Mattress recommendations

[ganchan]

I think the cot in my minivan is going to need a mattress, although hopefully not one purchased from the Monty Python gang.....  

I've been thinking about getting this Coleman ComfortSmart cot, which also comes with its own modest foam mattress. I tried one of these out in a store and it feels pretty good, but who knows how well it will serve for a full night's sleep. Buying a mattress separately would be good insurance; it also free to choose other models of cot that don't come with their own mattress.

I do want regular foam instead of memory foam because it doesn't get rock-hard in cold temperatures. Apart from that,not sure what all I need to be considering. Also thought about just getting a regular old rollaway guest bed instead of a camping cot, but the "rollaway"part doesn't sound too good for a moving vehicle..... Or maybe even just a regular bed-type mattress? Too heavy for a cot?

 

[TMG51]

I use a futon mattress and I've been perfectly happy with it. Nothing really mattress anyway.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Some of the guys I know use Therm-a-rest type inflatable mattresses in their campers.  Rolls up small, can inflate to variable firmness, gives good insulation under you.
IMO a regular mattress is overkill; might as well just build a plywood platform.

 -- Spiff

 

[rvpopeye]

My memory foam does get stiff when it gets really cold but I sink in in about a minute or so when I lay on it .

 

[SternWake]

I have a 5 inch thick mattress from here:

http://www.foamorder.com/custom_cuts.php#foam-type

I got the everflex v34 foam and had the same outfit make a custom Denim zippered cover for it.

My 200+ Lbs has been sleeping on this foam since 2007. It is still same firmness in middle as on edges.

I had cheaper foams previously. They got too soft too quickly. My mattress was not cheap, but I sleep well.

 

[Vagabound]

My memory foam does get stiff when it gets really cold but I sink in in about a minute or so when I lay on it .

Exactly.  And if it's that stinkin' cold in a person's vehicle, such that the memory foam mattress is becoming immobile, you probably need some heat in there.

ganchan:  You're right that there is a lot of existing info in the forums on mattresses.  For example, a thread I started a few months ago to focus on memory foam (MF) mattresses.  Although it began that way, it changed to include discussion of different mattress types.  You might take a look, especially at the info on high-quality inflatables, as Spaceman Spiff suggested:

https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Memory-Foam-The-Sequel

Vagabound

 

[ArtW]

I remember a cot with matress I had once, the matress was stuffed with cotton batting or some such material, never found a foam one as comfortable
Too bad I got it as a gimme and never asked or looked at the brand

 

[ganchan]

All good info, thanks....

Does the temperature affect how much air you pump into an air mattress? Thermal expansion and all that jazz....

 

[highdesertranger]

"Does the temperature affect how much air you pump into an air mattress? Thermal expansion and all that jazz.... " yes temperature affects your air mattress. that is why I stopped using one. in the high desert at elevations above 7k in the summer you can have temp swings of 60 degrees in the summer. you inflate your mattress at 90 degrees and it drops into the 30's at night, you end up with a flat mattress. elevation change also affects them best to let most of the air out when driving up in elevation or you end up with a big balloon. highdesertranger

 

[BigT]

I got the foam at my local foam shop and the rest from Home Depot.  
The mattress is covered with indoor/outdoor carpet from HD.  

It's 30" wide by 6' long, and I added a 10" folding/hinged leaf to the foot of the bed for when I need a little extra legroom. 
I've been thinking about adding an 8" hinged leaf to the side, but I'm not sure I really need it.  

 

[Markw]

I like it! Simple design, yet strong enough and with storage space underneath!

 

[rvpopeye]

Mark
It is real hard to tell someone what to get for a mattress. Everybody likes something different!
Firmness , custom sizes , weight , and many other factors to consider.
I hope all the responses here at least give you an idea what might work , only you can decide what you need though. Plus , the perfect one today might not be so perfect a few years "down the road".
I've been through a few in the last 45 years !
Memory foam has been MY choice for 35 of 'em ....

Vagabound
Yup it gets cold in there, I take care of mom 14hrs a day and just go back to the rig to sleep.
(Last night it was 32* when I got there. Going to the teens this weekend)
I fire up the Big Buddy on high for an hour or so and then shut it down , throw my down jacket on top and get in the bag . It gets to the 70s by then but back down to the 30s by morning. I just suit up and hit the road..... Works for me.

