Having said that, I think I made the point in my last post that there’s really something special about open air camping. Sure, it has its down sides. For example, the bugs find you easier and an unexpected heavy fog or rainfall can really put a damper (sorry) on your experience. But the thrill of sleeping with nothing but a starlit sky overhead really makes camping “feel” real. I don’t know how to describe it better than that and it’s here that sleeping in the bed of a truck on a comfortable air mattress bed really makes for an exceptional experience.

Even if you opt out of the open air experience and opt for a truck tent, a form fitting truck air mattress really shines. It takes all that space you’d ordinarily waste in the bed of your truck and turns it into luxurious sleeping quarters. But why not simply pickup (another pun) a regular old air bed and slide it in back?

While certainly a budget option, you might have noticed that an ordinary air mattress bed is rectangular. Now go take a look in the bed of your pickup truck. Notice something? It’s all the wasted space caused by your wheel wells. Stick a rectangular mattress in there and you have areas that aren’t covered at the top left and right and the bottom left and right portions.

A truck bed air mattress is specifically designed to mold into the bed of your truck. This leaves no wasted space and that means you don’t have to worry about rolling over and resting arms, legs or feet on cold metal during the night. Any good truck air mattress will shape to conform to the inside of your truck. But some do it better than other.

The Airbedz Original Truck Bed Air Mattress

We really have to give props to Airbedz for their Truck Bed Air Mattress design. Of course you get the comfort and security you’d expect from an industry leader, but these guys didn’t give up there. We’ll get to the more creative elements we’re most excited about in a bit but let’s cover the spec’s first.

Airbedz built in the usual durability and comfort you’d expect from any of their air mattresses. It’s one of those concerns you can put to rest because they’ve been doing this long enough to have the process down. Airbedz mattresses inflate fast and hold up extremely well.

Of course you’d expect convenience in an air mattress bed as well and Airbedz doesn’t disappoint. How about no longer having to fumble for a separate pump? That’s right, Airbedz Original Truck Bed Air Mattresses have the pump built right in for fast deployment. That means your bed is ready and you’re sawing logs in record time.

Of course you also need substantial variety in any air bed for trucks. Different makes and models have different bed dimensions so there really isn’t a one-size-fits all solution. The good news is that Airbedz manufactures truck bed air mattresses for the following vehicles:

• Chevrolet - Silverado, S10, Colorado
• GMC - Sierra, Sonoma, Canyon
• Ford - F150 Full Size Long Bed, F150/250/350 Full Size Short Bed, F250/350/450 Full Size Long Bed and Ranger Short Bed
• Toyota - T100, Tundra, Tacoma, Mid Size Short Bed
• Dodge - Ram, Dakota
• Nissan - Titan
• Mitsubishi - Raider
• Isuzu - Hombre, i280 / i290
• Mazda - B Series

Based on size, you can pick up your Airbedz truck air mattress through Amazon at the following links:

AirBedz Original Truck Bed Air Mattress for Full Sized Short Bed Trucks

AirBedz Original Truck Bed Air Mattress for Full Sized Long Bed Trucks

AirBedz Original Truck Bed Air Mattress for Mid-Sized Short Bed Trucks

Finally, you want a comfortable truck air mattress. What good would this thing be if it weren’t also comfortable to sleep on? The Airbedz Original Truck Bed Air Mattress includes an integrated air coil system and 12 full inches of luxurious depth separating you from the cold metal of your truck.

Now let’s get to some of those creative considerations I was talking about. I love it when a company takes the time and initiative to pay attention to the details. That’s a point I made when I reviewed kids air mattress beds and raved about how The Shrunks went out of their way to get the details right. Same praise goes to Airbedz. Where most manufacturers simply build an air mattress to fit around the wheel wells of a truck, Airbedz has included flaps that actually cover the wheel wells. It’s a small detail but it counts for a lot to me. No more late night chills because your rump has been resting against the cold bare metal of a wheel well. But the attention to detail doesn’t end there.

Ordinarily you’d have to make a choice when considering an air mattress for a truck. Either you buy one that fits well in the bed of the truck or a regular rectangular air mattress that leaves a lot of wasted, uncovered space. If you opt for the former, you’re left with an odd shaped bed that you can’t really use anywhere else. You COULD use it elsewhere but then you have those awkward notches cut out of it. Well Airbedz has you covered!

What they’ve done to make this bed useful both in and out of your truck is to create inflatable inserts you can simply fit into the notches where the wheel wells would be. And, simple as that, you now have an air mattress that is as useful in your guest room or tent as it is in the bed of your truck!

It’s little thoughts like that which make the Airbedz Original Truck Bed Air Mattress my number one pick for truck camping. There are others out there who manufacture truck bed air mattress offerings that are just as comfortable to sleep on, sure. But, at the end of the day, why settle for just enough when you can have all that and a bag of chips, right?

Happy camping!

