Kelty - Sleep Eazy Air Mattress review

[BMThiker]

So we've gone through about 3 traditional vinyl air mattresses in the last 7 years. I was at REI's sale this past weekend and saw this Kelty mattress marked down 30%. It was still expensive as far as I was concerned, but I liked the construction, it looked like it would last at least as long as 2 vinyl mattresses - balancing out the cost in my mind. And I had about $30 worth of dividend to burn too.

It's made of 70-denier nylon bonded to polyurethane (no PVC). It's about 2/3 the weight of a vinyl mattress, just under 7lbs and packs up a bit slimmer too. It came in a nice carry bag, but the bag is twice as big as it needs to be and I'll probably pack it up in a small slip bag and then slide it inside one of our pelicans. I may use the carry bag for other camping items though.

The other interesting feature is the included rechargeable pump. It's the camera lens looking thing above. It interlocks into the port for a virtually hassle free inflation experience. You rotate the pump to lock onto the valve port and turn it on. When it's filled, you rotate the pump to unlock it - simultaneously sealing the valve port - then turn off the pump. The valve port may still be operated by hand to adjust firmness if you over-inflate. The pump works in reverse too, to remove air from the mattress quickly and make packing down a breeze. Definitely much easier than wrangling an internal plug valve closed on a traditional vinyl air mattress.

Our 10 minute living room floor review is that its as comfortable as any other air mattress we've owned. It didn't make squeaky pool floaty noises when we moved around on it. It was sufficiently tall enough to support us while laying down (although not as tall as the last vinyl mattress we had). Sitting up on the edge may bottom out for most (I and wifey are about 250lb combined). It still had that new car smell, but I'm sure that will fade with use.

It comes with 110V AC and 12V cig (not pictured) adapters for charging the pump and a repair patch kit. It looks like a standard tent or tarp patch kit may work in emergency, but I also know Kelty stands behind their products, so repairs can be had.

Couple of downsides:
The surface is not flocked like most air mattresses, so sleeping bags may slide around a bit. That has not been a huge issue for us, but sliding a fitted cotton sheet over it will cure that. The surface on both sides is more like a goretex outer shell jacket or backpack.

Also, the pump comes with two charging adapters, but will not run directly off either one. So you must remember to charge the pump before bedtime. Initial charge time was 12hr (as indicated by the little slip of paper wrapped up with the pump), but not sure what the typical charge times are, guessing about 4 hours if its NiCad.

Sale price was $95 (I got it for $65). MSRP is $150, but can be had for about $115 if shopping online.

 

[BMThiker]

We used our mattress on a two-night wheeling trip last weekend. We were very pleased. I topped off the charge on the blower unit the night before we left town. It fills up really quick with the included rechargeable blower and is pretty idiot proof. Rotate onto port, turn on, rotate off of port, then turn off blower. The fill port auto seals as you remove the blower. Mattress stayed inflated all night and did not appear to leak down. One thing I really like is that this bonded material doesn't stretch like vinyl does, so once you find your desired firmness, you don't have to worry about it stretching overnight from the weight of two adults on it and waking up with your hips on the ground.

Take down on the last morning was almost as quick as setup. Connected the blower motor in reverse and deflated it down to a super flat, easy to fold package. You just need to adjust the blower unit as if falls in, so that it doesn't suck up the material right next to the fill cap and halt your progress.

The only downside was that our sleeping bags creeped a little from being on a slight grade and we drifted towards the foot of the mattress. We didn't slide off enough to wake us, but since this is car camping I'll probably take a small wool or cotton blanket to lay on top of the mattress to reduce the sliding.

 

[Buckru]

An absolutely cold sleeping mattress, once you get off the living room floor.

No offense, but a review should be based off use. Your intro review could lure folks into purchasing something that doesnt perform in the real world.

 

[BMThiker]

I can clarify a point here. The mattress is just part of the bedding solution we use when tent camping. It provides a soft surface above the ground on which we build an insulating platform: typically a light poly-fleece blanket on top the mattress, then two 0* bags zipped together to make a sufficiently warm bed. They key aspect is that the air mattress gets our sleeping arrangement off the uneven ground. I just can't sleep on a Thermarest or ground pad anymore and never liked cots. Carrying around a 3" foam pad is unwieldy, unless its packed in a RTT.

All air mattresses I've ever owned were cold whether they were naked vinyl or flocked - thickness of the air mattress being irrelevant to warmth. That's inherent in any air mattress versus a foam or insulated mattress. In the summer we throw same light blanket on the mattress then stretch a fitted sheet over it and call it a night. Yes, vinyl has a lower specificity of heat than nylon backed material, but when its 30* outside, that specificity delta is negligible.

My initial review was meant to be an "unboxing" type review, pointing out the design features, approximate specs and material construction. Note that I reserved the second post for a long term review. Sorry if you felt duped.

 

[Buckru]

I do understand where your coming from. I got duped long before your post.

Family camping trip to Arkansas over Spring Break had temps into upper 20's one night and low 30's for a few then into 40's. Air mattress was over 1/4" closed cell foam matt for cold barrier. Had a light blanket on top with a fitted sheet over that, then a sheet and heavy wool blanket over us. I am an extremely warm sleeper and could not stay warm from underneath even fully clothed with themals.

No internal baffling makes for movement if one person, uhm me, is heavier than the other. We are keeping it for the house and warm weather camping. No matter what, it will never see temps below 40 with me on it.


Buck

 

[BMThiker]

The mattress picks up the cold temps mostly from the surrounding air, not the ground. Put the insulation (closed cell foam) between you and the mattress - not the ground and the mattress. Also, fully clothed sleeping defeats the way a sleeping bag works. Sleeping bags work on the principal that your body is the furnace and the insulation fill reflects that body heat back toward you. If you wear too many layers your body cannot heat up the sleeping bag's insulation. You really shouldn't wear anything more than a base layer of capilene or silk long johns. If you are still too cold, then you need a thicker sleeping bag (or an electric blanket!)

 

[workingdog]

isn't that true of any air mattress? It's not a particular fault of this mattress - is it?. I have yet to see a mattress that offers anything to deal with the cold - unless you'r talking about one of those pillow top numbers intended for home use.

 

[Buckru]

The mattress picks up the cold temps mostly from the surrounding air, not the ground. Put the insulation (closed cell foam) between you and the mattress - not the ground and the mattress. Also, fully clothed sleeping defeats the way a sleeping bag works. Sleeping bags work on the principal that your body is the furnace and the insulation fill reflects that body heat back toward you. If you wear too many layers your body cannot heat up the sleeping bag's insulation. You really shouldn't wear anything more than a base layer of capilene or silk long johns. If you are still too cold, then you need a thicker sleeping bag (or an electric blanket!)

I hear ya and completely understand the principal of sleeping bags. Have camped, climbed and packed most of my adult life. This was my first and last foray into an air matress for any kind of camping that may involve cold. (I am talking about family camping) If I have to put a closed cell pad between me and the matress, it kinda defeats the purpose of the matress, more comfort over a thermarest. The luxury series thermarest or equivalent is is 3.5 inches thick. This air matress is five inches thick. The air matress packs much smaller, hence a big benefit over thermarest. When factoring in the additional needs for warmth, I find it's close to a wash from a packing standpoint. Even sleeping bags are rated with an r value beneath them, so be careful on something cold.

Buck

 

[BMThiker]

 

[BMThiker]

real world review posted https://forum.ih8mud.com/showpost.php?p=8565072&postcount=2