The best camping mattresses and sleeping mats in the UK for every type of adventure, tested

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Whether you love sleeping under the stars or only do so under duress, a decent camping mattress will at least help ensure you are well-rested and better equipped to handle the wider thrills and spills of outdoor living.

The days when your only choice was between a foam roll mat or a leaky airbed and foot pump are long gone. From self-inflating mattresses to lightweight sleeping pads and insulated airbeds, the comfort and portability of sleeping mats have dramatically improved. But with so many types of camping mattresses available, costing from tens to hundreds of pounds, it can be difficult to know where to start.

To save you the sleepless night of an ill-informed choice, I tested 27 and shortlisted the best camping mattresses for various scenarios.

At a glance

Best camping mattress overall:
Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft

£225.25 at Amazon

Best budget camping mattress:
Decathlon Simond MT500 XL inflatable trekking mattress

£64.99 at Decathlon

Best double mattress:
Big Agnes Rapide SL insulated tent floor pad

£244.95 at Wildbounds

Best self-inflating mattress for luxury camping:
Coleman Supercomfort self-inflating double sleeping mat

£195 at AE Leisure

Best sleeping mat for expeditions:
Alpkit Radiant insulated inflatable camping mat

£109.99 at Alpkit

Why you should trust me

As a keen camper and festival goer, not to mention the parent of two adventurous teens, I’ve done my fair share of backpacking and car-based camping trips, and had the bruised hips and backache to prove it. Particularly memorable was the night my self-inflating mat punctured while wild camping on Mont Lozère in the south of France, as well as the time we ignored the yellow weather warning at Port Eliot festival in Cornwall, and spent the night reinforcing our collapsing tent as the sleeping area gradually filled with water.

I am also a science journalist and the author of a book on circadian rhythms and sleep, so I recognise the importance of a good night’s sleep for physical recovery, brain function and wellbeing.

How I tested

Testing camping mattresses for The Filter

I assessed each mattress on comfort, durability, packability, and how easy they were to inflate and deflate. Comfort was assessed by placing each mattress on a hard wooden floor on top of several sharp stones, lying on it inside a sleeping bag on my back and side, and rolling between positions for 20 minutes. As a wriggly side sleeper, I was particularly vigilant for any pressure points around my hips or shoulders, or mattresses that were overly narrow or slippery. Points were deducted if I could feel the stones, couldn’t comfortably stretch out, or for shiny surfaces that caused me to slither off the mattress.

I assessed durability by lightly jumping on each mattress five times (against manufacturers’ instructions) in bare feet, and falling on to it from standing – as might happen if you were to stumble into your tent in the middle of the night without a torch. I also gently stabbed and scratched at the surface of each mattress with a pointy stone, and sprayed the underside with water, to see how easily it soaked through. Mattresses were left overnight with two 20kg boxes on them to check for any signs of deflation. Further points were deducted for mattresses that were excessively difficult to pack away after use or needed a large storage space.

I’ve also included the R value, or thermal resistance, of each mattress. This measures how well it resists heat transfer from your body to the cold ground. A lower R value means less insulation, which is better in warmer weather, but less good for winter camping (see more below, in the What you need to know section).

I tested 27 mattresses in total, and rated them for different camping scenarios, including family camping holidays, summer or winter backpacking expeditions, glamping, festivals and weekends away for two. I also enlisted my back-sleeping husband – a keen winter mountaineer – and comfort-seeking kids, aged 12 and 14, for their perspectives. Below are the nine best camping mattresses from my experiments.

Mattresses were either returned to the manufacturer or donated to Kitsquad, a scheme that helps low-income people get out into the great outdoors, or the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft, which supports people rough sleeping in Bristol.

The best camping mattresses and sleeping mats in 2026

Thermarest Neoloft Sleeping Pad, Regular Wide

Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated Tent Floor Pad

Coleman Supercomfort Self-Inflating Sleeping Mat 12cm Double

The best of the rest

Sea To Summit Ether Light XR (Wide) mattress

Outwell Dreamscape Insulated Single Mattress

Also consider
Camping pillow

While many people sling their regular pillow into the car as a token luxury on camping trips, this doesn’t work if you’re backpacking, when a lumpy pile of clothes is the make-do option. The necessity of packing pillows is also a frequent flashpoint for arguments when packing for family camping trips (believe me, I know).

Thankfully, there are now inflatable pillows that are small enough to fit in your pocket, and compressible foam or microfibre pillows that take up far less space than a regular pillow. I tested eight camping pillows and would highly recommend Sea to Summit’s Aeros Ultralight pillow (£38.50 at Decathlon) for a super-packable inflatable pillow or Vango’s Deep Sleep Memory pillow (£33.99 at Amazon) for a supremely comfortable alternative, provided you have more space.

What you need to know

Linda Geddes lies on a camping mattress in her home

What’s the difference between an airbed, sleeping pad, foam roll mat and self-inflating mattress?

