6 Best Inflatable Car Air Mattresses for Backseats (Reviews & Buying Guide 2021)

How many times were you in need of the best car mattress? We all have a few stories about the times we crashed for a night (or many) in the back of our beloved vehicle. If you have I’m sure you remember it being a bit of a painful experience. Waking up to a nice kink in your neck, a seat belt buckle molded into your back, your half asleep arm stuck underneath the passenger’s seat. If only we knew a better way… Oh wait, there is! These modern times have given us a comfortable solution – these inflatable car air mattresses!

So whether you’re on a another weekend adventure or just need a spot to crash for the night, grab the best car air mattress travel pad and make your camping experience better. This page will help you find the best car travel mattress (inflatable or other) using our in depth car air mattress reviews and also help you make an informed choice for your next adventure with our handy mattress buying guide.

The Best 6 Car Mattresses

  1. Drive Travel Extended Inflatable Air Mattress for Cars and SUVs
  2. Shelterin Car Camping Air Mattress with Air Pump and Pillows
  3. Ancheer Multi-functional Travel Air Bed for Back Seats
  4. D&D Tri-fold Futon Foam Mattress for Cars and Vans
  5. PAVONI Inflatable Air Mattress for SUV
  6. Best Memory Foam Camping Mattress for Cars

Best Car Mattress Reviews (Updated List)

1. Drive Travel Extended Inflatable Air Mattress for Cars and SUVs

Sale
Back to 20s Heavy Duty Car Travel Inflatable Mattress Car Inflatable Bed SUV Back Seat Extended...
304 Reviews
Back to 20s Heavy Duty Car Travel Inflatable Mattress Car Inflatable Bed SUV Back Seat Extended...
  • Durable car SUV equipment for comfortable travel sleeping for kid and partent, or create more room for...
  • Folded volume: 25cm x 22cm x10cm Mattress Spread to Size: length 115-130cm, width 85-90cm

This Heavy Duty inflatable bed is perfect as a back seat car air mattress or SUV mattress. It’s extra durable and creates enough lying down space to accommodate two people ‘romantically’.This suv air mattress comes as a complete kit including the electric car air pump, repair pad, and the glue kit for any accidents along the way.

This inflatable air bed for your car is made with a heavy duty PVC, so you’ll find it’s much more comfortable than regular car air beds. It has a soft feeling throughout, similar to the micro fluff feeling or a microfiber cloth.

PROS:

  • A universally fitting inflatable air bed for cars
  • Solid build, contains 10 separate air compartments for stability
  • Quick Fill Electric pump and repair pads included
  • Soft PVC ‘fluffy’ texture rather than regular plastic

CONS:

  • Not recommended for more than 1 person unless you want to get cozy 😉
  • Minor refill required every night (due to the natural leakage of air mattresses)
  • Velvet PVC is very comfortable, but it’s more prone to collecting lint, dust, and fur (if you have a small dog prepare to clean the back seat bed often!)

It’s a solid one piece and a universal fit for your car. The big reason that this is number one is simply because it’s such a solid inflatable car mattress. Thick material, soft touch, and the car mattress itself is actually made of 10 smaller compartments, so it will keep its shape much better. You won’t have a saggy or flimsy mattress anymore!

2. Shelterin Car Camping Air Mattress with Air Pump and Pillows

Car Air Mattress for Backseat HIRALIY Inflatable Car Mattress Portable Travel Camping Mattress Sleep...
1,453 Reviews
Car Air Mattress for Backseat HIRALIY Inflatable Car Mattress Portable Travel Camping Mattress Sleep...
  • Car Air Mattress : HIRALAIY inflatable car blow up mattress after inflating dimensions about 53.94 x 34.25 x...
  • Durable and Anti-leakage Material: Made of 3 layers of sturdy wear-resistant material (0.6mm comfortable...

The Shelterin inflatable travel bed is another best car mattress for the back seat. What separates this particular air bed from most is that it’s actual 3 different pieces. This makes it slightly more adjustable than others, but not necessarily form fitting to the back seat. It easily turns your back seat into a bed, but also has the added comfort of a portable couch! Separate pieces allow you to use it in more situations than the average bed, making it the ideal air bed for camping as well as your car back seat.

