Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Venture Camping Air Pad
★★★★☆ 4.4 (228)
WaveCore chambers balance packability and warmth
$130.97
Camping Mattresses & Car Camping Sleeping Pads
Thick foam and wide sizes for campgrounds, van nights and basecamps — the closest you'll get to your bed at home.
6 of 6 camping mattresses
Therm-a-Rest BaseCamp Self-Inflating Camping Pad
★★★★☆ 4.4 (130)
R-value of 6 for spring, fall and winter campgrounds
$117.66
Therm-a-Rest MondoKing 3D Self-Inflating Camping Pad
★★★★☆ 4.3 (89)
3D vertical sidewalls use every inch of the surface
$259.06
Therm-a-Rest Military-Issue Self-Inflating Sleeping Mat
★★★★☆ 3.9 (68)
Open-cell foam core inflates on its own
$49.95
Therm-a-Rest LuxuryMap Self-Inflating Camping Pad
★★★★☆ 4.4 (43)
Pressure-mapped foam supports in all the right places
$249.95
Therm-a-Rest Trail Scout Self-Inflating Sleeping Pad
★★★★☆ 4.0 (16)
Open the valve and the foam fills itself
$89.95
Car camping comfort, measured in inches
When the car carries the weight, you can sleep on something thick. The MondoKing 3D stands 4.25 inches tall with vertical sidewalls and a 7.0 R-value; the LuxuryMap uses pressure-mapped foam that's firmer under hips and softer under shoulders; the BaseCamp brings a 6 R-value to an easy-rolling, self-inflating camping pad.
Lighter options for mixed trips
If one pad has to do car camping and the occasional overnight hike, look at the Trail Scout self-inflating pad at 24 ounces or the NeoAir Venture air pad, which packs to 9 x 5 x 5 inches. Both use our WingLock valve for quick inflation and deflation.
Comfort, insulation and durability at basecamp
Our Therm-a-Rest sleeping pads for the campground are designed like an outdoor bed: thick, quiet and supportive from shoulders to heels. The foam inside a self-inflating sleeping pad adds insulation and durability that a plain air bed can't match, so the cold ground stays out of your sleeping bag even on a frosty night at the lake.
Many families bring two kinds of Therm-a-Rest sleeping pad: a thick camping mattress for the tent and a compact, lightweight pad like the Z Lite SOL — our classic closed-cell foam pad — for the kids' nap on the beach, the hammock or a quick overnight hike. Add a camp pillow, a Honcho Poncho for the fire and a Z Seat or Lite Seat, and your outdoor comfort setup is done.
Which sleeping bag goes with a camping mattress?
On a warm mattress with an R-value of 6 or 7, a roomy sleeping bag like the Boost 650 or a Corus quilt is plenty for spring and fall. The insulation in the pad does half the work, so you can choose a lighter sleeping bag and still sleep warm.
Setting up a self-inflating camping mattress
Before the first trip, open the valve and leave the pad inflated for two to four hours so the foam fully expands. At camp, unroll it, open the valve, then add a few breaths and close it. To pack, open the valve and roll from the far end toward the valve to push the air out.
