We just got a 36' Bounder but the matress has to go - its awful. Anyone have any ideas of which mattress is best? I know its a personal choice but would appreciate some help.
In our stick and brick house we have always used a waterbed but I doubt that would work in an Rv. Hubby is afraid that any kind of foam would be hot and he is leaning toward an air mattress.
I know I can rely on you guys to give some help here.
Thanks in advance
Ethne
Readytogo said
10:22 AM Aug 31, 2006
Air mattresses are great! We don't have one in our RV now but we will in our new one one of these years. We do have an air mattress in our stick home and we love it.
Darrell and Judy said
10:53 AM Aug 31, 2006
One thing to keep in mind is if the bed is in a slide out, a full length mattress may interfere with closing the slide. We didn't like the mattress that came with our fifthwheel so purchased our own. We got a full length queen sized mattress by Spring Air (Dr's Choice). The mattress did not have the spring frame around the top and bottom like most mattresses do, so the mattress collapses enough to allow the slide to close properly.
When we upgrade the mattress, we will go with a Sleep Number air mattress. We had a king sized in our sticks and bricks home and loved it. Although I must say the Spring Air is a very comfortable mattress.
Another thought, rather than getting rid of the mattress you have, check out Norm Payne's web site (seeya-downtheroad.com). He and Linda bought a memory foam topper that they like a lot. He has written an article on it and provides information on picking out the right product.
Happy trails,
Darrell
firebiker2006 said
11:26 AM Aug 31, 2006
We, too, have been sleeping on a waterbed for almost 30 years and just recently switched to an air mattress (plain ol' Coleman). When we go full-time (hopefully by the end of the year) in our 2006 Titanium MPRV 5th wheel, we plan to change out the mattress to an air mattress and also use the memory foam topper. Recently stayed two weeks in the RV while in Sturgis, SD and discovered a conventional mattress just doesn't cut it after all these years. We tried the sleep number bed a few years ago and determined it wasn't worth the $$ when a regular air mattress works just as well. Yes...we have to pump it up a little every month of so, but really isn't a problem. Regular sheets work fine and even stay tucked in.
Winter Texan said
11:35 AM Aug 31, 2006
We have a full size Temperapedic mattress. When we packed up out trailer for full time RVing that was the first thing we did was build a frame and installed our own bed. After a long day on the road or being so back sore and tired...that mattress is like a cloud from heaven. Aches and pains ease out and are gone. The mattress is heavy and maybe you will have to get rid of more weight to adjust.....but a good night's rest is more important than material things sometimes. About foam being too hot....not the Temperapedic and I can get out of bed and back during potty breaks at night and not disturb Hubby. If you will look at the bottom of this thread....Howard has added some mattress dealer sites for your convenience....thanks Howard.
jimandbette said
09:58 AM Sep 1, 2006
The greatest purchase we ever made was a 4" foam topper for our King size bed at home. For the years prior to having it, we both woke up aching! Now when we go off for a weekend and come home, it is like climbing onto a cloud!! I never slept more than 2 hours at a time before because my hip would hurt so bad that I constantly tossed.....not anymore! I can't remember the last time that my hip has bothered me while in our bed. Yes I can - it was pre-foam topper!
The good news is that they are very reasonably priced. Check out www.overstock.com ! The shipping is only $2.95 - no matter what you order - and on most weekends it is only $1.00 - no matter how heavy the item is!!
And another great advantage besides the fact that it will work with 'slides'....is that if it doesn't fit, you just cut it to the size you need with an electric carving knife from your kitchen. (That is exactly what they use at the foam factory) Jim and I are moving to a beachhouse for a few months and the master bedroom has a queen size bed....no problem.....we are taking our king size topper and will lay it on the bed and cut it to the size we need. Then when we move into our motorhome, we'll cut again since MH queen's are smaller than regular queens!!
Safe travels....
Bette
Ethne said
12:47 PM Sep 2, 2006
Does the foam not get too hot?
Ethne
jimandbette said
01:35 PM Sep 2, 2006
Ethne,
We have not noticed the foam being hot and this summer was a perfect test because for a couple of weeks the outside temperature was 112 heat index at midnight. We have our topper covered by the mattress pad and then the fitted sheet on top of that! We have deep pocket sheets that cover the topper and the mattress with no problem.
