Best RV Mattress: Reviews and Buyer’s Guide

Recreational vehicles, shortened to RVs, are a popular way to travel the country. Some people reserve them for occasional trips, while others enjoy a mobile home’s flexibility and use an RV full-time.

Whether your stay in an RV is temporary or permanent, it’s important to sleep on a quality mattress. The best mattresses for an RV should match the comfort of your typical stay-at-home mattress. You should wake up refreshed and eager to explore the great outdoors.

Best RV Mattresses

With a 4.7-star rating averaged from more than 6,600 customer reviews, the Amerisleep AS3 easily slid into our top spot for the most recommended RV mattress. You don’t have to take just our word for how great the mattress feels— you can read testimonials from thousands of customers.

The Amerisleep AS3 is 12 inches tall and contains three foam layers in a soft, breathable cover. Its medium feel is well-matched for side and combo sleepers. However, if this isn’t you, Amerisleep offers plenty more mattresses. Their AS2 mattress offers firmer support for back and stomach sleeping, while the AS4 is softer, which may be more comfortable if you’re petite.

The first layer is Bio-Pur® foam, a material exclusive to Amerisleep. The company produces Bio-Pur® by replacing some of the petroleum used to make memory foam with plant-based chemicals. Not only does this create a more breathable and responsive foam, but it also makes Bio-Pur® a more sustainable material than traditional memory foam.

Its breathable design ensures you don’t wake up in the middle of the night on a too hot mattress. Bio-Pur® foam also snaps back into shape within seconds, making it easy to get out of bed in the morning.

The middle layer is 2 inches of Affinity foam with HIVE® technology. HIVE technology consists of hundreds of hexagons cut into the foam, with the hexagons grouped differently across five zones.

The hexagonal cutouts in the head, back, and feet area are spaced close together to minimize contouring and sinkage, increasing these areas’ support. Cutouts in the shoulder and hips area are farther apart so they can expand and create a cushion for sensitive joints.

The base layer is 7 inches of Bio-Core® foam, a sag-resistant material. Bio-Core®’s sturdiness is the main reason Amerisleep offers a generous warranty with every mattress.

Every Amerisleep mattress has met CertiPUR-US®’s safe manufacturing standards. The company produces mattresses without using ozone depleters, formaldehyde, heavy metals, and other potentially harmful materials.

All Amerisleep mattresses come with a 100-night sleep trial and free returns. The trial starts once the mattress arrives at your home, providing a few months for you to make sure the bed feels right.

An Amerisleep mattress is also backed by a 20-year warranty. For the first 10 years, all claims are fully covered by the company. For the next 10 years, you will bear a portion of repair or replacement costs.

Long days spent on the road can sap your energy, particularly if you’re the type of person who takes advantage of outdoor activities. If you need to recover fast and soothe any aches from an active lifestyle, the Zoma Mattress might be the bed for you. Its materials minimize sleep interruptions, ensuring you experience a full night of restorative sleep.

The 12-inch Zoma Mattress contains three foam layers. The mattress cover is a ventilated fabric known as AirCloth that makes it easy for air to circulate through the mattress. The bed’s CertiPUR-US® certification shows it was made without potentially harmful chemicals.

The first layer is 2 inches of gel-infused memory foam. The memory foam molds under your body for pressure and pain relief. The cooling gels disperse any heat your mattress absorbs, ensuring it doesn’t accumulate and wake you prematurely.

The memory foam layer also includes Zoma’s exclusive Triangulex™ technology. Zoma places hundreds of triangular cutouts in the mattress’s head and foot, while the torso area remains free of cutouts. This design creates a smooth, uncompromising feel in the midsection for back support, while the top and bottom conform better and offer more pressure relief because of the cutouts.

The transition layer is 2 inches of Reactiv™ foam, a springy material. Reactiv™ increases the mattress’s responsiveness, allowing it to keep up with your movements. Customers commend the Zoma Mattress because they never feel trapped in the mattress or wake up with a sore back from an unsupportive surface.