For those concerned with style fear not! This particular bed comes in many colors to suit most vehicles as well. It includes the air pump, repair kit, and a pillow! This is a solid mattress, the only reason it didn’t make number one was the heavy duty air bed form fits your car so it stays in place slightly better.

PROS:

  • Fits 95% of car back seats with its multi piece design
  • Quick to fill and quick to deflate
  • Designed for easy carry when travelling
  • Designed for flexibility and comfort in mind
  • Holds its form even with a 200+ pound adult
  • Durable design capable of being a back seat dog platform (not large dogs however)

CONS:

  • Two adults would be very cozy
  • Fewer amazon reviews compared to the other portable air car beds
  • Air refills required in a shorter time frame than competitor models
  • Soft material is a magnet for dog hair, so get your lint roller ready!

3. Ancheer Multi-functional Travel Air Bed for Back Seats

ANCHEER Multifunctional Inflatable Car Mattress, Car Inflation Bed, Travel Air Bed Camping Car Back...
24 Reviews
ANCHEER Multifunctional Inflatable Car Mattress, Car Inflation Bed, Travel Air Bed Camping Car Back...
  • Durability and Comfort : The Air bed is made of high quality PVC, sleek black flocked Material.The surface...
  • Lifesaver and Romatical : For an air mattress good lying comfort,this car mattress was a lifesaver for a long...

The best bang for your buck – the Ancheer inflatable car mattress! One on the best car beds on the market right now. Ancheer air bed is made of a high quality PVC material and is often described as feather-like, and while many competitors have similar PVC material, the Ancheer mattress boasts equal comfort and durability for close to half the price of competitor brands.

The included electric bed pump conveniently connects to the car lighter socket (no lugging batteries or dealing with extension cords) and fills the mattress completely in around 2 minutes. The Ancheer car bed comes in 2 separate pieces which when used fits almost every car on the market. Other reviews claim to use it as a minivan bed and an SUV mattress.

The big benefit to this car air mattress is it’s affordable price tag and that it comes in two pieces. So while it fits perfects as a back seat car bed, it also works well as a travel air mattress for camping. 

PROS:

  • ‘Feather-like’ Comfortable PVC material
  • Electric bed air pump included (uses the car lighter socket for power)
  • Fills and deflates in under 2 minutes
  • Universally fits back seats (SUVS, mini vans, and cars)
  • Many positive Amazon reviews (Ancheer car beds are well known)
  • Good for small – mid sized dogs (just make sure their nails aren’t too long)
  • Can be used as a car air mattress or a regular inflatable camping mattress

CONS:

  • Pump cord is on the shorter end
  • You’ll have to be quick plugging the air hole when it’s full, else you might lose air quickly

4. D&D Tri-fold Futon Foam Mattress for Cars and Vans

D&D Futon Furniture Black Twin Size Shikibuton Trifold Foam Beds 6 x 39 x 75, 1.8 lbs high Density...
54 Reviews
D&D Futon Furniture Black Twin Size Shikibuton Trifold Foam Beds 6 x 39 x 75, 1.8 lbs high Density...
  • Color: Black. Filled with high density foam 1.8 pounds.
  • Bed size when folding out: 6" Thick x 39" Wide x 75" Long.

This shikibuton (futon) tri-fold foam truck bed is a fantastic choice of bed for anything with a flat bed to put it on. While not inflatable, this is still a fantastic option for setting up in a large truck bed or the fold down trunk of a hatchback/SUV.

This model comes in three sizes; twin, full, and queen, so it’s easy to pick the best size for your vehicle. The downside here is it takes up much more room than a typical inflatable truck bed and doesn’t form fit to the molds of a truck bed. Although the foam is firm enough for most uneven indentations (that most trucks have), you may find you can feel screws or things underneath more so than you would on an inflatable mattress for trucks.

A lot of the reviews mention this mattress is comfortable enough to use as their home bed! I would compare this mattresses comfort to sleeping on a futon (around IKEA quality if you’re familiar with them). 

