Over the Cab Mattress Alternative/Addition

[Jeffrey]

I thought I'd share a recent discovery with Toyota RV folks who take pleasure in getting a good night's sleep.

I've got a '91 Winnebago, that I dearly love and is in tip top shape. I tend to sleep a lot in the overhead cab compartment (even when it's parked at home...man cave) and even though the mattress is in fairly good shape, I'm not not 100% comfortable sleeping on or over the top of  the removable section of the mattress (Just feel some bumps down there.) and sometimes, in the winter, I can feel cold rising up through from the bottom. A year ago I purchased a section of 1-1/2 - 2" foam (egg crate on one side) that I put over the entire mattress area. It worked fairly well, but still I wasn't content.

I'm a backpacker (ultralight) and I have some products by a Swiss company called "Exped". They make a number of different items for campers and the quality of their products is top-of-the-line. I have a Exped "down" sleeping pad that actually has high quality goose feathers in it, and once blown up, it's nice 'n cozy with an R value around 7 or 8. Perfect for keeping the body warm below as the down bag keeps body warm on sides and above.

Anyway, Exped makes a Car Camping Mat/Pad called the "Exped MegaMat Duo 10" (with a 9.5 R value). I measured the space that my mattress in the overhead cab area and the MegaMat appeared to fit in that area perfectly. So, I got it on sale, normally around $360, give or take a few bucks, at Backcountry for 25% off. The mattress is foam and also needs air to reach it's ideal loft. No down in this one. So, I got the pad and laid it out over the mattress. Allowed it to fill by itself (will inflate considerably before air needs to be pumped in) and then, using their clever, specially designed small pump that comes with the pad, within a few minutes had the pad set up. I actually slept on the pad in my bedroom on the floor the night before to test it. It was actually better than my bed mattress. Not saying here that you would find it as comfortable as your bed, but for me, it was perfect. The nice thing about it is, you can fill it with air so it feels very firm, then get on top of it and let air out so that it meets your own comfort level. It doesn't feel like an air mattresss...bouncy. It feels like a bed mattress or close to it.

So, back to the overhead cab. I pumped up the mattress, in place, over the existing mattress, put a sheet over it and climbed aboard. Now I know we all have our personal sensitivities when it comes to sleeping accommodations, but I can tell you this, my sleep was incredible. So comfortable and sound. The pad fits perfectly over the area...77.9 x 52 x 3.9". I am very, very happy with this set up. I could probably remove the existing mattress and design a board to cover the opening, but for me, there is no reason to. They seem to compliment each other, perfectly. And, in addition, the extra height for me, i.e. somewhat closer to the ceiling, 4 inches, isn't an issue at all.

So, there you have it. If your existing mattress is dead and you need an alternative, this might be the way to go.

You can find this pad/mat at Campsaver, Moosejaw and Backcountry. They will meet or beat each others prices, at least Backcountry will. And they seem to be having discount sales quite often. So, if you are interested in this product, wait till they have their sale.

Sweet Dreams.

[markwilliam1]

Hi Jeff! Yea sleep is important Man. I went a cheaper route and bought a Sealy brand 3" memory foam mattress topper. It's heavy-duty dense memory foam. Around $100. Can't feel any bumps or seams from the base mattress. As comfortable as my home bed. Enjoy your set-up!

[Jeffrey]

Hey mw1

Yes, it is pricey. but hey, I spend 1/3 of my life in that state, i.e. sleep/dream, so, considering that, the body is worth it. Sounds like you've got it figured out, too.

[markwilliam1]

Looks like we know what's important LOL!