The last layer is 8 inches of Support+ foam, a sturdy material ensuring the mattress continues to stand strong after years of use.

Purchase of a Zoma Mattress includes free shipping and returns, a 100-night sleep trial, and a 10-year warranty.

If you’re the type of person who enjoys hiking and other sporty activities, or you plan to travel through warm climates, the Zoma Hybrid is an excellent way to make sure you get a good night’s rest. The mattress’s cooling gels, hundreds of cutouts, and airy coils discourage heat retention and sleep interruptions.

Compared to the Zoma Mattress we mentioned earlier, the Zoma Hybrid has more of a medium-soft feel. They both contain gel memory foam and are great for alleviating pain, but the Zoma Hybrid contains pocketed coils, not Support+ foam.

The Zoma Hybrid is 12 inches tall and consists of four layers. Customers love it for soothing pain after working long hours, working out, or dealing with chronic health conditions. The bed features, an elastic AirCloth cover encases the bed’s layers to promote a breathable, cool surface, a feature great for hot sleepers.

The top layer is 2 inches of gel memory foam with zoned support. Cutouts across the mattress’s head and foot, increasing the bed’s flexibility for greater contouring. Since the middle of the foam has not cutouts, it remains firm to support the lumbar spine and reduce misalignment.

The middle layer is 2 inches of Reactiv™ foam, a buoyant material that minimizes harmful sinkage. Without Reactiv™, you might feel stuck in the mattress or misalign your spine.

The support layer is 7 inches of pocketed coils, with every spring wrapped to absorb your movements at the point of impact. An inch of firm foam rests underneath the coils, providing structure for long-lasting durability. Extra supportive coils also run on the bed’s sides, creating edge support.

The Zoma Hybrid includes a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.

Buying a new mattress can be a costly endeavor, but you don’t have to break your budget to sleep on a quality mattress. The 12-inch thick Vaya Mattress keeps costs low without sacrificing quality and comfort. The bed possesses a basic two-layer design that is nonetheless effective at supporting all sleeping styles.

The mattress’s top layer is 3 inches of Vaya Comfort Foam, a material designed to cushion and support you in any sleep position. The foam regains its shape quickly after you move away, and the lightweight structure promotes air circulation to wick away body heat. The breathable cover further ensures a cool mattress surface.

The bottom layer is 9 inches of supportive Vaya Base Foam. The base foam’s stability provides the consistent support needed to ease pressure points and maintain healthy spinal alignment. Both foam layers have a safe manufacturing guarantee of a CertiPUR-US® certification.

If all-foam mattresses aren’t for you, Vaya also offers the Vaya Hybrid. It has a similarly affordable price and contains Vaya Comfort Foam. However, its pocketed coils provide lots of bounce and extra breathability, which you may want when traveling in hotter climates.

Every Vaya Mattress is backed by a 10-year warranty that covers sagging over 0.75 inches. You have 100 nights to try out a Vaya Mattress after it arrives at your home. Your purchase of a Vaya Mattress also includes one or two free pillows, depending on what bed size you choose.

Bear has branched out from their normal mattresses, offering a bed that’s specifically designed to fit the dimensions of an RV’s bunk. While Bear’s other mattresses, the Bear Original, Pro, and Hybrid, can all technically work in an RV, the Bear RV Mattress is best engineered for the tight living space.

The Bear RV Mattress is 8 inches thick mattress, has three foam layers, and is encased in a Celliant® cover. The bed is only available in a medium-firm feel. Based on customer feedback, the Bear RV Mattress is great for relieving pain and worlds better than the mattresses RVs normally come with.

The mattress’s first layer is an inch of memory foam with a graphite gel infusion. The graphite gel moves heat away from you, limiting sleep disturbances. Next is an inch of transition foam that helps the bed respond to your movements, and last is 6 inches of support foam.