Related posts:

1. Getting Into the Great Outdoors with a Truck Bed Air Mattress There’s nothing like sleeping under the open sky with pinprick...
2. Hybrid Aero Performalite Air Mattress Bed for Camping I’m going to deviate from the norm a bit in...
3. Air Mattress Beds for Trucks and SUVs If you own a pickup truck, minivan or SUV, my condolences...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

What’s the difference between a truck air mattress and a regular air mattress bed?

Designed to maximize available mattress coverage, air mattress beds for trucks are custom tailored to fit snugly in the bed of your truck or SUV while wrapping around the wheel wells. This H shape means maximum coverage and no wasted space. And, of course, sleeping comfortably on air beds for trucks means less likelihood of bugs, scorpions or snakes crawling into your sleeping bag with you at night.

Aside from the points already mentioned, what differentiates truck air beds from their conventional counterparts is that there isn’t really a one-size-fits-all option. As you shop for a truck air mattress bed, look for models designed specifically for your vehicle.

Where to buy truck air mattresses

This is one product you don’t want to bother running to the store to purchase. As already stated, air mattresses for trucks come in a variety of shapes and sizes to accommodate various truck and SUV makes and models. To make your search as simple as possible, do your shopping online.

As we did with our reviews of kids air mattress beds, we’ll review at least two different brands of truck air mattresses including the well known Truck-Bedz and Airbedz models. Both are leaders in this particular niche. Check back over the next few days to read all about them.

In the meantime, plan your next vacation with open air sleeping on a truck bed air mattress in mind. It makes for a unique and wonderful way to experience the outdoors without suffering needless discomfort.

Related posts:

1. Comfortable Camping on the Airbedz Original Truck Bed Air Mattress I’ve been promising to give some specific feedback on truck...
2. Air Mattress Beds for Trucks and SUVs If you own a pickup truck, minivan or SUV, my condolences...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Introducing the Tuckaire Inflatable Toddler Bed

Along with the two air mattresses already reviewed, I’d like to introduce the Tuckaire Toddler air mattress for kids by The Shrunks. On the surface, this mattress is comparable to the previous two offerings but it does have some features that distinguish it (both for better and for worse depending on your perspective). We’ll get any potential negatives out of the way first.

One of the first things I want to clear up is a bit of confusing information. The Amazon advertisements for this product (and a few other sources I’ve found) list the product dimensions as 19 x 9 x 6 inches. A little common sense will tell you those are hardly adequate dimensions for a human of any age. Don’t worry… the Tuckaire Toddler air bed isn’t for your daughter’s Barbie. Those are just the dimensions of the air mattress in shipping. The actual dimensions when inflated are 60″ x 36″ x 5″ inches.

How Does the Tuckaire Toddler Bed Compare to the AeroBed for Kids or Dr Watters Child’s Overnight Bed?

Compared to the Aero Bed for Kids, the Tuckair Toddler Travel Bed is actually larger by as much as 10″ per side and one inch in depth. While not too big a difference, nearly a foot of additional space per side can, in some circumstances, be too much. I’m picturing cramped hotel rooms and guest rooms in which walking space is at a premium. Of the three air mattress beds for children I’ve reviewed, the Tuckair Toddler air mattress bed is the largest.

If you review other air beds for kids, particularly the two others I’ve already reviewed, you’ll see they proudly proclaim how quickly their beds inflate. The Tuckaire does the same but, unlike some of its competitors, does not quantify that with a number. For example, the Aerobed for Kids proclaims under a minute inflation times and 15 seconds to deflate. While this may just be an oversight on the part of the company, I’m inclined to guess that the Tuckaire doesn’t beat its competitors in this regard so they’ve simply left off their stats. But, keep in mind, we’re only talking about a maximum of 1 minute difference here so it really isn’t that big a deal in the context of all the other features you might want to consider.

Another item some might consider a negative but which I think will mostly be offset by something I’ll get to later is that The Shrunks doesn’t operate a business on the same level of Gentle Air or AeroBed; both of which are relative giants in comparison. Larger companies tend to have more established manufacturing processes in place, better R&D and, sometimes, more polished customer care and support operations in place. I’m not saying The Shrunks falls down in any of these regards, just that their more venerable and larger competitors have had more time to iron out the wrinkles.

Why am I concerned about larger companies? Don’t get me wrong, I’m a small business myself so I always pull for the little guy, but I’ve read a few reviews from owners advising that the Tuckaire Toddler bed needed to be inflated again several times during a few days of use. That’s a sign of a manufacturing defect. To be sure, very few people lodged this complaint and the included electric pump makes this a quick fix and negligible inconvenience, but it needs to be noted in the interest of full disclosure.

Positive Tuckaire Inflatable Toddler Bed Reviews

Now, having said the last, I’m going to get to the positives. Though the Tuckaire Toddler air bed may not be manufactured by as large a company as AeroBed, The Shrunks shines in one simple regard; they focus exclusively on air beds for kids and related products. That makes them specialists. With their mission laser focused, they can take the time to really do inflatable kids beds right and that largely negates some of the downsides to their not being as large as their competitors.

