Memory Foam

[ajn81]

Hi Everyone,

We'd like to use a memory foam topper to make our bed a little more comfortable in the Scamp but I'm concerned about storing the thing... we do use our dinette as a table so our bedding all gets packed away each night. My experience with mattress toppers is that they are huge and hard to roll up (like fighting a person-sized roll of foam), but my husband is a little more optimistic and thinks he can muscle it down to a reasonable size to be stowed for the day.

Sooo, do any of you use memory foam toppers? What size (thickness...and density weight if you're really on top of things!) works and what do you do with it when its not topping your bed? If you roll it up, approximately how big of a roll do you end up with?

Thanks in advance- I've really enjoyed learning from all of your experiences and comments on this forum!

-AnnA (ajn81's wife)

[Ron in BC]

We're one step ahead of you and hope to be able to answer the questions you raise for ourselves also.

We've bought some 1 1/2" (Walmart) memory foam and cut it to shape. Our thinking is that we will sew up some sheet/slipcovers for it so that it can be unrolled at night and the bottom sheet will be already to go.

The bare foam seems to roll up and compress quite a lot so it doesn't look like it'll be a problem to store but I hope to know that answer sooner than later as we havn't yet spent a night in the trailer.

Ron

[honda03842]

We have a 1.5" thick topper and store it behind the couch in the front of the our Scamp 16. We have cut ours in half the short way into two almost rectangular pieces. I remove the couches seat cushion, lift the back of the couch and slide it up under the back and across the bottom. I repeat the process with the other half. I than put the cushion on top.

Hardly anyone knows it's there and it takes a couple of minutes to store and less to remove. The thickness is adequate for us.

If you want pictures let me know.

[Gilda]

Hi AnnA,
We had the same concerns for our 2011 13' Scamp. The seating cushions turned out to be so uncomfortable (like sleeping on a table) we finally splurged and purchased a 2" memory foam topper from Target for about $30. I cut the foam to the exact size of the bed then cut it into two long strips each 22 1/2" wide by 76" long. One cushion is a rectangle and the other has two curves to match the inside of the Scamp. I covered each memory foam piece with 100% cotton knit (think T-shirt soft) as if it were a cushion, with a zipper on the end. Now we have the softest, cushiest, mattress pad! We sleep right on the pad and on top of us we place one or more comforters depending on the temperature. In warmer weather we sleep between the two comforters; one on top and one on the bottom. This method eliminates the need for sheets. We wash the mattress cover and comforters (as needed) after each trip.

As for storage; each 1/2 mattress cover rolls into a cylinder about 22 1/2" wide by 10" high (each one is about the size of one sleeping bag). We secure the roll with luggage straps and store the rolls under the dinette bench (see photo). The bigger question is where to store the comforters! I have several solutions. #1) For when I leave the bed set up for the day. (see photo) Fold the comforter in half (mine are about 90" wide by 76" long) so they are 45" wide by 76" long. When folded this way they fit flat on top of the bed when it is set up and looks like a neatly made-up bed. #2) Fold the comforter in half and place over the dinette cushions (no photo). Put one comforter over each dinette chair and tuck in over the top, at the seat back and over the cushion front. This way the comforters add a decorative touch to the seats without requiring more storage space. #3 More recently, I roll the comforters over a cylinder (ask for an empty fabric roll from a fabric store) a little over 45" wide (2-3" diameter) and secure the roll with luggage straps (see photo). I place the roll resting between the dinette chairs spanning the leg space under the table (no photo). This way the comforters are out of the way and ready to use at a moment's notice without using precious cargo space!

I'd also like to share another bedding tip (see photos). You can see in my photos that I have two medium-weight comforters with two different designs. Depending on my decorating mood I put one or the other design on top. A big issue for my husband and me is the shifting of covers in the night. We each have different preferences for covers AND the covers tend to shift and fall off during the night. We ruled out sleeping bags or zippers connecting the comforters as being too confining and hot. The solution we came up with is to connect the comforters with loop and button connectors. It is easy for me to unbutton one comforter layer while my husband sleeps blissfully with two comforters!
Best to you,
Gilda

[Noreen Bradshaw]

Before camping in a Trillium, I motorcycled all over Canada and the US. I camped out with a tent and sleeping bag. For additional comfort I used a self-inflating mattress which when not in use deflates and rolls into a roll about 3" in diameter. This is what I use now over the cushions that make up the bed in the Trillium. When inflated the mattress is 1" of air b/t me and the cushions. Until you try it, you can't believe how much comfort that 1" of air can provide.

[GeorgeR]

We use one from Costco and like it a lot but we have fixed bed in our Bigfoot.
George.

[ajn81]

Thanks everyone for the input so far... I kind of think that any mattress over 2" thick would be a bear to roll and store and so far that seems to be the consensus.

Gilda- thanks so much for the details and pics! It's always nice to SEE how everyone does things!

Noreen- I've used those air mattress things while camping and they are great...wonder if they make them for a full size bed or just for a single...

It's interesting that a few of you have cut your toppers in half- is this mainly for storage reasons or something else that I've not thought of?

[Carol H]

I left mine in one piece. Its a 1 1/2" topper but its easy to fold over for rolling up.

[DaveK]

Having fought the same issues in the Littlefoot I've spent considerable time considering options.

An idea that recently occurred to me while contemplating the state of the upholstery was to add memory foam to the bed cushions before recovering them.

