REI Camp Dreamer Tenting Mattress Evaluation

Backside Line

In search of an reasonably priced however snug tenting mattress? The REI Camp Dreamer XL is your key to a refreshing evening of relaxation. Whereas there are many nice choices on our greatest tenting mattresses information, this one is a stable price range choose that will get the job executed.

Gear Analyst Ian Krammer has introduced the Camp Dreamer on 10 tenting journeys throughout Colorado and southern Wyoming from late winter via summer season. He loves its plush really feel, with 4 inches of thickness and a gentle outer materials that forestalls bottoming out and accommodates any sleeping place.

This one earns its preserve with a spacious design and better R-Worth, so it’s a stable choice for year-round automobile campers. It fills up shortly – and we love that it dumps air quick, too. REI features a pump sack, and an outsized storage stuff sack is sufficiently big to get the mattress inside with no battle.

Nevertheless, it does include some drawbacks. The Camp Dreamer XL is nice for budget-conscious campers, however you’ll sacrifice sturdiness for that lower cost level. After solely a handful of makes use of, Ian discovered it started to leak alongside the seams subsequent to the valve. It’s additionally on the heavy and ponderous facet in contrast with many of the competitors, and it’s a little bit of a job to roll up – often two repetitions to get all of the air out. We additionally discovered the pump sack a bit awkward to make use of. Nonetheless, for the value, this mattress is a cushty selection that’s value a better look.

Consolation

If consolation is your precedence, the REI Camp Dreamer XL delivers. It’s 4-inches thick – which is common for our automobile tenting listing. However due to horizontal foam and wonderful structuring, it feels even thicker. The Camp Dreamer is supportive and plush. Whether or not we slept on our stomach, facet, or again, this mattress successfully alleviated strain factors for a snug evening of sleep. Gear Analyst Ian could be choosy concerning the facet seams on mattresses after they stick out an excessive amount of. The Camp Dreamers are rounded, so we barely seen them. We additionally discovered the velvety polyester face material felt lavish in opposition to the pores and skin. It didn’t snag or catch on base layers, both. 

We desire the one-person model of the Camp Dreamer for its soft really feel and respectable portability, nevertheless it additionally is available in a double model. The double is bulkier and heavier, however for those who desire cuddling up with a accomplice, beloved one, or canine bff, it might be value paying extra for the shared area.

Nevertheless, the Camp Dreamer XL doesn’t have the identical adjustability as different mattresses. Many have a small button on the consumption valve to set free miniscule quantities of air to get a exact adjustment on the firmness, however this one doesn’t. You possibly can manually set free a bit extra air by sticking your finger into the valve and shifting the bit of fabric blocking airflow. Nevertheless, the nuance is misplaced, which limits the general customization.

Ease of Use

The REI Camp Dreamer XL is among the fastest-inflating tenting mattresses we examined, and we extremely advocate it for those who like a fast, low-effort setup. We timed the self-inflating system to a bit lower than 5 minutes. It required solely two to 3 pump sacks of air to prime it off – or about 60 seconds of breath. The valve caps keep closed all evening, and the pad supplies loads of area to unfold out whereas accommodating the largest sleeping luggage. The massive storage sack design is amongst our favorites, too, so despite the fact that it’s a bit heavier than most mattresses, it’s nonetheless extremely transportable.

We do have just a few complaints for usability, although. Our largest challenge comes all the way down to sturdiness. Within the first few makes use of, Ian’s mattress developed two pinhole-sized leaks – one alongside a prime side-seam and one other subsequent to the dump valve – places that might not be patched. Our analysis exhibits this drawback isn’t essentially distinctive to our expertise, which is why this mattress ranks close to the underside of our listing. Fortunately, REI has a year-long return coverage, so we had been in a position to swap it out for a second mattress. The alternative mattress hasn’t had any sturdiness points.

Moreover, we like that the pump sack is included, nevertheless it isn’t as straightforward to make use of as others. Its opening is a bit slim, and the nozzle could be finicky to connect to the valve. We additionally discovered rolling the mattress up could be time-consuming. Typically, one roll isn’t sufficient to get all of the air out, so we find yourself rolling it up twice to get it to suit into the bag. Regardless of these challenges, this mattress remains to be very straightforward to make use of.

Heat

This REI mannequin lands squarely in the course of the pack for heat with an R-value of 6.6. That was greater than heat sufficient to maintain us cozy between 30° and 80°F, so it’s a stable choice for spring, summer season and fall. Our testing discovered the built-in foam insulation helped retain and replicate warmth that prevented frigid air from seeping via.

Nevertheless, Ian has examined this mattress in critical winter circumstances. He took the Camp Dreamer for a spin on a week-long journey to southern Wyoming’s Vedauwoo Climbing space in January the place temps dropped as little as 18°F. Used together with a toasty-warm sleeping bag, the Camp Dreamer saved him lots heat. That mentioned, 18°F is on the intense finish for this pad, and we’d largely reserve this one for journeys that keep above 20°F. It’s nice for gentle to average circumstances, however it would really feel chilly with out layers.

Packed Measurement

Regardless of its heavier weight – the Camp Dreamer is 6 kilos, 6 ounces – this mattress is barely extra transportable than most. It measures 30 inches by 11 inches, which isn’t fairly so long as a lot of the competitors. Its carrying case opens lengthwise, so we aren’t making an attempt to slip the entire mattress via a small prime opening. Two enormous buckles act as compression straps to maintain the mattress contained, and a thick nylon shoulder strap frees up your arms to hold different gear. 

Nonetheless, this factor isn’t small. You’ll have to price range area within the trunk for this mattress, despite the fact that it isn’t fairly so long as some we examined and reviewed.

Ought to You Purchase the REI Camp Dreamer XL Mattress?

The REI Camp Dreamer XL is a stable choose for campers who need the consolation, heat, and ease of use of a premium mattress with out the steep price ticket. Its thick, 4-inch design and spectacular heat make it well-suited for year-round circumstances. Its soft polyester floor additionally punches above its class for a refreshing evening’s sleep. We discover the spacious dimensions and tremendous quick self-inflating characteristic are a slam-dunk for informal automobile campers who need a hassle-free setup. This one is a superb worth with out compromising on consolation or efficiency.

Nevertheless, the tradeoff you’ll make is sturdiness and adjustability. We had a problem with our first Camp Dreamer leaking – though we’ve had no challenge with the alternative. This one additionally isn’t as adjustable as others in terms of firmness, and we discover the pump is a bit awkward to connect and fill with air. Lastly, the Camp Dreamer isn’t as dreamy to roll up, both. That mentioned, these aren’t dealbreakers for us. Should you’ve obtained an eye fixed in your pockets, the Camp Dreamer XL is an efficient selection for a comfy, thick tenting mattress.

What Different Tenting Mattresses Ought to You Contemplate?

If the REI Camp Dreamer XL didn’t catch your eye, see different prime picks on our greatest tenting mattresses information:

Therm-A-Relaxation Luxurious Map XL Evaluation: The Luxurious Map shares the Camp Dreamers value level, making it a superb price range choice as properly. It’s not fairly as heat and a bit lighter, however this one has superior sturdiness. 

REI Campwell XL Evaluation: Positive, the REI Campwell isn’t practically as thick because the REI Camp Dreamer – it’s solely  2 and a half inches off the bottom – however you’ll get a hotter pad that’s lighter and packs smaller. 

Sea To Summit Consolation Deluxe LW: The Consolation Deluxe lands in our prime three favorites of the yr due to its good all-around efficiency, together with a smaller packed dimension, lighter weight, and related heat.