UPDATE
A slightly defensive response from The Shrunks representatives actually provided me some wonderful material to add here that you really should know about. First, don’t EVER suggest they can’t roll with the big dogs. They might get a bit snippy (just a joke if you’re reading, guys). They get snippy for good reason, though. Why? I’ll provide some direct quotes from their comment.

Did you know that “The development team goes to Asia and Europe once every 2 months or even every month to design and quality control existing and new products” I think that shows superb devotion to their product and goes to my point (which The Shrunks customer service folks apparently didn’t read) that being specialized means a level of dedication and devotion beyond what larger companies are generally capable of (or interested in). It’s why I love new and smaller companies, guys. They really do care about what they’re doing. They haven’t been around long enough to become apathetic or cumbersome.

Did you know that “The Shurnks’ is headed by a, 20 years experience, sales managers and products are designed by award winning designers who have worked for major fortune 500 USA companies“. I won’t say that makes me “totally wrong” in my statements on experience but it certainly makes them better than one might otherwise think. There are many elements beyond sales and design that go into working out the bugs of a business but their dedication to producing the best possible product for so young a company is clear.

Did you know “We are the only ones on the Planet using the safest materials and the best manufacturing facilites…Guaranteed….” While I can’t certify that claim, I suspect it is at least mostly true. As you continue to read this review you’ll note I mention the manufacturing of the Tuckaire Inflatable Toddler Bed promises no lead, no BpA and no phathales. That’s huge, gang, and just one more reason to love this bed.

A final note to the good folks at The Shrunks… just because I start with the negatives doesn’t mean your product isn’t great. Read the whole post, next time. You’ll see that I ended this with “The Air Mattress Beds Guide definitely recommends this product.” I meant it then and I mean it now because, unlike any other product I’ve endorsed or condemned, you are the first to actually care enough about your product to try and set the record straight. Good for you!

End of Update

Going back to the size of the bed, while it may be larger (and that may sometimes be an inconvenience) the bed’s generous dimensions also mean your child won’t outgrow his or her inflatable bed as quickly as he/she would if you were to opt for the Gentle Air or the AeroBed for kids. You’ll have to determine for yourself if the added years of use will make up for the extra space required on every trip.

A Great Air Mattress Bed without the Chemical Smell!

Of particular interest to parents is the fact that Tuckaire Toddler inflatable travel bed promises no lead, no BpA and no phathales in their product. I’ll save details on what these things are for a future, more technical post but for now parents should view this as the very positive absence of metals and chemical emissions that are harmful. Best of all, the Tuckaire promises you won’t have to contend with that unpleasant “new plastic” smell!

Another feature I really love with this bed involves sheets. The design of the Tuckaire for Toddlers allows for sheets to be tucked in between the bumpers and the actual mattress portion the child sleeps on. Not only does this help create the illusion for the child of this being a real bed instead of an air mattress, but it also keeps bedding off the floor so it stays clean longer. And, in case you’re wondering, yes… the Tuckaire Toddler air mattress bed accepts standard size crib sheets.

Speaking of the bumpers, the Tuckaire has the Dr Watters air bed and the AeroBed for Kids beat in this regard. While all three offer a “well” design with raise edges all around the bed, this air bed for Toddlers takes things a step further with raised bumpers. These further ensure your child won’t roll out of his bed and, in my opinion, add an aesthetic element that makes this the better looking of the three beds; great win in both form and function.

An Inexpensive Air Mattress Bed for Kids - Yay!

Finally, the Tuckaire Toddler bed beats both the Dr Watters and AeroBed for Kids in terms of price. You can pick yours up through carousel ad above (along with some related prodcuts) for around $56.50 (as of this writing. Price will vary slightly from time to time). One word of warning, though… the exact same bed is also sold on Amazon for $99.00 with the addition of a “hand-stitched, ultra-plush character.” All you’re getting for your extra $42.50 is a pillow shaped like some strange critter. That’s a hefty price for a pillow, if you ask me, but I’ll leave it to you to decide if it’s worth it to you.

Buy air mattress beds for kids online - it’s almost always cheaper.

Of course, you can shop around or pick up your Tuckaire in a store but you might be challenged to find them. As with most products, I always recommend the internet. You can buy the Tuckaire Inflatable Toddler bed online and save money over in-store prices. In my experience, that’s almost always the case even after factoring in shipping.

So to wrap up, the Tuckaire Toddler travel inflatable bed is a great option for the traveling family. It offers safe construction and generous dimensions and is a great replacement bed or upgrade for a child who has outgrown his or her Pack-n-Play. This air mattress is sold by a company specifically devoted to delivering products for children. The price for the bed is very reasonable. On the downside, the bed requires a bit more space than some of the other offerings on my site and may not inflate quite as quickly (though you’d still have a bed ready from inflation to sheeting in around 5 minutes). Finally, sheets and blankets can be tucked to keep them off the floor and the bed accepts standard size crib sheets.

The Air Mattress Beds Guide definitely recommends this product.