HDR
I once bought a new air mattress just before leaving Maine for a trip to Cal. I got 3 nights sleep on it before going over the continental divide..............found a giant beach ball when I went in the back to sleep! Bought a couple of camp mattresses in San Bernadino the next day!

 

[Vagabound]

...

Vagabound
Yup it gets cold in there, I take care of mom 14hrs a day and just go back to the rig to sleep.
(Last night it was 32* when I got there. Going to the teens this weekend)
I fire up the Big Buddy on high for an hour or so and then shut it down , throw my down jacket on top and get in the bag . It gets to the 70s by then but back down to the 30s by morning. I just suit up and hit the road..... Works for me.
...

At the moment, I'm in an RV park of sorts working on my truck.  So, I have electricity and a small electric heater.  However, once out of there, it will be my new Buddy heater.  I haven't used it yet, but I'm already concerned about how it will function without a thermostat.  Seems you only get two modes:

Mode 1:  "Full blast, too hot"

Mode 2:  "Nothing, on the way to freezing again"

Seems like there should be a better way.

Vagabound

 

[ganchan]

By the way, how does the type/thickness of mattress material affect total bed height? For instance, my comfortable sitting-down height is around 18-20 inches, but foam will obviously sink under my weight. A conventional mattress would presumably maintain its height under weight a lot more effectively, but if course it's heaver and costlier that a standard chunk of raw foam.

As for the frame, I'm drifting away from the camping cot and more toward a non-folding metal frame with slats, like this. I like the idea of having all that luggage space underneath.... but will I need to put plywood under the mattress?

 

[Wanderer]

I got the foam at my local foam shop and the rest from Home Depot.  
The mattress is covered with indoor/outdoor carpet from HD.  

Now that's not a bad looking design and I'll surely have to remember to come back and look at it when I change my setup....

 

[BigT]

Now that's not a bad looking design and I'll surely have to remember to come back and look at it when I change my setup....

If you go to my build thread you'll find the details on how I designed the leaf and other junk. 


https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-My-2010-Ford-Transit-Connect-conversion

 

[DrJean]

That "cotton batting" might just have been kapok.

Be careful when buying foam---spend the money for antimicrobial--- though I hate things chemically treated myself. Foam grows mold quite quickly. Mold will kill you and make you very sick on the way. It just isn't worth cheap.

 

[DannyB1954]

At the moment, I'm in an RV park of sorts working on my truck.  So, I have electricity and a small electric heater.  However, once out of there, it will be my new Buddy heater.  I haven't used it yet, but I'm already concerned about how it will function without a thermostat.  Seems you only get two modes:

Mode 1:  "Full blast, too hot"

Mode 2:  "Nothing, on the way to freezing again"

Seems like there should be a better way.

Vagabound

I think the big buddy has 3 settings. I also use a coleman lantern for a little more heat. Mine is white gas, but they make them in propane as well. If a 5,000 watt electric space heater is working for you, the big buddy sould do well on low or medium.

 

[ganchan]

That "cotton batting" might just have been kapok.

Be careful when buying foam---spend the money for antimicrobial--- though I hate things chemically treated myself.   Foam grows mold quite quickly.  Mold will kill you and make you very sick on the way.  It just isn't worth cheap.

I've heard that even "antimicrobial" products can host mold.....

Obviously mold in close quarters could deliver a really concentrated dose of yuck over time. But since no mattress material seems invulnerable to it, I suppose I'll have to:

-Place a waterproof barrier over/around the mattress (like a zippered plastic cover) and stew in my own juices overnight
-Wear thick clothes to bed (an option only in the colder months)
-Use a mattress that easily be lifted and turned on a daily basis for air exposure
-Resign myself to simply buying a new mattress every so often
-All of the above

 

[Almost There]

I've used upholstery foam slabs in RV/van dwelling for decades and never once had a problem with mold.

I had some condensation issues in the apartment when I used the foam slab on the floor in the dead of winter. There was no basement under the apartment, it was carpet over concrete. Other than that, condensation and mold issues seem to be highly overrated.

It's wise to rotate and flip the mattress anyways to keep from developing uneven wear.