The Celliant® woven into the mattress cover not only wicks away the heat your body gives off but converts it into infrared energy that you can then absorb. This infrared energy improves your local blood flow, which can improve tissue recovery and ensure you feel refreshed the next morning. Celliant® can keep you feeling energized and ready to go when you’re on the road.

The Bear RV mattress is available in RV bunk, RV queen, and RV king sizes. You have 100 nights to try out the mattress and the security of a 10-year warranty.

Dynasty specializes in a wide variety of mattresses, including standard mattresses, sofa mattresses, and RV mattresses. Their best-selling standard mattress, the CoolBeeze, is also available for RVs and comes in three thicknesses. You can choose a 10-inch, 12-inch, or 14.5-inch model. We have chosen to discuss the 12-inch model because it’s the company’s most popular RV mattress, with more than 2,500 reviews and lots of praise from customers.

The CoolBreeze comes in three firmnesses: medium-firm, firm, and extra-firm. We recommend the medium-firm bed to back sleepers and petite stomach sleepers. The firm bed is best for stomach sleepers and back sleepers looking for a little extra support. If you prefer a very solid, stiff mattress similar to floor sleeping, we recommend the extra-firm.

The mattress is composed of four foam layers:

• 3 inches of gel memory foam, which disperses heat across the surface and eases pressure points.
• 2 inches of foam designed to promote airflow.
• Another 2 inches of breathable foam.
• 5 inches of sturdy foam to support the mattress and maintain its structure.

The mattress is CertiPUR-US® certified and backed by a 30-year limited warranty. You have 120 days to test out the mattress and return it for a full refund.

The Dynasty CoolBreeze RV mattress comes in a variety of sizes. You can pick an RV king or a USA RV queen, along with more standard sizes such as twin, twin XL, full, full XL, queen, king, California king, and split king.

The short queen mattress from Best Price Mattress is our go-to recommendation for anyone who wants a simple, inexpensive mattress to sleep on as they travel. With over 16,000 reviews and 4.5 out of 5 stars, customers describe the bed as being supportive but not painfully firm.

The Best Price Mattress Memory Foam Mattress comes in 6, 10, 12, and 14-inch profiles, but we focus on the 6-inch mattress today. If you weigh more than 250 pounds, Best Price Mattress recommends you consider their thicker options. The bed’s thin profile doesn’t make it a good mattress for heavy people and can bottom out, leading to pain. Best Price Mattress recommends their Supreme Memory Foam Mattress for larger people.

Though the CertiPUR-US® certified bed has a low height, Best Price Mattress says it delivers a floating feeling that’s not unlike lying on a cloud. The memory foam evenly distributes weight and relieves pressure points. Green tea is infused into the mattress, wicking away heat and providing a calming effect.

Best Price Mattress does not appear to offer a sleep trial, but their bed is backed by a 10-year warranty.

SEE ALSO: Best Mattress for a Lightweight Person

RV Mattress Sizes

You’re probably already familiar with standard mattress sizes, but if you’re new to camping, you may not know that RV mattress sizes often differ from the usual bed sizes. Many RV mattresses are shorter in length, width, and height than a typical mattress. The beds are also usually lighter than a standard mattress to minimize drag on your camper, travel trailer, or motorhome for better fuel economy.

RV mattress sizes aren’t as standardized as normal mattresses sizes. Before you purchase any mattress, you should double-check its dimensions and make sure it will fit in your bed frame.

Bunk beds are common in vehicles intended for the entire family; these family vehicles may also have a queen or even king size bed frame in the main sleeping area. Twin size mattresses are often in campers or pop-ups, while full size mattresses are most commonly found in sofa beds.

There’s also trailer beds or truck bed mattresses, designed to be laid out in the back of a pickup truck. Like RV mattresses, truck bed mattresses come in a wide range of sizes. Some are as long as 8 feet, while others are as short as 5 feet.

Types of RV Mattresses

While innerspring mattresses once dominated the market, nowadays, there is a wealth of choices when it comes to RV mattress choices. We shall discuss six mattress types—foam, memory foam, latex, innerspring, hybrid, and air mattresses.

