Memory Foam - The Sequel

[accrete]

No, the Thermarest and other backpackers pads are extremely high quality, failures are uncommon...

: ) What Bob said. The "Backpakers" style pads (Q-Core in our case) my wife and I are using are nothing like the common box-store queen inflatables we used way back. Also, for a couple, if you have pads for each you get no movement between the two when moving or getting in/out of bed. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of abuse these pads can take. We kneel on them, sit on them, and at times I've even stood on them. No issues for us. Very pleased.

Like Bob, we also sandwiched our pads in material so they will not move. I measured our bed (a ~full size area 54" wide~) then picked two pads that would comfortably fit the area, then purchased two inexpensive blankets that were just a bit wider (they were twin size). Put one below and one above the pads, then covered all in a cotton fitted full sheet...

Then we make the bed with two flat full sheets my wife sewed Velcro along the bottom and about a foot up the bottom of sides. Really easy to clean in our scrubba bag (example link - no affiliation) and hang on a clothes line in camp.

Thom

 

[Vagabound]

A few of my friends have bought them and say they wake up in pools of sweat and I have others that swear by them.  The part about being too hot has always kept me at bay ...

Based on the great info in the MF article mentioned a few places in this thread already, about 9% of users report that their MF bed is too hot.  Another 15% say warm but ok.  Gel MF seems to be a bit cooler.

That informative link again:
http://www.sleeplikethedead.com/mattressreview-memory-foam.html

 

[Vagabound]

... you may remember we incorporated a Froli Sleep System in the design from night one ... So what we are using now is ... [other stuff plus] ... Mattress=Big Agnus Q-Core insulated inflatable pad. We sleep like babies!

: ) Thom

I'm afraid to ask what that Froli thing cost.  The website's appearance alone made me think that I need to go out and earn more money before even looking at the website again!  Plus, it's well known that anyone selling anything who calls it a "system" is mandated by federal law to increase the reasonable price by 300%. ;-)

Just curious -- if the insulated inflatable mattress solved the problems associated with MF, why did you not just use it by itself, vs. putting the Froli under it?

Thanks,

Vagabound

 

[accrete]

I'm afraid to ask what that Froli thing cost...
Just curious -- if the insulated inflatable mattress solved the problems associated with MF, why did you not just use it by itself, vs. putting the Froli under it?

Thanks,

Vagabound

Greetings and thx for the Q. I'm a long time sailor, grew up spending the weekends on the family sailboat in the San Francisco Bay and even sailed from Hawaii to California. One of the things I remember doing as housecleaning every time in the boat before heading out of the Yacht Club was taking all the berth cushions off the berths, wiping off the condensation with a bit of white vinegar and letting things air out before replacing cushions. Without air between bottom of cushion and platform the build up of mold is significant over time. The Froli Sleep System acts foremost to promote airflow between platform and pad, and second as a spring foundation for comfort.  It allows the occupants of a boat or rv to take regular cushions and turn them into a comfortable and hygienic sleep system.

Cost? As one who had seen the ugliness of what mold can bring into the mix in a small living area it was not a factor in our decision. I believe we paid somewhere around ?$380? for enough to create the bed in the van as seen from this original image of platform before installing in van (and link to more thoughts)

What is not seen in the image above is that the head of the bed is open to the froli and the cover is fabric at the foot end so there is airflow under mattress pad.

As mentioned elsewhere, the morning after awaking in our Sealy Pillow Top at home after returning from the van+Froli week+ vacation my wife asked me if we could get a Froli for home. The sleep was that good in the van. Yes I got one for the home. And in our full time 43ft fifth wheel we have a queen Froli set up too. You are not adding any weight really, as a queen is somewhere around 7 to 8 pounds as I recall. Oh, and the people that I got the FSS from are the US importers (the bed is from Finland or Norway??) and great customer service. 

: ) Thom

 

[Vagabound]

... The Froli Sleep System acts foremost to promote airflow between platform and pad, and second as a spring foundation for comfort.  ...
: ) Thom

Thanks for the really good explanation.  Your point about ventilation is crucial and one I hadn't given enough consideration to.  That said, I think I nailed it on the cost.

