Like most outdoor enthusiasts, when I started camping I was sleeping in my tent. I spent months traveling the country sleeping on the ground in a childrens-sized sleeping bag that didn’t go past my shoulders. I had no blackout curtains, no battery powered fans and definitely no memory foam pad to keep me sleeping soundly through the night. I bought my first travel trailer a few years later and never looked back. Being able to climb into a real bed after a long day of kayaking, fishing and swimming in a new place is an unparalleled experience. Not to mention, driving long hours can really take a toll on your body. If you’re not getting the best sleep, it can make the next day’s haul a miserable, and even dangerous, experience. Most new RVs on the market come with a stock mattress that’s more economical than it is comfortable. One of the easiest upgrades you can make to your RV for increased comfort is buying a new mattress.
If your RV bed frame fits a regular twin, full, king or queen size mattress your shopping experience should be fairly simple. RV mattresses are different from regular mattresses because they are designed to be lightweight and, in most cases, smaller than your typical mattress to maximize space in your RV. This can make it tough to shop for a new mattress with bedding and sheets that fit properly. There are standard RV sizes for mattresses, but there are also several RVs that have their own unique mattress sizing. With all the unique RV layouts and new lightweight RVs on the market, it’s important to get accurate measurements and avoid relying on the standard RV mattress sizes when shopping around.
Step 1:
Measure your current mattress
- Be sure to jot down the depth, width and length of the mattress (and double measuring never hurts)
Step 2:
Measure the mattress area space or “bed frame”
- This will help ensure that what you buy will fit snugly into your RV’s sleeping space
Common RV Mattress Dimensions:
Twin: 39×75
Twin XL: 39×80
Full: 54×75
Short full: 48×74
Queen: 60×80
Short queen: 60×74
Olympic queen: 66×80
King: 76×80
Short King: 72×75
California King: 72×84
RV King:
70×74
70×80
72×80
RV Bunk:
28×75
30×75
30×80
32×74
34×75
35×79
42×80
Step 3:
Check the Cargo Carrying Capacity (CCC) on your RV owner’s manual
For most rigs, mattress weight shouldn’t be a problem. But if you’re towing an ultra lightweight travel trailer and typically haul a lot of gear, you’ll want to make sure your mattress doesn’t max out your CCC
Step 4:
Decide what kind of mattress are you looking for
Not all mattresses fall into one category, but if you know what kind of mattress you’re most comfortable sleeping on, it can narrow down your search:
- Traditional spring mattress
- Foam mattress
- Cooling mattress
- Air mattress
- Hybrid mattress
Foam mattresses are the most popular in the RVing community for a few reasons
1. They’re lightweight and more durable than most air mattresses
2. You can use an electric knife to cut foam mattresses to fit your RV sleeping space if you have unique dimensions to fit
Most popular RV mattresses:
Sleep Number RV
Has 2 standard RV sizes available
Cost: $1,200 – $2,500
Mattress Insider
Sells standard RV sizes and makes custom mattress sizes
Cost: $199 – $469
Denver Mattress Co.
Sells truck sleepers, tent mattresses and standard RV mattress sizes
Cost: $399 – $1,200
Dynasty Mattress
Sells standard RV sizes
Cost: $200 – $400
Bear RV Mattress
Sells RV King, RV Queen and RV Bunk sizes
Cost: $499 – $699
Zinus Memory Foam
Short queen size only
Cost: $154 – $599 depending on thickness
If you’re not looking to replace your entire mattress, there are some great mattress toppers and pads out there that can do the trick. Toppers are easier to trim down to a specific size that will fit your RV sleeping space, which means you can shop around for any mattress topper and not be limited to RV mattress sizes only. Some mattress toppers can be just as expensive as replacing the entire mattress, so be sure to weigh out the benefits before opting for a topper. The Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam is popular in the RVing community.
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