People spend a great deal of time choosing a tent and almost none choosing what they sleep on, which is the wrong way round. A cheap tent with a good sleeping setup is comfortable. An expensive tent with a foam mat straight onto lumpy ground is not.
There are four realistic options for a UK festival, and each suits a different kind of trip.
Foam roll mat
The classic. A rolled sheet of closed cell foam, usually under a tenner, indestructible and impossible to puncture.
- Good for: walking in from a distant car park, festivals where kit gets wrecked, anyone who wants one less thing to worry about.
- Bad for: comfort. It insulates you from the cold ground well, which matters more than people expect, but it does very little for the lumps.
- Bulk: awkward. It does not compress, so it is strapped to the outside of your bag.
Self-inflating mat
Foam bonded to a valve and a shell. Open the valve, it draws in air and expands, then you top it up with a few breaths.
- Good for: the best all-round compromise. Warm, considerably more comfortable than foam, packs down to something you can carry, and a slow puncture still leaves you with foam underneath rather than nothing.
- Bad for: price. A decent one costs meaningfully more than an airbed.
- Thickness matters. Below about 4cm you will feel the ground. Around 5 to 7cm is the sweet spot for a festival.
Airbed
The comfortable option, and the one most likely to let you down.
- Good for: car camping, couples, anyone who genuinely cannot sleep on the floor. A double airbed with a decent pump is close to a real bed.
- Bad for: cold. A large volume of air under you convects heat away all night, so an airbed with a thin sleeping bag is colder than a foam mat with the same bag. Put a blanket or a foam mat on top of the airbed and the problem largely disappears.
- The puncture problem is real. Take a repair patch kit. Clear the pitch of stones before you lay the groundsheet.
- Pumps: a battery or rechargeable pump is worth every penny at 1am. A foot pump is the reliable backup.
Camp bed
A raised frame with fabric stretched over it.
- Good for: getting you off the ground entirely, which is a genuine advantage on a wet site or if you struggle to get up and down. Popular with people who go to the same festival every year and drive there.
- Bad for: bulk, weight and cold. Air circulates underneath, so you need insulation on top of the bed as well as a sleeping bag.
- Check the tent. Camp beds need headroom and floor space, and the legs can wear through a groundsheet. A square of old carpet or foam under each leg solves it.
What to put on top
Whatever you sleep on, the layer above matters just as much:
- A sleeping bag rated for lower temperatures than you expect. British festival nights routinely fall to single figures even in August.
- A cheap fitted sheet over an airbed stops the plastic sticking to you.
- A real pillow if you are driving. A stuff sack packed with clothing if you are not.
- An extra blanket. It is the item people most often wish they had brought.
How to choose in one line
Walking in and travelling light, take a self-inflating mat. Driving in and camping with a partner, take an airbed with a blanket over it. Going to one field every year with a car boot to fill, take a camp bed. On a very tight budget, take a foam mat and an extra blanket and you will still sleep better than the person on a deflated airbed.
Frequently asked questions
Are airbeds warm enough for a UK festival?
Not on their own. Add a blanket, a foam mat or a fitted sheet plus a warm sleeping bag on top, and they are fine.
How thick should a festival sleeping mat be?
Around 5cm or more for comfort on rough ground. Thinner mats are lighter but you will feel every lump.
Can I take an electric pump to a festival?
A battery or rechargeable one, yes. There is no power in general camping, so a mains pump is useless unless you have booked a powered pitch.
What is the cheapest way to sleep well?
A foam roll mat, a warm sleeping bag and a spare blanket. It is not luxurious but it is warm, and warm is most of the battle.
