Uninsulated | 75D polyester | 2 FlatValves | Manual | 100% |
| ALPS Vertex | TPU-coated nylon | Boston | Electric (high powered) | 100% |
| Lightspeed | TPU-laminated 150D polyester | Screw-on + flap | Electric (low powered) | 100% |
| Sierra Designs | TPU-coated polyester | Boston | Electric (low powered) | 100% |
| Etekcity | PVC (20% thicker) | 2-in-1 plug | Electric (high powered) | 100% |
| Intex | PVC, flocked | 2-in-1 screw-on | None | 85% |
| Coleman | PVC, flocked | Plug (no 1-way valve) | None | 85% |
- Only material I dislike: PVC — heavy, bulky, and after 6–12 months of use the smell never completely leaves
- Favorite valves: The separate FlatValves on the Exped + both Klymits — flush with the surface, rugged, high quality
- Worst valve: The Coleman’s plug — my only mattress without a 1-way valve
- Best pumps: The manual ones (Exped, REI, Klymits) — efficient, durable, no batteries or charging
- Pump failures: The low-powered Sierra Designs + Lightspeed electric pumps both died within a few months
- Air retention (overnight, 2 people): Only the Intex + Coleman lost air (~15% by morning) — I topped them off every night
All Test Scores
The scoreboard
Based on the 5 tests above (weighted: comfort 25%, ease of use 25%, versatility 20%, quality 20%, portability 10%), here are the overall scores of all 10 camping mattresses for couples.
- Exped MegaMat DuoBest Overall + Most Comfortable9.2
- Klymit UninsulatedMost Portable8.6
- Klymit InsulatedPortable + Insulated8.4
- REI Dreamer8.1
- ALPS Vertex7.6
- Lightspeed7.6
- Sierra DesignsBest Value for Money7.3
- Etekcity6.3
- IntexBest Budget Pick6.3
- Coleman5.8
Highlighted rows = the 5 top picks reviewed above.
See every sub-score side by side
The methodWhy You Can Trust Me
$1,100+
The first part is buying all 10 camping mattresses in this review with my own money — no free or sponsored gear, ever.
6 months
Next, my partner and I slept on one of them every single night — outdoors and indoors, in tents from 2-person to 4-person — and I inflated, deflated and packed up every one of them dozens of times.
3 months
After that, I spent another 3 months compiling all the data, comparing every mattress against the others, and putting this review together.
30,000+
I also run a YouTube channel with over 30,000 subscribers that focuses just on reviewing camping gear. It’s my jam 🙂
If you’re still having trouble picking the best camping mattress for your partner and yourself, feel free to reach out to me via the comments on my YouTube channel.
Every figure above is from my own testing – measured by hand, bought with my own money.