Foam

Many RV mattresses come with a basic polyurethane foam mattress. They’re often about half a foot thick, with a firm feeling that many sleepers find uncomfortable. Because the beds are thin and made with inexpensive foams, they usually don’t last as long as a thicker, high-quality mattress would.

If you don’t want to sleep on a basic foam mattress, you can increase its comfort without replacing it. Simply upgrade it with your choice of mattress topper.

Memory Foam

Memory foam is a wonderful material for an RV mattress. Not only is the material conforming enough to ease the aches and pains that build up when you’re traveling, but the average memory foam is dense enough to keep allergens from penetrating the bed.

If you need a hideaway mattress for a Murphy bed inside your vehicle, memory foam is also the best choice. It’s lighter than latex foam and resists slumping better than a spring mattress does when placed upright all day.

However, make sure you check what cooling features a memory foam mattress has before you buy it. Traditional memory foam could retain too much body heat and cause sleep disturbances. Many manufacturers solve the problem by adding cooling gels to dissipate heat.

Memory foam beds are usually reasonably priced, with many excellent mattresses costing under $1,000. High-quality memory foam mattresses often last about a decade.

Latex

Latex foam mattresses are an excellent choice for anyone who wants to sleep on an all-natural bed. Many latex mattresses are certified organic and contain other natural ingredients such as cotton and wool. Natural latex mattresses are resilient enough to withstand years of use, but many are too heavy to easily lift into an RV’s bunk.

Synthetic latex mattresses are also available, but they lack a genuine latex mattress’s durability and sustainability. However, synthetic latex beds can be a good option if you want a bouncy foam mattress without paying the high costs for a natural latex bed.

Innerspring

Innerspring mattresses have a simple design. Most of the bed consists of a steel coil system, with foam and fabric covering the mattress’s top and bottom. Some innerspring mattresses include a pillow top for added comfort.

The average innerspring mattress isn’t a good choice if you’re looking for a mattress that can pull out and fold away in your RV. Folding an innerspring mattress for an extended time can damage its support and compromise its comfort. An all-foam mattress is usually the better choice for a hideaway bed.

Hybrid

A hybrid mattress is essentially a fusion of an innerspring and foam mattress’s best qualities. The bouncy coils are often more responsive than a stiff foam base. The 2 to 3 inches of foam topping the bed usually provide more cushion and pressure relief than the typical innerspring mattress.

Though hybrids are comfortable, you might want to consider your sleeping space before you choose one. Hybrids are often one of the heavier bed types, so you may struggle to lift it into an overhead bunk.

Air Mattress

Air mattresses span a wide price range. There are the basic models meant for visiting guests or camping that can cost a few hundred dollars at most. There are also high-quality airbeds with smart technology that often cost a few thousand dollars.

If you choose an air mattress, make sure it’s specifically designed for an RV. You’ll also want to keep a patch kit on hand if you need to fix a leak in an air mattress.

Choosing the Right RV Mattress Firmness

Every sleeper has a firmness best suited for them, based on their sleeping position and body weight.

Sleeping Positions

Your favorite sleeping position determines the ratio of cushion and support you need. Side sleepers benefit from a soft mattress to prevent pressure points. Stomach and back sleepers do better on a firm mattress for spine support.

Side Sleeping

Most people prefer to sleep on their sides, rather than on their backs or stomachs. A mattress for side sleeping should possess a soft to medium feel for maximum pressure relief. If a side sleeper’s mattress doesn’t provide enough pressure relief, they are more likely to wake up with stiff shoulders and hips.

Many RV mattresses feel firm because they are quite thin. A side sleeper who consistently wakes up in pain may need to adjust their mattress’s feel with a memory foam mattress topper.

Back Sleeping

Back sleeping is one of the best positions when it comes to good sleep posture. When you lie down, your body should mimic your posture when you’re standing straight.