Related posts:

1. Traveling in Style with the 40010 AeroBed for Kids With dozens of different air mattress beds out there...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

With dozens of different air mattress beds out there and a fair number of different styles and categories to consider such as air bed camping mattresses or air mattress beds for trucks, I often find myself confused about what would represent the most helpful content for my readers. I was doing a little bit of pre-spring cleaning and maintenance on this site, though, and noticed that a lot of you come here looking for air mattress beds for kids. Having only written one post reviewing a Gentle Air air mattress bed for kids (click that link to read about it), I decided that variety is the spice of life and my readers would be well served by another great product in kids air mattress beds category. So, let’s get to it! Introducing…

The 40010 AeroBed for Kids

Whether you need to make allowances for more sleepy bodies than Grandma’s house can handle or you need to make the most of the space available in a cramped hotel room, inflatable air mattresses offer the perfect solution. Carrying around the unnecessary bulk of a full-sized air bed to accommodate the compact frame of a kid is some serious overkill, though. Enter AeroBed’s 40010 air mattress for kids.

Measuring in at a very reasonable 50 x 25 inches and weighing in at a reasonable 12 pounds, the 40010 AeroBed for Kids hits a cozy middle-ground between comfort and convenience. These dimensions are comparable to our previously reviewed Dr. Watters Air Bed for Kids.

Also like our previously reviewed kid’s air bed, the 40010 AeroBed for Kids offers a 4 inch raised edge. It’s a great feature that prevents children from rolling off the mattress as they sleep. Where the two products most notably differ is in price and weight.

The Dr. Waters air bed (including pump) comes in at a very light 8.8 pounds. As already mentioned, the 40010 AeroBed for Kids weighs in at a comparatively hefty 12 pounds. Does that mean you should skip the AeroBed in favor of the Gentle Air? Not so fast.

Is the 40010 AeroBed for Kids the Best Air Bed for Children?

While I’d comfortably recommend either bed to my readers, you shouldn’t let weight alone be a determining factor (it should really only be a consideration when flying). As mentioned, there’s a significant price difference in the two beds when purchased from Amazon. Where the Dr. Waters air bed for kids retails on Amazon for about $99.00, the AeroBed for Kids is listed for a wallet-sparing $68.00. That’s a notable savings in any economy.

I also noticed that the Gentle Air bed for kids is currently listed as temporarily out of stock on Amazon. Whether that’s a product of poor inventory control on Amazon’s part or limited inventory availability for which Gentle Air can be blamed is anybody’s guess, but I’m going to throw caution to the wind here and talk a bit about branding.

Gentle Air is no slouch in the industry but AeroBed is the more recognizable (and prolific) brand in the air mattress industry. It’s that brand recognition and proliferation that lend AeroBed products greater availability whether you want to shop for air mattress beds online or want to make the hike to buy from a brick-and-mortar establishment (and pay a higher price).

One might argue that well-known branding also implies the potential for greater product reliability but I’d caution my readers against that assumption because more is not always better. In the case of the 40010 Aero Bed for Kids, though, I’m going to reveal that I’m a little bit of a brand-whore (meaning I place a fair amount of stock in companies who are really out there and who have a reputation to maintain in terms of reliability and customer service). AeroBed has proven to me that they are diligent and highly focused in both regards.

Reliable Air Mattress Bed Pumps and Valves

And AeroBed’s reputation doesn’t end with their mattresses. The 40010 AeroBed for Kids comes with AeroBed’s proven pump and valve technology. What that means to you as a parent is reliable, lightning fast inflation and deflation and an air mattress bed that won’t leak and deflate halfway through the night.

To put it into measurable terms, the AeroBed for Kids inflates in 1 minute or less. That means you don’t have to have a bed sitting out and hogging limited hotel room space until the last few minutes before bed time if you don’t want to. Just blow it up a few minutes before lights-out, slap on the included moon-and-star-designed mattress pad and enjoy a restful night’s sleep for the whole family.

And break-down the next morning is also a snap. No hassle, 15 second deflation from the AeroBed for Kid’s generous deflation valve means you can break camp and be back on the road without the time and fuss required for a full-sized air mattress bed.

Where Can I Buy an AeroBed for Kids Online?

I’ve made it as easy as I can for you, folks. Peppered through-out this post you’ll notice that the words 40010 AeroBed for Kids is a hyperlink. Those links will take you directly to Amazon where you can buy your kids a comfortable AeroBed online of their very own. You’ll also notice I’ve included Amazon ads at the top and bottom of this post, either of which will take where you need to go.

So make an investment in your family’s sanity and pick up an air mattress bed for your kids. You don’t need me to tell you that a well-rested child makes for a much more pleasant traveling companion than one who is tired or grumpy.

Related posts:

1. The Tuckaire Inflatable Toddler Bed for Travel by The Shrunks My previous two air mattress beds for kids reviews covered...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Now, let’s clear the air on one thing right off the bat - Aero makes several beds that are great for vehicle camping. By that, I mean, air beds you can comfortably use in your SUV, camper, or truck or in your tent if you pitch it by your car. But I haven’t shown them much love when it comes to my preferred style of camping which involves hiking for miles with everything you need or want on your back. What I’m focusing on today is a notable “hybrid” that offers all of the convenience of vehicle-centered camping but which also might fit the bill should you like to hike.