My sister and her husband, my brother and his wife, and my parents have all purchased the same topper from www.overstock.com and all have had the same results that we have. My brother has arthritis really bad and it use to take him about an hour to actually get going in the morning until he got his foam topper. He is the one that got us hooked and then it snowballed until everyone in the family purchased one. I called them all to check to see if any of them have noticed the foam holding heat and they all said no.
If you purchase one, the 4" topper is the best. My brother started with the 3" and then purchased a 4" when they came out with that one and he said he likes the 4" better. The rest of us started with 4" and are are very happy!
Bette
Ethne said
07:13 PM Sep 2, 2006
Thanks Bette I will seriously look into them
Ethne
leelare said
09:29 AM Sep 3, 2006
Larry & I also purchased a memory foam topper from Overstock when we still lived in our stick house. It was a King size, so when we moved into our 5er we just cut it down to size! We wouldn't be without it! We also got one for my parents who are in their mid 70's & they love it as well. They actually bought a memory foam mattress set, but it was too hard so we got them the topper to put on top of it & it worked great! And the quality & service (and cheap shipping) from Overstock is awesome. I also purchased a down blanket from them which we have enjoyed a few nights lately here in Yellowstone! Lots of warmth with little weight. We really like that. Nothing better then coming home from a great day of sightseeing & snuggling into our bed...
Brian and Tam said
01:43 PM Sep 6, 2006
When we slept on our 5th wheel mattress for the first time we both woke up with back aches. We have a "Nova something" 2 inch memory mattress at home. We went right out to Costco and bought another one for $100 and put it over the present 5th wheel mattress. We have had a great night's sleep ever since.
As for the foam getting hot, no way. It comes with a fabric zip cover, and we cover that with a regular sheet. It's just like any other mattress (except more comfortable).
The only "down side" to the foam. It seems to shift during the night. But all you have to do is give it a little tug when you make the bed.
Joan On The Road said
06:26 PM Sep 6, 2006
We love our Select Comfort with remote control. Our original mattress was like a brick. Select comfort makes them especially for motorhomes...the short queen (which is unfortunately what we have. But it is great. Word of caution...you need to pay attention to altitude and let air out when you are going up and down in mountains. I just put it down to 25 and all is well.
jimandbette said
05:27 AM Sep 7, 2006
Hey Brian and Tam: We have solved the issue of the 'sliding foam'!! If you put the foam directly on your mattress , then cover the foam with a mattress cover with elastic sides rather than a zipper cover which encloses it, then put a deep pocket elastic mattress cover over the foam and the regular mattress with the elastic hooking under the actual mattress.......the foam doesn't move at all. We have had ours set up like this for about a year and the sliding stopped completely. The foam against the mattress prevents it from sliding. Just thought I would pass this on!!!
Bette
Brian and Tam said
01:48 PM Sep 7, 2006
Thanks Bette,
Since I am the designated bed maker/foam tugger, I will definately check this out....
Judy the Other said
07:55 AM Sep 8, 2006
It's funny this topic should come up! I'm travelling in Ohio staying with SIL and sleeping on a very firm (which had always been my preference in the past) mattress. When I went to bed the first night I really missed the 4" memory foam pad we recently purchased for our mattress at home. Didn't know who much difference it made until I had to do without.
Judy
Ethne said
05:31 PM Sep 10, 2006
Thanks to all you wonderful people that have solved my problem. I have decided that we are getting a 4" memory foam topper.
Thanks once again for all the input..
Ethne
galeanna said
07:49 PM Oct 15, 2006
We are still in the research mode and went looking at for furniture for the stick house this weekend. A local furniture store has the tempurpedic line and we check them out which gave us a couple of questions for our future RV... 1) how different is the size of the mattress compared to an RV (using queen size for example) 2) does any one who is full time have the adjustable mattress? (for raising head and knees) and if they do what adjustment did they have to make in the RV? Any input is welcome to us "at this stage of the game." Gale & Anna
dreamjosie said
08:19 AM Oct 19, 2006
Ok, all those who recommend the 4" memory foam topper from Overstock.com, which one did you get...the Serta, or the no-name brand? We're considering getting one and wondered if it makes a difference between these?
Tim & Robyn said
12:05 PM Mar 2, 2009
This thread has been quiet for a long time. I'm looking into buying an adjustable air bed (sleepnumber, comfortaire, whatever) for our sticks and bricks with an eye to transferring it to a fiver when we finally get one.
