Mattress alternative

bergger

While we've been happy with the comfort of the bed in our 2021 T@b 400 I found on our last long trip I was slightly less comfortable than in the past.  As a side sleeper who's 6'2" and 195lbs we added a 2" memory foam topper and covered that with a fitted pillow topper to make it more comfortable for me.  The two additions seem to be wearing out a bit causing the slight discomfort.  A few years ago we purchased from REI an Exped MegaMat Duo in the long double wide size to use when camping in the back of our truck and for guests to sleep on the floor.  We find it extremely comfortable.  Today I decided to see how it would do in the 400.  I pulled off the old memory foam and pillow topper and laid the mattress directly on top of the factory mattress which is still on the froli system.  I fits remarkably well, even with the angled corner, with the dimensions being 76.6"x52"x3.9".  And it is extremely comfortable on top of the factory mattress.  I also like that I can easily pull it out and still use it for truck camping or in the house and I don't have to remove the factory mattress and store it anywhere.   I also like the adjustability of it by adding or removing air to change the firmness of.  Anyway I know some people have been looking for replacements or changes to the bed to make if more comfortable so I thought I'd throw this idea out there.  They are not cheap but no good mattress is and with the versatility of this one I think it makes it a bit more easy to swallow.  Plus it's an easy return at REI if you don't like it.  So far I'm happy with it.  We'll be camping for 4 nights this week so I'll let you know if I feel differently after that.  

johnfconway

Good to know... thank you for posting. We have same set-up as yours (before REI pad). On our recent three-nighter, I ended up with some shoulder pain. I think the tighter quarters than bed at home has the effect of more time sleeping on side(s). The shoulders get some added strain. Will wait to see if REI does the Labor Day 20% off one item deal and perhaps give this a try!

When dressed with sheets and topped with blankets, was the gap at the back of bed width-wise (below stargazer window) adequate to allow warm air from Alde to circulate upwards?

Marceline

I also have an Exped Megamat as a topper in my T@B and in my opinion it's more comfortable than memory foam. I occasionally take it out to use it elsewhere. It's much lighter than memory foam so it's easy to move around. I also bought a mini battery powered pump to adjust the firmness. Exped has their own, but I bought a cheaper one from Amazon.

johnfconway

Interesting timing... REI Labor Day Sale coupon came in today's mail! They mention a pump that comes with the pad. I'm assuming it's people powered. Is it hand or foot pump? Is it adequate to get psi high enough for relative firmness?  Thanks again!

Marceline

johnfconway said:

Interesting timing... REI Labor Day Sale coupon came in today's mail! They mention a pump that comes with the pad. I'm assuming it's people powered. Is it hand or foot pump? Is it adequate to get psi high enough for relative firmness?  Thanks again!

When I bought mine the pump that came with it was essentially a little bag that you squeeze. Not sure what comes with it nowadays. The mattress is mostly self-inflating (like a thermarest) and the original pump is enough to make the mattress firm, but the battery powered pump is a lot faster.

bergger

@johnfconway, to answer your questions, yes there is plenty of gap when the bed is made up so it does not block the heat gap.  Also as mentioned above it is very easy to inflate.  I unrolled it and laid it on top of the factory mattress, opened the inflate valve, came back about 20 minutes later and it was inflated.  When it self inflates it is of course on the soft side.  However with the small had pump it is easy to inflate to a very firm level.  I oriented the mattress with the valves at the head side so it is easy to get to incase I want to inflate or deflate it more.  I'm curious on how I sleep when we leave on our trip thursday. 

johnfconway

Rarely in right place at right time. Was able to snag one of these at REI at 25% off (Labor Day Sale). Even if your (@Bergger) post-trip report is a thumbs down, this will be a good resting place for house guests. Again, thanks for posting!

Yoshi_TAB

Hi, Can this be rolled up daily or does the air have to be removed (which is what I'm guessing) (i.e TAB 320 underthe rear cabinets).  tks

Marceline

Yoshi_TAB said:

Hi, Can this be rolled up daily or does the air have to be removed (which is what I'm guessing) (i.e TAB 320 underthe rear cabinets).  tks

It's basically a giant thermarest-type mattress, so to roll it up you remove the air. You can speed this up a lot by using a mini pump (see my post above for a link). I have a clamshell T@B so not sure about where exactly it would fit in yours rolled up, but it would certainly roll to a smaller size than one of the memory foam toppers that a lot of people are using. It also weighs a heck of lot less. 

DanManz

@bergger We slept on our new Exped for the first time last night.  What a difference!  I had been reasonably happy sleeping on just the foam cushions and Froli system but also noticed I was bottoming out on them.  The Exped was a perfect fit in our 2019 400 and I had the best night's sleep ever.  Thanks for posting this suggestion.  I love these simple ones.

johnfconway

I sent an email to Exped USA. Wanted their take on leaving steady state (no forced air) inflated mattress on bed between trips (in a T@B 400). I'm hoping they say it's OK to do. Will report when I hear back from them.

johnfconway

This is good news from Exped:

Hi John,

No harm at all! In fact, that’s exactly how we recommend folks store their mats (with the mat unrolled and both valve caps open).

