Sofa is uncomfortable

[time2play]

My husband and I are finding the Airstream sofa very uncomfortable to sit for any length of time.

Does anybody have any thoughts on how to make it more comfortable? Special pillows? pads? anything?

Are we the only ones who feel this way?

[slpiotro]

I agree with you. I am thinking about putting in a higher density foam in the pillows and maybe even using my old camping sleeping pads under the sofa pads. Same thing I did to make the ground softer in the tent.

[Goal15]

I think the seat part on our L lounge is too deep in proportion to the back cushions, thus diminished comfort. Try more throw pillows and sitting at an angle instead of at 90 degrees

[ASwifey]

We removed our couch (goucho style) and took it to our upholstery guy. He removed the cover, and added additional foam to it, the reinstalled the original cover. Made a big difference.

[87MH]

Originally Posted by time2play

My husband and I are finding the Airstream sofa very uncomfortable to sit for any length of time.
Does anybody have any thoughts on how to make it more comfortable? Special pillows? pads? anything?
Are we the only ones who feel this way?

Replace it.

We tried recovering, new foam, and memory foam sub surfaces. The Gaucho is just plain uncomfortable. The recliners and sectional filler are parts of a sectional room suite (no arms) from RoomsToGo.

More photos at the '78 Sovereign thread in my signature line.

We recently tore out the twin beds in the bedroom (again) and replaced them (this time) with an RV east/west queen sized bed. So far, so good.

[pmclemore]

When ours gets uncomfortable, we go to bed.

Pat

[Bill M.]

Yes, it is uncomfortable to sit on. I sit outside in a folding chair whenever I can.

[swede0030]

This made ours much better! Goucho now lives in the barn!

[adonh]

I guess things never change. The couch in my 1976 31' Sovereign was a real back breaker even after new foam. So it had to go. There are pictures in the attached that show the leather recliners that I installed with a small table in between. They are wall away and are permanently attached to the floor. These are really comfortable.

Airstream Interior 2010.pdf

[Jack46]

Assuming you have the same "L' shaped sofa we had in our previous 2006 28' International, don't waste your money in redoing the cushion foam. For us it was a total waste of money. We also tried pillows, ottomans, etc. - anything and everything with no success. Those seats are just not made for casual seating for any length of time. We ended up removing one of the dinette benches to make room for a chair. If we had not moved to our current AS, I think we would ultimately pulled the sofa out and installed recliners.

[Ntex]

Originally Posted by Jack46

Assuming you have the same "L' shaped sofa we had in our previous 2006 28' International, don't waste your money in redoing the cushion foam. For us it was a total waste of money. We also tried pillows, ottomans, etc. - anything and everything with no success. Those seats are just not made for casual seating for any length of time. We ended up removing one of the dinette benches to make room for a chair. If we had not moved to our current AS, I think we would ultimately pulled the sofa out and installed recliners.

I just love the sleek modern look of the current Airstream interiors, and we would have bought one but for the high cost. We purchased a 2004 Classic 28 a couple of months ago, instead, and the couch is very comfortable. It is a traditional design, covered in a tapestry upholstery fabric, that jackknives to form a bed. We bought two bean bag footstools from Target (very light weight, can be kicked out of the way, or put on the couch or the beds if in the way,) and we couldn't be more comfortable. The couch is great to curl up on to read in the evenings, and our only problem is that our rather large dog likes it a lot too. Although I am a still a bit envious of the modern looking decors, after reading this thread I now really appreciate my sofa!

[dkottum]

It's really a cushioned bench seat more than a sofa isn't it? And they use some really stiff foam in these newer ones. I wonder if you could use a slight foam wedge under the front edge of the cushion to get some backward tilt, combined with an ottoman to stretch out on. Maybe add a pillow behind your lower back.

doug k

[TouringDan]

adonh

I looked at the photos of your 76 sovereign. The interior work is just beautiful. A job well done.

Dan

[time2play]

Thanks everyone for your responses. How discouraging! We're on our first trip on our new AS, and this makes me feel a bit down. We spent so much money thinking we're getting a quality product, and something as basic as where you sit turns out to be uncomfortable!

For the record, we have enjoyed our first trip getting to know our AS. We had our issues and problems, many of them just because everything is so new to us! It's one thing to "read" how to do something, quite another to actually "do".

From learning how to hook everything up. Trying to figure out the air condition, DVD player, refrigerator, microwave/convection, water heater, heater, and on and on. We went out and bought a cable so we could hook up to cable TV and it comes in lousy. I accidentally reset the systems monitor, and it has to be recalibrated at the dealership tomorrow.

And now to learn we might have to invest in recliners or a new sofa!

On the bright side, we visited Hurricane Ridge at the Olympic National Forest yesterday, and loved coming "home" to the AS.

[dkottum]

Keep the chin up, you'll find a way to be comfortable there, it's not really a quality issue. I only found the recliner option on the 30' to be truly comfortable of all the Airstreams, but that's not to say they don't work for everybody.

There's a lot of systems to get familiar with, but the learning curve gets pretty short with use. And like you say, it's a wonderful to return to your home on the road after a day of touring. Great experiences coming your way. The more we use our Airstream, the more we love it.

doug k

[daveswenson]

Originally Posted by time2play

Thanks everyone for your responses. How discouraging! We're on our first trip on our new AS, and this makes me feel a bit down. We spent so much money thinking we're getting a quality product, and something as basic as where you sit turns out to be uncomfortable!

For the record, we have enjoyed our first trip getting to know our AS. We had our issues and problems, many of them just because everything is so new to us! It's one thing to "read" how to do something, quite another to actually "do".

From learning how to hook everything up. Trying to figure out the air condition, DVD player, refrigerator, microwave/convection, water heater, heater, and on and on. We went out and bought a cable so we could hook up to cable TV and it comes in lousy. I accidentally reset the systems monitor, and it has to be recalibrated at the dealership tomorrow.

And now to learn we might have to invest in recliners or a new sofa!

On the bright side, we visited Hurricane Ridge at the Olympic National Forest yesterday, and loved coming "home" to the AS.

Yes, the sofa is not the most comfortable thing I've ever sat on, but who cares. If my butt gets sore I go for a walk, get some fresh air and enjoy the people and places my Airstream have taken me. I'm probably going to upgrade the foam, but it's not a big priority for me. There are lots of other projects I have planned first.

I recommend Fort Worden in Port Townsend. An enchanting place.