REI Relax Air Bed Review: A Comfortable Option for Car Camping
We love backpacking and camping where the only sounds are the wind in the trees and the occasional coyote howling in the distance. We also enjoy the simplicity of car camping, where the campsite is just a few steps from the car. Having your vehicle nearby opens up a lot more possibilities, whether that's bringing a better camp kitchen or sleeping a little more comfortably.
For backpacking, we rely on lightweight insulated sleeping pads that pack down small. They're perfect for carrying on the trail, but sometimes it's nice to add a little extra comfort when weight isn't a concern. That's where the REI Relax Air Bed came in.
We purchased the queen-size version, though it was also available as a single. It's a straightforward vinyl air mattress that included a manual pump, and after several camping trips it proved to be a comfortable option for car camping.
Packed away, the mattress itself doesn't take up much room. The manual pump, on the other hand, is surprisingly large and accounts for most of the packed size. Inflation takes about five minutes and isn't particularly difficult. A long hose connects the pump to the mattress, so you can leave the pump outside the tent while you inflate it. By adjusting how much air you add, you can make the mattress fairly firm or leave it a little softer.
One trip taught us an important lesson. We camped on a chilly night and completely forgot that an air mattress has almost no insulation underneath you. Cold air inside the mattress pulled heat away from us, and we definitely noticed it.
The following night, we added an insulating layer between the ground and the mattress, which made a noticeable difference. For warmer-weather camping, the mattress worked great on its own. In cooler temperatures, especially below about 45°F, we'd choose our insulated backpacking sleeping pads instead, or at least add extra insulation beneath the mattress.
The mattress uses a typical vinyl construction, but the top has a soft, flocked finish that feels comfortable against your skin. It also keeps the surface quieter and less slippery than a standard vinyl air mattress.
What We Like
It stays inflated throughout the night without slowly sagging.
It packs down surprisingly small once deflated.
It has proven to be durable through multiple camping trips.
The queen size gives both of us plenty of room to sleep comfortably, even if we change positions during the night.
It stays quiet when moving around.
What Could Be Better
The manual pump is bulky and takes up much more space than the mattress itself.
Because the mattress isn't insulated, it can feel very cold in cooler weather without additional insulation underneath.
Like most air mattresses, movement transfers from one side to the other, so when one person shifts positions, the other usually notices.
Overall, the REI Relax Air Bed gave us exactly what we wanted for car camping: a simple, comfortable mattress that was easy to use and noticeably more comfortable than sleeping on lightweight backpacking pads. While we now have other sleep systems we use depending on the trip, this air bed served us well whenever comfort mattered more than saving weight.
