Foam mattress or inflatable pad?

[Scorpion Regent]

There is of course another way to go, build a sleeping pad out of dollar store pool noodles.  It maybe labor intensive, but the price is right.  Lash the noodles together with cord, wire or zip ties.  If more depth is needed build two layers and secure them together.  If more structure is needed, a frame can be constructed out of PVC pipe or conduit, either of which can be covered with pool noodles.  There are of course limitations.  It won't breathe so it will be warm to sleep on.  It won't last forever.

 

[Sara in a Prius]

I don't know what the road ahead has in store for me, but I can promise you, with 100 percent certainty, that I will not be building a sleeping pad out of dollar store pool noodles. But what a colorful idea.

 

[Scorpion Regent]

Just as important as having options, is knowing what you want.  Sweet dreams Sara.

 

[Sara in a Prius]

Just as important as having options, is knowing what you want.

Indeed!

 

[Sara in a Prius]

Check it out: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B078ZLVDFP

It's a 6" deep foam mattress, 24" inches wide (which is the measurement between the right rear wheel well and the back left passenger seat, so the limit if you want the ability to use the seat) and 70" long. It's covered, although the cover is not removable, and folds 60/60/10.

This may be my final answer.

 

[Scorpion Regent]

A slouch bed, I slept on one of those in college for the better part of a year.  It's a lot of space in a Prius, only you will know if it's the vehicle to take you to blissful dreams.

 

[Sara in a Prius]

All of the covered mattresses I've seen so far are wider than 24''. (The IKEA was 27-something.) The 4" foam at Joann's is 24'' wide but uncovered (and actually more expensive). Are you saying the 6'' deep is going to take up space as opposed to 4''? I'm guessing that I can deal with that.

The one thing I would like is a removable cover but I will buy a twin waterproof mattress cover.

 

[MGfromBC]

Let me start with, I'm repeating some of the things others said and I want to thank others for the things they said.

For the second time in 3 decades I recently shut the tailgate of my car on my thermarest mattress. It is 20 inches wide, 72 inches long and about 3/4 to 1 inch thick and has 2 patches on the bottom edge. It is marketed as self-inflating but I add more air to support my bulk, especially at the hips.

When I flattened it I hastily bought a 2 inch foam camping pad, 24 inches wide, from a hardware store. It's just regular foam, not the dense foam some camping pads are made from. It wasn't enough, but it was much better than plywood. I patched the other in a few days, after I returned home.

I now have both of them zipped together inside a sleeping bag liner. Among other things, this gives me bedding on my mattress, something I had wanted. So, right now I have 2 mattresses of different widths inside a cover that is a bit wider still. Aside from that I think I have something I like very much.

The next plan is to cut the foam to the same width as the thermarest and have the sleeping bag liner reduced to the same size. The experimentation will continue from there. Which one should be on the top? Does it change between Summer and Winter? Thanks to those who suggested emergency or more durable reflective blankets. I'll see if they are better in the middle or on the bottom. Should they reflect heat up or cold down in the Winter? Should they be the other way in the Summer?

For many years I've found the 20 inch mattress to by sufficiently wide. Its also all the room there is between the remaining rear seat on one side and the wheel well on the other side. Until recently I had relied primarily on sleeping bags and similar products as bedding on my 20 inch mattress. Recently I started buying my camping bedding from the Drapery section of the Thrift store. I didn't notice until I got home, that all of my new 4 x 8 foot sheets and blankets started life in an Ikea store.

Thanks again to those who gave me some good ideas.

MG

 

[Scorpion Regent]

 Are you saying the 6'' deep is going to take up space as opposed to 4''? I'm guessing that I can deal with that.

I was thinking that you won't be able to compress it any further than the form of a cushion chair.  Some foam can be rolled up, air mattresses can be deflated.  What you are looking at has structure and that's okay as long as you are okay with it.  I just know that a Prius is a small car and space is at a premium.  Don't let me stop you, I only want you to consider the choice before you make it, so that in the end you are happy.   

 

[Sara in a Prius]

Got it. And I mistyped of course. It's 70 x 24 x 6, so the segments are 30/30/10. If folded it would be 30 x 24 x 12+ but I don't expect to fold it to that dimension. Basically, I'd keep it as a bed, taking up a bit more than half of the back (not that you couldn't travel with stuff on it).

