On most float trips, I usually sleep like a baby to the relaxing sound of the river. However, there are three things that can keep me staring wide-eyed at the top of the tent all night – namely trains, snorers and bad air mattresses.

On a recent river trip on the Grande Ronde River, my sleep loss was attributed to the third category. The air mattress mysteriously received several small holes and went flat the second night of the four-day trip. Even after patching, it didn’t hold air. The guides each had these really cool mattresses called Aire Landing Pads, which have since become part of my camping gear.

The 78-by-30-inch PVC/foam self-inflating pad has a stout inflate/deflate valve. Simply open the valve and come back in a few minutes to a fully inflated mattress.

The pads are especially good for overnight river trips since they are waterproof and can be tied onto the boats anywhere. Aire specializes in rafts, kayaks and boating gear.

Hopefully, on my next float trip there will be no trains or snorers. The pads are available in blue, green and charcoal and retail for $99. For more information, call 800-247-3432 or visit www.aire.com.