RVs are an excellent way to have more freedom in your outdoor adventures. Instead of everyone cramped in a car for 9 hours a day, only to have to haul luggage into a hotel room, unpack, find somewhere to eat, pack in the morning, and repeat, an RV – or any kind of motorhome – has everything all in one place. This isn’t just great for travelers, but for nomads living that tiny-home life as well.
The downfall to most RVs? The beds. Mattresses in mobile homes are often thin and unsupportive – worse than even a crummy hotel mattress. The great news is, you can find replacement mattresses for motor homes like RVs and vans; you just have to know where to look. So ditch that manufacturer’s mobile home mattress; it’s not helping you sleep.
Why You Need a Better RV Mobile Home Mattress
As a crafter and supplier of custom-made and sized RV mattresses, we know how important it is to make sure you get a good night’s sleep on the road. The main thing to do is make your van feel like home, and a great place to start is by buying the right RV mattress and custom-fit bedding to match.
Whether you spend most of your time in an RV or just a few days a year, one thing is certain – you need good sleep on the road. Drowsy driving is extremely dangerous, especially in a 30,000-pound house-on-wheels. Have you ever driven the loop at Yellowstone NP? Or that 9-hour straight shot across South Dakota to get to it? Not places to drive tired. A quality RV mattress will make your cross-country trips a lot safer, not to mention more fun, since you’ll always be well-rested and ready for adventures.
But, how do you find that perfect RV mattress? And why can’t you just shove a dorm or daybed mattress in your RV bunks? Because, they’re not the same:
RV Mattresses vs. Regular Mattresses
RV mattresses are typically smaller to maximize the space potential of your RV. Some mobile home beds, like the sofa bed mattress, have to fold. Others, like the bedroom mattress, often have curved corners. And those RV bunk beds? Not normal dimensions.
Mattresses for RV and van beds are also lighter to keep the total weight down. The gas mileage on an RV is not good – you want to add the least amount of weight possible while you’re hauling your home down the road. The light weight also allows you to move your mattress around and create additional space when you need it.
The most common RV mattress sizes are:
- Short queen, which measures 60” x 74” or 60” x 75”, about 5” shorter than a standard queen.
- RV king beds, which measure 72” x 75”, about 4” narrower and 5” shorter than a standard king mattress.
- RV bunks, which measure 28” x 75”. Some RV bunk beds are 30” wide, too. Actually, the bunk beds in motor homes are often the most difficult to deal with, because they’re anywhere from 70” to 80” long, and can come in 32”, 34” and 36” width as well.
- Some mobile home beds have three-quarter mattresses, which measure 48” x 75”. Not a full, not a queen. Other motor home mattress sizes include RV twin beds (28” x 75”) and RV full/double beds (53” x 75”).
So, the issue with trying to set a standard size mattress onto an RV bed is that it’s simply not going to fit right. Which means weird corners stuck out into the middle of the room and constant blanket tucking. Not to mention the pull-out mattress on the sofa and the foldup mattress on the dinette are just way out of the standard mattress world.
What Are the Most Popular RVs?
Americans buy hundreds of thousands of RVs each year, and it seems that this way of traveling is becoming more popular since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. RVs provide more freedom and are a completely different traveling experience that highlights active outdoor adventures.
There are generally two types of RVs: trailers and motorhomes. Whether you are looking to buy or rent an RV, these are the most popular brands on the market at the moment:
Winnebago
Winnebago has over 60 years of history creating top-quality products for outdoorsy people. Their RVs are well-known for quality, even among new people in the RV world. You can find both travel trailers and motorhomes in Winnebago’s catalog. All their models are a product of a long history of innovation, and each one provides enough comfort and excellent tiny-living features.
Airstream
Airstream has been around for over 90 years, which should tell you about the quality of their RVs. Their main products are trailers, and their models have kept that traditional look but with many technological improvements. Airstream trailers are known for their quality and durability, so you can regularly see older models on the roads throughout the states.
Jayco
Jayco started producing pop-up trailers in 1968, but today, they make all types of RVs. Their RVs are rated highly by experts and outdoor enthusiasts alike. They have many cool features to make your trips more enjoyable.
Jayco RVs are comfortable, and they provide everything you need for living on the road. That includes excellent sleeping and relaxation areas. We’ve got to admit, Jayco mattresses are some of the best in the RV world… but that still doesn’t add up to great.
Pro Tip for a Non-Committal RV Life
Just like there’s AirBnB for travel, there are also platforms to rent RVs! Fan favorites are RVshare and RVnGo. You can find vans, motor homes, trailers, Airstreams, and more. This gives you the opportunity to try motor home life without committing to a $150,000 rig. And if you’re one of the smart people renting out their RV when you’re not using it, you can bet some custom RV mattresses are going to up your review ratings.
Buying the Right RV Mattress
No matter if you are renovating your old RV or buying a new one, you should get a new mattress, if only for the hygiene factor. But let’s be honest: it’s not only for the hygiene factor. The first thing you need to consider is size. So, get that tape measurement out and figure out the dimensions of your sleeping space.
The next thing you should do is select your mattress type. You have several options:
- Memory Foam – Great body contouring, durable, and provides enough pressure relief and support. The small downside is that it tends to trap body heat, but you can always choose gel-infused memory foam if you're a hot sleeper.
- Pocket Coil – These mattresses provide enough support and are responsive to your movements. They are very breathable as air can circulate freely, so they don’t trap body heat.
- Latex – Flexible, breathable, and hypoallergenic. They offer less body contouring than memory foam mattresses, but that’s great for side sleepers and people with back issues.
- Hybrid – Combines two or more different types of mattresses. These offer the best of all worlds, allowing even further comfort customization.
The great thing about today’s mattress market is that you can find custom mattress makers online who specialize in motor home mattresses for RVs, vans and trailers. With a few measurements, a quick pic, and your material, thickness and firmness choices, your journey to a better RV bed just takes a few simple steps, and a few weeks later, they show up at your door. That’s it!
Additional things to consider for your custom RV mattress is the bedding. Why stop short? You’ve got a queen mattress missing 5” off the standard size with 2 curved corners in that back bedroom. Store-bought sheets are going to be an issue all the time – constant tucking and sliding. Go all the way will your motor home mattress makeover: get custom bedding made by the people who do your custom beds. It’s the only way to get super-soft, luxury bedding that actually fits all the weird mattresses in your RV.
Get Better Sleep with CustomMattress.com RV Beds
Steeling yourself for stiff, uncomfy sleep doesn’t have to be part of the prep list for your next cross-country adventure. We’re all about getting a good night’s sleep anywhere, whether it’s the antique daybed in your home office or the mattress in your converted cargo van.
At CustomMattress.com, you can find any type of RV mattress. We hand-craft our mattresses and custom bedding to match your exact dimensions and comfort expectations, setting the foundations for nights of great sleep on the road.
Explore our pocket coil and foam mattresses to see which one is right for you.