Best inflatable air mattress
We spend an immense amount of time sleeping, the better part of a quarter of our lives to be exact.
It, therefore, makes sense that we should want to be as comfortable as possible when we are in bed. Some of us enjoy a spring mattress while a foam mattress is someone else’s pick.
With recent advances in the quality many people are opting to choose an inflatable air mattress as well for their every day bed.
If you think back a few years the only time you used to sleep on an air mattress was when you were camping or over at a friend or relatives place and needed a place to crash.
However people started finding that they enjoyed their nights sleep more on the best air mattress then their regular spring mattress at home. So it wasn’t long before people started considering an inflatable air mattress for everyday use at home.
The Inflatable air mattress has come a long way
The way it always used to be when you wanted to inflate an inflatable air mattress you had to get your lungs ready and starting blowing it up like a beach ball.
However, as more people began purchasing inflatable air mattresses, companies started including foot pumps, and later electric pumps to help inflate the mattress. So instead of taking the better part of an hour to blow up an inflatable air mattress it can be done in a few minutes.
Select Comfort makes one a popular inflatable air mattress.
The mattress allows the individual to adjust the air flow in or out of individual chambers. This means people can adjust the comfort, softness/firmness of the mattress depending on the day. Also if two people are on the mattress together they are able to adjust their side of the bed to suit themselves.
- For low a low end inflatable air mattress you can get one at a local department store or camping equipment store.
- For a higher end unit which you’d be more likely to use on a day-to-day basis as your primary mattress check with furniture and mattress stores as well as on the Internet.
Like anything else quality varies directly with cost, and you will find air mattresses from a few dollars up to a thousand for an adjustable one.
One of the best features offered by the best inflatable air mattress for camping is it’s ability to adjust the firmness. While some will come with reinforced sides, a layer of foam on top and more bells and whistles, all possess the simple feature of being filled with air
A mattress filled with air is really the only mattress that can accommodate almost any requirement a person might need for a good nights sleep. Whether you’re suffering from aches and pains or lower back pain, you can modify the firmness of the air mattress to help you have a wonderful nights sleep, and rejuvenate for the next day.
Looking for a sleeping bag instead? Have a look at our list of the best backpacking sleeping bags.
Air mattress with cot
Even for those of us that love the outdoors, there is one fact that cannot be denied.
Humans were not meant to live in the great outdoors without any form of shelter.
With that in mind, if you do wish to get in some quality time with nature camping you should consider bringing something comfortable to sleep on with you.
One recommended piece of equipment that can take care of this is an air mattress with cot.
Sleeping Bag vs. Cot
Of course the best sleeping bags will never go away, come on we’ve all been using them since scouts. However, an air mattress with cot is a lot more comfy to sleep on then just your good ol sleeping bag on the ground for comfort.
Of course there have been some great memory foam pad mattresses come out over the last few years, but none compete with the air mattresses available today that sit on a cot frame.
A cot and air mattress are easily transportable, the air mattress deflates and is folded up. There’s no really bulky or heavy portion to the cot, most can be folded up and could even be used when hiking or backpacking.
Tiny Bit of Extra Work
Of course compared to a regular sleeping bag and sleeping pad there is a little more work that needs to go into using an air mattress with cot. An air mattress isn’t as warming as just a sleeping bag.
Where the sleeping bag traps your body heat inside, you’ll need to take extra precaution with a cot and air mattress. Ideally sleeping in your bag on the cot would be ideal.
Also colder air can travel underneath you as well when you’re on an air mattress with cot, meaning cold air can come at you from below as well.
Doubling Up
To ensure you stay warm, especially during the colder months be sure to use both your sleeping bag and an air mattress with cot.
The air mattress will be better than the hard ground any day for comfort, and of course the sleeping bag will ensure you stay warm all night.
You can get a great nights sleep in the great outdoors you just need to be prepared with the right gear to stay comfortable and warm.
Memory Foam Mattresses
Since it’s inception in the 1970’s by NASA as a material to help astronauts deal with eh G-force in the space shuttle it’s applications have been broad.
The down fall was that NASA never did use Memory foam, and it sat dormant until the 1990’s when mattress manufacturers decided to do something with it.
Today we have several brands to consider, and a variety of price ranges which calls for a Memory foam mattress review to help make your buying decision as easy as possible.