The main reason I'm thinking about this is to make my wife more comfortable when she finally comes home from being hospitalized for serious burns.
My main question revolves around this: As I look at floor plans where king beds are an option, the dimensions given are 72X80. Yet when I look at the dimensions of a standard king from various makers it seems that the standard eastern king is 76X80. Will this fit in a 5er?
These air beds are expensive, no matter who you buy from, and I don't want to have to do this twice.... especially in view of what's happening to our retirement account (DOW below 7,000 today - sigh).
Thanks, Tim
Sushidog said
01:21 PM Mar 2, 2009
dreamjosie wrote:
Ok, all those who recommend the 4" memory foam topper from Overstock.com, which one did you get...the Serta, or the no-name brand? We're considering getting one and wondered if it makes a difference between these?
I bought a 1" king sized Serta from Overstock.com for use in our little Aliner. It came with 2 foam contour pillows for $42. My DW and I love it. I selected the 1" size so I can roll it up much easier every night when I turn my king bed back into a couch and dinette. I also made a giant "pillowcase" that I keep it in so it stays clean and resists tearing. The 4" thick foam is too heavy for me to move easily and won't fit in the small space behind my couch during the day.
dgorila1 said
06:36 PM Mar 2, 2009
We had a queen size Select Comfort mattress for about 8 years but didn't like it. The one we have now, which we love, is a latex foam mattress made by the Mr. Mattress chain of mattress stores. They make them on site and can add anything you want (pillow tops,memory foam, etc). Since they make them in-house they can even make them to any size or shape you need. Several good things about the latex mattress:
- Due to its composition latex doesn't harbor/breed mites, mold and other nasty "bed bugs" like a regular mattress.
- The mattress is easier to move because you can literally fold it in half and tie it to make it easier to handle and get through openings.
- Doesn't need to be flipped.
- They can easily last >30 years from the research I did before buying one.
None of them will be "hot" because they are covered with a nice covering like other high quality mattresses.
We use the memory foam pillows along with this latex mattress and wouldn't trade it for the world.
-- Edited by dgorila1 at 18:38, 2009-03-02
LakeConroePenny said
08:06 PM Mar 2, 2009
dreamjosie wrote:"Ok, all those who recommend the 4" memory foam topper from Overstock.com, which one did you get...the Serta, or the no-name brand? We're considering getting one and wondered if it makes a difference between these?" >>>>
I bought a 3" memory foam topper on eBay, and made it into a tempurpedic type mattress by glueing it to 3" dense foam for the RV. Then covered it with a thick mattress pad. For the house, I bought a 2" memory foam topper, also on eBay, and it does great on my mattress. But I do not have a box springs, but plywood, like an RV bed would have. I think that is the key. Have it on something solid. Sure helps the back! Memory foam and regular dense foam come in various densities, so you need to research which you need. Happy Trails, Penny, TX
mailman01 said
09:51 AM Mar 3, 2009
Wal Mart also has a 2" and 4" version of memory foam mattress. I got the 4" Queen size and it is great. Forgot exactly what the price was, a little over $100 I believe. The 2" version would probably have been just as comfortable since the camper mattress wasn't bad without the additional foam mattress.. Marty
Luvglass said
01:28 PM Mar 3, 2009
We did the 2" version and have been very happy with it for a couple of years now.
emman said
11:25 PM Feb 17, 2010
oh! that's great.. there is a lot of varieties that suits to your need.
I bought a NovosBed at a promo recently and it's been great. I've got a slightly modified bed-frame in the back of my Itasca Ellipse so that it fits a standard Queen perfectly (60 x 80 x 10 in). The NovosBed has been a hell of a deal - I switched from expensive spring to memory foam with NovosBed and will never go back. Give them a try: NovosBed Memory Foam Mattress.
We slept on a waterbed for over 30 years and had a real hard time adjusting to a regular mattress. We have a Therapedic mattress at home and just recently bought the bedinabox mattress. We LOVE it. It's more comfortable than our home mattress.
We have a summer and winter mattress pad. The summer mattress pad is a thick cotton pad that keeps us cool as the foam it a little warmer. In the winter, I take it off and just use the thinner one where we like the warmth from the foam.
It's a great bed. We bought it sight unseen and have been very pleased.
