Air Mattress Option

Well... it's taken several dozen nights of trial and error with the Camp-Inn mattress (flipped it, soft side, hard side, memory foam topper, bamboo topper) but I can't seem to dial it in for any degree of comfort. With an 11-day trip looming, culminating in the Camp-Outt next week I needed something different; I just pulled the pin on a pair of air mattresses for a test run.

The challenge was to fill both the mattress cover and mattress space as efficiently as the OEM for our 960. The mattress space is 77 X 55; so... a few inches short of a "Queen" in both dimensions and not that easy to replicate. And if you are able to match the size, but go much thicker than the OEM 4", you risk jamming your feet under the storage cupboards.

I dispensed with the idea of trying to find another foam mattress, though there are companies who will do a custom mattress for you, for a price, as there's no guarantee that it will be more comfortable, or perform any better or differently than CI's.

I've always had decent comfort in the back-country with 2.5" thick air mattresses, but these are ultralight designs not meant for RV use. However, I discovered that there's lots of 4" thick self-inflating air mattresses available, made by the very same companies (Thermarest, Nemo, Exped, REI), but intended primarily for front-country, base-camp, or car-camping purposes.. Which is why they really weren't on my radar before. These are foam-filled, and have very good insulating properties to boot.

At first blush, many of them seemed to fit the bill, but upon closer inspection they vary maddenly between them in width and length. Longer than 77" and you're cramming it in to the space, and it doesn't lie flat, and buckles, or it interferes with the 560 bench operation. Too short or narrow and it's a sloppy fit and the pads will slide and separate and leave a gap. On top of that, Karen and I have different ideas of proper firmness, so a double-wide, even if we could find the right size, would be a single firmness compromise.

The solution (I hope) is a Thermarest MondoKing 3D Large
https://www.thermarest.com/ca/sleep...king-3d/mondoking-3d.html?srd=true&lang=en_CA,
combined with a MEC Reactor 10
MEC Reactor 10 Sleeping Pad - Unisex

Together they fit neatly inside the Camp-Inn mattress cover and are exactly 77" X 55" when combined. We can now dial in the firmness we each desire. And because there is effectively a "hinge', accessing the storage bins underneath is a lot easier than hefting the stiff and heavy CI foam. Because they are double-water-proofed (their inherent design, plus the CI mattress cover) there is nothing to absorb water from pooled condensation, a leak, or a spill.

Some may be leery of air and punctures, but the CI mattress cover is fairly robust. and good protection for them And there is little that a small patch and lots of Shoo Goo can't fix.

If I'm walking funny at the Camp-Outt you will know that this experiment will have been less than successful, and I'll be on the hunt again.

Throwing it out there for those of you who can't make the CI offering work for you, or who need a 2-person, 2-firmness solution.

Steve

 

Steve,

Have you considered the Froli system? My favorite mod.

15% Off Promo Code For The Froli Sleep System

Randy

 

Randy: I did read that and was intrigued. But figured I'd give this a go first, at varying levels of firmness. My other consideration was that the two single mattresses can do double duty under other sleeping/camping situations where size and weight is a non-issue. If not, then Froli will get my money. You can't over-rate a good sleep.

 

Agreed. A good night’s sleep is one of the major purposes of our rigs. Best of luck!

 

We did the Froli system with a 2" memory foam topper, covered with a waterproof mattress pad. Our bed is now as comfortable as a fancy hotel bed. Highly, highly recommend.

 

So they stack one on top of the other?

 

Rob: Just got back from 12 days on the road and the Camp-Outt.

No, they don't stack; at 25" and 30"wide they sit side-by-side and fill the width of the trailer with no slop or movement. If that is what you are asking. They are 4" deep, which is the thickness of what it is replacing.

However, I found them to be no more comfortable than than the factory foam and am going to be getting the Froli's to give them a try. My own home bed is also giving me issues so it will be a worthy investment/experiment.

 

Thank you!

 

Not a fan of air mattress but after reading this thread learned that yeah you can add a memory foam topper so at least it would be comfy compared to just air mattress.

 

Randy and Sarmay: Thanks!

I got the Froli Travel Double-size and had the best sleep (in my driveway, or anywhere for that matter) in a long time. I'm considering the home version for our bed.

Here's a really good review of the system by someone else.... Review of the Froli Modular Sleep System | Truck Camper Adventure

And just like my variable/adjustable two-mattress air system, that I described above, the Froli can be dialed in for variable support by adding components (that come with it) or varying the spacing of the base components, or by shifting some softer components to different places beneath you on the mat matrix.

The Double kit contains enough pieces to almost fill the trailer mattress space, with the exception of a row and a half missing at the foot, which isn't really an issue. However, if it is, you can buy extra pieces. The Travel design is the shallowest of their three designs, at 1 3/4" deep, and doesn't raise the mattress to the point where your toes are jammed up into the cupboards. Even with size 11's.

Not cheap, but highly recommended.

Steve