While not as common, foam car beds are a great alternative to air mattresses and will most likely last a longer time and can take more of a beating. However the trade off is it’s larger carrying size, it’s non-exact backseat fit, and foam picks up dirt easier than most plastic beds.

PROS:

  • Very versatile, can be used as a mattress in a guest room, cabin, dorm, or truck
  • Folds up for easy portability
  • Fit’s in bed frames since it comes in common sizes
  • No ‘squeaky’ air bed noises
  • Lasts longer and is more durable

CONS:

  • Not as portable as an inflatable bed
  • Not as form fitting as most other truck camping mattresses
  • Comes quite firm, not able to adjust the pressure
  • Picks up and holds dirt longer

5. PAVONI Inflatable Air Mattress for SUV

PAVONI Car Inflatable Air Camping Mattress Pad – with Electric Mattress Pump, Towel, Repair...
429 Reviews
PAVONI Car Inflatable Air Camping Mattress Pad – with Electric Mattress Pump, Towel, Repair...
  • SLEEP COMFORTABLY ONROAD — Roll out your legs, unwind and sleep comfortably (take a short nap or sleep...
  • PREMIUM QUALITY DESIGN — Made with the highest quality materials, our inflatable car sleeping mattress is...

The Pavoni is easily the best SUV air mattress currently on the market. With it’s very affordable price tag and value added features it’s a no-brainer if you’re looking for an air mattress for your SUV or van. 

It fits most vans and SUV vehicles and is large enough to use as a common tent air bed as well. The Pavoni also comes with an electric air pump included, so it fills up and compacts very quickly. It claims to have 4 separate air rooms in the mattress so it should work with water play if you wanted to use it for that.

PROS:

  • Fits the full backseat of most SUVS, vans, and hatchback vehicles
  • Affordable
  • Comes complete with an electric air pump and other accessories

CONS:

  • Some Amazon reviews claim the plastic material is thinner than other options

6. Best Memory Foam Camping Mattress for Cars

D&D Futon furniture has our favorite overall option for your car mattress. A foam car futon is a great option for those who don’t sleep in their car too often and want something more versatile than your typical inflatable mattress.

The main reason to choose a memory foam car bed over an inflatable one is if you want to use it for regular tent camping or as a guest bed in your home. This tri folding bed is made up of 100% polyester and comes in at only 1.8 pounds. It’s easily the most durable bed compared to our other reviewed models. If you planned on sleeping on your car mattress for more than a week straight this would be your best bet as it can take a beating better than it’s air mattress competition. 

Durability aside, it is also one of the most affordable options has the most highly rated reviews on Amazon. This model is easily our pick for the best car camping sleeping pad.

PROS:

  • More durable than an air mattress
  • Lightweight and portable
  • Highly reviewed
  • Multi-use, great for the guest room
  • Affordable 

CONS:

  • Not form fitting to your vehicles backseat
  • Takes up more room than an inflatable bed 

Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Car Mattress Pad

There’s people who camp, there’s people who glamp, and there’s people who like to stay somewhere in between (sound like you?). Sleeping in your car (or car camping) is a great way to stay protected against animals or the elements, and thanks to the many inflatable car beds car travel has become an easy and convenient alternative!

It’s important to realize that an inflatable car bed is designed differently from classic camping air mattresses you may or may not be used to seeing, but they’re every bit as comfortable! Depending on how intense of a camper you are you may be fine with just a back seat inflatable car mattress. If you’re a family camper though you’ll want to upgrade to a bed capable of sleeping multiple people, such as “”insert double bed air mattress brand”” . For those of you who are serious campers or want a bit of extra room consider picking up a car tent to add a little more comfort to your travel.

Car air beds are perfect for campers alike because they are generally multi-functional, being able to be used as everything – from a cozy campfire couch to an inflatable pool bed.

Types of Car Beds

Generally there’s two kinds of portable car mattress materials – air beds and memory foam beds. You’re also going to find that 90% of back seat car beds are air mattresses rather than a car memory foam mattress.

