If you think about it, air mattresses, once relegated to pool-side duties, have come into their own as serious sleep gear. Moreover, for the frugal, air beds are firmly in the domain of cheap guest accommodations. In kinder words, air beds fill the void for people lacking; the space for a dedicated guest room or the budget for one. Now if you’ve ever tried to sleep on an air mattress made for the pool or lake, you’ve certainly had a terrible nights sleep; I know I have. Ever since Aerobed came on the market, inflatable beds have made huge inroads as a serious sleep option. Here’s some things to think about when looking to buy.
Air beds, come in various heights. Some models are right on the floor while others, are close in height to a normal bed. For campers or occasional use, lower models are fine but for better ease in getting in and out, higher models are better. Stiffer side-walls are also better. This is especially true if your guests might be grandma or grandpa. Of course, the higher the bed, the higher the weight and the more space it’ll take up when stowed—an important consideration when traveling.
Another nice option that doesn’t add a lot to the cost of the bed is a built in inflation pump. The earliest air beds required lung power to inflate; fine if you’re a tube player but for the less-able lunged, a nightmare for sure. On the reverse, a nice big plug for deflating is also nice. That way you can get the bed put away before the kids are in college.
Finally, look for beds that have napping on the sleeping surface. Napping is a velvet like texture applied to the vinyl. Not only is it superior to sleeping on the mattress if you should find yourself with no sheets or bedding what-so-ever but it’ll help keep the sheets from sliding off the bed in the middle of the night. The napping provides traction for the sheets against tossing and turning.
No matter what your space or budget limitations are, air mattress are an affordable option for those wishing to offer accommodations for weary travelers. And if by chance, as the weary traveler, you need to bring your accommodations with, these air beds are the perfect option.
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