We all love the freedom that getting into a campervan and driving off gives you. But let’s face it, sometimes, just sometimes, do you find that your sleeping arrangements might be less than you desired? We don’t mean who you happen to be with, naturally. We are talking about the bed in your campervan. I mean, it’s great that you have one and it’s terribly clever how it fits in, but it’s just not that comfortable. So how do you make camper van beds more comfortable?
The first thing to consider is the surface you sleep on. If your vehicle comes with a fixed bed (for example, like that seen in the Malibu Genius 641 LE seen in the image below) but several years old, chances are your mattress could be well past its use by date, even if you own one of the best campervans. Many campervan mattresses, especially older ones, are made of relatively thin foam that does not last very long. Tell-tale signs that it is coming to the end of its useful life are lumps or sagging appearing, or just you waking up and aching.
It might be possible simply to change your current mattress for one made of superior foam, including memory foam, or better still a hybrid.
Of course, it might not be possible to replace the “mattress” in your campervan because it is made up out of the seats you either fold or piece together. (Although it is worth pointing out here that there are campervans on the market that have mattresses that are completely separate of any rock’n’roll mechanism, the VW Caddy California and the Panama P12 both being good examples.)
If that applies to your van, or if you feel you can’t rise to the cost of a whole new mattress, the good news is there are still methods you can try if you’re wondering how to make your camper beds more comfortable. You could considerably improve the situation by investing in the best mattress topper for a VW campervan. These cost considerably less than a whole new mattress, and can now be bought to fit the shape of most campervan beds, including island beds and French beds with a variety of cut offs, as well as thicknesses ranging from 1 to 3 inches.
You can get memory foam mattress toppers too, which conform to your body shape and relieve pressure points.
And if you are likely to be doing a lot of touring in winter, a woollen thermal topper should keep you more snug. Do bear in mind, however, that if you tend to feel hot at night (and campervans, even in winter, can be very confined places, particularly if you follow our tips on how to keep a campervan warm in winter) foam tends to retain heat more than other materials, so you might prefer to go for a cool gel infused mattress topper.
If you do end up splashing out on a whole new mattress, you might want to consider adding a mattress protector too. Rather than make the mattress surface more comfortable, these are designed to protect the whole mattress so they usually have elasticated skirts that you fit underneath. They are not just there to protect your new purchase from stains and spills, however: they also usually act as a barrier against dust mites and other allergens that can disrupt your sleep.
With all these extra layers, and in fact with any bed linen you bring with you, it usually pays to spend a bit more and definitely go for ones made of natural more breathable fabrics like cotton and wool.
As with mattresses, it is also almost always a good idea if possible to go for base sheets at least that are cut to fit the bed in your campervan. You can often get specially made upholstery from the company that makes your campervan, but even if not, or if your campervan is many years old, there are companies out there, such as Tuck Me Under, who can make bespoke bedding to fit. Believe me, few things are more irritating in a campervan at night time than badly fitting sheets that keep sliding or pinging off.
As for what you put on top of you, I have always thought that as campervans are a step up from tents, you should really have enough space and payload (see: motorhome weights for more on the payload) to go for a duvet, rather than a sleeping bag. But if you feel you really should go for the latter, try and get one that zips completely open, so that you can use it as a duvet in hot weather. Watch out for the cold patches caused by the zips, though.
So what about other ways of making sure bedtime in your campervan is comfortable? Knowing how to keep cool in a campervan can help here, with ventilation playing an important part – and remember that to get the best results you need a through draft, not just an open window. So opening the windows either side of the rear lounge you turn into a bed, for example, will have much more effect than just opening the sun roof. Most windows in modern campervans tend to come with flyscreens, so you shouldn’t be inviting the critters in. Just remember to shut the windows again in the morning if you are heading out for a walk, for security.
My final tip for those of you who are wondering how to make camper beds more comfortable is to have a look at what you wear to bed. Try not to go for anything too restrictive. If you start feeling like you are cooped up in a campervan, it will only feel worse if you also feel like you are tied up in too tight pyjamas. Go for something loose, but do wear something – clothes help to wick sweat away, so you are only going to feel hotter if you opt to go au naturel. Sweet dreams.
Something else you can do when you’re pitched up to improve your experience is ensure you achieve a flat ‘van – take a look at my guide to how to level a motorhome for my top tips to help you achieve a level pitch.
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