Choosing the right air mattress bed for your needs

Gripped in the coldest weather we’ve seen here all year, I’m hardly inclined to go camping, but I do have some free time on my hands so I might as well spare you an inconvenience I’ve suffered myself and give you one solid piece of advice relative to your air mattress bed. Second only to remembering to pack your air mattress bed when you go camping is to remember to pack a patch kit to repair it.

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.

Does your child attend sleepovers? Do you host sleepovers for your child’s friends? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a cozy air mattress bed for kids sized just right for a child and which your kids will love and their friends will envy? If you answered yes to any of those, you owe it to yourself to check out the Gentle Air Dr Watters Childs Portable Overnight Bed

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.