 If you have any other questions, please let us know.

 Thanks and all the best,

John

 John Ogden, Customer Service Specialist

EXPED USA / Tacoma, WA

John@expedusa.com

Office: 866-326-4586

bergger

Four nights sleeping on the exped with one more to go. Thumbs up from me and even from the wife. Though I would like it a tad firmer she likes it a bit softer and having her happy is the most important thing for me! She’s gone right now so I may sneak in a tiny bit more air before she comes back! 

Marceline

johnfconway said:

I sent an email to Exped USA. Wanted their take on leaving steady state (no forced air) inflated mattress on bed between trips (in a T@B 400). I'm hoping they say it's OK to do. Will report when I hear back from them.

It’s better for the foam to store them unrolled (same with Thermarest and other self-inflating pads). I keep mine inflated all the time. When I’m storing it during the summertime I open the valve and let a bunch of air out to leave room for heat expansion. 

marleecamps

You folks keep costing me money.  Picked mine up today.  Will test it out during next week's outing....

Marceline

bergger said:

Four nights sleeping on the exped with one more to go. Thumbs up from me and even from the wife. Though I would like it a tad firmer she likes it a bit softer and having her happy is the most important thing for me! She’s gone right now so I may sneak in a tiny bit more air before she comes back! 

I guess that you could've gotten 2 twins and put them side by side. 

johnfconway

Got back last night from Cave Creek area in Chiricahua Mountains near Portal, AZ. Highly recommended. Orange rock deep canyons, excellent hiking trails and exceptional birding.

Had two nights in Sunny Flats Campground with Exped mattress substituting for Mattress Insider 2" memory foam topper. Exped offers more support with similar level of comfort. A bit more expensive than Mattress Insider topper at MSRP, but a simple search usually finds a decent sale price -- narrowing the price gap.

Not sure best way to integrate this option to new owners looking to make bed more comfortable. Maybe adding a link of this thread to one of the Mattress Insider threads?

At the end of the day, either option beats the heck out of T@B 400 stock pads only!

marleecamps

Adding my positive feedback for this Exped mattress.  I was never uncomfortable with my prior setup - Froli system, standard cushions with pillowtop topper before.  But adding this mattress (now, Froli/cushions/Exped/pillowtop) has transformed my sleeptime to a state of "dreamy".  Even my corgi seemed happier.

Thanks, @bergger!!

JeffroNC

+1 on the Exped. Best night’s sleep in the Tab yet! Its also very comfortable when we sit up and watch the TV. We are going to gain elevation this week so I need to see if the air has to be adjusted.

bergger

Glad it has worked out for you.  We've got a weeks sleep on ours so far and will have another 5 nights this week.  We have also really been enjoying it.  Not only do I like the comfort but also it allows you to keep the factory mattress and if needed the Exped is very easy to remove to use elsewhere.  

Marceline

JeffroNC said:

+1 on the Exped. Best night’s sleep in the Tab yet! Its also very comfortable when we sit up and watch the TV. We are going to gain elevation this week so I need to see if the air has to be adjusted.

I let out a bunch of air when I’m moving to a high elevation. The fabric cover is stretchy but I don’t want to risk it. 

johnfconway

marleecamps said:

Adding my positive feedback for this Exped mattress.  I was never uncomfortable with my prior setup - Froli system, standard cushions with pillowtop topper before.  But adding this mattress (now, Froli/cushions/Exped/pillowtop) has transformed my sleeptime to a state of "dreamy".  Even my corgi seemed happier.

Thanks, @bergger!!

Yes, thanks again @bergger!  @marleecamps, is your top layer the 2" organic cotton topper from Mattress Insider, or a mattress cover with pillowtop? If it's the former, does height above the original pads become at all an issue?  Thank you!

marleecamps

Mine is a queen size pillowtop mattress cover that I now place over the Exped, which is on top of the factory mattresses. Purchased at Bed Bath & Beyond two years ago.  Heat vent still accessible.

josh_m

We found out last weekend that we should have let the air out when going up in altitude. Nothing popped but it was very full and actually a little challenging to get to the release valve. I think we'll start storing it with the valves open and filling it when we get to camp! We did have some great sleeping, so definitely worth it. We have never traveled with a filled air mattress before and didn't even think about it. Now we just have to get the stove to work when we are up there.

JeffroNC

We had to let out some air when we got to the kids house at 3,200 ft. We are still enjoying it. 

Charlessyverson

Good evening, I recently purchased a 2023 TabSBD and am looking for a topper for the bed.  What is the best type of foam to overcome the uncomfortableness of the pads and gaps?  My initial thought was latex would provide a more uniform surface with less sinking in and the memory foam would sink more, allowing me to feel the gaps and both the firm and soft pads.  Is that an accurate assessment?  I know so many of you have experience with this so am looking for as much info as possible prior to purchasing, so I don’t have to make a second purchase!

