<p>My daughter is working the whole summer in another state as a staff member for a service organization that repairs houses for the needy. She has room and board - the room likely being the floor of a local school. As this is for 2 months we want to get her a blow up mattress for her birthday next month. Any advice? Want one that is easy to blow up, comfortable and does not cost a fortune. Also sturdy enough for extended use. I am thinking not too much more than $50ish - definiteley not in the $100s. I know I’m not asking for much am I? Any good experiences out there?</p>
<p>You can get a good one for $10. Buy two.</p>
<p>Get an Aerobed. It inflates automatically and is very comfortable. I think I paid about $100 for mine.</p>
<p>I like the Aerobed too. If you watch the sales one can be picked up for around $69. Think we got the last one at Linens N Things on sale and then used a 20% discount coupon. Also Target and Sam’s Club will have good prices.</p>
<p>We have a Coleman from Target that was $40–it’s hunter green, has a velour top, and self-inflates. The inflator can be battery powered or plug into the wall, which is a nice feature when it may be hard to charge something.</p>
<p>If she’s not moving around too much, a mattress topper and soft sheets (I like jersey ones) can make that air mattress pretty close to her real mattress.</p>
<p>Getting 2 cheap ones is a clever idea–you never know when one might pop, and it’s a lot easier to just chuck it and inflate the new one (in the middle of the night most likely!) than it would be to find the hole and the patch kit and put it back together.</p>
<p>When I saw the title of your thread, swimcatsmom, I thought you wanted recommendations on how to blow up a matress! So, you either “put your lips together and blow” or stick a stick of dynamite in it!! Sorry… I’m gettin’ punchy as we await the last few college letters.</p>
<p>As for your question, I ordered my s. one off overstock.com I don’t recall the brand but the KEY THING TO GET is one that has an automatic pump that both inflates AND deflates the mattress. He lent it to someone last summer, and it didn’t survive the abuse, but the guy replaced it with another one that has the dual action pump.</p>
<p><em>note</em> you can get along fine with a mattress that has a pump that only inflates, but if she wants to keep it for future use and easily store it under her bed in the dorm or something, the deflating component is really helpful! My s really liked that feature.</p>
<p>I don’t know the brand name, but Walmart has one that inflates to about 18 inches high (about the same height as a standard bed) and has a built in pump (as described above…both inflates and deflates with the push of a button). A twin one costs about $50 or so on sale. Definitely worth it to get one of the “high risers” if she’s going to be using it for more than an overnight. We have a queen as our “guest bedroom”. It’s terrific.</p>
<p>Just keep in mind expensive ones “pop” too. Having enjoyed camping for close to 20 years, I know the evolution of sleeping setups from pads to portable beds. If she has room, a camping foam (7’x3’x3.5") along with a air bed works very well. </p>
<p>Remember all things plastic with seams wear and pop, even brand new ones. A rechargable air pump costs about $25. That with a couple $10 mattresses would do the trick. If the first one pops, mail her another while she uses the backup. </p>
<p>We’ve learned over the years expensive doesn’t mean durability.</p>
<p>jym - when I was trying to blow up the mattress the last time I stayed at my brothers (foot pump that kept popping off) the stick of dynamite would definitely have been tempting!</p>
<p>We actually have an aero - but it deflates and we have never been able to figure out why. Plus I lost the pump thing. They are a little more than we want to pay - have already bought some stuff for her birthday so this is an extra.</p>
<p>Mattress topper is in her plans - but it depends how she gets there. She is hoping there will be some other staff travelling from our vicinity or at least a neighboring state so they can share the drive and the gas (@1200 miles there). That could limit space. She loves jersey sheets too! If not it may even be cheaper to fly - have not worked out the logistics yet. And of course that would limit space too.</p>
<p>The coleman and the tall bed from walmart (she did mention she would like a tall mattress) sound like good options. I will check them out. Thanks all.</p>
<p>I participate in an activity where I have to sleep on an inflatable mattress in high school gymnasiums every night, sometimes changing locations every night, for 8 weeks straight.</p>
<p>Coleman mattresses are sturdier than the Aerobed. If she is going to be travelling with it, get a twin size ($29.99)… my girlfriend bought the queen size mattress and she was miserable; the larger sizes are very heavy and bulky when deflated. I’m 5’ 11" and I use a twin. You need to buy a battery-power pump with it. I prefer having a detached pump because if it breaks or you don’t have batteries/power, you can inflate it with your lungs if it comes down to it. I can deflate it and roll it up by hand in under a minute without a pump that deflates, so I don’t really think that’s necessary.</p>
<p>I forgot about the tall ones they are making now. Friend bought one for her d. (not sure of brand) and they have loved it.</p>
<p>we have a coleman uses reg sheets, very sturdy- I have the inflator that plugs into cigarette lighter.</p>
<p>BandTenHut-
Wow. You have lived in these things. I am impressed at how you have it down to a science! I am glad to hear you did fine without the deflater. My s loved it b/c he could turn it on, go do other stuff, and when he came back it was deflated. </p>
<p>Swimcatsmom-
LOL! Take a peek at what’s on the overstock website. I agree that you want a twin size, and I didnt see one at quick glance. But stuff pops up all the time. Good luck.</p>
<p>Thanks again everyone. She will be in one location for 9 weeks so we had been thinking of a double but a single may be more practical depending on the travel arrangements etc. I will check out the ones you have mentioned.</p>
<p>It is going to be a summer of long days and very hard work. I would like her to get a good nights sleep for her sake and everyone elses - She is a bear when she is tired!</p>
<p>Just be aware that placement counts in comfort too. We learned the hard way not to put it too close to a heating element (baseboard hot water included). It developed a slow leak and kid wound up sleeping on the floor! Otherwise they’re terrific - much more comfortable than our sleep sofas.</p>
<p>I just saw a J.C. Penneys ad for a twin air mattress, with pump, for $17.99 if you can get to a store (or order online) before 1:00 tomorrow, November 1.</p>
<p>Thanks for the recent posts but my original post was several months ago and we have long since purchased the mattress. Ended up getting her a double as that was what she wanted (she was staying at one location for 9+ weeks so wasn’t worried about having to move frequently). Got her one that I had read good reviews for - a tall one - with a built in inflator for @ $50. With her mattress topper (thank goodness for those bags you can put stuff in and suck all the it out of) she was pretty comfortable all summer.</p>
<p>We went to visit her service center - it was quite funny seeing the staff sleeping quarters - the girls all had tall double comfy mattresses and the guys had little single camping type ones.</p>
<p>She keeps it at her apartment now in case of any overnight visitors.</p>
<p>swimcatsmom, I do not know how thick the mattress material is and whether your D’s kitten has a habit of of pouncing on objects and biting and clawing into them… Our cat did, and inflatable objects had a very short half-life in our house :(</p>