The model ED and DC carry is all on the user to inflate. It doesn’t self inflate. The big advantage to this is that it is also easier to get the air out. A major disadvantage to this is that if you’re injured, it would be difficult to inflate: it’s not going to blow itself up for you.
I see there’s been some discussion about (presumably after inflation) using it as a kind of sit mat. There are a couple of unlikelihoods here. It would get destroyed in that terrain in a few seconds, just from being poked by a piece of scree. For sleeping, you’d situate it on a tarp. This model of mattress is only useable in summer; actually, it could induce hypothermia in cold conditions, because, uninsulated, it puts freezing air under you. If you were experienced, you’d not be wanting to sit on top of that thing in cold conditions, like the ones ED was in where it went below freezing at night.
That mattress would have blown away if it were inflated. It’s basically a balloon.
Personal example. Recently, I stayed at a friend’s house. She had very nicely made me a bed (I emphasize indoors) on an air mattress. I absolutely FROZE and didn’t have extra clothes with me. This was in a warm house! I took my pants off so they were double and put them between me and the mattress. It helped, but you don’t want to be sitting around on air mattresses in the backcountry in winter, let alone sleeping on them. If you like the cush (as I do when backpacking), you put a closed cell foam mattress on top of the air mattress. Of course, you could buy a very expensive insulated blow-up mattress, but in cold conditions it’s de rigueur to carry a closed cell foam mattress for safety reasons, even for day hikes.
