CAMPING | Sleep In Total Comfort on The Outwell Dreamboat Double 7.5 cm SIM – Review

June 2, 2017 Shell Robshaw-Bryan

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What is it?

Outwell Dreamboat Double SIM 7.5cm
RRP. £239.99

Stockists

Features

4 season
Available in single and double sizes, in either 7.5cm or 12cm
Deep profile
Generous width
Ultra tough stretch polyester with soft-on-skin technology
Latest flat valves
Delamination-proof TPU construction for extreme durability
Extra large horizontal air channels to reduce weight and pack size
Carry bag for easy storage and portability

What we thought

We’ve had the Outwell Dreamboat Double SIM for a few months now, and we wanted to spend a decent amount of time using it before we posted a review.

Despite camping since I was a child, I’ve never properly used a SIM before. Those that I have tried in camping shops provided a pitiful amount of support, far less than I felt would be necessary for a comfortable sleep, and with space never an issue, a space saving SIM was never a necessity. Back when I first started camping, I preferred a simple single air mattress, and more recently we always used to use a double air mattress, before finally moving to the double Outwell Centuple camp bed.

The Dreamboat Double SIM shown inside our tent, to give it a bit of scale

Comfort has become a big priority to us over the years, but as we have upped our camping game and amassed a more elaborate camping setup, so saving space has now become a consideration too. The Dreamboat SIM looked mighty appealing, meaning we could cut down on space during short camping trips by sleeping on the SIM, and for longer trips we could use the SIM on top of our Centuple camp bed for added comfort.

Using the Dreamboat SIM for the first time

The first time I came across the Dreamboat SIM was last year, when inside a friends tent, I noticed the substantial looking SIM she had and enquired about it. Then, earlier this year at the NEC Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show, I got to see it again and this time had the chance to lie down on it and try it for myself.

I was utterly amazed at how comfortable it was, and having previously been a bit dismissive (primarily because of the price tag) I was instantly converted. Fast forward a couple of months and we were the proud owners of our very own Dreamboat Double SIM and we couldn’t wait to spend our first night under canvas on it.

The Dreamboat SIM on display at the NEC Caravan,Camping and Motorhome Show

Using the Dreamboat SIM for the first time

The instructions state that due to being factory packed, during the first use it would take a few minutes for the SIM to inflate itself. We found it took a good 10-15 minutes before we noticed a difference, and then, as recommended in the instructions, we topped it up by mouth, though It did take quite a lot of puff to achieve on that first us!

Attention to detail and quality always sets Outwell products aside, and when we topped up the SIM manually we were entertained no-end by the little smiley face that greeted us hidden under the valve cap.

Once inflated, we didn’t get any deflation overnight, and we found it fast and easy to deflate and roll to put away after use too. Deflating it is a simple matter of opening both valves and the technique we use is to fold the it down the middle, then to gently press the air out of it before tightly rolling it and replacing it back inside the carry bag.

The Dreamboat SIM nearly fully inflated on top of our camp bed

The fully inflated Dreamboat SIM on top of the Outwell Centuple bed

We’ve used the SIM several times over the past few months, both on top of our camp bed and placed straight onto the floor and it’s fabulous. It has rapidly become one of our camping essentials, and for the level of comfort it provides, I wouldn’t consider camping without it. It IS a pretty sizeable investment, there’s no denying but we expect it to provide many years of use.

The Dreamboat SIM all set up on top of our Outwell Centuple bed

What we liked most

We love the fabric feel of the SIM and it felt much nicer than lying on an air mattress
Comfort is absolutely superb (we use the 7.5cm version), even for me as a side sleeper, I can very comfortably sleep on the SIM
Comfort is elevated to out-of-this-world when you use this on top of a camp bed
It’s really warm and cosy, providing excellent levels of insulation when we camped back at Easter when it was still very cold
It’s relatively compact, despite providing such a lot of padding