The Aero Performalite Air Mattress Bed is our subject for today’s post and if you glance at the picture above you might be thinking I’m a bit off my rocker. Yes, it looks like your run of the mill air bed for guests. Yes, it looks like something you might pack in your trunk and use at a camp site or in the back of your pickup. But, hiking? Really? Well, yes… sort of.

What the Aero Performalite offers in comfort, it also attempts to offer in portability. The one feature about this bed that has me calling it to the attention of campers and hikers interested in air beds is that this model packs down to about the size of the self inflating air mattress beds most of us settle for on our hiking trips! That’s big news, folks, and earns the Aero Performalite some worthy recognition.

But it isn’t perfect. If you have visions of super luxurious snoozing under the stars in this fit-for-a-king in a twin size mattress, you might be overlooking one thing and that is its inflation. Though the Aero Performalite pumps up in a zippy 60 seconds (isn’t camping supposed to be about relaxing and taking your time?) it requires you to haul along the pump. Absent a convenient power outlet in the middle of nowhere (hello 60mile extension cord) you will have to pack that pump full of 8 C-size batteries and that means substantial extra weight.

Before I close, let me list some of the Aero Performalite Air Bed’s other features. The Performalite is built with water resistant ripstop material which is fairly durable and abrasion resistant. It is constructed of 100% PVC-free materials which gives it high marks for environmental friendliness, and includes a stuff sack for carrying. As mentioned, it deflates to about the size of a moderately-thick, self-inflating mat but is voluminous enough to far exceed the comfort offered by such mats. The pump is included and features a built-in flashlight (good thinking, Aero) for inflating the bed in the dark. As mentioned, the pump runs on 8 C-cell batteries or a DC outlet.

If you are an avid hiker or camper willing to haul the extra weight or willing forgo a few other items in your pack to allow for a sublime sleeping experience, the Aero Performlite may be the air mattress bed for you.

Related posts:

1. Air Mattress Beds for Camping It isn’t always easy to drag your significant other into...
2. Air Mattress Bed Patch Kits and Camping Gripped in the coldest weather we’ve seen here all year,...
3. Comfortable Camping on the Airbedz Original Truck Bed Air Mattress I’ve been promising to give some specific feedback on truck...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Large leaks in any size air mattress can sometimes be found simply by listening for the leak. To make it easier, turn off any noise-producing items in the room before beginning. For this method (and all methods mentioned in this guide) you should try to fill the bed completely but NEVER try to overfill it with an air compressor or pump lest you inadvertently burst the seams or expand the hole already in the bed.

After you’ve filled the air bed mattress with air, remove all bedding and blankets and then lie still on the bed and listen. If you vaguely identify the location, move your head closer to that area and lie still again, repeating the process until you are close enough to pin-point (pardon the pun) the leak. If you know you are close but can’t seem to lock in on the precise location of the leak, run the back of your hand or your inner forearm above the area you think it might be. These parts of your body are particularly sensitive and you may be able to feel what you can’t quite see.  Once found, you should mark the leak with a Sharpie (not sharp) or other brand permanent marker for later patching.

If the listen method doesn’t work you’ll have to get more involved in your puncture-location efforts. For smaller air beds such as camping air mattresses, twin-size guest air mattress beds and reasonably small self-inflating air beds such as air mattress beds for kids like the 40010 AeroBed for Kids, your bath tub is your best friend. First fill the tub with water. As before, fill the air bed completely with air without over filling. Next, begin submerging one section of the bed at a time in water. As you do, look for air bubbles. As soon as you see them, you’ve found your leak. Remove the mattress (making sure not to lose sight of the leak) dry off the area with the leak and mark the puncture with a permanent marker so you can find it later for repair. Despite the annoyance of having to fill a tub and dry your air mattress, this is probably the most precise methods for finding a leak even if the leak is in the seams of the bed.

Unless you’re lucky enough to have a swimming pool, the submergence method mentioned previously isn’t really an option for finding leaks in large adjustable air mattresses. The end result is the same, and that’s the production of bubbles at the site of the leak. First, fill a spray bottle with water and liquid soap or mild detergent. You want a very soapy mixture for this method. Also have a towel handy. As before, remove any bedding and fill the air mattress with air. Starting at one corner of the bed, spray the soapy water mixture in a moderate area. You don’t want to go too small or you’ll be at it all day and you don’t want to cover too much of an area or you might wind up getting soap water all over.

Observe the area you’ve sprayed with the soapy water mixture. If there’s a leak in the area, bubbles will form. Sitting on the bed may also help force air from a leak and make it more readily apparent. If you don’t see any bubbles, wipe the area dry and move on to another section of the bed. It’s best to work in a grid pattern, spraying a one or two foot square section at a time, observing, drying and moving on. Once you’ve done the entire surface of the mattress and assuming you’ve found no leaks, flip the air bed over and start again on the other side. If no luck there, flip the mattress on its side and repeat over each side of the air bed until you see bubbles. Once found, dry the area and mark it with a permanent marker so you can find the spot later for repair.

