N36 foam in 2014 Scamp13 bed/dinette cushions = better sleep

[rdickens]

Just an update .... FWIW

When I replaced the foam in my 2014 Scamp dinette/bed cushions, I just

took my old cushions down to the foam shop (in KCMo). They removed the

old foam and used it as a template to cut out newer and higher quality N36

orthopedic foam that fit the cushion covers more snugly. (The more snug fit

is expected to keep the cushion seams from rotating around.)



We have now spent 7 nights on the new cushions and no longer feel that we need

a mattress topper in order to get a good nights sleep. 😀



Ray



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[Jon in AZ]

Good to know, Ray. May I ask the approximate cost for the upgrade? I'm taking it that you only did the dinette, not the front sofa. Is it the same thickness as the factory foam?

[rdickens]

$140 if I stuffed the foam back into the covers. $150 if they did it all. (I let them
do it. 😉 )

I weighed those costs against the cost of purchasing a quality mattress topper
that I would have to find a place to store in either the tug or the 13 foot trailer when
we are in dinette configuration. (We love the wider bed, but it does take away 10" of
"walking around room" when we have left the trailer in "bed mode" full time. We
have done that overnight en-route to destinations and/or when we have been at "events"
where we knew we would be away from the trailer all day and would only use the
trailer for sleeping. We very much like the more open feel of the trailer in dinette mode.)

I will be using the N36 foam to create 3 individual cushions for the bottom of the sofa
(to replace that single bottom sofa cushion) ... probably within the next couple of weeks.
That should facilitate easier access to the under-sofa storage on either side of the
porta-potti cabinet (just remove a single smaller cushion) and perhaps pave the way for
a future mod that might make the porta-potti a little easier to use .... still TBD.)

Although the sofa back cushion is a loose fit and has wrinkles in it, I'm not sure whether
I will replace that foam .... also still TBD.

Ray


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[rdickens]

Sorry. .... I realize that I didn't answer the final question. 😳

Yes. Same thickness as factory (4"). Still very firm and supportive.

The difference is that the higher quality foam deflects just a little easier at
higher pressure points (i.e. hips and shoulders for side sleepers). The first
morning, after sleeping on the new cushion, my wife remarked "Better! At
least my arm isn't asleep."

Later, for any needed additional comfort, we will still have the option of sleeping
on top of a sleeping bag (like a pillow top mattress) or adding a thinner foam
topper of some sort.

With 7 nights experience so far, the higher quality foam seems to be a huge
improvement! 😃

Ray


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[TomK]

Glad to hear the new cushions worked out so well Ray. I'm anxious to ck. them out in Highlands Hammock next month. One less bulky item (mattress topper) to carry would be nice, but losing the under bed storage area would take some thought. The price you paid seems reasonable and certainly in line with the cost of a good quality mattress topper.

Tom

[CampyTime]

Ray, just wondered if the term N 36 foam is one that would be universal as orthopedic and recognized if I ask a local company here in NY to do the same for my cushions? Not being rude, simply don't know answer.

Cheers,
Wendy


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[rdickens]

Wendy -

When I first saw and compared the foams and saw the N36 designation, I went home and
Googled "N36 foam" and "RV cushion foam" etc. What I came up with was "extra firm"
and other descriptions. The owner of the foam shop came up with orthopedic. He said it
was what all of his professional upholstery folks used for RVs.

The owner let me feel the difference between N36 and the foam from my relatively new
Scamp cushion and the difference in feel was obvious.

If you go and ask an upholstery professional what they would use and why, you may
get some more complete answers and understanding.

When my son was refurbishing an old pop-up, I reminded him of a camping friend who was
now in the upholstery business. She used N36 in his new cushions and he said they slept
great. I told him that in our new Scamp we didn't seem to be that comfortable.

I asked our friend where she got the foam for my son's cushions and she gave me the name
of the foam shop.

I am not an expert in this area. I just know that the recommendations that these folks gave me now appear to be spot on. There definitely appears to be better choices than the stock foam
that came in my new Scamp.

As always, YMMV. 😉

Good luck on your own search! 😀

Ray


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[rdickens]

Wendy & Jon

I guess that the real takeaway from my post/report is that a mattress topper
doesn't appear to be the one and only solution to a good night's sleep
in a Scamp. It is not necessarily the specific N36 designation of the
foam that I used.

Even foams with the same N36 designation could have different IFD
numbers and different levels of comfort.

I heard my son's report of a good night's sleep, consulted an upholstery
professional, consulted a foam professional, and then actually borrowed
one of my son's pop-up cushions and took a nap on it (on our living room
floor). If I had not been able to borrow my son's mattress, the owner of
the foam store offered to let me take a stock/uncut N36 foam slab
(and/or other stock slabs) home and try them out before purchasing.

The dinette/bed cushions have to be firm and supportive enough to sit on
as well as sleep on. If they are really much softer for sleeping, they might
be too soft for sitting. I guess it requires a good balance.
Another YMMV.

In addition to consulting professionals, if you do research like I did, you
can find some pretty good explanations on YouTube and Google/Bing/Yahoo.
See below.

http://youtu.be/ps9zFOZNYM4

http://youtu.be/HeMU7oh_kXg

So .... That's my story. Only time may tell the true value of my solution.
In the meantime, we have had at least a week's worth of much better
sleep ... without using a topper.

Very seriously ..... YMMV.

I'm just reporting on my own preliminary experience.

Best of luck to you!

Ray



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[CampyTime]

Ray,

I'm at upholstery shop now locally. Would you be willing to ask your local shop if there is a brand name for the foam and what it's compression is? My guy here works with Ultra Foam and if you could see who the manufacturer is of yours and the density and compression, I'd appreciate it. The foam he showed me is ultra foam, 2.6 density 35 lb compression, medium. I don't want to go ahead without trying to find a comparable product here. Thanks for any help!

Sincerely,
Wendy


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[rdickens]

Density is 34 to 40. IFD is 1.75 to 1.85.
It is a high quality Poly foam .... Not latex.
He wasn't familiar with the brand name "Ultrafoam".

Good luck! 😊

Ray


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[rdickens]

Oops!
I hope I didn't get those numbers reversed?
Ask if you can try out an uncut slab overnight?
Maybe you can get something even better than what I used .... Fingers crossed! 😃
Ray


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