For a traditional air mattress, you can use either a manual or an electric pump. An electric pump is faster and easier, but you don’t need electricity with a manual pump.
Electric pumps are either battery-powered or plug into an outlet or a vehicle’s cigarette lighter or charging port. Battery-powered pumps are convenient if you won’t be camping near your car or an electricity source, but they must be charged to work.
If you have an electric pump that you use in an outlet at home, be sure that there’s an outlet where you’re camping. If there isn’t, you should buy a different pump or a DC to AC power inverter. The inverter lets you plug the outlet using your car’s charging port.
Self-inflating air mattresses require an outlet or a power inverter. You cannot use an external pump—whether manual or electric— on this type of air mattress.