The drawback to the last method mentioned is that leaks in seams or in the bed valve can be difficult to detect by this method. Listening for them or submerging the mattress in water will work best for seam and valve leak detection.

The three methods mentioned above are your bread and butter air mattress leak detection methods, but there are other suggestions out there as well. Some of them are bad ideas, some aren’t. I’ll mention them here and give you my thoughts.

A variation on the soap-spray method above is to use a soapy sponge to wipe sections of the bed and look for bubbles. While this method can work just fine, you’ll probably want to keep a bucket of soapy water handy as you’ll need to refill the sponge frequently. Either the spray bottle or sponge method work equally well. The Spray bottle is just “greener” in that you use less water (by not having to fill a bucket). Of course, it does mean another plastic bottle in our landfills someday but, heck, you have a vinyl air mattress bed. You’re already in the hole where Mother Nature is concerned.

The hose knows! A variation on the submerging method is to lay your air mattress on the ground (preferably on a tarp to protect it from anything sharp) and to run water over it from a hose. As with the submerging method, you are looking for bubbles in the water at the point of the leak. This can be a very effective alternative to submerging the mattress in a tub (if it’s too large). Keep in mind that the bubbles won’t be as easy to see as the layer of water covering the leak with be fairly thin and it will also be in motion. Use a gentle stream so you aren’t washing away the bubbles the instant they appear and, therefore, missing them entirely. Also move slowly as it may take time for the bubble to generate. You’re trying to “flood” the mattress surface rather than “wash” the mattress surface.

I’ve seen the suggestion to use incense or cigarette smoke to find leaks in air mattress beds. Though the concept does make the sound assumption that escaping air will cause the smoke to move, you can wind up chasing ghosts for much of your search with this method. Houses have drafts. Heck, you’re one of them as you exhale in frustration over your inability to find the annoying leak. But, with patience, this method can work. For best results, set the bed on edge and hold the cigarette or incense down at the bottom so the smoke rises along the flat surface of the bed. The biggest concern I have with using smoke from cigarettes or incense to find leaks is that a hot ash or ember from the source of the smoke could fall on the bed and create a whole new leak to deal with. Use this method as a last resort and use it with caution.

Some suggest filling the air mattress with a cup or two of water, then air, then rotating the mattress around and looking for the wet spot. The suggestion is as simple as that but the addition of a sheet on the bed will help to very rapidly pinpoint the leak as water seeps out onto the fabric. While technically sound, I do not recommend this leak detection method. Many air beds are manufactured with anti-fungal impregnated materials. This stuff works reasonably well for the slight moisture introduced by your lungs or the humid air that may be introduced by your pump. Full flooding with water is another matter entirely and you’ll find it virtually impossible to empty all the water from the bed after you’ve tried this method.

There’s a very legitimate health concern here. Assume you do fill your bed with water, find the leak, empty the bed and patch the leak. You then inflate the mattress and go about your life. Months down the road you find yourself having to deflate the mattress again for a move or something. Unbeknownst to you, the residual water left behind after your leak hunt has pooled and served as a watering hole for a host of bacteria and mold, all thriving in that warm, dark, humid paradise you provided them. You pop the valve on your bed to deflate it and, in a rush of air, out come a veritable army of microscopic things that can really make you sick (or at least nauseas from the smell). Now you can see why I’m not a fan of the water filling method.

In the end, finding leaks in air mattress beds, everyday use, guest or an air bed for camping, can go from simple to tedious fairly quickly. That’s particularly the case with larger air mattresses. The worst part is that some leaks are simply impractical or impossible to fix. Leaks in the seams of your air bed are the most challenging to fix and may never fully patch. A leak in the valve, which is almost impossible to find without submerging it in water, is almost always impossible to fix. Going through the effort of finding a leak in an air bed just to discover there’s nothing you can do to fix it can be supremely frustrating.

Oh, and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Keep kitty off your air mattress or place a very thick mattress pad on top. CERTAINLY don’t let your hedgehog run wild on your air bed!

We’ll discuss repairing leaks in air mattress beds in a future post. Hope you’ve found this helpful.

Related posts:

1. Air Mattress Bed Patch Kits and Camping Gripped in the coldest weather we’ve seen here all year,...
2. Air Mattress Beds for Back Pain Have you considered buying an air mattress bed for your...
3. Hybrid Aero Performalite Air Mattress Bed for Camping I’m going to deviate from the norm a bit in...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

While most camping air mattress beds are designed to be durable, they are in constant jeopardy from both sharp items you may have amongst your camping gear and from sharp objects they may encounter on the ground. Should either puncture your mattress, you’re in for a cold and uncomfortable night ahead. Patch kits for air mattress beds consist of little more than a small, vinyl or synthetic circle of material and a small tube of adhesive. Given their light weight and the tiny space they will occupy in your pack, there’s simply no reason not to bring one of these kits along.

