However a low R-Value (<2) could mean you end up getting cold in the night. Inflatable air mattresses which are essentially big air balloons which you sleep on have notoriously low R-values and are no good at all for sleeping on in winter or autumn. Moving to the present day and there’s now an extremely wide variety of camping mats and camping mattresses on the market – some of them self inflate (the topic of this article) whereas others require pumping – either via a hand pump, pump bag (a simple way of filling a bag with dry air which can then be squeezed into the SIM via a valve) or electric pump. Camping Mat vs Camping Mattress The KingCamp is undoubtedly fabricated from decent materials – the two valves on the SIM are brass which is a nice touch and differentiates the Deluxe from other SIMs which rely on plastic. In terms of dimensions and operation, the Dreamcatcher is pretty standard in most areas. However, the inflated size is a little restricted compared to the more expensive Vango and Berghaus options – the length is 195cm (just under 6ft5) and so we would recommend either of those two over the Outwell if you’re lanky like me.

The Shangri-La is exceptionally easy to inflate and deflate, and this is one of its major strengths. The Cyclone ‘flip-valve’ as seen on the Comfort 10 Double is a joy to use. Simply flip it around to the correct airflow direction required. Inflation happens automatically, and deflation can be achieved in a couple of minutes by the old “roll and kneel” manoeuvre. For all intents and purposes the Kip becomes a proper home-style mattress when it’s fully inflated. It has vertical side walls to maximize the top-level surface area and this means that you don’t roll off in the night.The Outwell Dreamboat double provides a decent 7.5cm of padding with a slightly larger than average width for greater comfort. After inflation, just screw the valve cap in and hey presto, it’s ready to lie on! Berghaus Air 10 In Use

Whether it’s a super comfy air mattress or something altogether more luxurious you’re looking for, we’ve rounded up some of the best luxury camp bed options for a comfortable night under canvas. We recommend an R-Value of 3 or higher for 3-season use, and 5 or higher if you will be lying on the ground in winter too. Operation is simple. The Berghaus uses a rotatable ‘flip valve’ with a protective sealed cap to secure in place. When the flip valve is is one position air can get in but not escape (i.e. use when inflating). In the other orientation, air can escape but not get in – use for deflating. This style of camp bed is becoming more common, and that’s because they provide exceptional levels of both warmth and comfort, though they don’t fold down as small as traditional camp beds, so you’ll need plenty of space! Vango offer a 2 year warranty on all their gear and that gives peace of mind when buying a self inflating mattress. If there are any issues with the valve or unexpected deflations in the night then they will unhesitatingly repair or replace your treasured SIM.

How we tested

In this article we concentrate on our experience and recommendations for the choice of best self inflating mattress, and so the size and weight of the product is of less concern than how comfortable it is and how well it stays inflated etc.