You've packed the car to the roof. The esky's wedged in, the chairs are behind the seats, and the camp spot is booked. Then it's 11pm, the ground is harder than you remembered, and you're lying on a mattress that went flat at 2am last trip.
Car camping is the easiest way to get out there, because your vehicle does the heavy lifting. That's also why your mattress choice matters more than you'd think. You're not counting grams like a hiker, so you can bring real comfort. But you still have to fit it in the boot, set it up in the dark and, if you're sleeping in the car itself, fit it between the wheel arches.
This guide covers both styles of car camping: sleeping in a tent beside the car, and sleeping in the back of your wagon, SUV or ute canopy. We'll walk through what actually matters, compare the OZtrail range side by side and help you pick the right mattress for your setup.
Which OZtrail Mattress Suits Your Car Camping Setup?
The short answer: tent beside the car, go high. Sleeping inside the car, go thin and narrow. Here are our picks for each setup.
A proper bed at camp. At 45cm high it's easy to get in and out of, and the built-in pump runs on 12V or 240V, so you can inflate it from the car or a powered site. Air support coils keep it stable, and it's rated to 120kg per side. Too tall for inside most vehicles, so keep it for the tent. Prefer your own pump? The DuoComfort Queen Double High has the same height for less.
The comfiest and warmest mat in the range for couples, at 201 x 150 x 15cm. Works on the ground, in a swag or on a stretcher. At 8.5kg it needs a decent spot in the boot, so for most cars it's a tent mattress.
The easiest way to get a queen bed to camp without spending big. Boxed walls and inner coils give edge-to-edge support, and the velour top takes a standard fitted sheet. Pair it with the Air Pump Rechargeable Lithium.
The mattress we'd throw in the back of the car. At 76cm wide it suits a single sleeper on most folded-down cargo floors, and the 15cm memory foam core smooths out seat hinges and gaps. The anti-slip base stops it sliding toward the tailgate, and the 360° twist valve means no pump needed.
At 107cm wide and 1.9kg, a flexible extra bed for kids in the family tent or a solo sleeper in a van or canopy. Run it off the 12V Air Pump straight from the car.
No valve, no pump, nothing to go flat. The 50mm high-density foam rolls up with webbing straps, and the water-resistant base helps on damp ground. A smart spare to keep in the car.
Browse the full range of air beds, self-inflating mats and foam mattresses.
Shop All MattressesWhat Should You Look for in a Car Camping Mattress?
Forget the spec sheet for a second. For car camping, five things decide whether you sleep well or spend the night shifting around.
1. Where You're Actually Sleeping
This is the big one. In a tent beside the car, floor space is generous and height is a bonus, because a taller bed is easier to get in and out of. In the back of the car, every centimetre counts. Ceiling height is tight, so a 45cm air bed that's brilliant in a tent leaves you no room to sit up in a wagon.
2. Width Between the Wheel Arches
Fold your seats down and grab a tape measure. Measure the narrowest point of the cargo floor, usually between the wheel arches, then measure from the tailgate to the back of the front seats. A mattress wider than that gap will bow up at the sides and roll you into the middle. If the gap is under about 110cm, look at single-width options like the 76cm Fatmat 750 or the 107cm Air Bed King Single.
3. Thickness Versus Comfort
Thicker usually means comfier, but it isn't the whole story. A 15cm self-inflating mat with memory foam feels firm and stable. A 23cm air bed feels softer and bouncier, and a 45cm double-high air bed feels closest to a bed at home. On an uneven cargo floor, with seat hinges and gaps, a foam-filled mat smooths out the bumps better than air alone.
4. How You'll Inflate It
Car camping gives you a 12V socket, so use it. The DuoComfort Queen 12V/240V has a pump built in. For other air beds, a 12V Air Pump plugs straight into the car, or the Air Pump Rechargeable Lithium charges by USB-C and runs for up to 12 minutes per charge. Self-inflating mats need no pump at all. Open the twist valve and let them do the work, then top up with a few breaths.
5. Warmth From Below
Cold creeps up from the ground, and in a car it comes through the floor pan. Air beds hold a large volume of air that cools down overnight, so they can feel chilly on cold nights. Foam-filled self-inflating mats insulate better. If you're running an air bed in winter, put a foil-backed layer like the Earth Mat Camper Deluxe Silver underneath.
Air Bed, Self-Inflating or Foam: Which Works Best With a Car?
Each type has a clear sweet spot. Here's how they stack up for car camping specifically. For the full deep dive, read our guide to air mattresses vs self-inflating mats.
| Air Bed | Self-Inflating Mat | Foam Mat | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comfort | Soft, bed-like, most height | Firm, stable, memory foam feel | Firm, basic |
| Fits Inside a Car | Tricky: tall, and wide sizes bow at the arches | Best: flat, 15cm, single widths available | Good: thin and flexible |
| Setup | Needs a pump (12V, rechargeable or built in) | Open the valve, wait, top up | Unroll |
| Warmth on Cold Nights | Lowest, air cools overnight | Best, foam insulates | Good |
| If It Loses Air | Goes flat | Foam still cushions you | Can't lose air |
| Pack Size | Smallest | Biggest and heaviest | Bulky roll |
| Price Point | Lowest to mid | Highest | Low |
The Case for an Air Bed
Air beds are the comfort-per-dollar champions. They pack down small, which matters when the boot's already full. A raised air bed also feels the most like your bed at home, and that height makes getting up easier on the knees.
Air beds are at their best for:
- Tent camping beside the car, especially for couples
- Families on a budget who need several beds
- Warmer months, or colder nights with an insulating layer underneath
The Case for a Self-Inflating Mat
Self-inflating mats combine open cell foam with air. You get a stable, supportive surface that doesn't wobble when your partner rolls over. They're also the easiest fit for sleeping inside the car, because they lie flat and come in single widths.
Self-inflating mats are at their best for:
- Sleeping in the back of a wagon, SUV or ute canopy
- Cold-weather trips
- Campers who want no pump and no fuss
The Case for a Foam Mat
Foam is the no-drama option. Nothing to inflate, nothing to puncture. It's thinner, so it won't match the comfort of the other two, but it makes a great backup or a top-up layer on a hard cargo floor.
Foam mats are at their best for:
- A spare bed for the kids or a mate
- Short overnighters where speed matters
- A base layer under an air bed for extra warmth
So, Which Mattress Should You Pack?
Start with where you'll sleep, then let the tape measure decide.
- Tent beside the car, sleeping as a couple: DuoComfort Queen 12V/240V Air Bed for height, or 3D Fatmat 1500 for warmth and stability.
- In the back of the wagon or SUV: 3D Fatmat 750.
- On a budget: Air Bed Queen 23cm plus a rechargeable pump.
- Kids, vans and spares: Air Bed King Single 23cm or Foam Camp Mat 50mm.
A good night's sleep is what turns a weekend away into one you want to repeat. Get the mattress right and the rest of the trip takes care of itself. For more ways to sleep better at camp, read our tips for a great night's sleep outdoors, see our best camping mattresses roundup, or shop the full camping mattress range.