While many companies will review mattresses for you, the real memory foam mattress review needs to come from you, by testing out several brands and style to know what it is you’ll like best. No two people seem to enjoy the same level of firmness or softness so personal preference is big when it comes to a foam mattress review.
A brief history of the memory foam mattress
The first manufacturer to introduce the memory foam mattress was Tempur-Pedic.
They took NASA’s idea of memory foam and created their own brand of the material known as Tempur. The version that they produced became a much more reliable and table form of the foam in which to manufacturer mattresses from.
Initially, Tempur was created to be used in the health care sector, how ever as Tempur-Pedic saw the potential for growth in the product it didn’t take long before a memory foam mattress was competing for market share in the spring mattress market.
Memory foam mattress reviews were done by tempur, and there product prevailed as the preferred brand in this emerging market, and still is today.
All Foams are not Created Equal
Competition in the memory foam mattress market has grown immensely over the last several years. There have been expensive and cheap alternatives to the initial tempur product, using various forms of memory foam.
What to consider in a memory foam mattress review is the density of the foam. Generally when purchasing a mattress from a department store the density of the foam is less. This causes the material to not maintain shape for a long period of time. Resulting in discomfort while sleeping.
A good quality foam is a four pound density, in comparison the Tempur foam is approximately 5.3 pounds which is a high end density rating but of course it all comes with a price.
Fillers is another thing to consider in memory foam mattress reviews. Often times manufacturers are using fillers in their mattresses, this means it’s less expensive to manufacture how ever it’s not 100% memory foam so the longevity of the mattress will be less.
When reviewing a memory foam mattress have an understanding of the base foam in the mattress. Some mattresses will use a firm foam, which in turn makes the whole mattress firmer.
Know what it is you’re looking for before you go in the store. If you want something softer then be sure to make that known. Also be sure to test multiple mattresses, by laying on them, in different positions. It’s the only real way to get a great feel for the mattress you could be sleeping on for the next five, ten even twenty years.
Selecting the right visco foam mattress
There are a lot of brands to choose from when shopping for a visco foam mattress. With one company calling a particular feature something different then another it’s a recipe for confusion.
The bottom line when shopping for a visco foam mattress is to remember you’re after a good nights rest. No gimmicks, or bells and whistles just the ability to wake up in the morning feeling refreshed.
Since the materials development by NASA for the space program (To reduce the effects of G-Force on takeoff) the visco foam mattress has made a big impact on consumers.
Originally to expensive for consumers to own memory foam was restricted to the medical field for beds, wheelchair seats, and pillows. As manufacturing costs have gone down it’s become more economically doable for anyone to purchase a foam mattress.
The Advantages of a Memory visco foam mattress
It sounds strange but these mattresses possess healing properties that a regular spring mattress does not. If you experience backaches, back pain, or even the aches visco foam can help.
First off, the foam mattress is designed to react to the heat from your body allowing it to contour exactly to the shape of your body. This allows you to sleep with your spine and back almost perfectly straight. Reducing the chance of waking with back pain.
Secondly, memory foam is designed to hold heat, so while it’s not the best feature for the summer time it can be of assistance to those experiencing pain from cramping or other aches to have that little additional warmth with you while you sleep.
The Memory visco foam mattress Brief History
The first company to bring a visco foam mattress to market was Tempur-Pedic. There brand of memory foam was known as TEMPUR. Of course once other companies noticed the success they were having with the foam mattresses others followed suit. Sealy, Serta, and Simmons all quickly jumped on the bandwagon to begin to produce visco foam mattresses.
Finding the Type of visco foam mattress for You
A visco foam mattress is like the middle man between a soft and hard spring mattress.
Offering those that love a hard mattress the availability of a very dense memory foam, as well as a lighter density for those that like a soft mattress.
Generally, the greater the density the longer lasting the mattress will be. Also you should consider you’re requirements in a mattress prior to deciding on the density of visco foam you’d like. For example someone looking to solve troubles with their back should opt for a more dense material.
How can you gage what firmness works for you? Salesman and promo brochures will list all of these density figures for you but really the best way is to shop and test.
Price and Guarantee of a visco foam mattress
Purchasing a visco foam mattress is a big decision. It’s expensive, and is something that could last you a lifetime. Your purchase decision shouldn’t be made to quickly.
When choosing a retailer to deal with check for their guarantee’s on pricing and warranty. The warranties on any visco foam mattress is very good due to the lifespan of the material.
If something seems fishy choose another retailer to work with, remember everyone wants your business, don’t fall for a deal that seems to good to pass up shop it around.
