lemur wrote:i suggest one of the fancy backpacking pads that self-inflate (or you can blow into them if you want)
i got a thermarest BRAND one last time and it was the best i had slept on the playa.. really comfy.. and it didnt deflate!

they are kinda spendy.. but for such a small compact item, its hard to beat..
expect to pay $80-100+ for one
It always boils down to what you like. To me, the picture above does not look comfortable in any way, shape or form. It's way too close to the cold ground. It would be fine for backpacking the Appalachian Trail, or just doing a few nights out with the guys, but for a whole week in a hostile environment? I just don't understand why you'd go with any option other than the one that makes you most comfortable (which of course can be a Thermarest if that's what you like, but...) For me, that is NOT a self-inflating air mattress. I'm just saying....little sleep as is, dehydrated, super exhausted, may want to have sleepover guests, etc. I don't want to make life worse by basically sleeping on the ground.
I'm debating between several flip n fucks (those foldable foam pads for guests) and a large inflatable air mattress from Costco. The latter folds up a lot smaller, but I have no desire to have to worry about filling a mattress mid-week. There are so many things I want to do there; worrying about the comfort of my bed, or whether or not it's losing air, is NOT one of them.
I want to believe in air mattresses-they make sense in many ways-but I also am of the group that has never once had a good experience with them.
Best of luck...