There’s two reasons for this;

1. A car air mattress is designed to fit perfectly in your back seat or trunk to maximize your sleeping area by filling in divet’s and

2. Air beds don’t collect dirt and other unwanted materials nearly as easily as foam does.

While memory foam is fantastically comfortable, think about the last time you’ve slept on a portable foam camping mattress. A few inches of foam isn’t quick as comfortable if there’s any uneven ground underneath it. However, there are foam mattresses that are more comparable to futons. These mattresses are quite comfortable, enough so to double as a guest bed in your home. Though these don’t fit in a car quite as well as an air mattress.

So while there’s two car mattress materials, you’ll almost always have a better sleep on the inflatable car beds (and they’re waterproof!).

You’ll also find that the inflated material for car mattresses is slightly thinner than common air mattresses because your seat cushions are generally a soft surface to begin with. If you’re planning on setting up in the back of your truck, a bed liner will make it a warmer and comfier experience. See the best DIY bed liners if you want to install one yourself.

 

Choosing the Right Size of Beds in Cars

Rear seat beds come in all shapes and sizes, but inflatable car beds are actually universally designed to fill your back seat of your car, truck, SUV or van. Ancheer for example is a great universally fitting back seat air mattress for SUVs.

A car mattress is designed in a unique shape to be form fitting and mold around common car designs. Most have a cut out section to compensate for the console as well as an extrusion to fill the area where a car passengers feet would normally go (giving you a bit more room to stretch out!).

For those of you with slightly larger cars or folding seats, you may want to consider a larger backseat full size mattress. These are ideal for those of you with children, coupling up, or just  looking for a bit of extra space. Full size car beds are also great form fitting beds that are perfect for more than one person or a furry companion.

 

Truck Air Mattresses – Inflatable or Foam?

These types of inflatable mattresses are usually more heavy duty than your typical rear seat car beds. They form fit to the back cab as naturally as a car bed fits to the back seat. Generally these pair well with the best truck tents to create a luxurious camping/travel experience. They’re very roomy and often have some nifty features included. 

Truck foam beds are actually a recommended choice here, as there is a large area in the truck bed for a regular sized mattress. The benefit of a foam truck mattress over an inflatable bed for trucks will be it’s durability and longevity of the product.

 

Foam or Inflatable SUV Mattresses?

There’s two types of SUV beds you should be considering if you have a mid – large range vehicle size. Car beds for the back seat or a full size car mattress to fill up the whole car (when the passenger seats are folded down). The choice here is generally pretty easy once you know what you’re going for. If you’re looking for a comfortable bed for multiple people you should get the roomier and larger trunk mattress.

Foam SUV beds, like the ones used for larger truck beds, are also ideal in this case. SUVs have the luxury of choice when it comes to backseat vehicle mattresses.

 

Folding Minivan Mattresses 

Folding Van beds are a bit more premium and that shows in the price tag, although there are a few good quality and affordable foam van mattresses available on Amazon. Most people considering foam mattresses or actual mattresses are generally looking for a more long term or permanent mattress solution to add to their camper van conversions.

If you plan to use a bed nightly I would opt for getting the best van mattress available, but if you’re using this as an occasional travel mattress a car air bed or double sized inflatable mattress is great in comfort and on the wallet.

 

Car Bed Costs

Inflatable travel beds range from 30 dollars to 100 plus, but for the most part the difference in quality isn’t overly noticeable. If you plan on using this once for a festival or occasional late night crashing then a mattress on the lower end will suffice. With a higher price tag you will find the durability and material becomes slightly thicker and smaller features such as included repair kits begin to be included.

The best inflatable car bed is the Ancheer car mattress, coming in at an affordable mid-range price with tons of great reviews and extra little goodies. The best bang for your buck at this time of writing.

If you’re looking for a larger double-bed sized mattress you’ll find they start closer to the 100 dollar price range. Foam car bedding and inflatable bedding generally run around the same price, so depending on your needs you will have the option of either.

 

Accessories for Air Beds

Alongside your inflatable mattress it’s always good to keep some tools around to make your life a little easier.

