comfort mattress

[acer]

Any tips for getting comfortable downstairs. Our hire vehicle didn't have the comfort mattress but having tested one in showroom for 10 minutes I'm not convinced it will make me very comfortable.
Anyone use any other sort of mattress? We thought about using one of those thermorest self inflating things.

 

[barry]

Any tips for getting comfortable downstairs. Our hire vehicle didn't have the comfort mattress but having tested one in showroom for 10 minutes I'm not convinced it will make me very comfortable.
Anyone use any other sort of mattress? We thought about using one of those thermorest self inflating things.

we bought a tailor-fitted topper for downstairs but found upstairs without any additional mattressing absolutely fine comfort-wise so we sleep up there and never use the topper. we're both (very) high 60s and i guess quite sensitive to discomfort.

since we bought the van about 4 years ago we've jettisoned most of the 'extras' like toppers, mutzes, screen insulators (all just too bulky to carry and no real use ioho) that we bought in the initial frenzy. Our coldest environment though has only been scottish highland winters down to -3 or -4oC. nothing like european mainland skiing weather.



And there are only two of us.

 

[GrannyJen]

I use a downstairs topper and find it quite effective.

Like Barry I don't find I need one upstairs.

I sleep downstairs most of the time, upstairs when it gets warm.

Like Barry I have also jettisoned most of the "can't do without" accessories that I bought in my first flush of cali youth finding that in my cali maturity I can do without most of the "can't do withouts".

(Anyone want one of those brandrup jerry cans that you dangle from the awning and soak yourself with when trying to fill the water tank? short bit of hose and an empty mineral water bottle does me!).

 

[acer]

thanks Jen and Barry,
Is the topper that you refer to in addition to the comfort mattress that comes as an option with the Cali?
What is a mutze?
Jen, you've got me thinking about getting warm downstairs. I think this makes the case for the sliding window, which I think is an option. Do people leave their side windows open at night - I wonder about security (ironic, a seasoned camper is wondering about security)

I'm hoping to make an order in the next day or two and wading through the options is quite stressful for a vehicle that I am buying for relaxation purposes!

 

[2Tapps]

I have the ZoneSleep topper lightweight breathable washable and takes up little room.we don't leave the sliding window open but do have wind deflectas on the front windows so if its hot
We leave them open slightly. hth

 

[GrannyJen]

By topper I mean mattress topper, in my case the VW comfort mattress which works well for me.

If it's very waem then those big zippered vents in the bellows are lovely, whether sleeping up or down.

I do not leave any ground floor level windows open,

 

[acer]

2Tapps, Good tip on the window deflectors. I haven't considered them until now. Do they become brittle over time though? Do you think that they add noise when moving along? I already feel that there was a lot of noise from the windows, especially from the side door (on my test hirer).

 

[2Tapps]

I have. Had mine on for 4 years and they still look as good as new as for extra noise mine make no difference. At night if its hot I just wind the drivers window down a couple of inches level with the bottom of the deflecta.

 

[Fryers!]

We tried everything to get a good night sleep including the VW Comfort Matress, we then tested the Zonesleep at COTF and it has transformed the downstairs bed to a very comfy area.

If you do a search you will find loads of info on toppers.

 

[Kirk]

Another +1 for the Zonesleep, clever bit of kit and takes up less room compared to other toppers.

 

[acer]

So, save £276 on the comfort mattress and put it towards a zonesleep! Does it fold-up like the VW one to make for easy storage? Is the price comparable? I think getting a good sleep is THE most important part of camping.

 

[Larkrise]

I think you would want the Zonesleep on top of the VW comfort mattress- at least that's what we have, and is very comfortable. The whole lot, including our quilt, tri-folds back onto the rear shelf making it a one minute job getting set up at night.

 

[acer]

Interesting Larkrise,

It seems no one uses a thermorest self inflating mattress in conjunction with the VW mattress or topper.

 

[Linda]

Hi Acer, we've got a couple of the tiny 3/4 thermorests that we use if we sleep downstairs, they take the bumps out of the seats where the folds are and are great for lounging on outside

 

[acer]

Linda, do you use a VW camper mattress at the same time?

 

[Andy]

The VW comfort mattress is a recent addition to the list of options. So a lot of us do not have it, or even know what it is.

 

[Linda]

I am one with no idea what the VW camper mattress is! We generally sleep up top, only use the downstairs bed if we don't want the roof up for some reason . We use the tiny thermorests because they take up minimal space, double up as handy lounger and we already had them. I think thermorests are really comfy, slightly more of a faff because they need a bit of air but space-saving. If you have them already it's worth trying them for sure before buying new stuff.

 

[Linda]

Don't have comfort mattress, downstairs bed is definitely quite lumpy if you plan on sleeping downstairs all the time some type of extra layer is needed.

 

[acer]

Yes, really felt those lumps when we hired for a while. I like the thermorest idea because they collapse down very nicely, which might compensate for the half dozen big breaths required to blow them up.
However, I think we've decided on the VW comfort mattress - it just sits there on the parcel shelf in three connected pieces. If I can still feel lumps with that then it will be thermorests underneath the VW mattress or the zonesleep (or other) mattress topper.

 

[campandfly]

Sleeping on the VW Comfort Mattress downstairs was very comfortable for us and I think you will be happy with it.

You will definitely need some sort of protective cover for it when not In use as if like us you are throwing shopping, sports kit, camping stuff etc in the back it will easily get marked up.

We are just going to throw a waterproof backed picnic blanket over it as a temporary measure. Then maybe invest in a proper cover if it seems necessary.

 

[acer]

Yes, and make up some sheets with elastic corners. The list of waiting-room jobs grows...

 

[larrylamb]

We found the VW comfort mattress to be very hard, depends on your preference.

 

[johnyboy]

Wanted to add that I upgraded the upstairs mattress to a Comfortz one - asked the OH what she thought in the morning and her comment was "I woke up and thought I was at home... and that has never happened with the old one"

 

[rippers]

Having slept a couple of nights on the downstairs VW supplied comfort mattress I was hugely impressed with how well I slept on it (head to tailgate)