The ALPS Mountaineering with a rechargeable pump currently holds the 3rd place overall in camping airbeds. It’s in and out of the top 3 but it never dropped below place no. 5 in those ranking and that speaks volumes about the quality of this ALPS. In this review we’ll take a closer look to the main fortes of the airbed as well as some of weaknesses.

Before we move on, let’s make one thing clear – 3Beds is an independent review website and we are not attached to any brand but we do like ALPS and their “high-quality adventure gear – low prices” politics.

Overall rating

Now that we got a quick look at this rechargeable camping buddy, we can compare it to the best of the best camping air mattresses; a SoundAsleep model from their Camping Series.

Basic info provided by ALPS Mountaineering:

• Made for indoor/outdoor use
• Fits the most camping tents perfectly
• Rechargeable state-of-the-art pump for both inflation and deflation. Includes wall and car charger
• Flocked top prevents sliding and gives additional comfort
• Coil system offers extra support
• Carry bag
• Available in Queen and Twin Size

The info we got here is a solid foundation to build upon. We’ll continue dissecting this model via positive and negative user reviews.

What recent buyers liked about this air mattress for camping:

• This is the first air mattress I can actually use for backpacking. I was never much of a 4×4 camper, so lightweight is my primary concern. Having said that, I’m also into comfort and support, and this air bed felt like I was in a 4-star hotel
• I blew it up the first time right there in our tent. I just topped it off right before we went to sleep and again in the morning, although, it probably didn’t even need it. We were set for the next two days. It didn’t lose any air, and it needed no additional topping off. Great buy!
• Very easy and quick setup, and just as easy to fold up and store away once we’re done using it
• I really like the idea of having a rechargeable, cordless battery-operated pump. We can use our car to recharge it on the spot, but we never need to do so because it always has enough juice to inflate and deflate the mattress. It’s nice to have the option, though. It’s so much better than having to carry a portable generator with us only so we could have a comfortable night’s sleep
• I bought two right off the bat after I slept on it when I was visiting some friends. One is for guests, and the other for my frequent camping trips. It’s as close as a camping mattress can come to a regular bed
• It definitely upgraded our camping experience, and it’s a great guest bed as well. The pump is just amazing! It’s quite powerful, and does the job like a pro! The mattress itself is very comfortable, and it doesn’t leak air, so we never wake up on the ground in the middle of the night, which was a frequent occurrence in the past unfortunately
• It’s a high-quality camping mattress for just a fraction of the cost of my previous one. It’s on par with a much more expensive model, but it keeps its air way better. Excellent bang for the buck!
• It’s the best air mattress for camping so far. I bought it in 2014, and it has weathered through some 20+ camping trips with me, and I’m not known for being gentle to my camping gear. It’s still going strong without losing any air throughout the night, which makes it the most durable air mattress for camping as well
• The material feels much thicker and more rugged than all the other air mattresses I used for camping in the past. I’ve been sleeping on it during 4 camping trips so far, and I had no puncture problems whatsoever, even on some pretty risky grounds for inflatable beds
• The bag it came with has enough space for a very comfortable fit. I can just deflate the pad in a couple of minutes, roll it up casually and stuff it back in the bag. Don’t have to roll it for half an hour to get it in
• All the connections seem well-glued together, so the mattress can support both my wife and me. I’m a big guy, and our previous air beds really struggled with me alone, not to mention both of us. The seams are the weakest link in the whole equation, and they popped like crazy more often than not. This bed is very well-made and hasn’t given us any headaches so far
• The rechargeable pump is very tiny compared to Coleman, for example, or other pumps I had, which makes packing the whole thing that much easier
• I can really feel the difference in support and overall comfort. The entire sleeping surface is equally firm, without any bulges or holes in the middle. The mattress has enough of give to prevent pressure points, so it allows my shoulders and hips to sink in nicely while keeping my spine perfectly aligned
• Our kids jump all over it when they think we’re not watching, and this inflatable bed takes it like a champ! It’s been through hell and back with us, and it still looks brand new. Not to mention the seams holding like there’s no tomorrow or the fact that we never need to top it off since it NEVER loses air…
• We can get this bed really firm, just the way we like it. The flocked top is just an added bonus. It feels really soft and plush to the touch, and it keeps both sheets and sleeping bags firmly in place

What the users didn’t like about ALPS rechargeable:

• I love this air mattress, but the pump is so loud while it’s doing its thing. Luckily, it holds air extremely well, so we don’t need the pump all that often. We just inflate it the first day we arrive at our camping site and deflate it the last. That’s about it
• I really wish it had the manual inflation valve. I’m not all that big of a believer in technology, and if it ever fails (it hasn’t so far), I want to have a manual option just in case
• The surface of the mattress feels a bit funky for the lack of a better term. It’s too fuzzy for my liking, but I put sheets on it when I’m camping anyway, so not that big of a problem
• The pump works great, but it has a custom fitting, which has me somewhat worried. If it were ever to break, I couldn’t use a spare pump with a generic fitting. Rather, I would have to order a new one from the manufacturer

The bottom line?

The first thing we’ll mention is the justification of the company slogan. This air mattress really IS a top-quality camping gear at a very affordable price. This ALPS does just what they said they set out to do – it’s probably the best value for money in camping air mattresses.

The pump is the main thing everybody is talking about. It performed extremely well during our tests, and the buyers sang a high-praise as well. Our tests concluded the battery has enough juice for 4 inflations/deflations, which is more than enough for any camping trip. So, being able to charge it with the power of your car is a handy option to have, but you probably won’t use it all that often.

We can compare the size of the pump with, let’s say, soda can. It’s that small and that light. So, as you might imagine, carrying this mattress around or packing it up once you’re done using it is simply a breeze since there’s no large and clunky pump making it all much more difficult than it needs to be.

It’s a very versatile product, meaning, it’s designed for both indoor and outdoor use. In our opinion, that one of the rare “advantages” it holds over SoundAsleep models, at least, on paper. It’s a bit of a trade-off, to be honest. SoundAsleep Dream Series will be way better for home use than this model, and their Camping Series will beat it outdoors, but if you want a cheaper solution that can still get the job done perfectly, this is the bed for you.

It features a reinforced construction, which provides a uniform surface for sleeping. Our in-house pressure test results confirmed that via final comfort rating of 87/100. I’m trying not to give away too much about all the tests we’ve done since the last update since that’ll be our topic in the follow-up article due to be published soon.

Our tensile test and measuring the thickness of the material proved that the choice of the thick PVC really improved the overall sturdiness and puncture-resistance. 88/100 for durability certainly backs that claim up. The material is not exactly 17% thicker on the bottom and 10% thicker on the top than the competition, as they claim, but it’s pretty close.

Most of the complaints stem from various facts about the pump. Yes, it does have a custom fitting, and it is quite loud. There’s also no valve for inflating the mattress manually, so people are justified for feeling scared. The worst case scenario is the pump failing, and us being left without many options at our disposal. That’s not going to happen, however. We know our way around air mattress pumps, and we see a good-quality product that’ll certainly last as much as the mattress itself. We’ve tested the hell out of this pump, and it still kept on going like it was nothing.

To sum it all up…

This is a well-made, high-quality and very versatile product. Not to mention budget-friendly and extremely durable. It’ll fit the bill perfectly for all your camping and adventuring needs, without burning a hole in your pockets.

It has an official 3Beds stamp of approval, so you can go for it without looking back twice.

We’ll be doing a lot more tests in the next two months, so we’ll be seeing you here just in time for the next update.