I haven't actually done it for a couple of reasons, but it seems feasible with a couple of benefits:
1. No need to find daytime space for the topper
2. A cushier sofa/dinette
3. Envious friends

Potential cons:
1. Your legs might not meet the floor comfortably. Wouldn't be an issue for me, as I had already raised the floor under the dinette 2 inches. A simple matter involving some plywood, scrap1x2, and a carpet remnant from the leftovers in attic.
2. The dinette might be a bit snugger. Again a nonissue for me, as I had made a smaller table to make it easier to get in & out of the dinette. Also made the trailer seem bigger

It could work.

[theresa p]

don't go by me----we leave our bed set up all the time--and i have a bad hip so really need good padding under me or else i do not sleep. we have our cushions, topped by a 4" foam topper and then by a 2" memory foam topper. yum!
but it would be nearly impossible to even consider this combo if i didn't leave our bed set up.

[Gilda]

I read that memory foam works because of body heat. When the foam is covered by thick upholstery material it may not conform to the body in the way it was designed because body heat does not transfer efficiently. It's OK, though, to cover the foam with cotton knit or standard sheet fabric because they are thin. I also read in a previous post that a body sitting on the memory foam compresses it greatly, making it an inappropriate material for cushions. Before you spend all that time and money on this idea I suggest that you contact an expert in memory foam. That's my 2 cents worth.
Gilda
PS In a previous post I showed photos of how I made two mattress pads, and covered them with 100% cotton knit fabric. We roll them up and they both fit perfectly in the "hold" under the dinette bench in the the 13' Scamp.

[ednpat3]

I've read the responses that you rec'd to your question and would like to give Our ( MDW & I ) solution which is a bit more involved. Before a bed question came up I decided to change our table, I made a shorter one that slides and turns so we don't have a problem getting into the dinette and also made a storage area against the wall between the benches ( 10" deep) by installing a FB panel and putting the cut off table piece as the removable top, this is where we store our 4" memory foam topper.
Mdw and I cut the foam a couple on inches shorter (lgth) than the bed and than she made a cover for it out of a couple of twin sheets, along with a heavy canvas material piece 28" wide by 48/50" long, too which she sewed a heavy duty zipper to one end. The foam mattress when folded in thirds measured just under 28" which fits between the benches, this than was placed on the canvas peace and taking my time I rolled the two together, being sure to get as much air out as possible, when we got to the installed zipper she marked the spot and sewed the other half of the zipper at that spot. When rolled up we have a package about 10/11" in dia. and 28" long that fits real nice in it's storage compartment with room for one feather pillow. There are pictures posted of the table top & storage compartment.

[theresa p]

hi ed...i checked out the photos of your storage compartment and table. nice job! the area you store your mattress was an excellent idea. for us, who leave our table down as a bed all the time, it isn't practical---but i do like your idea very much.

[honda03842]

We cut our's in mattress topper in half to make it easier to store under the Scamp's front couch. The first time I stored it there I dared Ginny to find it and she couldn't. It just takes minutes to put it away and it's never in the way.

[Lil M.]

Hi Ed,
I looked at your pictures too. Very nice job on the bed and table. And I like the bar going between the upper cabinet and closet. Great idea for privacy.

I also love the awning set-up! Can you provide a few more details on it? Did Pat sew it? How is it attached to the trailer, and how do you achieve the arch in the top? Tent poles?
Thanks in advance,

[ajn81]

Hey Everyone-

Thanks again for all the neat ideas! We found a 2" (4 lb) queen size memory foam mattress on Overstock.com and ordered it for the Scamp. Since we have the 54" bed, we will round the corners a bit and we're good to go. Austin is confident he can roll it up real tight for storage.... we're also planning on copying Floyd's dinette mod (floyd's Trailer :: Eggy-Sue (the pull-it surprize)) which will give us a neat little cubby to store the topper and possibly other bedding. I'll post pics once we get everything together.

Again- thanks for sharing your ideas and knowledge!

[john warren]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

We're one step ahead of you and hope to be able to answer the questions you raise for ourselves also.

We've bought some 1 1/2" (Walmart) memory foam and cut it to shape. Our thinking is that we will sew up some sheet/slipcovers for it so that it can be unrolled at night and the bottom sheet will be already to go.

The bare foam seems to roll up and compress quite a lot so it doesn't look like it'll be a problem to store but I hope to know that answer sooner than later as we havn't yet spent a night in the trailer.

Ron

you know,,,an idea to go along with the sheet thing,,,,sew two or three cloth tapes along the edge so you have built in tie straps. roller up,,tie er up,,and stow it.
no searching for loose straps that way.

[john warren]

won't use an air mattress agian, they work good, but i have woke up too many times in the middle of the night feeling deflated,,,if you get my drift.
i think we will use the 1.5 inch thick memory foam cut to fit. make a cover out of fleece sheets. with tie up straps sewn to the ends.
this will be topped with a quilt to lay on and a nice blanket thickness right for the weather.
since most of the time we will leave the bed made up. i won't need to fuss with it much. when we do need a table. i will roll up the pad and covers, and put them in the back seat of the liberty.if we are at the table we probably won't need the back seat anyway.

wait....we been married 40 years,,,,i can't remember what we needed that back seat for in the first place.

[ednpat3]

LiL M, I just saw your response to the foam mattress thread and want you to know I'm not snubbing you, as to the canopy it is attached to the camper via three (3) SS u-bolts in the roof and corresponding velcro tabs on canopy. Pat sewed the canopy using uv grade material from hancock fabric, it is 8' sq. and we used five sets of fbglass tent poles from walmart to make the cross supports and front & back stiffeners, the metal uprights came from wally world also.
I do have a number of pictures showing the u-bolts. fbglass cross poles and assembly if you would care to see them, I could post them somewhere (?) or send to you........Ed