From glamping to Alpine mountaineering, there are different types of camping trip, and different mattresses will suit some better than others.

Airbeds are large, inflatable mattresses, often high and bouncy, inflated with a foot- or electric-powered pump (some even have one built in). Although they’re very comfy, they’re poorly insulated, can feel cold and clammy to lie on, and tend to be susceptible to punctures. They’re also relatively heavy and bulky, making them unsuitable for backpacking, while those sharing a double airbed may be bounced awake by restless partners.

Sleeping pads are ultralight inflatable mattresses designed for backpacking and mountaineering. Although they’re thinner and less bouncy than airbeds, they’re extremely comfortable and often incorporate insulating materials, making them suitable for camping in colder conditions, including winter when it comes to high-spec versions. Most also come with air sacks to aid inflation (see below) and puncture repair kits.

Closed-cell foam roll mats aren’t particularly comfortable, but virtually indestructible. They’re designed to provide a basic layer of padding, waterproofing and insulation between you and the ground. Being made from foam, they also tend to retain body heat well. Because of these properties, some backpackers choose to combine them with a basic air pad. They’re usually secured to the outside of a backpack with elasticated straps.

Self-inflating mattresses consist of an open-cell foam core inside an air-tight fabric shell, with a valve that allows in air to inflate the mattress when it’s opened – although they often require a top-up of air from your lungs to make them firmer. Comfort ranges from moderate to high, depending on the thickness of the mattress, and the foam core tends to provide good insulation. However, they’re heavier and bulkier than air pads, and still susceptible to punctures. They’re deflated by opening back up the valve, and squeezing out the air, rolling as you go, and then closing the valve.

How long do camping mattresses last, and are they repairable?

The lifespan of a camping mattress depends on its type, quality and how well it’s cared for, but closed-cell foam mattresses tend to be the most durable, and airbeds the least so. Both self-inflating mats and air pads can also suffer from punctures and valve or seam failures, but self-inflating mattresses are often constructed from thicker fabrics and are less likely to fully deflate if punctured.

To extend the life of your camping mattress, you could consider using a groundsheet to reduce the risk of punctures from sharp rocks, sticks and rough terrain, and avoid leaving inflatable mattresses in the sun. Care should also be taken not to over-inflate air mattresses, while foam or self-inflating mats should ideally be stored unrolled, with inflation valves left open to maintain the loft and integrity of the foam.

How do I inflate my camping mattress?

It depends on the mattress, but airbeds tend to require a foot- or electric pump, while air pads are inflated by mouth, or using a “pump-sack” – a lightweight, air-filled bag, that helps to keep moisture out of the pad (also important for longevity) and is more efficient than inflating by mouth.

What’s an R value, and why is it important?

The R value of a camping mattress measures how well it resists heat transfer from your body to the cold ground. A lower R value means less insulation, which is better in warmer weather, but less good for winter camping. Foam-based mattresses tend to have the highest R values, but some air pads incorporate other insulating materials, making them suitable for winter camping expeditions. As a general rule of thumb, R values of 1 to 2 tend to be sufficient for summer camping; R values of 2 to 4.5 are suitable for spring through to autumn, while for winter camping or other cold climates, you’ll need an R value of 4 to 5 or higher.

How to dispose of old camping mattresses

Camping mattresses are often made from a mix of materials – such as foam, coated fabric, plastic valves and adhesives – which can make them difficult to recycle. Because of this, the best option is usually to repair, reuse or donate them.

If the mattress is still usable, consider selling it secondhand or giving it away locally. Some homeless charities may accept lightweight camping mats for use by people who are sleeping rough, while scout groups, cadet units and schools may be able to use them for expeditions such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s award. In the UK, Kit Squad – a charity that supports people with low incomes to get outdoors – accepts donated gear that still has life in it – including sleeping mats.

Minor damage can often be repaired. Small punctures can often be glued or patched, using patch kits supplied with the mattress or bought separately (such as this £5.99 one from Decathlon), so it’s worth checking the manufacturer’s website before throwing away a deflating mattress. Some brands also offer warranties against defects in materials or workmanship and may repair other damage for a fee.

If the mattress is beyond repair or reuse, check with your local household waste recycling centre to see whether they accept camping mats or bulky mixed-material items.

Don’t put camping mattresses in your household recycling bin, as most cannot be processed through standard kerbside recycling, and avoid burning them, as this creates pollution.

For more camping advice from the Filter:
The best genuinely comfortable camping chairs
The best tents, tested
The best cool boxes and bags for camping, picnics and festivals

Linda Geddes is a former Guardian science correspondent, known for inserting herself into her own mini-science experiments (like the time she spent a week with a clown, a comic and some toddlers). This extends to product testing, where she delights in devising rigorous ways to distinguish high-performance stuff from marketing puff. Outside work, she can frequently be found swimming in rivers, dangling from cliffs and trudging the dawn walk to the campsite Portaloo

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