Yoshi_TAB

Hi @Charlessyverson,

We had the 2" mattress insider toppers, which have a nice soft feel,  but switched to this and find it much more comfortable and sleep well.  The twin dimension is almost a perfect fit .  We added a 6" wide foam cushion under the window bench to fill the gap when we pull out the extensions for the twin set up.  We use sheets and a comforter for bedding.  They roll up very easy to stow under the back cabinets (with sheets and comforter) in a matter of a minute.     The twin version we have came in gray.  

Amazon.com : Willpo CertiPUR-US Memory Foam Camping Mattress Portable Sleeping Pad Guest Floor Bed Lightweight Outdoor Tent Mattress with Waterproof Cover & Travel Bag-Kid, Brown : Sports & Outdoors

BandB

@Charlessyverson we have a 2022 320sBD. I started out with a Mattress Insider memory foam mattress and it just wasn't very comfortable, even with another layer of memory foam underneath it. I ended up buying a 3" latex mattress topper and it's sleeping heaven! Not inexpensive, but so worth it to me. 

CatDaddy

BandB said:

@Charlessyverson we have a 2022 320sBD. I started out with a Mattress Insider memory foam mattress and it just wasn't very comfortable, even with another layer of memory foam underneath it. I ended up buying a 3" latex mattress topper and it's sleeping heaven! Not inexpensive, but so worth it to me. 

I wish I had this information earlier! I too have a 2022 320S BD with an uncomfortable bed. I am having new cushions made and I just bought a 2” latex topper. 

Are you putting the latex topper over the Mattress Insider mattress? Do you think that a 2” latex topper would be enough? Where did you get your 3” latex topper? 

BandB

@CatDaddy I have no idea if a 2" topper would be enough for you. It probably depends on how you sleep and your weight. I'm a 130 lb side sleeper. I have my 3" medium latex topper right on top of the T@b's original cushions. It's 35"x 70" x 3". I don't know if it's just a fluke with our T@b, but the dinette cushions are about an inch lower than the other seat cushions, so I cut some grey floor mats (the kind that interlock together) to place under the dinette seat cushions to make it all more level.

I bought our latex topper from www.DIYNaturalHome.com in Roseville, MN. For questions you could contact them at info@DIYNaturalHome.com
It turns out they were less than an hour away so I didn't have to pay shipping and was able to try out the various levels of firmness in their showroom, which is actually a bedroom in the home of the owner. Very nice lady to work with. They can custom-make whatever you'd like and they have kits to sew your own covers if you want to save a little money. You may be able to find a company local to you to avoid shipping costs? I had them sew the organic double knit cotton cover for me (the zipper extends over three sides of the mattress) for about $200, the latex itself was $300 (March, 2024 price).  Pricey, but worth it for me to be comfortable.

CatDaddy

BandB said:

@CatDaddy I have no idea if a 2" topper would be enough for you. It probably depends on how you sleep and your weight. I'm a 130 lb side sleeper. I have my 3" medium latex topper right on top of the T@b's original cushions. It's 35"x 70" x 3". I don't know if it's just a fluke with our T@b, but the dinette cushions are about an inch lower than the other seat cushions, so I cut some grey floor mats (the kind that interlock together) to place under the dinette seat cushions to make it all more level.

I bought our latex topper from www.DIYNaturalHome.com in Roseville, MN. For questions you could contact them at info@DIYNaturalHome.com
It turns out they were less than an hour away so I didn't have to pay shipping and was able to try out the various levels of firmness in their showroom, which is actually a bedroom in the home of the owner. Very nice lady to work with. They can custom-make whatever you'd like and they have kits to sew your own covers if you want to save a little money. You may be able to find a company local to you to avoid shipping costs? I had them sew the organic double knit cotton cover for me (the zipper extends over three sides of the mattress) for about $200, the latex itself was $300 (March, 2024 price).  Pricey, but worth it for me to be comfortable.

Thanks for the information! I would have preferred the 3" topper but I wasn't sure it would fit behind the seats when it was rolled up. Does your 3" topper fit behind the rear seats?

I bought my 2" topper from Foam Source in Boulder, CO. It was $288 including their "Factory Select" cover.  I decided on a 35" x 75" x 2". It doesn't appear that I was charged a fee to be cut to this size. The "Organic Cotton" cover is more expensive. A 3" topper from Foam Source is $408 with the "Factory Select" cover. They sell Talalay latex covers instead of Dunlap that DIY Natural Home uses.

In my 320S BD, the four cushions with wooden backers have foam that is about an inch thinner to compensate for the wooden backer. This makes the bed roughly flat. I wonder if your dinette cushions were accidentally made with the same thinner foam used on the four rear cushions?