Mattress- an improvement worth sleeping upon

[Ray Eklund]

Our 2006 23' Safari had a mattress that curled up on the edges and forced two people to fight in the deep trench at the center. The mattress is custom made to fit the contour of the Airstream, rear bed. Not a Queen size, but maybe a Double or whatever size the bed "was" considered.

My wife purchased a Queen Size, Memory Foam Mattress Topper, from Costco for about $100, on sale. I had my doubts about this was going to work out.

We unrolled it from its compressed packaging. Let it lay out for a day and used the original mattress as the template. Cut the memory foam to shape with a box cutter razor and fitted it into the space. Not a factory perfect fit, but it fit.

The BEST MATTRESS experience while camping. We had taken our mattress and box springs off our home's bed to experience the remarkable comfort of the "memory foam mattress". It is very firm when cold. When you crawl into bed and it warms up... you will NEVER want a spring mattress again.

The 2014 has a memory foam mattress as well. It is thinner and lighter due to the bed was made to lift up to access storage in a rear bed model. But is is also excellent. This is one improvement that you will use every night.

[Protagonist]

I've read posts from lots of folks singing the praises of memory-foam mattresses. However, I don't like them at all. My parents had memory foam mattresses on every bed in their house. Whenever I went to visit, it felt like I was lying on a slab of clay. Not comfortable at all, and it took ages for me to fall asleep each night. I actually preferred sleeping on the carpeted floor over sleeping on one of those mattresses!

[Tomy]

I have recently been having trouble sleeping and waking up with pain in my hip joints. My wife and I purchased the same memory foam topper from Costco, and I don't think I've ever slept so well.

I also purchased a memory foam pillow with a gel layer which is cool to the touch (also from Costco), and no longer wake up with a sweaty pillow.

These two items have made a world of difference to me.

[Ray Eklund]

Now Protagonist. You look much younger than I and more handsome. The foam mattresses of the 20th century are not the same as the "new and improved" foam.

I remember those antique foam pillows. I would rather take a pillow case and stuff it full of my used socks for comfort. A yellowish looking foam in the shape of a pillow. They would dry out and you would wake up with foam rather than bed bugs.

When my wife did not suggest, but forced this foam mattress onto me, personally a relic of the mid 20th century... I quietly waited to hear the complaints that were to come from her. I helped cut this thing down to fit. Stood back waiting...

Yep... the couch cushions where you sat in the middle and each end curved up to serve as elbow rests. I know what you mean. Some of you "yung 'uns" have no clue what we are talking about. Go to an antique shop and sit on a 1960's couch. Then... you will understand.

You CAN teach an old dog new tricks. This is one that I am thankful I with held my comments until AFTER I laid on this stack of bubbles. It took several people to drag me off as I was in an instant deep slumber.

[Goal15]

Originally Posted by Ray Eklund

Our 2006 23' Safari had a mattress that curled up on the edges and forced two people to fight in the deep trench at the center. The mattress is custom made to fit the contour of the Airstream, rear bed. Not a Queen size, but maybe a Double or whatever size the bed "was" considered.

My wife purchased a Queen Size, Memory Foam Mattress Topper, from Costco for about $100, on sale. I had my doubts about this was going to work out.

We unrolled it from its compressed packaging. Let it lay out for a day and used the original mattress as the template. Cut the memory foam to shape with a box cutter razor and fitted it into the space. Not a factory perfect fit, but it fit.

The BEST MATTRESS experience while camping. We had taken our mattress and box springs off our home's bed to experience the remarkable comfort of the "memory foam mattress". It is very firm when cold. When you crawl into bed and it warms up... you will NEVER want a spring mattress again.

The 2014 has a memory foam mattress as well. It is thinner and lighter due to the bed was made to lift up to access storage in a rear bed model. But is is also excellent. This is one improvement that you will use every night.

Ray

did you just lay the mattress topper on top of the existing crappy mattress, or directly on the plywood base. The mattress has been just about the only thing that we have been disappointed with in our Safari 23. I don't really want to invest in a Rocky Mountain Mattress because I would like to upsize to a AS 25 in a couple of years, but sure would like to be a lot more comfortable in the interim. The only thing I will say is that even with some of the new foam mattresses, I have heard that they tend to sleep "hot".

Dana

[Ray Eklund]

Dana. We at first tried to put the memory foam on top of the "real" crappy original mattress. Too high as far as the wife was concerned, which I cannot remember what I thought. Taking the original mattress and just using the memory foam sitting upon the plywood base... was perfect.

I was like Protagonist and remembered the foam filling used in couches and pillows in the 1960's and 1970's. It was probably a cheaper alternative to layers of material to make them comfortable. They were not that dense and just a cheap alternative to more expensive options. I think the scraps were put into some bean bags... foam chunk bags?... Those sucked as well.

After experiencing our bed at home being fitted with a "memory foam", whatever that is suppose to mean, I have no negative comment to make. To date, I cannot say anything but positive things about the replacing the 2006 mattress with our "fitted" memory foam swap.

We slept on the memory foam mattress in Las Vegas in 100F+ days and cooling into the mid to upper 80F's and had no complaint. Even Dallas, Texas cannot melt these things into discomfort. Maybe someone in a hot humid climate may have something to add.

No complaints from this guy. Maybe there is a better way to cut the thick foam for the curved part, but with a fitted mattress cover... it did not matter. I would cut it just a bit outside the template of the old "crappy mattress". Probably a better fit. I would not wait... get it now and it is a sure selling point when you get into a newer Airstream that already has memory foam mattresses. Just not as thick for practical reasons.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Ray Eklund

Now Protagonist. You look much younger than I and more handsome. The foam mattresses of the 20th century are not the same as the "new and improved" foam.

You mistake my meaning. I'm talking about the memory foam mattresses they bought in 2006. I don't know what kind they bought, so maybe they were just really cheap, but whatever brand of memory foam they bought, the beds were wretched to sleep on.

[Silverbee]

Total agreement to the positives about the Memory Foam topper. We followed the same procedure but cut it with the kitchen electric knife--perfect and easy.


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[AnnArborBob]

Originally Posted by Silverbee

Total agreement to the positives about the Memory Foam topper. We followed the same procedure but cut it with the kitchen electric knife--perfect and easy.


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Silverbee, I now have visions of "Memory Foam Mattress Massacree" in my mind! I wonder if Arlo can make a song out of this one?

[Silverbee]

AABob:
Being a Guthrie I suppose he can write and sing about anything. Still love listening to Alice's Restaurant.


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[carver 1]

I too have used the firm memory foam topper from Amaazon with excellent results compared to the comfort level of the original mattress.

>>ron<<

[FlipFlopHI]

Very helpful, I have been contemplating the different bed options I may have when doing a remodel.. I like this memory foam idea as I could raise the bed slightly and instal storage underneath and lay the foam directly on a plywood base. Mahalo!

[slowmover]

There are older threads on both MF and latex mattresses worth reading. One contributor used to be a dealer in RV beds.

[Ed Brownfield]

I just bought a king size memory foam mattress topper from Costco. If I cut it it will fit my two twin beds in my 28 ft. FC. Where can I find two twin size mattress covers to cover the topper? I'll need two twin mattress covers once I cut the kingsize mattress topper to fit the twin beds. I also need to find sheets that will fit over both the 3 inch thick topper and the existing mattress. Can anyone tell me where to find twin sheets that will fit? All suggestions are appreciated!

[firstwave]

I just ordered sheets sets and mattress pads from AB Lifestyles for my Classic twin beds.
They are made to fit the left and right curves on the twin mattresses (34x78). Hope they work out.