Well the time has come to find the best camping air mattress a with frame. As 2020 quickly approaches, preparation for next years camping trips is upon us. As we are upping our glamping this season, it’s out with the old and in with the new.
On our last camping trip it was a delight to sleep on the Coleman Supportrest as it was super comfortable and very supportive for the both of us. But we found we were short on space for keeping our belongings. Even in our 19ft x 10ft tent.
Which is a problem many campers find out once it’s too late. Air mattresses take up a lot of space and don’t leave much room in the tent for storing your clothes, bags etc.
The beauty of an air mattress on a frame is that you can keep these items underneath the bed. Out of the way giving you a clearer path to walk inside your tent. Which is exactly what we want for our 2019 camping trip.
So after doing some thorough research, I have found the best air mattress with a frame for camping is the Coleman Airbed Cot. But there were some close contenders that gave the Coleman a run for the money. So if you want to utilize my research and find a collection of quality airbeds with frames, look below. Once the Coleman has been tested out I will post a full review for you guys.
What To Look For When Buying A Camping Air Mattress On A Frame
While I ended up on the Coleman Airbed Cot, it may not necessarily be the best choice for you. Which is why it’s important for to understand what to look for when you want to buy a air mattress on a frame. Below you can look at the key factors that took greater consideration for choosing the best airbed frame.
- The method of inflating the bed: Some airbeds are better suited for long term use and others better for camping. For me personally the airbed has to be able to be inflated via an external pump. Beds without this option limit you to camping on a powered site, or to solar power. Which not every camper has or cares for.
- Easy to transport: A airbed with a frame is not exactly light, so you need to think ahead and decide whether a carry bag on wheels is the option for you. Or are you happy to lug it between 2 people from car to campsite.
- Ease of use: I don’t know about you, but camping should be easy and relaxing. So I don’t want a complicated product that’s going to take me an hour to set up and take down.
- Support: Both the frame and the air mattress need to be supportive. After being spoiled with the Coleman Supportrest, it’s going to be hard to sleep on an inferior mattress again. So the mattress must have an internal supportive system.
- Price: This is a tough one as they are expensive items and you can’t sacrifice quality for price here. I would avoid anything that seems to good to be true, especially if you want to use if on more than one occasion.
The Best Airbed With A Frame
After having such a great time using the Supportrest double high airbed by Coleman I can vouch for the qualities of this airbed cot as it’s made with the same features and a similar design. So naturally I’m drawn to this airbed.
The Coleman Airbed Cot comes in two sizes: twin or queen. Because it’s my wife and myself that will be using it, the queen is the only option. I’m a fairly big and tall man, so a twin simply wouldn’t be big enough for the two of us. Also the queen has a weight capacity of 600 pounds compared to just 300 pounds for the twin.
I’ve also read that this cot handles heavy weight very well, even on uneven terrain. Which is a bonus because you never know how bad the earth is going to be until you arrive. Plus the fact the frame is solid enough to support 600 lbs on uneven ground speaks volumes to me.
The Features Of The Airbed Cot
One of the features I appreciate most is the carry case the bed comes in. Because at around 30 pounds in weight, this bed could get quite heavy on a long walk from the car to site. Much like the recent Coleman tent I bought, this airbed comes with a carry case on wheels. So you can easily pull this thing behind you and even up/down stairs if need be.
The carry case the entire bed fits into measures 39″ x 10″ x 10″. Which is not too bad for such a big airbed. Will fit nicely in the boot of the car.
The Airbed Cot also comes with a external pump. This pump used D size batteries to inflate the air mattress. So provided you have batteries, you can pump this mattress up wherever you like.
Assembly Is Easy Peasy
My other requirement for a camping air mattress with a frame included was for it to be a simple assembly. With 3 young kids running around being kids, the last thing I want is to spend an hour assembling 1 of 4 beds.
From my research and the video below, you can see just how easy this camping airbed cot is to set up. The frame simply unfolds into position with no assembly. Then you insert the air mattress inside the mattress protector cover and inflate.
The Things I Love Most
While I do like the idea of the side tables for keeping the smart phones on and keys etc. The thing I love most is the ComfortCoil Strong construction. This is what makes the bed so supportive and comfortable. It’s the same construction used on our other Coleman air mattress: The Supportrest.
What this means is that the inside of the air mattress has air coils built into the design. So when inflated the air coils provide a similar support base to the normal beds spring coils. But without the discomfort or springs and the enjoyment of sleeping on air.
So when there’s two in the bed, the mattress doesn’t bounce around and make it uneven for the other person. It supports you both like a regular bed.
Camping Queen Air Mattress Frame That Ticks All The Boxes
The Coleman Queen Airbed Cot ticks all the right boxes for me. It’s easy to use, fast setup, uses an external pump (which is included) and utilizes an internal support system. The price is worth it in my opinion when you compare it to a regular airbed of this quality. The actual price varies online, but you can check price on amazon here if you want.
Alternative Camping Air Mattress On Legs
There’s a couple other big names in the field of air mattresses with a frame included. But there’s just one I would consider for camping. That is the Insta-Bed. However these airbeds on legs are better suited to powered camping sites.
Can The Insta-Bed Be Used Camping?
This is because they have built in pumps. These pumps require access to power to inflate. So you are restricted in your use when camping where there is no access to power. If you regulary camp at powered sites, then this is not an issue at all.
But if not, you need to find a way to generate power for the built in pump. This can be done if you have a generator or use solar power when camping. If your handy enough you can use an inverter for your car battery which converts the 12v DC into 120AC.
While they may be a hassle in that regard, they are especially good at keeping your mattress just how you like it. Especially the Insta-Bed.
Why The Insta-Bed?
I love the Insta-Bed for the fact it’s extremely easy to set up. But what’s even better is the built in pump known as the “NeverFlat” pump. This pump is incredible, especially if your sick to death of airbeds deflating during the night.
What the NeverFlat pump does is inflates the bed for you. Not just initially, but also while your asleep. The pump automatically sense if your bed has lost any air. Then it gets to work and slowly inflates the mattress with more air. So quite that you don’t even notice it doing it.
Setting the airbed to your firmness level is easy to do as well. You simply choose whether you want firm, soft etc and the pump will go to work for you. Once it has reached the desired firmness, it automatically shuts off. Should the bed lose air during the night, it will top you up. Just brilliant.
Provided you have access to power when camping, the Insta-bed is a great choice. It’s a little pricey but well worth it for the NeverFlat pump. Plus this bed makes an awesome guest bed alternative for home use when your not out enjoying the great outdoors.