A good mattress for back sleeping usually falls in the medium-firm to firm range. However, medium mattresses with targeted lumbar support can provide back sleepers with a plush experience.

Stomach Sleeping

We do not recommend stomach sleeping because the position is linked to chronic neck pain and back pain. However, if you enjoy the position, it’s important to make sure you have a supportive mattress.

A mattress for stomach sleeping needs to have a firm, buoyant feel. A too-soft mattress can encourage your stomach to sink in deeply, which stretches the spine out of neutral alignment.

Bodyweight

Your weight determines how much pressure you place on a mattress. Mattresses often feel softer under greater pressure, which is why we recommend plus-size sleepers choose firm mattresses.

Conversely, petite people need a soft mattress. People who weigh under 130 pounds often don’t press down enough to experience pressure relief. A soft mattress provides a more conforming cushion than a firm or even a medium mattress.

Miscellaneous Mattress Considerations

There’s more to review in an RV bed than what type of mattress you want and what the best firmness for you is. It’s smart to also think about how much it weighs, how much noise it might make, and how well it keeps out allergens.

Weight

How much your mattress weighs is an important consideration for two reasons—it affects how portable the RV mattress is and can make or break your gas mileage. If you have a lofted bed frame, it can be difficult to lift a heavy mattress like a latex or hybrid bed high enough.

Noise

RVs are often a communal space for a group of travelers, which means you don’t want a noisy mattress that keeps you and everyone else up when you’re trying to sleep. Foam mattresses are near-silent even if you toss and turn, while a bed with coils may squeak after a few years of use.

Allergen Resistance

An RV mattress faces a greater risk of accumulating allergens than the average bedroom mattress. Pests, mold spores, pollen, dust, and dirt are far more likely to slip through an RV’s door or window and travel a short distance to your sleeping area. A mattress for allergies with hypoallergenic features can keep out these irritants for a clean night’s rest.

If you’re traveling through a damp climate or if your RV can feel humid, you will also want to look into mold-resistant mattresses. Mold and mildew is especially important to limit in your RV, as it’s quick to grow and spread and can cause serious breathing issues.

You may also want to consider slipping your mattress inside a protector to keep out moisture, dust mites, and more. Some companies sell mattress protectors in specialty RV sizes, though it may require a search of online mattress shops to find one suitable for you.

Consider a Mattress Topper

Most RVs come with a mattress already in place, although they often aren’t the most comfortable beds. Perhaps you don’t want to throw out a serviceable mattress, but you do want a more comfortable night’s rest. You can upgrade your sleeping area with a mattress topper, which costs a fraction of what a new mattress does.

Toppers are around a few inches thick and can make a pullout or sofa bed feel more comfortable while still allowing you to stow the bed away when it’s not in use. A topper is also a good way to dress up a built-in mattress that’s not easily removed.

Be careful to choose a topper and not a mattress pad. Though the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, a true mattress pad slips over the bed like a fitted sheet. The pad can provide a touch more cushion, though not as much as a topper.

Packing Your RV

A new mattress shouldn’t be the only item on your camping checklist. After you’ve made sure your sleeping area is comfortable, you’ll want to make sure you have:

• An emergency kit with items such as road flares, first aid essentials, and an ice-scraper.
• Water and electric connection equipment, such as a hose for drinking water and a water pressure gauge and regulator. Similarly, you’ll want a quality sewer hose.
• While not necessary, foldable outdoor furniture is convenient if you like to sit outside the RV and relax at a camping spot.
• Towels and various linens.
• Comforting amenities like a favorite cup or a novel you love to re-read.

You’ll also want to make sure you don’t overpack since added weight can affect how well your RV runs. Perhaps most important is to keep from loading an assortment of pots and pans. A medium-sized pot, a basic pan, and a baking sheet if you have an oven should suffice for a trip.

Don’t bring too many clothes. This is especially important if you’re sharing the RV with other campers because you don’t want to be the person who takes up most of the shared closet space.