Coast2coastRN said
06:59 AM Aug 6, 2017
Hello everyone. New full-timer, so thanks for having such a place for me to go.
May I suggest the Purple. www.onpurple.com This has been my biggest concern with my decision to travel nurse with my 5th wheel. Been in a waterbed for 30 years. Life saver after my neck surgery. But this bed may just be it.
The Purple is made with a special polymer that doesn't allow pressure points, but unlike a memory foam it doesn't generate heat. It's covered in a nice cover and has a 100 night return policy. So far, so good.
A bit pricey but less than the sleep by numbers. Also make sure you have a good pillow. Less give of course than a waterbed.
RonC said
08:23 AM Aug 6, 2017
Katrina ... since you're new, when you check out topics be sure to look at the date. This thread started in 2006 and most of the info is likely out of date. Just FYI.
Air mattresses are great! We don't have one in our RV now but we will in our new one one of these years. We do have an air mattress in our stick home and we love it.
One thing to keep in mind is if the bed is in a slide out, a full length mattress may interfere with closing the slide. We didn't like the mattress that came with our fifthwheel so purchased our own. We got a full length queen sized mattress by Spring Air (Dr's Choice). The mattress did not have the spring frame around the top and bottom like most mattresses do, so the mattress collapses enough to allow the slide to close properly.
When we upgrade the mattress, we will go with a Sleep Number air mattress. We had a king sized in our sticks and bricks home and loved it. Although I must say the Spring Air is a very comfortable mattress.
Another thought, rather than getting rid of the mattress you have, check out Norm Payne's web site (seeya-downtheroad.com). He and Linda bought a memory foam topper that they like a lot. He has written an article on it and provides information on picking out the right product.
Happy trails,
Darrell
We have a full size Temperapedic mattress. When we packed up out trailer for full time RVing that was the first thing we did was build a frame and installed our own bed. After a long day on the road or being so back sore and tired...that mattress is like a cloud from heaven. Aches and pains ease out and are gone. The mattress is heavy and maybe you will have to get rid of more weight to adjust.....but a good night's rest is more important than material things sometimes. About foam being too hot....not the Temperapedic and I can get out of bed and back during potty breaks at night and not disturb Hubby. If you will look at the bottom of this thread....Howard has added some mattress dealer sites for your convenience....thanks Howard.
The greatest purchase we ever made was a 4" foam topper for our King size bed at home. For the years prior to having it, we both woke up aching! Now when we go off for a weekend and come home, it is like climbing onto a cloud!! I never slept more than 2 hours at a time before because my hip would hurt so bad that I constantly tossed.....not anymore! I can't remember the last time that my hip has bothered me while in our bed. Yes I can - it was pre-foam topper!
The good news is that they are very reasonably priced. Check out www.overstock.com ! The shipping is only $2.95 - no matter what you order - and on most weekends it is only $1.00 - no matter how heavy the item is!!
And another great advantage besides the fact that it will work with 'slides'....is that if it doesn't fit, you just cut it to the size you need with an electric carving knife from your kitchen. (That is exactly what they use at the foam factory) Jim and I are moving to a beachhouse for a few months and the master bedroom has a queen size bed....no problem.....we are taking our king size topper and will lay it on the bed and cut it to the size we need. Then when we move into our motorhome, we'll cut again since MH queen's are smaller than regular queens!!
Safe travels....
Bette
Ethne
Ethne,
We have not noticed the foam being hot and this summer was a perfect test because for a couple of weeks the outside temperature was 112 heat index at midnight. We have our topper covered by the mattress pad and then the fitted sheet on top of that! We have deep pocket sheets that cover the topper and the mattress with no problem.
My sister and her husband, my brother and his wife, and my parents have all purchased the same topper from www.overstock.com and all have had the same results that we have. My brother has arthritis really bad and it use to take him about an hour to actually get going in the morning until he got his foam topper. He is the one that got us hooked and then it snowballed until everyone in the family purchased one. I called them all to check to see if any of them have noticed the foam holding heat and they all said no.
If you purchase one, the 4" topper is the best. My brother started with the 3" and then purchased a 4" when they came out with that one and he said he likes the 4" better. The rest of us started with 4" and are are very happy!