This was one of the big decisions and at first I was leaning toward something you could stow, but the more I stew, the more I want an actually 24/7 bed.

 

[Sara in a Prius]

Kinda makes sense that something that takes up a third of my day will take up a third of my vehicle...

 

[jacqueg]

This was one of the big decisions and at first I was leaning toward something you could stow, but the more I stew, the more I want an actually 24/7 bed.

I'm in a van, not a Prius, so I have a lot more room than you. That said, I find few things more annoying than stowing and unstowing my bed every time I use it.

 

[Sara in a Prius]

Thanks, jacqueg, I'm feeling good about this decision.

 

[psartman]

The Milliard Tri Folding Mattress with Washable Cover is really comfortable, comes in varying widths and starts at $95. It's much more like sleeping in a real bed than a camping pad or inflatable mattress. The removable cover is really soft, a big improvement over just a piece of cut foam in my opinion. I keep the sheets on mine when folded up and bungied by the wheel well. It sets up quickly, much less hassle then an inflatable.

 

[Sara in a Prius]

Thanks, psartman. That sounds great!

 

[Calaverasgrande]

Watched a couple youtube videos of people car camping in Prius, Outbacks and such. At first I found it very appealing because, well gas prices.
But the more I thought about it, I have had back problems off and on my entire life.
Years ago I stayed in the back of a Ford Courier (or maybe a Ranger? One of the smaller Ford pickups but with a long enough truck bed for a 6 footer to lie down. It was just a temporary thing while I was working at a winery for the summer/fall.
I tried a lot of things. First I had a couple camping pads. That sucked.
Then I got an air mattress. Here comes comfort!
Nope. Even in the summer it was freezing. This is partly because of the rural location. But also because the truck bed was heatsinking my body heat away, and the air mattress wasn't helping to keep any heat in.
You basically have to blanket both sides of your body like a ravioli if you are on an air mattress.
I ended up using the camp pads underneath it. Blanket on top, then another blanket and sheet.
In the summer!
I think some people do okay with a mattress topper on an air mattress.
Memory foam traps body heat, so it kind of works out.

 

[Scorpion Regent]

Then I got an air mattress. Here comes comfort!
Nope. Even in the summer it was freezing. This is partly because of the rural location. But also because the truck bed was heatsinking my body heat away, and the air mattress wasn't helping to keep any heat in.

I had the same problem with air mattresses till I placed a reflective space blanket under the air mattress. 

https://www.amazon.com/Arcturus-Hea...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

Suddenly the all that air was trapping in the heat.  My air mattress wasn't on a metal truck bed, but on the ground it would still work though.  If  I was going to do it on a metal truck bed or a slab of concrete I would first lay down a sheet of 1/4" plywood or flattened out cardboard boxes, then a survival blanket, shiny side up, under the air mattress. I had to give up blow up air mattresses they couldn't handle my sumo physique.

 

[Minnievann]

Psartman; thank you for the tip on the trifold Millard mattress. I have been looking at them. My thought was a bed easier to fold or roll up during the day giving me more room to play etc. also possibly giving me a place to sit, since I will be stowing my Van seats while traveling!

 

[Calaverasgrande]

I tried using trifold flip out chair mattress thing once a long time ago.
They were huge in the 80's. I got a couple on sale at Kmart or something. Don't recall.
It was just too soft and felt like sleeping on top of a comforter on the bare floor. I gave them to a friend and got a futon mattress on sale at a place in Berkeley Ca.
I like firm beds and this was perfect in my old Econoline.
Of course I'm speaking of a real Japanese style futon that is scaled to American sizes.
Not a foam block with a cotton cover, but a bundled cotton mattress. Probably too firm for many people.
I was in a car accident a long time ago and when I sleep on very soft mattresses or couches my back gets goofy.
Seems the old spine likes support.
I'd still be rocking that mattress but there was a storm. Roof vent, right over the bed platform, was ripped off by gusts and much water came in.
The bed platform was okay. Guess I used quality plywood that time.
The mattress was moldy and ruined. Sad face.

 

[Sara in a Prius]

Yes, Minnievann, lots of options! Thanks, Calaverasgrande. I had a real futon in college and really liked it.