Camping mattresses for couples · Review
Intex Classic Downy Airbed Review (Bought & Tested!)
I bought this mattress with my own money and put it through 13 hands-on tests.
- Bed size 73.0 x 53.0in
- Thickness 8.5in
- Weight 6.8 lbs
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Test scorecard
The Intex Classic Downy Airbed is one of my least expensive camping mattresses that kept me off the ground in every sleeping position. The 2-in-1 valve was also surprisingly user-friendly.
- Inexpensive
- Decently user-friendly
- Super bouncy
- Made of PVC
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See the 13 tests
In the Box
I bought the Full size from Amazon. Here’s what came in the box:
- The Intex Classic Downy Airbed
- Instructions
- A patch
Thickness
- Thickness 8.5in
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 73.0in
- Width 53.0in
- Also comes in Queen 80.0 x 60.0in
That’s slightly under true Full-size dimensions. Fine for the two of us, but not spacious.
Bounciness
The vertical air chambers do nothing for bounce when I roll over, and it’s especially bouncy with another person on it. This is my bounciest 2-person inflatable mattress.
Flocked Top
The flocked top feels velvety and soft, and it cuts the noise when I move around in bed.
The vertical baffles are far less uncomfortable than I expected. They’re actually decently comfortable.
Valve
- Valve 2-in-1, plastic
- Position Along the side, flush with the surface
Inflation
The instructions tell you to pull the cap off and use the 1-way valve.
A faster route is to unscrew the cap and use the 2-way opening instead. Air escapes when you pull the pump off it, so top up through the 1-way valve afterwards.
| Route | Pump time | Top-off | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-way valve | 5 min 30 s | None needed | 5 min 30 s |
| 2-way opening | 3 min | 1 min | 4 min |
Note Mine came without a pump, so I used a standard electric pump from my other mattresses. Buy the bundle that includes one, or get a pump separately.
If it ends up too firm, unscrew the bottom 2-way opening slightly to bleed off a little air. Don’t unscrew it far or you’ll lose a lot at once.
Deflation
Unscrew the cap, fold the airbed in thirds and push the air out with your body weight. Fold it in thirds again to get most of it out.
- Pushing the air out 1 min
- Folding and packing away 30 s
- Total 1 min 30 s
Portability
- Packed size 20.0 x 12.0 x 5.0in
- Weight 6.8lbs
- Storage pouch None
There’s no stuff sack or carry bag, and getting it back into its box is so hard that I gave up trying.
Insulation
- R-value None
- Seasons Summer only
It’s also far too heavy for backpacking, so this is a car-camping mattress.
Tent Sizing
In my Coleman 2-Person Sundome there’s a sliver of space for gear at the sides, and enough headroom to sit up and crouch.
Inflating it in there was a pain, because I had to squeeze out of the corner of the tent afterwards. The Queen version would take up the whole tent.
In my Coleman 4-Person Dome there’s no room for a second airbed, but one leaves plenty of space for gear and livable space.
Materials
- Material PVC (vinyl)
- Top Flocked, velvety
- Bottom Plasticky
- Construction Fiber-Tech Dura-Beam
- Warranty None
The PVC has a decent thickness, but it smells out of the box. The smell fades after a few days, so air it out first if you have the time.
The valve is plastic and seems decently built.
Air Retention
Air retention isn’t the best. After one night with another person on it (300+ pounds together) it had lost 10-15% of its air by morning. Later nights lost about 5% each.
That’s not stretching. I’d used it plenty before the test, and it’s not temperature, because I ran the test indoors.
Top it off before bed if you like it firm. I never woke up on the ground.
Pros, Cons, Recommendations
Would I recommend the Intex Classic Downy Airbed?
Inexpensive
This is one of my least expensive 2-person camping mattresses, and real value for money if you’re on a tight budget.
Decently user-friendly
The 2-in-1 valve surprised me: 4 minutes to inflate and 1 min 30 s to get it packed away.
Super bouncy
It’s my bounciest 2-person camping mattress, so it’s a poor pick if either of you tosses and turns.
Made of PVC
PVC is naturally heavy, doesn’t pack down small, and smells for the first few days.
Air retention isn’t great
It lost 10-15% of its air on the first night. To be fair, I never had to worry about ending up on the ground. If nightly top-ups would bug you, my self-inflating Exped MegaMat Duo 10 never needed one.
Overall recommendation
The Intex Classic Downy Airbed isn’t outstanding at anything except the price, but for what I paid I found it decently comfortable and easy enough to use. Get it if you want a cheap, last-minute sleeping solution for the odd camping trip. I wouldn’t buy it for long-term use, for frequent camping, or if you toss and turn a lot.
Bonus: Must Read!
Want to see how the Intex stacks up against the competition? I bought, tested and compared 10 of the best camping mattresses for couples.
Every figure above is from my own testing. Measured by hand, bought with my own money.
