Review: Zenbivy Flex Air Mattress

A lightweight and very comfortable sleeping mattress for year round camping and bivying in a variety of conditions.

The Zenbivy Flex Air Mattress is a full length mattress, with a slight (5 inch) taper towards the foot. With an overall depth of 8cm, It’s ideal for those looking for a thicker, more comfortable mattress, especially if you sleep on your side and shoulders. The comfort advantage comes from its 4-way stretch fabric which spreads the weight and alleviates pressure points, particularly at the shoulders and hips. It’s comfortable, warm, and reasonably light. So let’s look a little deeper into the key features of the mattress that make it stand out amongst its competitors.

Zenbivy Flex Air Mattress: The stats

Features of the Zenbivy Flex Air Mattress

Valve

There is a two-way valve is wide for fast deflation and the toggles are big enough to grip to for removal. The valve and the insert are extremely tight for good reason. Pulling out the valve to deflate the mattress does put considerable stress on the surrounding material. I do question the longevity of the insert. The other side to this is that it’s completely replaceable if it does break. The release button on the valve is easy to use and I found it useful for fine tuning the pressure inside the mattress.

The mattress comes with a pump sack, which doubles up as the waterproof mattress storage sack. Neat! I have the xs pumpsack, and it took about 5 minutes to inflate the mattress for the first time. The second time I used it I got impatient and just blew it up with my mouth and it was inflated in less than 30 seconds. The pump sack is important for keeping moisture out of the mattress and preventing mold build up, but you have to be patient!

Insulation and outer fabric

Two different fabrics make up the exterior of the pad. On first use, the top feels soft and comfortable, and the underneath feels more durable where it’s exposed to the ground. For creating a more durable material, Zenbivy have laminated a PU(Polyurethane) membrane to the fabric that creates a much stronger material and tougher welds, as opposed to other air mattresses that use coated fabrics, which can break down quicker over time. The top material is 4-way stretch 20D recycled polyester knit, which really helps to spread the weight across the surface and helps to relieve those nasty pressure points you get on other air mattresses. The top certainly feels like it molds to my body nicely, and provides a more comfortable nights sleep. The bottom surface is a 20D recycled polyester tafetta, providing a more durable waterproof surface. It does still feel quite delicate and I don’t think it would take much to puncture, so care is needed when finding a suitable spot to sleep on.

Another feature that impresses me is the internal insulation which consists of two layers of Mylar foil insulation. The insulation has an internal floating effect which provides a much quieter sleep, as opposed to other insulation methods which can be very noisy and crinkley when you toss and turn on the mattress.

Shape and construction

The air cells have an external offset hexagonal baffle, rather than the conventional horizontal or vertical baffles you have on other mattresses. In theory, it provides a much more supportive surface for the shape and folds of your body as the baffles twist against your body, rather than your body collapsing into vertical or horizontal baffles like on other mattresses. It’s certainly a comfortable mattress to sleep on, and I’m sure the baffle design is a contributing factor.

The mattress does feel very roomy and wide enough so your elbows don’t spill over the sides. In fact, there is excess room on the upper sides, which is ideal if you roll and turn alot in your sleep! The mattress can come up to almost two meters in length so your feet will be kept raised and insulated from the ground, even if you are on the taller side. The mattress does taper about 5 inches towards the foot to save on material and weight. The narrowness of the bottom isn’t an issue for my sleep, and the width is more than adequate.

Packability

When it comes to packability, the mattress is a winner! It packs up nice and small (17 x 8cm / 6.5 x 3in) which is just a bit smaller than a 1L Nalgene, making ideal for saving on space and keeping the bulk out of your pack. The stuff sack also has a waterproof coating. It’s important to fold and roll the matt neatly so it fits in the stuff sack. If you just stuff it in you’ll damage the fabric and the inner Mylar foil over time.

Also included with the mattress is a custom stuff sack which doubles up as a pump sack too. It’s waterproof, and there is some space left over after you’ve packed the mattress in so it’s easy to pack. You’ll also get a small repair kit for basic punctures and seam repairs.

Zenbivy Flex Air Mattress review

The Flex Air Mattress is Zenbivy’s newest camping inflatable mattress. It’s a full sized single camping mattress that’s lightweight, comfortable, and well built. It’s ideal for anyone looking for a comfortable nights sleep in the outdoors, especially if you are looking for a thicker mattress with a good spread of load across the top surface.

I really like this product. It’s well thought out and built with the highest quality materials. It’s brand new from Zenbivy for 2024, and it’s their first mattress they’ve used with Mylar insulation. Their mission is to create the most comfortable outdoor sleeping systems you can get your hands on, and they’re doing a good job of it. It stands out from its competitors through unique innovation and clever, well thought out design.

This mattress comes in 3 different widths and lengths, so you can tailor it to your own dimensions so you’re not carrying any unnecessary weight. It’s got plenty of space to the sides for the upper body, which adds to the comfort levels. Due to the hexagonal baffles, and the 4-way stretch 20D recycled polyester knit, there seems to be minimal rubbing, and feels well padded. My first sleep using this mattress was on rocky, uneven ground, and I felt nothing but air below me.

With regards to durability of materials, it’s hard to tell exactly how long the materials will stand up to the rugged outdoor environment. It seems well built, but with high-tech lightweight materials, which can often mean delicate. If I’m bivying I often bring a footprint (groundsheet) to protect the mattress from what’s beneath. Or use a bivy bag which adds another layer of protection.

Considering its relatively low weight (567g for the smallest size) for how much room and thickness you get, it’s very versatile. I’m looking forward to using this mattress as an all rounder sleeping mat in a variety of conditions. Light enough for alpine bivys where I want comfort and low weight, and also out camping in the hills in the UK in both summer and winter, where having a thick, well insulated mattress is key.

In comparison to other insulated mattresses I’ve used, I like how quiet the insulation and inner is in the mattress. It does feel a bit more spacious, and it has a nice soft feel.

What I love the most about the Zenbivy Flex Air Mattress

The best part of the Zenbivy mattress for me is its thick profile (8cm) and generous width. I always sleep on my side and I always had trouble sleeping outdoors because of this. Using this mattress I don’t get any pressure points on my hips and shoulders resulting in the best night’s sleep I’ve had on a camping mattress, for sure. It’s also generously wide, compared to other mattresses I’ve used.

What I don’t love so much about the Zenbivy Flex Air Mattress

It’s hard to fault the design of the mattress, you can really tell how much experience and testing has gone into the design. If I had to pick something it would be the pump sack and the valve. The xs pump sack feels too small as it takes a while to inflate the mattress. Additionally, the valves are very stiff for removing from the insert. I’m not sure how long the seams will hold up with the force that’s needed to take them out.

Verdict

The Zenbivy Flex Air Mattress can be used by anyone camping in the outdoors, regardless of your location or your activity. It’s technical enough to meet the needs of an alpinist bivying on glacial terrain or an alpine wall, or for hikers looking to wild camp over the weekend, even in below zero temperatures. I’m very impressed with this product and it’s hard to fault. It’s my mattress of choice when I camp out, without a doubt. Coming in at almost £170, I hope it lasts as long as it should. Its price tag is high, but you can convince yourself it’s worth the price after an amazing nights sleep on a pile of rocks in the mountains!

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Disclaimer: Cool of the Wild received this product free in return for an honest review. We only recommend gear that we love from companies we trust and we are under no obligation to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are that of the reviewer and we are in no way influenced by the brand or company.

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