One quick thought before you head off into the great outdoors with your trusty patch kit is that you ensure the adhesive is stowed in a leak-proof baggy lest it rupture and ruin the contents of your pack. Also surround it with soft material such as a pair of socks to help prevent impact ruptures.

Finally, always clear the ground of debris and sharps before you pitch your tent. It can be a hassle but certainly less costly and inconvenient than having to repair your gear in the wild or risking punctures to something far more difficult to repair (such as your body).

At the end of the day, your air mattress bed won’t mean much to you if you can’t inflate it or keep it inflated. Don’t let a small oversight ruin what could be an otherwise great adventure in the wilderness. Think of your patch kit as emergency gear (I actually keep mine in my first aid kit). It’s something you hope you won’t have to use but is certainly nice to have around if your hopes should be dashed.

Related posts:

1. How to Find Leaks in Air Mattress Beds Finding a leak in an air mattress bed can be...
2. Hybrid Aero Performalite Air Mattress Bed for Camping I’m going to deviate from the norm a bit in...
3. Air Mattress Beds for Camping It isn’t always easy to drag your significant other into...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

We’re generally not too big on product reviews here, but I’ve been a big advocate of convenience and comfort since beginning this blog and this is one air mattress bed with a child’s comfort (and a parent’s convenience) specifically in mind. So what makes the Gentle Air bed so desirable?

The Gentle Air Dr Watters Childs Portable Overnight Bed offers several convenient features. For one, it is easy and quick to inflate with the included pump. Inflation times vary (particularly if you let your child do the inflating) but average around 1 minute from flat to full inflation. The bed deflates in around 15 seconds.

Another stand-out for this air mattress bed is the raised side design. Not only does it prevent your child rolling out of bed, there’s no concern of bed wetting accidents leaking out onto the floor.

Finally, the Gentle Air Dr Watters Childs Portable Overnight Bed is sized right for kids resulting in increased portability and it comes with an included backpack allowing your child to carry his own cool bed to his sleepover.

On the down side, this air mattress is pricier than many but then most air beds aren’t designed specifically with a combination of children, convenience, portability and comfort all in mind.

For sleepovers, camping, vacations and travel of all kind, the Gentle Air Dr Watters Childs Portable Overnight Bed is a great choice at the price. Don’t take our word for it. As of this writing there are 19 customer reviews you can read over at Amazon by clicking the product image or links in this post. When it comes to air mattress beds, you’re always best served by a good sampling of customer reviews and a near universal positive impression by nearly a score of parents who have tried this product should set your mind at ease.

If the Gentle Air Dr Watters air bed is out of stock, please read our latest review on the AeroBed for Kids - a comparable product at a lower price from a brand you know you can trust.

No related posts.

Confused? A site about air mattress beds not supporting them as a cure for back pain? Well, I’m being a bit tricky. CAN air mattresses help with back pain? Sure. WILL they ALWAYS? No. That’s the rub. It isn’t a matter of whether or not I feel they can offer a solution (one very well might), it’s that I’m not going to commit my integrity (or your money) to a solution that might not be the right one for you.

Any mattress that, with absolute conviction, sells itself as a definite cure for back pain is suckering its consumers out of their hard earned dollars. The truth is that a flat board with a half inch of foam on it might be the right cure for you. I simply have no way of knowing, and neither do air mattress bed manufacturers, what the right requirements are for you specifically. What they can tell you with reasonable honesty is how independent testing has rated their beds relative to other styles and in that regard, air mattress beds do fairly well.

Air mattress beds such as the Sleep Number bed often are a fantastic solution for back pain relief. The customizable nature of adjustable air mattresses alone is a major factor behind that. My own back problems were alleviated after switching mattresses. But, I don’t attribute my success to the mattress so much as an ancient Chinese secret I’ll reveal later. In some cases, however, a memory-foam mattress may be the better solution for your back problems. In others, a particular brand of innerspring mattress is the right solution. What’s the common theme here? No one brand or style of mattress is going to be the universal solution for all people.

If you do suffer from chronic back pain you can begin your search for the right mattress for you by applying some of the knowledge you’ve hopefully learned here. Consult with your physician and if he/she is honest, you’ll receive some simple wisdom such as “some people report improvement from sleeping on air mattresses” or “your condition might be best served by a very firm mattress.” That information being about as useful as what I’ve offered so far in this post, let’s get to the real best solution for you.

The best thing for your back is sleeping on a mattress that affords good back support, promotes healthy curvature of the spine and is very comfortable. If you can find all three in a single mattress, you’ve probably found the mattress that will help you with your back pain. The last item, comfort, is very important, though. The bottom line is that no amount of ergonomic engineering will matter to you if you can’t get comfortable enough to sleep well.

The hard part here is that finding the right mattress to alleviate back pain isn’t like finding which candy bar you like best. Mattresses are expensive. In finding a mattress that’s good for your back, take several minutes to test each model in the store. This will give you at least a glimpse into what you can expect when you get the mattress home. More importantly, though, ensure that your purchase comes with a generous satisfaction guarantee and return policy. You won’t know until you’ve invested a week or two sleeping on your new mattress if it is the right one for you. Select Comfort offered a one month trial period at one point (and may still) on their Sleep Number bed which, to me, was a major selling point. Try to find something similar in your purchase.

