The Captain Comfort Deluxe air mattress is definitely a deluxe option when it comes to sleeping outside. The 41″ wide model we tested fits great between wheel wells in a truck if that’s your mode of transportation. If not, the 30″ or 52″ might fit better in your car camping tents.
Does the Captain Comfort earn the Deluxe title? We tested it to find out.
What is the Captain Comfort Deluxe?
The Captain Comfort Deluxe is a very thick, very comfortable sleeping mat from Big Agnes. It’s not small, it’s not light, but it’s crazy comfortable. We tested the 41″ x 72″ version. Let’s get into the details.
First, pros, cons and specs.
Best Camping Mattresses of 2023
The Captain Comfort was part of our Best Camping Mattresses of 2023 test. See the rest of the mattresses here:
- Exped MegaMat Max
- NEMO Roamer XL
- Big Agnes Captain Comfort Deluxe
- REI Camp Dreamer XL
- Therm-a-Rest MondoKing 3D XL
- Alps Mountaineering Vertex Twin Air Bed
- Elegear Double Sleeping Pad
Pros
- Thick and comfortable
- Adjustable 1-way valves
- Soft to touch
Cons
- Heavier for a thick mattress
Specs
- 41″ x 72″
- 4″ thick
- 11″ x 17″ packed
- 8.9 R-value
- Vertical sidewalls
- 7 lbs 8 oz
- $299.95 USD
Inflating and Deflating
Inflating and deflating the Captain Comfort is pretty painless.
Two flat-lay valves sit at one end of the mattress. The top main plugs pull off and you get to the flippable 1-way valves. Pull it out, flip it and push it back in and it’s the opposite direction.
Inflating was easiest when it was already self-inflated. I just opened both valves completely open and let it self inflate. It didn’t take long to self-inflate, about 4 to 5 minutes.
To inflate from self-inflated was only about 45 seconds.
Times to inflate:
| Method | Time |
| Self-inflate | 4 minutes |
| Inflating from self inflated (blowing up) | 45 seconds |
| Inflating from nothing (small pump) | 4 minutes |
| Inflating from nothing (blowing up) | 6.5 minutes |
Comfort
The top of the Captain Comfort is a stretch spandex that’s very soft to the touch. It’s nice sleeping right on the mattress. I prefer to put a sheet down first if I’ve just got a quilt but it’s not a problem with this mattress.
Inside the mattress it’s a high-density foam with parts cut out so it’s not 100%. Air inside helps provide some insulation and keeping the foam propped up. The foam helps prevent the bouncy air mattress or waterbed feel. It feels more like a regular foam mattress than an air mattress with no bouncy feel.
Packing
Packing up the Captain Comfort is pretty quick. My first time deflating and packing entirely into the bag was 3 minutes. I’m faster now having done it many times.
I find the fastest way to deflate these mattresses is to pull the valves completely and do a quick roll while putting a bit of pressure on it. This gets a lot of the air one.
Once the first roll is done put the valves back in so they’re both one-way and pointed out. Unroll and reroll the whole thing more carefully, squeezing the rest of the air out. The valves will keep any air from going back in.
When it’s rolled nicely, apply pressure or sit on it when you put the straps on. Once strapped, it’s easy to put it back into the side-access bag.
Even without a tight roll, it was pretty easy to put it back in the bag. A couple small clips hold the bag shut and a light webbing strap makes for easy carry.
Weight
The 41″ wide Captain Comfort isn’t light at 7 pounds 8 oz (3.4 kg). You pay for all that comfort with a bit of weight. This mattress is squarely aimed at car, truck and van camping so I wouldn’t take it backpacking for a week.
It does weigh a little bit more for it’s size than similar offerings from other brands. When the car is 10 feet from the tent, that doesn’t matter to me. If you are in a more weight-restricted mode of transportation then you might have to take it into account.
The 30×78 version is 6 pound 6 oz (2.9 kg). The 52×78 version is is 11 pounds 2 oz (5 kg).
Size
The Captain Comfort comes in 3 different sizes 41″x72″, 30″x78″, and 52″x78″. We tested the 41″x72″.
41″ is a bit of an odd size but it fits well between truck wheel wells so it’s great for sleeping in the back of the truck.
30″ wide is a pretty standard size for these bigger mats. They won’t fit 2 across in a 2 person tent which are usually 45 to 50 inches across but they’ll fit fine in larger car camping tents. Of course if you’re by yourself in a two person then it’s home away from home.
The 52″ wide version is enough for 2 people though I prefer for everyone to have their own mat for less bouncing around when someone moves. Two 30″ matts usually fit most places a 52″ would.
Weights and prices of the 3 different sizes:
| Size | Thickness | R-value | Price | Weight |
| 41″ x 72″ 104 x 182 cm | 4” 10 cm | 8.9 | $299.95 USD $398.95 CAD | 7 lb 8 oz 3.4 kg |
| 30″ x 78″ 76 x 198 cm | 5” 13cm | 8.3 | $249.95 USD $319.95 CAD | 6 lb 6 oz 2.9 kg |
| 52″ x 78″ 132 x 198 cm | 5” 13cm | 9.9 | $349.95 USD $449.95 CAD | 11 lb 2 oz 5 kg |
Who is Big Agnes?
Big Agnes is a smaller company born in the mountains of Colorado. They make gear for playing and being comfortable outside. It all started with getting a better sleep outside and grew from there. Over the years, Big Agnes has made many changes to all their gear to get the most out of the weight and comfort of their tents, sleeping bags and mattresses.
Conclusion
The Captain Comfort air mattress from Big Agnes is a huge step up from closed-cell foam mats or even lightweight backpacking mattresses. The comfort level is getting very close to comfort of a mattress at home. It does come with a cost though.
At 7 pounds 8 oz for the 41″ wide version, the Captain Comfort isn’t light but it’s not meant to be. As long as you can stuff it in your car, you’ll be sleeping on any kind of rough ground all night no problem. Deflating and storying in the big side-open bag is easy when you’re done with it.
Usual price: $299.95 USD ($398.95 CAD)
Verdict: Highly Recommended see our rating system
