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Old 07-25-2003, 04:48 PM   #1
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Do you know of a source for replacement mattresses?

We have read, sprinkled throughout these fora, references to the inferior quality of the OEM mattresses supplied with A/S units. The beds of 28' Classic twin bed unit appear to conform to the curve of the trailer on the rear outside corner (we have not seen a twin bed unit in person as of yet) - are there readily available replacements for these from suppliers such as Sealy, Serta, etc?

An allied question: we would be interested in any [non-salacious] comments regarding the pros and cons of twins vs "queen" beds. For instance, it appears from the literature we've seen that if twins are selected, each person gets about 4" more width of sleeping room vis a vis the queen - do I read that correctly?

Thanks for your help and info...
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Old 07-25-2003, 05:03 PM   #2
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Rv mattresses in general seem to be a real pain - so to speak. There are no major suppliers for the special Airstream twin bed matresses, but there are custom suppliers. I will let those who have dealt with them respond as to who to contact.

The island queen beds should be more easily replaceable. I doubt they are a true queen (again, somebody who knows needs to help me here), but replacement RV queen mattresses are available from a variety of makers in varying quality.

As to which way to go, you need to think about your sleeping patterns. With the twin, both sleepers will be "up against the wall". If you like to fling your arm out as you sleep, this may be a problem. If you have to have the maximum real estate for sleeping, then the twin may be your best choice.

When I went looking for "my" Airstream, I absolutely had to have a double bed. My wife and I have been sharing the same bed for, well never mind for how long. As hard as it was to get her into my bed to start with, I wasn't about to let her get away!

Mark
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Old 07-25-2003, 05:05 PM   #3
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To make an OEM bed sleep like an Airstream Dream visit the www.memoryfoamfactory.com and get one of those space foam tops. The price is about as cheap as you can get em and you will sleep great.
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Old 07-25-2003, 05:11 PM   #4
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Dave,
One of the big differences between an RV bed and a home bed is the lack of a box spring set. I think A/S does their best but to be honest when you place a mattress on a plywood sheet, you aren't going to get the comfort level of a home bed.

You can do things that will help in the comfort level. My wife for example has a high end memory foam pad on her twin in the Safari. She says it makes quite a difference in her comfort level.

Other things you can do is replace the mattress with an air bed. Select Comfort makes a queen bed that will fit the RV bed world and a company called Bear Beds http://www.bearbeds.com/airstream.html actually makes a curved twin air bed that fits an Airstream.

We ordered the rear twin style with the thoughts of having a little more elbow room and the nice cabinet that is between the beds. After two years my wife now wishes we had bought the queen. For one she doesn't like the curve in the wall at her shoulders. Second the wall does radiate the cold when we camp in early spring and late fall. A bed away from the wall would negate that effect.

Jack
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Old 07-25-2003, 08:35 PM   #5
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One of the first things I bought for my 75 was new twin mattresses. Went to a futon shop and found they had a size for a day bed that was the right width to fit the twin. They are a wee bit too long but do scrunch into the available length just fine.
I like futons. These were a bit of an upgrade from a standard futon as they have a couple of inches of foam sandwiched between the normal cotton padding.
I suppose if you are real concerned about every ounce of weight you are packing into your rig these wont do as they are heavier than most any foam mattress.
But they are a lot more comfortable than any foam job I've ever slept on.
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Old 07-25-2003, 08:52 PM   #6
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i have the memory foam on my twin i can now sleep on it. the sealy matress isnt very comfortable. i got min off ebay and it is four inches thick. two inches will work for some and others need four. need to read the blurb from the seller . lol
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Old 07-25-2003, 09:12 PM   #7
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Do you know of a source for replacement mattresses?

Greetings Dave!

Securing a replacement mattress is not terribly difficult - - even if you live far from a metropolitan area as I do. I checked the Yellow Pages of the nearest metropolitan area for mattress manufacturers. Checked with several who were listed and shopped three. I found bedding that was absolutely perfect at Lebeda Mattress Factory in Dubuque, IA. They asked that I make a kraft paper template of the space to be occupied by the mattress, and then it was simply a process of selecting the firmness that I wanted from the display mattresses. The mattresses that I purchased for my Airstream were so good that I purchased the same exact model for my bedroom at home. The only down-side was that there was a $75.00 up-charge for custom-sizing and production on each piece. I have had this bedding for five years now and continue to be absolutely satisfied.

The Lebeda Mattress web site can be accessed at:

Lebeda Mattress Factory

Good luck with your investigation!

