Best camping mattress: foam roll mats and inflatable air beds to help you sleep outdoors

Best for: lightweight yet comfortable

An ergonomic design that cushions and cuddles your slumbering body, this mat ensures you get the proper rest needed for a day full of excitement and adventure. It keeps you 10cm off uneven, cold ground and blows up by mouth or pump through the extra-large valve. Despite being heavy duty, it’s fairly light with a total weight of 750g making it easy to carry with the rest of your kit.

Add the matching travel pillow (£18.97) to your order to make it even more comfortable.

Best for: streamlined camping

We’re all for anything that makes our lives easier, and this airbed with an integrated sleeping bag has won us over for streamlining the camping experience. The top-rated design offers plenty of room with double bed-size proportions and can inflate in 60 seconds with the help of a pump (not included). As well as an attached XL sleeping bag, pillows are included too! Less things to pack means less chance of forgetting something crucial. Comes with a carry bag and repair kit.

Best for: fast set-up

It will take just five minutes to get this spectacular air bed up and running, and while it’s rather heavy, your hard work heaving it in and out of the car’s boot will be rewarded when it’s time for bed.

It looks and feels like a proper bed standing 45cm high, and comes complete with a headboard to stop your pillows from tumbling off. Carrying a maximum load of 200kg, the built-in motor inflates and deflates quickly while the flocked top means you won’t slip and slide in your sleeping bag or on your sheets at night.

Best for: cold floors

Damp ground is the enemy of good sleep. Drift off whatever the ground conditions are like with this sleeping mat which will protect you against the cold damp ground on the other side of your tent’s groundsheet. The hexagon-shaped pads can support and distribute weight more effectively, so you won’t wake up feeling like you’ve gone 10 rounds with a grizzly bear by daybreak. Easy to inflate and deflate, it folds down into a carry back that can fit into the palm of your hand.

Best for: convertible

A sumptuous raised single bed that can convert into a lower double when required, this design offers a multitude of options for the avid camper. Made from durable multi-layer PVC inside boasts a supportive coil structure with a flocked surface for a more comfortable night’s rest. Inflate it by mouth or with an electric pump and sleep soundly knowing the airtight system and double lock valve won’t leak air overnight.

Best for: self-inflating

As one of the leading names in outdoor living, Berghaus has a reputation built on excellent camping products. This mat is a prime example.

It has a special valve that lets it self-inflate and is covered with ripstop fabric that prevents it from tearing, so you can use it again and again without worry. It works best on sleepers weighing 100kg or less and comes with a drawstring bag for easy carrying and storage.

Best for: late-night pitching

For some, 5cm may not seem like much, but in camping terms it makes a world of difference. The Vango camping mat lifts single sleepers off the ground using a cyclone flip valve that’s easy to inflate and deflate quickly, helpful if you arrive at your pitch just before dusk. There are soft touch flocked finishes to add to the comfort and it comes with a carry bag and securing straps to keep it in place when you’re on the move.

Best for: extra guests

A great option to have at home for extra guests (once allowed) this flocked airbed sits on a double layer of raised platforms, completely clear of the ground. There’s enough space for two to sleep and it comes with not only a carry bag but a built-in mains powered electric pump for easy inflation.

Best for: exciting children

Kids will go wild for camping when it includes this cute unicorn-themed airbed. Suitable for children aged 3+, the fantastical design has a recessed centre to stop them rolling off while the multicoloured tail acts as a backrest for support while seated. Our only issue with it is that they don’t make it in an adult version.