Not trying to trivialize or discount, but more to get to the essence of the thing ... is the FSS basically a collection of plastic bed springs?  If so, it might tempt the evil DIY side of my brain.

Thanks,

Vagabound

 

[accrete]

Thanks for the really good explanation.  . . is the FSS basically a collection of plastic bed springs?

Yuppers, that's basically it. As I noted we have one in the van, and one under a queen size in our full time rv. The queen comes down from the ceiling in the rear bedroom/laundry room/toyhauler garage. 

We also utilize another product called "Hypervent" under a much larger king size standard mattress in the rv. Since the king is in the master suite and was pillow top and ~12" in height we didn't think we would have issues with mold between platform (it has inside storage under) and king mattress... but we were wrong. About a year into the new rig we did some extensive fall cleaning and lifting up the mattress noticed mold in the areas that were basically mirroring our bodies. Hard to believe that ~12" of foam wouldn't soak up all our body heat! Anywhoo... we scrubbed/cleaned and removed mold and installed the Hypervent product. It has been a year this fall and checking there is no sign of mold. For DIY'ers there have been products found in big box hardware stores that contractors use between sheet rock that looks a lot like the hypervent product.

: ) Thom

 

[Vagabound]

... For DIY'ers there have been products found in big box hardware stores that contractors use between sheet rock that looks a lot like the hypervent product.

: ) Thom

Thanks for the confirmation and related info.

On the topic of DIY, today I've been thinking along the lines of plastic compression springs.  Buy a bunch of them (maybe 4" diameter; 3-4" tall), row them up, tie them together with cable ties, etc.  Problem so far: Web searches have yielded on tiny plastic springs (like in a ballpoint pen) or a bit larger ones which are unfortunately sophisticated, high-dollar industrial springs.

My Scooby sense is telling me that this is one of those times when the right component already exists, for any entirely unrelated purpose.  Finding it, combining many of them together, might do the trick.  Someone on some blog described using vinyl lattice from Home Depot over a wood frame, etc.  I think that would work for ventilation, but not for the "bed spring" effect (too stiff, unable to flex in individual high pressure areas, etc).

If anyone has any bright ideas for what that mystery "building block" component might be (plastic spring thingee), please chime in.

Thanks,

Vagabound

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Any building supply store will have roof vent material in rolls; the stuff that looks like 'scrubby' material (and hypervent) might work.  One roll (13.5" X 240", ~$50) will do a twin sized bed (3 rows, 79" X 41").

 -- Spiff

 

[BradKW]

What is not seen in the image above is that the head of the bed is open to the froli and the cover is fabric at the foot end so there is airflow under mattress pad.

It took me awhile to even find the bed in the picture...nice camo job!

Check out the picture I took of a polar bear in a snowstorm:


                           . .


it was a close call.

 

[Vagabound]

It took me awhile to even find the bed in the picture...nice camo job!

Check out the picture I took of a polar bear in a snowstorm:


                           . .


it was a close call.

Brad,

You're a funny, funny guy.  Thanks for starting my day off with a belly-laugh!

Vagabound

 

[rvpopeye]

My method was a HD plastic mattress cover (enclosing the entire mattress) over my 6 layers of 1 1/2" MF, 2 fitted sheets , 1 on top and 1 on bottom (for flipping) then an afghan under the sleeping bag(s) . I also put a layer of 3/8" closed cell foam between layers 2+3 so I have a firm(er) side and a soft side.

Glad you posted that pic Brad, now I'll know what to look out for.............

 

[accrete]

Any building supply store will have roof vent material in rolls; the stuff that looks like 'scrubby' material (and hypervent) might work. . .

I think that's the stuff I read about others using for this application in their roof-top-tents under pads, good find.

Brad, good one : ) We had a lot of camo in the van for the first three years, then switched out to black trim.

 
and now...

 
no more camo , (

Thom

 

[Vagabound]

and now...

...

no more camo , (

Oh, I think there's still camo.  Or maybe a better word is "stealth". ;-)

 

[ganchan]

All good info, thanks....

 

[wagoneer]

Altitude has more to do with air mattress than heat notice how going higher increases the pressure just don't have the mattress fully inflated