Simply put, R-value represents the capacity of the mattress to be inflated to the maximum. This means that some camping air mattresses have the possibility to be more inflated and have a firmer surface and others are not recommended to inflate as much and they provide a softer, less comfortable support. The higher the R-value, the more insulated/thermal resistant the camping air mattress is. Depending on the climate where the mattress will be used, your sleep can be interrupted by an unstable temperature inside the air mattress. If the ground is extremely cold, or hot, a low R-value will not keep you from feeling these effects. An R-value of 1 is fine for summer, while an R-value of 5 or higher is recommended for winter or extreme cold. All in all, the higher the R-value, the better is the camping mattress.