Air Mattress Car Charger

The Patch kit – Most air mattresses come with a patch kit, giving you everything you need to easily patch up any holes. If you’re using this as a dog platform bed you will definitely want to keep a few of these patches close at hand! Thankfully patch kits are very affordable and easily found in most stores.

 

Air Mattress Pump

The Air bed pump – Another must have that’s included with most back seat inflatable beds. You’ll find that these can range in terms of quality and speed. Most electric air pumps reviewed here will fill the bed in two minutes or so, perfect for when you just want to set it up and crash for the night as soon as possible. If you do bring you own, consider picking up a pump that allows you to charge it in your cars lighter socket.

 

What size mattress fits in a truck bed/car

Most models these days boast about their universal fit and how they are able to fill any cars back seat. This is true, but the key word here is ‘almost’ every car. You’ll want to check the Amazon page for an exact list of cars the ‘don’t’ fit well with.

Lastly, you should consider whether you want your car mattress to be a single piece or multiple pieces. Generally, single piece mattresses fit slightly tighter, allowing a firm fit with little room for movement. 2 Piece car beds also fit very well and are also capable of being a portable camping mattress as well as a car bed. While single piece mattresses are slightly more fitted, the difference here is really negligible, so it really depends on what you’re looking for.

 

5 Things to Consider When Choosing a Car Mattress

When choosing the best car air mattress you’ll want to keep these main factors in mind.

Comfort – Look for a comfortable PVC exterior. Felt like exteriors not only are soft to the touch, they’ll cut down on loud plastic-y noises classic air mattresses make.

Fit – Air beds for your car are generally universal, but you’ll want to decide whether you want a firm single fitting piece or a 2 piece set.

Durability – Have a dog or some animal-like small children? You’ll want to make sure you get a durable mattress that can survive a little more of a beating and small scrapes.

Multi-functional – Is this mattress strictly for the car or is it also a camping mattress? You might want to get one that is a great rear seat bed as well as a comfy air couch to chill by the fire.

Accessories – You’ll want a patch kit and an air pump, so why not grab the car air mattress that comes with the whole package. When it comes to car bed air pumps, you’ll want to grab one that uses the car lighter socket for ultimate convenience.

 

How to Inflate an Air Mattress

Inflating your back seat mattress is incredibly simple. Expect to have your mattress unpacked, inflated, and in place in under 5 minutes. Most mattresses can be filed directly in your car, so no need to worry about fitting a fully inflated mattress through those tiny car doors!

  1. Unpack your air car bed and lay it over the back seat of your car/van/suv
  2. Plug in the Air pump to your vehicles lighter socket
  3. Insert the inflating tube of your air pump into the air mattress opening
  4. Turn on the air pump
  5. Wait a few minutes while your mattress inflates
  6. Add a blanket or two and enjoy a cozy nights rest 🙂


Best Car Mattress Comparison Chart

Product Name Material Price Rating
1. Drive Travel Extended Inflatable Air Mattress for Cars Inflatable Mattress (Plastic) $$ A+
2. Shelterin Car Camping Air Mattress with Air Pump and Pillows Inflatable Bed (Plastic) $$ A-
3. Ancheer Multi-functional Travel Air Bed for Back Seats Air Bedding (Plastic) $ A
4. D&D Tri-fold Futon Foam Mattress for Cars and Vans Foam Bed $$$$ A+++
5. PAVONI Inflatable Air Mattress for SUV Air Bed (Plastic) $$$ A+
6. Best Memory Foam Camping Mattress for Cars Foam Mattress $ A+

 

Wrap Up

So now you’re a pro when it comes to the advanced workings of an inflatable car mattress! No more painful sleeping situations in your back seat, now you can finally stretch out and relax on your own van air mattress. Things can get hectic on the road – so whether you’re camping or road tripping don’t let your sleeping situation worry you. Be sure to double-check where to sleep in your car before you camp out on your road trip.

Don’t forget to get creative with your bed! You’ll find you’ll be the hero of many common situations – use your car mattress as a tailgating couch or a waterproof mattress pool toy. So hopefully you’ve learned a thing or two about these back seat beds, now inflate that travel bed and get going!