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See the 15 tests

1. In the box
2. Thickness
3. Dimensions
4. Surface
5. Bounciness
6. Valve
7. Inflation
8. Deflation
9. Storage bag
10. Portability
11. Insulation
12. Tent sizing
13. Materials
14. Air retention
15. The included pump
16. Pros, cons, recommendations
17. Bonus – MUST read!

In the Box

I bought the Queen size from Amazon. Here’s what came in the box:

• The air mattress, inside a stuff sack
• A pump with 3 nozzles
• An AC charger
• A DC charger
• 2 repair patches
• Instructions

Thickness

• Thickness 9.0in
• Loft Air

Fully inflated, my body never touched the ground on my back, stomach or side. I couldn’t feel it leaning on an elbow or sitting down either.

Dimensions

• Length 80.0in
• Width 59.0in

That’s very close to a true Queen, so it’s genuinely spacious for two people.

Surface

Fully inflated, the baffles get super firm and pretty pronounced. They pressed too hard against my back, and I got body aches from sleeping on my back on it.

I prefer flatter, softer sleeping surfaces, so that’s just my opinion. Sleeping on my side was comfortable enough.

The surface is flocked, which does cut the noise when I move around in bed.

Bounciness

Because it’s so firm, there isn’t much bouncing at all, even with another person sharing it.

Valve

• Valve 2-in-1 plug-type
• Position Along the side, sticks out a little
• Firmness adjustment Not possiblethe 2-way opening lets out far too much air at once

Inflation

Pull off the top flap to open the 1-way valve. Underneath it is a 2-way valve with a bigger opening, which is much faster.

Route	Pump time	Top-off	Total
1-way valve	2 min 30 s – 2 min 45 s	None needed	2 min 45 s
2-way opening	1 min 30 s	30 s	2 min

Air escapes as soon as you pull the pump off the 2-way opening, so close it quickly. If too much got away, top up through the 1-way valve.

Deflation

Pull the cap off the bottom 2-way opening, fold the mattress in thirds and push the air out with your body weight. Fold it in thirds again, flip it valve-up, push more air out, then fold it in half.

• Pushing the air out 2 min
• Folding and storing 45 s
• Total 2 min 45 s

Storage Bag

The storage bag is oversized, so the mattress goes back in easily even when it isn’t fully deflated. It also has handles for carrying.

It feels like thick canvas and seems pretty strong.

Portability

• Packed size 13.0 x 17.0 x 12.0in
• Weight 13.4lbs (mattress only)
  • Storage bag 3.5oz
  • Pump, with 3 nozzles 16.8oz
  • AC + DC chargers 4.1oz

Packed size depends on how you fold it and how much air you push out. After the deflation fold above, I fold it in half once more, push more air out, then put it in the bag.

Insulation

• R-value None
• Seasons Summer only

It’s far too heavy for backpacking, so this is a car-camping mattress.

Tent Sizing

It fits my Coleman 2-Person Sundome nicely, but there’s no space left for gear at all.

At 9 inches high it eats into livable space, and it extends all the way to the bottom of the tent door. Alone in there I can sit up with a few inches above my head, and just about crouch.

With another person in the tent it feels very tight, and my head brushes the wall when I sit up. If you’re tall, the sloping walls will get annoying.

Inflating it in there is a pain too. I got squashed between the mattress and the tent, and couldn’t fill it fully until I’d squeezed out and topped it up through the 1-way valve from on top. I’d rather use this one in a bigger tent.

In my Coleman 4-Person Dome there’s definitely no room for a second one, but a single mattress leaves plenty of space for gear and enough room to crouch.

Materials

• Material PVC
• Top Flocked, velvety
• Bottom Plasticky

• Marketed thickness 20% thicker than traditional air mattresses

Judging by how massive and heavy this thing is, I believe that claim. It definitely feels sturdier than my two other PVC air mattresses.

There’s the usual PVC smell, strongest out of the box, and it fades after a few days of use.

Air Retention

The valve is a rubbery plastic and I’ve had no leaking so far.

Air retention is good. I slept on it with another person (300+ pounds together) three nights in a row without topping up any air, though I did have to use it a couple of times first to let the material stretch out.

The Included Pump

The pump has an internal rechargeable battery and is very high powered, but I have to hold it in place while it runs.

The charger has an indicator light — red for charging, and I pull it out when it turns green. I can’t use the pump while it’s charging, and the pump itself has no charge indicator.

• Charge before first use 5 hrs
• Charge time when new ~3 hrs
• Charge time now 45 min
• Loses ~95% of power at 4 min
• Full inflations per charge ~3

Mine is a couple of years old now and the battery is well worn. Not the best, but it is pretty old.

Pros, Cons, Recommendations

Now, what are the pros and cons, and would I recommend the Etekcity Upgraded Camping Air Mattress?

Minimal bouncing

It’s so firm that there’s barely any bounce, which works well if you or your partner toss and turn a lot.

True Queen size

At 80.0 x 59.0in it’s about as close to a real Queen as anything I’ve tested.

Fast inflation

Just 1 min 30 s if you use the 2-way opening.

The plug-type valve

I’d take a screw-on Boston valve any day. Plug-type valves feel weaker, and I couldn’t make small firmness adjustments at all.

It’s huge

At 13.4lbs this is my heaviest mattress, and its packed size is as big as my self-inflating Exped MegaMat Duo 10 Medium.

Made of PVC

PVC is naturally heavy, doesn’t pack down small, and smells for the first few days.

Not comfortable when firm

Those pronounced baffles gave me back aches. Most reviews say it’s comfortable, so feel free to ignore this one.

Bonus – MUST Read!

Every figure above is from my own testing — measured by hand, bought with my own money.