memory foam mattress in cold RV

[RV_daytrader]

I am going to replace the mattress in my class C and have to decide on memory foam or a high density regular foam....I camp in temperatures down to 25 degrees and do not use any heat when sleeping, so the inside temp can be 30 degrees by morning. Question is, will the memory foam warm up enough if I am in a sleeping bag to soften up or will it stay hard cause the sleeping bag is not letting enough heat reach the mattress?

[sowego]

Memory foam toppers and mattresses will get rock hard in cold weather and it doesn't have to be that cold to get very firm and take a long time to heat up. We found the best option was to heat up 2 to 4 rice bags in the microwave then put them in the bed, 2 near the middle, 2 at the feet. Do this about 15 min before going to sleep and the bed will be cozy. I made the rice bags out of knit fabric from T-shirts I used for memory quilt. I used 1 quart rice for each bag...1 minute for each bag in the microwave will get them hot enough for the bed. I you don't sew you can use the center portion of a t-shirt, cut off arms and neck square and knot one end, add rice and knot the other. For smaller rice bags use socks, again knotted to keep in the rice. Use long cooking rice not minute rice.

[RV_daytrader]

thanks for the replies...I think with the way I camp (off grid and no heat at night) regular HD foam is the way to go.

[ksbowman]

We plug the electric blanket in for a couple hours before we go to bed and the memory foam warms right up and is very comfortable when we crawl in.

[MNtundraRet]

I guess the moral of the story is that it works better in a motor-home which is heated somewhat while traveling. Not so good for unheated trailer.

[Geocritter]

I used a 3" thick memory foam pad for camping in my the back of my Caravan in 25 degree weather last winter in northern AZ. During the night the damn stuff turned into brick. Never again!

[slickest1]

Years ago when we had our fiver and lived in Alberta we put a memory foam mattress in it. The temperature dropped to -35 celcius and we hooked on to the trailer and were headed south. We got to Great Falls Montana and stopped for the night and got in the trailer and started the furnace. It didn't take long for the trailer to warm up.
Later we went to go to bed and discovered the mattress was froze solid and cold. We piled extra blankets on top and spent a cool night on that brick. It did soften up after 5 or 6 hrs.
The next year we pre heated the trailer for a day before we left and all was good. We still laugh about it.
We now have a memory foam in our MH.

[Oasisbob]

My wife complains the memory foam is too hot. Even in the winter. It is interesting to read folks differing responses.

[MNtundraRet]

I should have noted we ussually allow the temperature to drop inside to drop inside to the low 50's or high 40's if camping on battery power. We then run the furnace to bring temperature up to 75F. You can conserve battery(s) by only restarting the furnace when you need more heat.

Allowing furnace to cycle normally is a real battery killer. We have done this for years without a problem.

[kohai]

This website covers a ton of information about materials used in mattresses and the different types of memory foam.

The Mattress Underground

Click the menu item "Our Articles" and you will see the topics.

[RoyB]

I was going to say the same thing as TIMMAC. I have 3-inch memory foam on top of my thin POPUP trailer mattress. I also have memory foam pillows... They get hard as a rock when the temp gets down to below 30 degrees. The memory foam on the bed allows us to settle down inside them when sleeping and when it gets below 30 degrees it forms a hard depression where we was laying.

It does jump back to life however as soon as you start getting heat going...

Maybe there is different types of memory foam...

Roy Ken

[timmac]

Memory foam will get hard in the cold, mine does but when I run the heater is softens up, don't see a issue sleeping on it when its cold, it will still work on the area you are sleeping but the rest of the bed will get hard.

Why are you camping in 25 degrees, turn on that heater.. :B

[MNtundraRet]

The memory-foam will work with a sleeping bag on top.

We added a memory-foam pad with a poly-fill topper on top of our original mattress in our Class C. We use a queen size TraverSak (like a sleeping bag with removable sheet inside).

The extra padding made the bed extremely confortable and your body will conform to the memory-foam pad. We can be comfortable sleeping with lower temperatures overnight in the motor-home. I now longer need socks sleeping when temperature drops below 32F outside.