Air mattress with Frame

[Mic]

I am considering purchasing the Air Mattress with Frame sold at Wal-mart (@$60), and wondered if anyone had tried one and if they felt it was a good investment. K-mart sells the same thing, but theirs is $90. My son is a first-year Webelo, so a camping trip is in order. Unfortunately for me, pitching his tent on the balcony at the Boardwalk does not earn him the Arrow of Light badge: (I suppose if I HAVE to camp, FW would be the place to do it). Thanks for any advice!

 

[tim5055]

Prior to getting our pop up, tent camping was the way to go. I admit an air matress was a necessary item!

Rather than an expensive one with a frame, if you are only going to use it occasionaly I might suggest the Coleman Flocked air matress. If I remember correctly, with a "D" cell air pump a King size was $39

We did quickly discover that the nails on an 85 pound German Shepherd Dog and an air matress don't mix. That was one of the reason for moving up to the pop up.

 

[clkelley]

The only thing I would caution about the frame is to put some very heavy duty plastic inside your tent floor so that the frame legs don't ruin the floor of your tent.

Me personally, I have the $9.99 Wal-Mart single size air matress with a rechargeable Coleman pump. ($29.99)

The rechargeable has been the best option for scout camping. You don't have electricity at most scout camps, you can't have your car nearby at most scout camps, and replacing D cell batteries can get expensive.

Good luck on the Arrow of Light for your son. Both of my boys earned that award and now both are Life Scouts in Boy Scouts getting close to their Eagle.

Camping with the Boy Scouts is great. In a well-run troop, the boys do everything!! All us adults do is drive and supervise. We have a ball!!

 

[DJBounce]

2nds for the Coleman Flocked Air Mattress. We took ours down in Feb 2001 and slept on it, and still do on our other camping trips. The charger works great, the valve system is ingenious, and the mattress itself is pretty comfy too. Good Luck, and have fun!

 

[leprechaun]

My son is also an Arrow of Light recipient and has earned first class in BS and he hasn't been in a year yet. Although I prefer a good air mattress you may want to concider the weight. When your son moves up to Boy Scouts they will have to do some back packing and carry their tents, bags, sleeping pads and anything else they need. If you have not bought any equipment yet a good self-inflating mattress is reasonably comfortable, light, packs up small, and your son and his buddy can can fit two in a small, two man tent.

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