Comfort of a RTT mattress!

[Errant]

Yes but each tent may or may not fit every different solution. So knowing what you have and what your solution is helps determine what fits and what doesn't.

That's the point I was trying to make. What works for an Autohome might not work for EeziAwn, or CampingLab, or Mombassa, etc.

I didn't think it was coming across as a pissing contest.

Neither did I

 

[wardrow]

Great ideas coming up. Anybody use those aero beds or something else unconventional.

 

[Corey]

The guy that turned me onto the AirLander tent (he has a blue FJ Cruiser too) took out the stock AirLander mattress and replaced it with an air mattress.
Somehow to me I would think it would be uncomfortable having a 6" high or so air bed there.

I have a queen or king size one (Intex brand from Costco) I used long ago in a huge 10 person dome tent, and when you move around on it your significant other feels it pretty much.
To bouncy for me.

 

[spressomon]

Like you the RTT and even our KK mattress was just too darn hard/firm for us. For our then Overland RTT, our then Maggiolina RTT and now our Kimberley Kamper we had a local mattress manufacturer (small two man shop), Reno Mattress, make us mattresses that were/are worth it to us. No regrets.

Before moving on to a custom mattress we tried memory foam but its best if temps are above about 65*F. We tried one in the Overland the weekend we happened to be at Coyote Flats, SW of Bishop CA, when the temps dropped into the upper teens; it turned literally brick hard. Let's just say we didn't do that again

For the trips when its just me, my dog Sieg and the Land Cruiser without KK in tow, I use an Exped DAM 9 (Down Air Mattress) and its da bomb. Plush, quick to inflate (especially with my OBA) and compact when its travel time.

Oh yeah...five ten and two bills.

 

[Hill Bill E.]

I tried the memory foam (2" thick) It worked OK, but really sucked up the moisture, and took up enough space that I had to remove the bedding and pillows to close the RTT.

I tried an air mattress both under and on top of the RTT mattress.

On top was a no go-got way to cold when the temps dropped. Under worked OK, but as mentioned, kind of bouncy.

I'm a disabled Vet, with back and hip injuries. I tend to toss/turn/flop/roll around quite a bit at night. Much to the dismay of my wife while using the air mattress.

Final solution? Picked up 2 self inflating back packing mattresses, one for each side.

Depending on how I feel, I can adjust the self inflating mattress to different levels simply by opening the cap.

With these slid under the RTT mattress, the set up has been working great.

The best part is, I can still close the RTT with the bedding inside.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

We bought a pair of these in the 30in wide version http://www.rei.com/product/797491/therm-a-rest-dreamtime-sleeping-pad They may be pricey for most, but I have never slept better when camping.

 

[Corey]

Final solution? Picked up 2 self inflating back packing mattresses, one for each side.

Depending on how I feel, I can adjust the self inflating mattress to different levels simply by opening the cap.

With these slid under the RTT mattress, the set up has been working great.

The best part is, I can still close the RTT with the bedding inside.

I have a nice big Thermarest that is thicker than the standard backpacking one, have one of those too, both are buried in the back of my closet with my old backpacking gear.

I should take out the thicker one and try it under the mattress and see how it works.

 

[wardrow]

Here I was beginning to think that I was the only one having a hard time getting comfortable in a Roof top tent! Keep the ideas and solutions coming. My back and hips are starting to thank each and every one of you.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Here I was beginning to think that I was the only one having a hard time getting comfortable in a Roof top tent! Keep the ideas and solutions coming. My back and hips are starting to thank each and every one of you.

I see it like this, most of us exert ourselves more when camping and traveling than we do at home, so it is even more important to get sleep.

 

[wardrow]

We bought a pair of these in the 30in wide version http://www.rei.com/product/797491/therm-a-rest-dreamtime-sleeping-pad They may be pricey for most, but I have never slept better when camping.

I had seen those before, By we do you mean 2 or 3 people? How do you couple them so they don't move?

 

[cnynrat]

I had seen those before, By we do you mean 2 or 3 people? How do you couple them so they don't move?

The Thermarest Dreamtime mattresses do have straps and buckles that allow you to attach multiple mattresses together so they don't move. These are supremely comfortable camping mattresses, but they are quite bulky even when fully deflated. Rolled up they are about 10-12" in diameter. You may have difficulty keeping them closed up in your RTT. We have a pair that we use when we are camping in a ground tent.

We decided to go with three of these to supplement our RTT mattress. They are not quite as thick as the Dreamtime (2" vs. 3.5"), but together with the RTT mattress they make for a much more comfortable bed. For our large Eezi-Awn two of the large size and one regular size spans the entire width of the tent, so we don't need to worry about attaching them together. We do a quick deflation without worrying too much about getting every bit of air out of them, and then store them flat on top of the mattress when we fold up the tent.

 

[xcmountain80]

My first tent (Hannibal 1.2M) came w/o a mattress as it was in rough shape. Through the refurb process I bought a 1.5-2" memory foam matters topper that made it better. I then added a couple cheap imitation thermarest mattresses and it was heaven. I've since sold the tent and got rid of the cheap imitation thermarests to then upgrade to the base camp pads. New RTT is coming so well see how it goes.

A

 

[Squatchout]

I don't own a RTT but do sleep outdoors and have a trashed back, knees, hips. Last year I bought an REI 3.5" XL self inflating mattress.
http://www.rei.com/product/778152/rei-camp-bed-35-self-inflating-pad

I can now sleep comfortably on a beach of baseball sized rocks. In a cot with a nice rectangular sleeping bag it's pure heaven. I own several thinner Thermarest mattresses. No comparison. If I don't get a good sleep the night before a canoe trip my hips will burn bad all day in the boat. This mattress has made life so much sweeter for me.

I've recently relearned that air mattresses/beds suck. There is no insulation. On a cold night the mattress on the ground will suck away heat much faster than you can put it in the mattress. Foam filled self inflaters don't have this problem.

 

[2manyprojects]

Thermarest style air vs. foam?

I recently got an ARB Simpson III RTT, and experimented with substituting some older Thermarest camp rests for the OEM foam. Result was OK, but not any better than the original foam comfort-wise. The two separate air mattresses didn't fit across the width and part of the problem was rolling off or between them during the night. My secondary desire is to lighten the roof load as much as possible, as I was surprised at how much the OEM foam mattress weighs.

Has anyone tried the Cabelas house brand? I noticed they have a "couple" air/foam mattress which is 55" wide and 3.5" thick. Dimensionally it would seem to fit the RTT, be lighter, and if it sleeps better it could be great.

 

[ssssnake529]

My Autohome mattress is extremely comfortable. I have a bad back and shoulder, and have never had any problems with it. It's more comfortable than some of the cheap hotel mattresses I've slept on.