Avoid packing too many toiletries. You’ll most likely be able to pick up anything you need at a grocery store along the way or near your campsite. The exception to this rule is sunscreen, which you can never have too much of when camping. People with sensitive skin may even want to bring a separate sunscreen for their faces.

You’ll also want to bring a bottle or two of distilled water if you’re relying on a CPAP machine for camping. Our guide to camping with CPAP goes into all you need to consider to keep your machine in good shape.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use a regular mattress in an RV?

It depends on your RV. Smaller campers may require a special RV mattress, while a motorhome can often accommodate a traditional bed.

While there are some commonly accepted RV sizes, frame sizes can vary wildly by RV model. Measure your RV’s bunk area to make sure the bunk bed mattress you choose will comfortably fit.

How can I make my RV mattress more comfortable?

Do you struggle to fall asleep on your RV mattress? You don’t have to replace it entirely for a good night’s sleep. You can supplement it with a mattress topper to add more cushion and support.

Cover the bed with high-quality, breathable bed sheets and a pile of pillows for a truly luxurious sleep experience. If your RV bed juts out from the wall, you may want to improvise a pillow barrier to keep from smacking your head against the wall.

How do I get my mattress to stop squeaking?

If you have a creaking spring mattress, there are a few things you can do for a noise-free night’s rest:

• Try rotating and flipping the mattress. These actions will change how your weight is distributed across the mattress, which may be enough to silence noisy springs. Just double-check if your mattress is flippable.
• Check that it’s the bed that’s squeaking and not the RV itself. You may need to move the mattress to oil the frame or tighten a bolt or screw. You can also place some fabric padding between the mattress and the frame or add support to the frame with cinder blocks or plywood.
• If all else fails, replace the mattress. Squeaky coils are an inevitable part of an aging spring mattress.

If you’re a light sleeper who’s kept awake by the squeaking of a traditional innerspring mattress, you might want to consider an all-foam mattress for a quieter night’s rest.

What is the difference between an RV mattress and a regular mattress?

Specialty RV mattresses are usually thinner, shorter, or narrower than the average mattress. Many RV mattresses also have curved edges or other shapes outside of the standard rectangular mattress. Finally, RV mattresses are often purposefully lighter than regular mattresses to help ensure the RV isn’t too weighed down for travel.

None of that means you can’t put a standard mattress inside your RV. You just need to make sure its dimensions fit in the sleeping area, and the bed isn’t heavy enough to drag down your RV.

Where can I buy RV sheets?

Because many RV mattresses have unusual dimensions, you can’t just buy a set of bedsheets in a corresponding size at your typical home goods store. However, you can use a set of regular sheets if you wish. Simply secure them with a set of elastic sheet clips so they stay in place.

Your local camping store may carry sheets sized for an RV mattress, or you can check online stores that sell camping equipment.

How do I keep my RV warm in the winter?

Camping in winter can be quite relaxing, but it also means combating the inconveniences of cold weather. Making sure your RV is properly insulated is one of the best ways to stay warm:

• Check the RV’s weather stripping around the doors and the windows’ seals and caulking.
• Windows should be covered with films and reflective foils. You can hang up heavy drapes to keep out drafts.
• Layer the floors with foam board flooring or rugs to keep the chill from penetrating through the vehicle’s underside.
• Place RV skirting around the base to keep chilly winds from freezing water tanks and causing other damage.

You can also stay warm while you sleep in an RV by bundling up under a heavy comforter.

Conclusion

Road trips and camping can provide you with unforgettable memories. However, you’ll likely want to remember years from now how wonderful the scenery looked or how thrilling it was to adventure outdoors instead of remembering how uncomfortable your RV mattress felt. It’s important to have the right mattress so you start your day off well.

A good RV mattress should feel supportive and comfortable. It should contain durable, hypoallergenic materials that allow it to withstand wear and tear and mild exposure to the elements.

Dr. Burns tests each mattress at eachnight’s facility to make sure the recommendations are based on real, expert reviews.