RE: Our aching backs!!!

[JemJen24]

 
Ok....I feel like I m spamming the forum, but I ve got another question (shocking, I know!).....
 
 After sleeping on, what Coleman supposedly refers to as " A mattress" , Friday night, Willard and I decided we need some MAJOR padding to sleep on next time.  I know I had read an idea of someone s about using those styrofoam egg thingies (love my lingo), but I wanted to know what has worked best for ya ll and what you would stay FAR away from.
 
 Also, Wayfare had a great idea on keeping wind out from the bed areas of the PU.  Does anyone else have a special little " Trick"  or knick knack that they use that helps them accomplish this?  
 
 Thanks for letting me pick your brains YET AGAIN!
 
 Jennifer

[topcat7736]

 JemJen24
Hi Jen,
 
 Since we only need one bunk, we double up the mattress for sleeping and use the no mattress one for storage. Sleeping bags, on top of the two mattresses, provide some additional comfort.
 
 To keep cold air out, we tightly roll up towels (longwise) and place them between the mattress & canvas (all the way around). We always take our 30 degree bags, which are fine especially with the new electric blanket. But, if you re camping in very cold conditions, you might want to take along a couple of below zero mummy bags. If you have a furnace, get a small fan to circulate the warm air through the bunkends (the furnace blows across to the wall & the heat goes straight up drawing the colder air in through the bunks and little cracks).

[wahoonc]

 JemJen24
Hi Jen,
 My solution was to install rigid board insualtion under the matteresses, this provides warmth as well as makes the bed more comfortable. The stuff I used was the blue Dow board that you buy at the local home improvment center. I belive to do both beds on my Niagara was under $30. Still working on the wind issue, but popups are not exactly air tight. []
 
 Aaron

[Miller Tyme]

 JemJen24
Egg crate mattresses work so well, we have them on our bed at home. We got ours at Wally World for about $14.[]
 As far as wind, don t you enjoy a gentle breeze in the summer?[]

[wssfetch]

 JemJen24
Jen,
 
 I put a layer of reflectix insulation (the puffy silvery stuff) under the bunk ends in colder weather.  That helps reflect heat back up through the mattress.  My camper has velcro holding the tenting around the the bunk ends and don t really have a problem with wind coming up through the bunk ends.  But I think that the rolled towel idea would probably work for you.  I have the egg crate foam on top of the mattresses with mattress pad on top.  In warmer weather I use an air mattress.
 
 Some people seem to enjoy sleeping right on the foam mattresses with no other padding, but I like soft beds so the more padding the better for me.

[tlhdoc]

 JemJen24
After six years of sleeping on PU mattresses we added egg crate foam to the beds last year.  We don t have a problem with cold air coming in from under the bunkend, but when it is cold putting a barrier (we use extra pillows) between your head and the tenting seems to help a lot.  The cold comes right through the tenting.  Using rolled up towels, blankets or clothing in between the mattress and the tenting would work for keeping out extra air.  Some people use air mattresses on their PU beds.

[luvourjayco]

 JemJen24
Instead of rolled towels to stop the wind try using pool noodles. These work great for keeping the canvas tighter and save the towel supply.

[JemJen24]

 JemJen24
wow! Great ideas!  Writing all this down...keep  em comin .
 
 J.

[Tracy and David]

 JemJen24
Yup, we had the same experience with out Coleman.  We went right out and bought an egg crate and it s MUCH better, with the added benefit of being warmer, too!  (Of course, we use an electric blanket under us as well!)
 
 I love the pool noodles idea!  We ll have to give that a try.

[Tim5055]

 JemJen24
Well, I don t think this is just a Coleman issue as I have seen " mods"  on all makes.
 
 We agree, the " matress"  leaves a lot to be desired.
 
 We use self inflating backpack matresses under the stock matress and egg crate fom on top.  Makes it very comfortable, take a look...
 
 
 [link=http://www.title-3.com/Bunk.htm]Our Bunk[/link]

[JemJen24]

 JemJen24
Tim...is there anything you DON T have listed on that website?! LOL  I think I need to go peruse it once again.  ha!
 
 Thanks for the idea on the Thermapad.  I looked on Ebay and they re auctioning a bunch of htem of at good prices.
 
 Jennifer

[Gone-Camping]

 JemJen24
That egg crate stuff is foam rubber, not styrofoam! It works, and add s about 1.5"  of " Softness"  on top of the mattress. I ve been using a giant air mattress with a 12 volt electric pump that I rigged up to plug right into the power jack in the ceiling lights. Once I make my move to the " next generation"  trailer (Probably a hybrid) I m going to order the " RestMate"  mattress toppers from Sears, they are a little thicker than eggcrate foam.

[GaryWT]

 JemJen24
We have never had a problem other than we did not like sleeping on just a sheet.  I open a sleeping bag up and then use a comforter as a cover, works great for us.  I never used anything around the edge, the furnace is fine.  Everything we have is an upgrade from our first popup.

[g-whiz]

 JemJen24
Hi JemJen!  I loved your lingo and will follow suit.  [][]  Underneath our mattress we have one of those shiny, silver space blankets.  Scott used duct tape to hold it in place.  We sleep in our sleeping bags which are made into one as we did not like using sheets and blankets.  In times of heavy winds (and we have been in some MAJOR wind chill), we use our cushions from the couch (we have the SeaPine with the U-shaped couch) and place them around the edges.  Of course if you are using your couch/dinette for sleeping that wouldn t work, but if not, WOW does it make a nice, cozy den.  Since it is just the two of us, we close off the other bunk end with the curtains to keep the heat in the main part of the cabin.  I didn t think it made that much difference until the next morning when I reached into that bunk end to get my clothes.  Brrrrrr, it makes a HUGE difference.  As for the mattress itself, so far we have no problems.

[JemJen24]

 JemJen24
G-whiz.....GREAT IDEA!  I never thought of using the seat cushons!  ha!!!  KEWL!