Bette
Ethne
When we slept on our 5th wheel mattress for the first time we both woke up with back aches. We have a "Nova something" 2 inch memory mattress at home. We went right out to Costco and bought another one for $100 and put it over the present 5th wheel mattress. We have had a great night's sleep ever since.
As for the foam getting hot, no way. It comes with a fabric zip cover, and we cover that with a regular sheet. It's just like any other mattress (except more comfortable).
The only "down side" to the foam. It seems to shift during the night. But all you have to do is give it a little tug when you make the bed.
We love our Select Comfort with remote control. Our original mattress was like a brick. Select comfort makes them especially for motorhomes...the short queen (which is unfortunately what we have. But it is great. Word of caution...you need to pay attention to altitude and let air out when you are going up and down in mountains. I just put it down to 25 and all is well.
Hey Brian and Tam: We have solved the issue of the 'sliding foam'!! If you put the foam directly on your mattress , then cover the foam with a mattress cover with elastic sides rather than a zipper cover which encloses it, then put a deep pocket elastic mattress cover over the foam and the regular mattress with the elastic hooking under the actual mattress.......the foam doesn't move at all. We have had ours set up like this for about a year and the sliding stopped completely. The foam against the mattress prevents it from sliding. Just thought I would pass this on!!!
Bette
Thanks Bette,
Since I am the designated bed maker/foam tugger, I will definately check this out....
It's funny this topic should come up! I'm travelling in Ohio staying with SIL and sleeping on a very firm (which had always been my preference in the past) mattress. When I went to bed the first night I really missed the 4" memory foam pad we recently purchased for our mattress at home. Didn't know who much difference it made until I had to do without.
Judy
Thanks once again for all the input..
Ethne
We are still in the research mode and went looking at for furniture for the stick house this weekend. A local furniture store has the tempurpedic line and we check them out which gave us a couple of questions for our future RV... 1) how different is the size of the mattress compared to an RV (using queen size for example) 2) does any one who is full time have the adjustable mattress? (for raising head and knees) and if they do what adjustment did they have to make in the RV? Any input is welcome to us "at this stage of the game." Gale & Anna
The main reason I'm thinking about this is to make my wife more comfortable when she finally comes home from being hospitalized for serious burns.
My main question revolves around this: As I look at floor plans where king beds are an option, the dimensions given are 72X80. Yet when I look at the dimensions of a standard king from various makers it seems that the standard eastern king is 76X80. Will this fit in a 5er?
These air beds are expensive, no matter who you buy from, and I don't want to have to do this twice.... especially in view of what's happening to our retirement account (DOW below 7,000 today - sigh).
Thanks,
Tim
-- Edited by dgorila1 at 18:38, 2009-03-02
"Ok, all those who recommend the 4" memory foam topper from Overstock.com, which one did you get...the Serta, or the no-name brand? We're considering getting one and wondered if it makes a difference between these?" >>>>
I bought a 3" memory foam topper on eBay, and made it into a tempurpedic type mattress by glueing it to 3" dense foam for the RV. Then covered it with a thick mattress pad.
For the house, I bought a 2" memory foam topper, also on eBay, and it does great on my mattress. But I do not have a box springs, but plywood, like an RV bed would have. I think that is the key. Have it on something solid. Sure helps the back!
Memory foam and regular dense foam come in various densities, so you need to research which you need.
Happy Trails, Penny, TX
serta king
We slept on a waterbed for over 30 years and had a real hard time adjusting to a regular mattress. We have a Therapedic mattress at home and just recently bought the bedinabox mattress. We LOVE it. It's more comfortable than our home mattress.
We have a summer and winter mattress pad. The summer mattress pad is a thick cotton pad that keeps us cool as the foam it a little warmer. In the winter, I take it off and just use the thinner one where we like the warmth from the foam.
It's a great bed. We bought it sight unseen and have been very pleased.
Hello everyone. New full-timer, so thanks for having such a place for me to go.
May I suggest the Purple. www.onpurple.com This has been my biggest concern with my decision to travel nurse with my 5th wheel. Been in a waterbed for 30 years. Life saver after my neck surgery. But this bed may just be it.
The Purple is made with a special polymer that doesn't allow pressure points, but unlike a memory foam it doesn't generate heat. It's covered in a nice cover and has a 100 night return policy. So far, so good.
A bit pricey but less than the sleep by numbers. Also make sure you have a good pillow. Less give of course than a waterbed.