Creating the Comfy Bed in Your Pop Up Camper

Sometimes you just want to be in your own bed.  Other times, you want to be camping.  And many times, campers complain about the usually uncomfortable RV mattress.  Moving from tent camping to a camper doesn't necessarily mean great bedding.  How can you make your home on the road comfy like the bed you long for at home?

Three easy steps will take you from typical to terrific.  And, you don't have to do everything at once.  I'm a planner.  So, my advice to you is making a plan and make it happen!

Replace Your Mattress

First, get a new mattress.  I've heard lots of campers say that they wish they had gotten a new mattress a long time ago.  If you have been putting off a more comfortable mattress, go ahead and pull the trigger.  What are you waiting for?

I personally think that memory foam mattresses are excellent.  In our pop up camper, we have a Classic Brands Memory Foam Replacement Mattress.    It is about 4.5 inches thick.  I can still close my camper up with no issues.  The dense foam gives a great night's sleep and is not that expensive.  Also, you can order these in thicker sizes for a travel trailer. Classic Brands Cool Gel Ventilated Gel Memory Foam 10.5-Inch Mattress, Queen .

We love this brand, and I'm actually about to order one for our home from this brand.  And if you are still thinking, "I'll just buy a topper instead and save the money."  Don't.  Get the mattress.  2 and 3-inch toppers are over $100.  Our mattress is thicker than a topper and costs almost the same.

My cousin and his wife have a Zinus brand mattress that is also super comfy.  He and she both agree that their Zinus mattress is more comfortable than the bed they sleep on at home.  They have a thicker Zinus mattress because they are in a travel trailer.  However, if you are looking for a sofa replacement size that would fit better in a pop-up camper, try the Zinus Cool Gel Memory Foam 5 Inch Sleeper Sofa Mattress, Replacement Sofa Bed Mattress, Full  This brand also has RV mattresses if you need a special size. 

Padding Underneath

You don't have to be a princess to take note of a pea underneath a pile of bedding.  Pop up campers have beds that lay on top of wooden bunk ends.  On a traditional 10 or 12 inch mattress, you may never notice what your mattress is positioned over.  In a pop-up, your mattress thickness is limited to the number of inches your camper needs to close.  This can pose a challenge at times.

Thin mattresses can make you feel like you are sinking into a hard slab.  Dense memory foam cushions your body against that hard, board underneath.  But, anti-fatigue mats under your mattress can take your bedding to the next level.

I picked up 4 packs of these mats at Harbor Freight this month.  Each pack covers 17 square feet and costs $8.99 each.  There were four large squares per pack.  To fit under our full-size beds in Peggy Sue, each side took 6 mats.  I actually had a pack left over.  It cost less than $30 for this upgrade.

There are more expensive mats out there, but with our dense memory foam on top, I felt like this was a corner we could cut.  If you have thinner mattresses, you might want to opt for more expensive anti-fatigue mats under your beds.

My husband and I both noticed the difference as we are side sleepers.  We didn't have that middle of the night shoulder or hip ache from pressing into the bedding.  This was the real test for us.  My husband says that the bed no longer felt hard the longer he lay there.  He remarked that the bed felt firm and supported. 

Bedding

Get some soft sheets.  These don't have to be expensive.  Ours came from Wayfair.  They were surprisingly inexpensive.  These microfiber sheets have held up well and are so soft to sleep in.  I paid around $28 a sheet set for these.

Thow on a lightweight quit.  You can layer in the winter.  We also bought our bed quilts from Wayfair.  They are reversible.  And, these sets also came with 2 decorative pillows and matching shams.

The piles of pillows and soft bedding make each bunk end an inviting retreat at the end of a day.  No regrets here from this camper.  Plus, if you are going to take the time to update your bedding underneath, go all the way!

These three steps create the look and feel of home bedding on the road.  After all, it is your own bed.  It is your own camping bed.  And you shouldn't dread getting into it.

If you are looking for more gear ideas, check out my Camping Gear Page.  If you are in the middle of a camper remodel, I have the goods from my Pop Up Remodel listed on my blog as well.  I also love it when readers comment or drop me a line.  I'd love to hear from you!  Until next time...

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