SANParks.org Forums

Hi to all forum members who read this

I am looking into camping equipment and who better to ask than you guys who camp in National Parks...

Firstly, the whole blow up mattress debate, whats better? Double High or Single High? Please answer with advice which is gathered from first hand experience.

Secondly, Coleman or other makes? Which ones do you suggest are more durable?

Thirdly, blow up mattresses vs camping stretchers? And are there options for a couple to share a stretcher / or a double one?

I am looking forward to your advice / suggestions / reviews as I am going to KNP this Friday and need a new bed for my tent...

We can then start other review topics such as camping chairs and tents and so on...

A single mattress might be a bit a little small for you & the missus, especially you okes VANPTA!

I use a blow up mattress. You can buy a blower gadget for about R120, that runs off a cigar lighter attachment.

Hi Bush Baptist
Thank you for your reply, yes a single is way too small...

Was thinking of a Queen Double High Coleman from Makro, just wanted to know if people out there can advise me whether these "double high" blow up mattresses are worth it, or to stick with the single high ones...

Van - look very carefully at the quality of the blow up matress at the retailer you mention .
In my experience the only ones which seem to last are the canvass types which are available from specialist camping outlets .

Remember the stretchers take up quite a lot of space when transporting .

Also consider the power of the pump. I bought a double mattress for comfort (a Bushbaby canvas one from Checkers!) but could not get it firm enough with my pump. A friend then used his car tyre pump with adapter and then it was great. Seems the little pumps cannot generate enough power to overcome the pressure when the mattress is fairly well blown up.

I have a hand "car tyre" type of pump , much more efficient than the cheaper electric pumps and contributes to a quieter campsite ...

Mine takes a minute or so, and I am considerate enough to do it early.

I find it pumps up sufficiently. It goes down owing to my lack of skill in applying the bung swiftly enough after disengaging the pump.

I know of a good diet consisting of beer and red meat, just pm me, I will forward it.

Thanks for all of the advice guys, I will pack in my little cigarette lighter pump and my hand pump to make sure it is blown up enough...

Don't set the tent on fire VAN!

Haha, il try not to...

Hi VAN from PTA,

Single high, single high, single high..... !

See the story goes like this.
We have a proper camping bed with a single high mattress. So this clever okie I gave birth to tells us to try his bed cause it's bigger and better. Thinking that he must have taken after me, I convinced SO to leave our bed behind and try the bigger and better because it takes up less space in the car. Little did I know that bigger and better had a little hole in it which came to it's full right around midnight.

A puncture is bound to happen at some stage but on a single high you only sink so far before you hit the floor. If bigger and better decides to commit suicide in the middle of the night you also sink to the floor just that there is enough of the thing left to completely engulf you. Just trying to get to get off the thing is like fighting your way out of a pile of marshmallows.

The worst two nights I've even spent in Marakele, let me tell you! SO ended up sleeping on the floor with the duvet and all the pillows and I was left to fight the "thing".

Hi JenB

Thank you for your reply, it really made me giggle!!! hahaha

Advice noted and agreed, I bought myself the sinlge high queen size coleman a couple of days ago, will be testing it in Kruger at Satara tomorrow night, will have a review once im back and let you know if it survived!

The alternative is to also make sure SO is always heavier than yourself. That way she sqeezes all the air under you.

I also find if after the first evening it goes a little soft, pump it up early morning when the air is still cool instead of using the warmer air of mid day afternoon which contracts when it gets cooler in the night.

Good buy!

Satara.... have a wonderful time, I'm sure you'll sleep well.