One big negative about most mattresses in popup campers is that they are thin and not very comfortable.

When we first purchased our popup camper we bought foam egg crate mattress toppers to try and make the beds more comfortable. It was okay for weekend camping trips, but when we took week long (or longer) trips we started waking up several times a night, and did a lot of tossing and turning trying to find a comfortable position to lay in. We would wake up stiff, sore, and a little bit cranky from the lack of a good night’s sleep.

We then tried laying extra blankets on top of the mattress, in addition to the egg crate foam topper, and even tried using the cushions from our chaise lounge patio furniture at home. None of these worked. We still slept crappy.

Then we finally decided to try using our Aero-bed air mattress that we use when we visit our kids and bunk at their apartments. After just one night I was wishing we had thought of using the air mattress sooner. It worked great.

Now we use air mattresses all the time in our popup camper. The first time we used it, we put it on top of the mattress already in the camper, but it makes the bed pretty high so now we leave the mattresses that came with the camper at home and use the air mattresses exclusively. We get a great night’s sleep every night now.

I recommend Aero air mattresses because that’s what my family uses and likes. We own two; a sport style that has a rechargable pump so we can inflate the mattress easily when we are camping without electricity; and a pillowtop that uses a standard electrical outlet for inflating.

And, I haven’t bought this yet, but this year I’m going to get Aero’s heated mattress covers to use for our early and late season camping when it gets cool at night.

Note: none of the links to the Aero products are affiliate links. I just used them so you could see what I use in my camper. I didn’t purchase my online, although you certainly could. I purchased one of mine at Bed, Bath, and Beyond; and the other one at Sportsman’s Warehouse.

Minnesota, the land of seemingly endless lakes, has lots to offer outdoor enthusiasts. Plus, they offer free literature to help people decide where to go and what to do. The ExploreMinnesota website has a free brochures section where you can order, free of charge, any of the following publications: Spring/Summer Minnesota Explorer, A Guide To Minnesota’s Boundry Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota Wildlife, Minnesota Fishing Guide, Minnesota Highway Map, Explore Minnesota Biking, Explore Minnesota Golf, Explore Minnesota Travel Guide, and Explore Minnesota Byways. There’s something for everyone.
While on the Explore Minnesota website, enter their “Summer of Fun Giveaway,” for a chance to win a two year Toyota Hybrid Lease, an Arctic Cat 700 H1 ATV, a Specialized Mountain Bike, or a Minnesota Vacation Giveaway. There are also weekly prizes, so enter every week for more chances to win some fun summer stuff.

Now that camping season is getting started in my neck of the woods, it’s time to go through camping supplies and get stocked up for the year.

One thing I’m bad about doing is tossing old sunscreen, insect repellant, pain relievers, ointments, etc. I have a tendency to think along the lines of “I just bought a new bottle of pain reliever” only to look at it and see that it expired 2 years ago. Then I wonder where the times goes…but that’s another story entirely.

While we all know that medications lose their potency over time and should be discarded when they expire, but many of us don’t realize that suncreen and insect repellant lose their potency over time and should be replaced even if there is no expiration date on it.

Some people say to replace sunscreen when it changes color or consistency (it usually gets runny), even if it hasn’t expired. Many skin care experts say to replace it every year because it gradually loses its potency, especially if it is exposed to light and heat. Since my sunscreen usually sits in the hot weather with me wherever I go, I replace mine every year.

The same goes for my insect repellant. I buy new every year. I’d rather spend a couple extra dollars buying new sunscreen and insect repellant every year and not have to risk dealing with a sunburn or getting eaten alive by mosquitoes because I used stuff that was old.

Note: be sure to dispose of them properly, espcially old medications. It used to be okay to flush them down the toilet but now there’s lots of drug residue in groundwater so that’s not a good thing to do anymore. Instead check with your local pharmacy. Many collect and dispose of old medications and health care products year round or have a special collection days a few times a year.