Kevin
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Old 07-26-2003, 06:19 AM   #8
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We've been pretty happy with the quaility and feel of our matress. I would suspect that Airstream itself could supply a new one. 85MH325 is looking into a special order matress. Check with him. I think it was like one of those craftmatic type with chambers.
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Old 12-22-2003, 01:36 PM   #9
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j54mark,
The last sentence of your post has got to be THE defining statement, that I'm sure every guy in the forum can identify with.
But now after 43 years, I'm ready for twins.
Dick
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Old 12-22-2003, 02:30 PM   #10
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doesn't always take 43 years, Dick

I got replacement "twin" mattresses from a friend of mine that works in a foam factory. cheap. ok, free! and actually, its really high-quality uphostery stuff. very firm. almost too firm.

fwiw: I'm kind of glad we wound up w/ a unit that has the twin layout. I was thinking that the double would be nicer, but after seeing that the so-called double beds are nothing of the kind, the twins actually works out much better. Now a queen in one of those mammoth newer units that all you A/S millionaires have....well, that was never an option.
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Old 12-22-2003, 02:56 PM   #11
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Short queen

I have the short queen (60"x75"). The only problem is that most fitted sheets easily available are only for the long queen (80"). Right now, I have a T-shirt material sheet set that pulls up nice and snug and feels real good in this weather. I have a set of fitted summer sheets on my Xmas list (must have been that paskage the wife received yesterday).

We find that the Airstream Sealy with a padded topper from Sams actually sleeps better than our expensive mattress & box springs at home.

Under the padded topper, I have a waterproof cover in case the vent is ever left open in the rain. I have rain sensor Fantastics, but we often crank the vent open manually and that constitutes a risk if it rains.
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Old 02-14-2004, 11:16 PM   #12
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mattresses for rear twin

I recently converted my bedroom to accomodate a queen.
I have the airstream memory foam mattresses for sale.
they have not been slept on much at all and are in great shape.
If you or anyone else is interested plus inquire

Rick
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Old 02-15-2004, 01:28 AM   #13
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The mattress was the first thing replaced on my Safari. The stock mattress was terrible. I found many mattress factories on the internet and settled on one in Midlothian, Texas. I sent them a template cut from rolled plastic. The mattress curves a bit to fit along the wall. They freighted it to me and man, is it a nice mattress. It has natural foam rubber mattress top that feels so nice. I love it.
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Old 02-15-2004, 09:03 AM   #14
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We just went out to the storage lot and opened up a memory foam pad for the queen bed on our new Classic. We bought the 2" pad from Costco. Interestingly enough it looks to be a perfect fit for the short queen even though the box stated full queen size.

What's interesting is that the pad is shrink wrapped and once you unfold and open it up, it will take up to 72 hours or more to get to its full size. It comes with a zippered cotton cover which will protect the memory foam.

I'm envisioning some old slapstick comedy that when we make our next visit to the trailer next weekend, I'll open the door and as it flies open the expanded mattress pad hits me in the face.

Jack
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Old 02-15-2004, 07:24 PM   #15
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Dave,
In due respect with your request we offer this chaste opinion:

A memory-foam 'topper' is a must for any mattress in either configuration.

A federate answer: With as much objectivity as possible (given a mostly subjective decision!) we recently purchased the 'twin' floor-plan. We had viewed 2-3 of each layout before selecting. Our 1st instincts were admittedly biased towards the 'queen'. In the 'twin', the extra space to sleep in is a bonus to the additional (perhaps perceived) storage capacity, ie; inside: two wards instead of one, & easy access, compartmentalized, under-bed 'cabinets' - outside: extra curb-side compartment & a large rear-door storage. Both 'sleepers' enjoy the same ease of entry & exit along with the ability for either to surreptitiously egress at any time. To this point we have had no reason to second-guess our conclusion.
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Old 03-08-2004, 09:22 PM   #16
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For those of you that want the absolute best mattress upgrade for your A/S, here are two that I've found:

1. Lifekind (www.lifekind.com). Organic cotton, real latex foam, excellent quality, very expensive (~$1,800 for a "full size" custom cut to your A/S). (800) 284-4983.

2. Royal Pedic (www.royal-pedic.com). Used in the White House (yep, the one in DC). Organic materials available, 7 zone latex foam, best quality, hugely expensive (~$3,000 to $5,000 for a "full size" custom cut to your A/S).

I'm finding that either company wants me to ship the old mattress to them so they can make sure it fits "perfectly". Usual turnaround is about 1 - 2 weeks. This is high quality stuff with a price to match. But, hey, don't we deserve the best? We already got the best coach!
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