As a truck owner, you probably already know how versatile your vehicle is. There are seemingly endless ways to use your truck bed. With a pickup truck, you only need a few things to enjoy the great outdoors with just your truck. Investing in a truck bed tent is the quickest way to make your pickup a go-anywhere type of vehicle. But to make it truly comfortable, you’ll also want to invest in an air mattress for your truck bed.
Before you start outfitting your truck for camping excursions, it’s important to install a truck bed liner to protect your camping equipment from the sharp edges in your bed. At the same time, a bed liner protects your truck bed from scratches and water-related corrosion.
What Are Truck Bed Air Mattresses?
Simply put, truck bed air mattresses are air mattresses specifically made for truck beds. If you’ve done any amount of extended camping, you know that sleeping on the ground or on a tent pad is very rarely comfortable. This is why many truck campers invest in a truck bed air mattress. These inflatable beds fit perfectly over or between your wheel wells and provide a comfortable cushion for sleeping.
However, it’s important to get a truck bed air mattress that fits your specific truck. There’s no universal option for a truck bed air mattress. If you get one that doesn’t quite fit, it probably won’t be very comfortable.
Why Do You Need a Truck Bed Air Mattress?
The main reason you need a truck bed air mattress is that it will be a lot more comfortable than sleeping on the ground or in your empty truck bed. The other reason is that these mattresses are made specifically for truck beds. If you just haul a regular bed mattress into your truck bed, the fit is likely to be imprecise and it probably won’t be very comfortable. Truck bed air mattresses have a number of other benefits as well.
- They inflate and deflate quickly and easily
- They are generally compatible with truck bed tents, camper shells, and truck bed storage drawers
- You can use them outside of your truck bed when you need an extra bed
- They are excellent for impromptu and stealth truck camping
- Some mattresses are even thin enough to use as a backpacking air pad
How To Use a Truck Bed Air Mattress
Truck bed air mattresses are easy to use too. You simply place the mattress in your truck bed and connect it to a pump. A 12V power pack or your truck’s cigarette lighter is sufficient to power a pump and inflate your mattress. Most mattresses have between 10 and 12 inches of padding, so you’ll have plenty of cushion between you and the truck bed. Once the bed is inflated, you can add a memory foam topper, your favorite comforter, and whatever other bedding you need to make it comfortable.
Choosing a Truck Bed Air Mattress
Choosing an air mattress for your truck bed can be a simple process as long as you recognize that it isn’t a universal fitment type of product. It’s important to look at brands that specifically make air mattresses for truck beds. Consider the following points when looking for a truck bed air mattress:
- Should be at least 10 to 12 inches thick
- More air chambers are always better
- Make sure the measurements fit your truck bed
- Choose a flocked or brushed cotton top for maximum comfort
- Look for an integrated pump for easy inflation
Best Truck Bed Air Mattress Brands
As previously mentioned, it’s important to look at brands that specifically make air mattresses for truck beds. Cheap, universal products may not provide a good fit and won’t be as comfortable either. Let’s take a look!
Airbedz by Pittman Outdoors
Pittman Outdoors makes the Airbedz line of air mattresses for truck beds and cabins. The Airbedz Pro is a great choice for those who want a really big air mattress that uses every bit of your truck bed space. This mattress is extra thick with 12 inches of comfort through the Pittman air coil system. It also has a brushed cotton top and an integrated pump.
Another Airbedz choice is the Airbedz Lite. This model is quite a bit cheaper than the Pro model above. It doesn’t include an integrated pump, but it still uses the comfy air coil system and is made of puncture-resistant PVC. This is a great, light choice for an impromptu camping trip.
Rightline Gear
The truck bed air mattress offered by Rightline Gear fits between the wheel wells of your truck bed, which gives you extra space for gear storage next to your mattress. This mattress is constructed from heavy-duty PVC to resist punctures, but it also has a flocked top for more comfort.
There are two different sizes available, including a full-size mattress that fits most long beds, standard beds, and short beds for full-size trucks. The other size is for midsize trucks with either a six-foot bed or a short five-foot bed.
Offroading Gear
Offroading Gear truck bed air mattresses are compatible with the Ford F150, GMC Sierra, Chevy Silverado, Ram 1500, Nissan Titan, and Toyota Tundra. The durable three-chamber design is comfortable and rugged. It can also transform into a full-size mattress for use outside of your truck bed.
In Closing
Investing in a truck bed air mattress is the best way to make camping in your truck more comfortable. Before you consider camping in your truck, it’s important to install a custom DualLiner truck bed liner for the highest quality protection against rust and damage. DualLiner is compatible with all full-size American truck brands.
