Pros & Cons of Traveling With a Portable Mattress

If you've been traveling often, you're probably tired of all the different beds you've come across. It's a real challenge to finally get comfortable in something and then have to abandon it and relocate again–but maybe a portable mattress is the solution to your problems? 

Traveling with a portable mattress means you'll have your own bed wherever you go– you’ll never worry about what the beds are like in a hotel room, or wonder if the sleeping bags on a camping trip are okay.

Now, let's talk about the pros and cons of traveling with a portable mattress. 

Con: Not Very Thick 

It goes without saying that any mattress you'll be able to take with you in your luggage isn't going to be very thick. Some mattresses are around 3-5 inches thick and wear down even more with prolonged use. 

This can cause some serious back problems for you, so while it's a great short-term solution for your travel-related woes maybe don't use it long term. 

There's some research that suggests that side sleeping is the most common sleeping position there is–we can't imagine it would feel comfortable to have the ground poking at you through the mattress at times. 

Pro: Easy to Carry 

It's not surprising that a portable mattress is, well, portable. This doesn't just help you carry it around, but it also helps reassure you that no matter where you end up in a strange new city, you'll always have a soft bed to sleep in. 

In the times of the pandemic, if you get stuck at someone else's place post lockdown, you'll be able to roll this bad boy out and get comfortable without being too much of a burden to your accidental hosts. 

Con: Not For Sick and Old People 

We've talked about this before, but portable mattresses aren't just thin. They're not as comfortable to sleep in as, say, a spring mattress. 

It's an automatic assumption then that they're not the ideal choice for old people with joint troubles or even anyone who's sick. They need the care and comfort of a bed, not to rough it out on the floor with a folding mattress. 

Pro: Easy Storage 

The mattresses won't really be a problem to store. Sure, there are some varieties out there that come with a frame, but the majority of portable mattresses are either folding or rollable. 

You can strap them up to your backpack on a camping trip or store them in a corner of your suitcases and they'll be ready to go. An instant, ready to sleep bed right in your luggage! 

Con: Poor Motion Resistance 

If you intend to share your mattress with your partner, be prepared for a restless night. To make these mattresses light and portable, manufacturers often compromise on things like temperature and motion control–sometimes even back support. 

When your partner moves in a bed on a spring mattress or a normal bed, their movements are kept in that area. But there's no such protection on a portable mattress, so prepare for some jostling. 

Pro: Won't Leave You Stranded 

Every frequent traveler has been stuck at the airport at least once. The chairs in the waiting area are okay, but they sure hurt when you have to stay in them for hours on end.