So, the answer to your question is that, yes, air mattress beds of varying styles can do wonders for back pain relief but there are no guarantees. Your best bet is to test a variety of mattresses and ensure you are protected should you later determine the mattress is not right for you.

Oh, and that ancient Chinese secret for curing back pain? Stop carrying your wallet in your back pocket. I did, found relief in weeks and I haven’t had back problems in the 5 years since.

Related posts:

1. The Sleep Number Bed Compared to Other Mattresses Let’s continue from our previous post on the benefits of...
2. The Sleep Number Bed - Health and Air Mattress Beds In a continuation of our first post on Health and...
3. How to Find Leaks in Air Mattress Beds Finding a leak in an air mattress bed can be...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

First let’s introduce the study on pressure point comparisons. It was independently conducted. The mattresses compared were similarly priced but different designs. The Sleep Number Bed was compared to a Tempur-Pedic ® “space-foam” mattress and a high-end innerspring mattress. The manufacturer and identity of each mattress was hidden from the subjects. 66 subjects in all participated in the study and were divided about evenly between women and men. Finally, the average pressure exerted by the mattresses on each participant’s body was measured using pressure mapping equipment in both back and side sleep positions.

The results of the pressure point study revealed 94% of the participants had significantly lower average pressure levels when lying on their side. 86% had significantly lower average pressure levels when lying on their backs. It’s important to note that those percentages are the results gathered from the pressure mapping equipment, not just the subjective opinions of the participants.

The pressure map study isn’t the only study to result in favorable marks for the Sleep Number Bed. A study performed at the Stanford University Sleep Research Center resulted in surprising results. This study compared the Sleep Number Bed to a high quality innerspring mattress. Average participants fell asleep in half the time, spent more time in deep (restful) sleep and reported better sleep quality.

Numerically, the Stanford study breaks down like this.

• 67% experienced less daytime sleepiness
• 77% discovered increased energy.
• 87% fell asleep faster and experienced better sleep.
• 89% reported improved sleep quality.
• 90% reported reduced aches and pains.
• 93% experienced back pain relief

While the experiences noted by participants above are subjective (based on a participant’s opinion rather than a measurable metric) they are supported by objective metrics as well such as decreased amount of light sleep states, increased REM sleep and slow wave sleep. The pressure map studies noted earlier also support the subjective comments associated with reduced aches and pains.

Select Comfort^TM, the makers of the Sleep Number bed, also offer data from tests performed at the Duke University Medical Center Sleep Disorders Center which focused on both subjective and objective measures of sleep in comparing the Sleep Number bed with the participant’s own beds. Results showed the Sleep Number bed provided a more efficient sleep experience and that participants spent an average of 15 minutes less time in bed each night on. That last part is notable given that, despite needing less sleep, study subjects reported feeling less fatigued and more rested after sleeping.

Finally, a study performed at the University of Memphis focusing on spinal curvature and displacement concluded that the Sleep Number bed “gave the best comfort and spinal alignments to the subjects tested.”

In a mix of studies covering both objective and subjective metrics, test subjects time and again show a preference for the Sleep Number Mattress. With loads on pressure points more forgivingly distributed, independent adjustable firmness and exceptional construction, these air mattress beds shine. But what does all this data really mean to you, the consumer.

Overall, reduction in pressure point discomfort means less tossing, turning and discomfort during sleep. This means you spend more time getting healthy, restful sleep. The importance of this can’t be overstated. Not only does this mean you’ll endure less joint discomfort, aches and pains, but an air mattress bed’s benefit in this regard is that it also facilitates important stages of healthy sleep.

REM sleep, or Rapid Eye Movement sleep occurs an average of 4-5 times per night in increasing duration. While the purpose of REM sleep is not completely understood, it has been established as critically important to our health and may be linked to learning and memory. While we may not fully understand the need for REM sleep, our bodies do. If we do not receive enough of it, we accumulate a sleep-debt which our body will make up for with prolonged periods of REM sleep at the next opportunity.

Slow wave sleep or SWS is the deepest level of sleep. If you’ve ever woken up feeling terribly groggy and have difficulty focusing and thinking, you probably were pulled out of slow wave sleep. As with REM, those deprived of SWS will experience a sharp increase in duration of this sleep period at the next available opportunity. This supports the thinking that the body knows what it needs and that slow wave sleep is an important part of healthy sleep.

That air mattress beds in general can promote improvements in these areas may often be a subjective claim. Studies performed on Select Comfort’s Sleep Number beds, though, lend credibility to the assumption that, at least in this case, an air mattress bed can truly make a difference in the health and life of its users.

Related posts:

1. The Sleep Number Bed - Health and Air Mattress Beds In a continuation of our first post on Health and...
2. Select Comfort and Sleep Number Beds In my previous post on everyday air mattress beds I...
3. Air Mattress Beds for Back Pain Have you considered buying an air mattress bed for your...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.