Best foam rubber mattress
A foam rubber mattress will ensure you maximise the time you have in bed, and help you get the best quality sleep while you’re there.
The type of bedding and and mattress we use can contribute to allergies and tossing and turning at night, if you experience this then a foam mattress might be a solution for you.
Great for back pain sufferers
For individuals who are confined to their bed for extra long periods of time memory foam is the best mattress for backpain.
A foam mattress is designed to reduce pressure on the body. Many doctor’s suggest a foam rubber mattress to those who are prone to pressure sores.
The relief that a foam rubber mattress provides is beneficial for people who experience chronic upper and lower back pain. While a conventional mattress doesn’t always allow your spine to be straight when laying on your back or side a rubber foam mattress offers what is known as different zones.
Zones in a foam rubber mattress offer varying degrees of firmness at different points on the mattress. Foam rubber is the one of the only materials that can provide different support under your back, hips, and under your head. This is the feature that really makes a rubber mattress unique.
Different parts of our body require a different amount of firmness, being able to supply your body with this ensures better alignment of the spine, and more comfort at all points when sleeping.
Hypo-allergenic Bedding
We touched on this briefly above, but it’s no secret more people are coming down with allergies then ever before. Different types of bedding and pillows can cause people to have a reaction, how ever this isn’t so with a foam rubber mattresses.
Foam rubber is hypo-allergenic. For people who are allergic to latex a foam rubber mattress offers an excellent alternative with wonderful support.
Low Maintenance
Unlike an older spring mattress that requires flipping ever couple of months to help your mattress last a foam rubber mattress doesn’t require it.
They’re durable, and aren’t build around a spring system, they consist of a rubber core which doesn’t become compressed thanks to its density.
While a foam mattress will react to your body shape you should never begin to see body impressions from where you sleep.
Without question this is the next generation of mattresses, purchasing a rubber foam mattress that could last you a lifetime is a much better investment then a spring type mattress that could wear out in several years. Foam rubber mattress also goes well with bunk beds with steps.
Water bed mattress
Does everyone still dream of owning a water bed mattress? Exactly how comfortable are they, and is the price range affordable to the average family?
What is a Water Bed Mattress
There are two types of water beds available hard and soft side water beds.
A hard side water bed mattress is a mattress filled with water, that sits on a hard surface frame usually made of wood. These platforms resemble normal bed frames often with storage and drawers below the water bed mattress.
A soft side water bed is a water filled mattress inside a foam frame, then zipped inside a fabric covering that sits on a platform. This design is meant to make your water bed look as similar to a traditional bed as possible.
A brief history of the water bed mattress
The history of the Water bed dates back to 1971, when a water bed was used in New York for invalids play, mark Twain also mentioned a water bed during one of his articles that was published in the New York times in 1871.
While it is mentioned there isn’t enough information to really describe the components and assembly of a water bed.
In 1883 Dr William Hooper from Portsmouth, England patented a waterbed, advertising it as having pain healing capabilities however; not being able to come up with a way to control the water temperature back then, it was a failure.
It was in 1968 that the modern water bed was finally designed by Charles Hall who was a design student in San Francisco State University. There were two other students Ecan Fawkes, and Paul Heckel that also had a contribution to the design.
Benefits an Disadvantages of a Water Bed Mattress
Benefits:
Most water bed mattresses can be heated which is a wonderful comfort feature.
Ensuring you can stay extra warm during those cold winter months. Also a warmer sleeping environment lowers your blood pressure allowing you to rest easier, and fall asleep quicker.
Blood circulation is improved, and also muscles relax. Because the mattress is liquid filled it shapes around your body reducing pressure on your joints, and back.
Disadvantages:
Unfortunately, you can not use water bed mattresses on cheap rollaway beds.
While the heating option of a water bed mattress is nice, it can be costly to continually have the mattress feeling warm. Filling your mattress, as well as moving it isn’t easy as it must be drained fully to move. Then of course once moved you need to fill it all up again.
Now of course this doesn’t happen often but there is a chance that your water bed can become punctured. The mattress will then leak, and can be a difficult to clean up.
Considering both the good and the bad of water beds they can be a great comfort investment and the positives you experience generally out weigh the negatives and damage that can occur.
Be sure to shop around for pricing, and get a full understanding of the warranty for the water bed mattress. You may also want to include a good water pillow in your bedroom