The Best Campervan Mattress For Every Sleeper

The bed in my van is literally the most comfortable bed I’ve ever had. I did a lot of research on the best campervan mattress before deciding what to purchase for my Ford Transit. After 4 years, I can say I’m really happy with my choice and I sleep like a baby.

While a campervan mattress is arguably one of the most important parts of your build (you’re going to sleep on it every night!) it doesn’t need to be the most expensive item in your van build. I spent around $200 for my DIY campervan mattress.

Of course, there are more expensive and fully custom options for campervan mattresses, too. After polling all my nomadic friends, I’m sharing the best mattresses for van life in this post!

In this article:

• The best campervan mattress options
• Campervan mattress sizes
• The best foam for a campervan bed – pro’s and con’s of each type
• How to make a DIY camper mattress (this is what I did)

The best foam mattress for a DIY campervan is something made of latex foam. Or, if you’re looking for an out-of-the-box solution, I recommend one of the semi custom van mattresses from RoamRest.

Best Campervan Foam Mattress

There is a wide variety of campervan mattresses – from DIY, to semi custom and fully custom. There didn’t used to be a ton of options for van mattresses, but the popularity of van life has lead to an increase in the number of options available today.

When I built my campervan, I didn’t have a large budget for the mattress in my van, so I went the DIY route. I’m really happy with how my mattress turned out – it’s comfy and it’s held up well for many years.

However, the fully custom mattress options from RoamRest are very enticing – if I were to build another van I would strongly consider one of these.

1. DIY Foam Campervan Mattresses

Each type of campervan mattress on this list has benefits and disadvantages. I’ve found that in general most van lifers choose a DIY foam mattress for their bed.

I cover how to make a DIY campervan mattress below. It’s also important to know that not all foam is created equal – so I also cover the different options for foam mattresses in your van.

The reason foam makes a great campervan mattress is because it can be easily cut to size and can fit a custom van layout perfectly.

Vans are usually weird dimensions. A standard, rectangular mattresses won’t fit the curves and cut outs.

The dimensions of my Ford Transit aren’t wide enough to fit a standard mattress side-to-side, so I needed to cut a few inches off the bottom of my campervan mattresses.

Because foam can be easily cut to custom dimensions it’s a perfect option for a campervan mattress. You don’t have to worry about stuffing or fiberglass (yes!! fiberglass is in some mattresses) spilling out.

Foam mattresses can also be extremely affordable, usually between $100-$500.

There are several options for foam mattresses in your van – a memory foam mattress is the best mix of comfort and cost, but a latex foam mattress will hold up better over time and be more comfortable in cold climates.

2. Fully Custom Van Mattress By RoamRest

Instead of making your own DIY van mattress you can buy a pre-made foam mattress that is customized to your specific van layout.

With a fully custom campervan mattress from RoamRest you get to decide the dimensions, which layers of foam density you’d like for your ultimate comfort (they can also make recommendations based on your sleep style), whether you want folds (like the tri-fold option in the photo below) or a no-fold mattress and you can pick a fabric that matches your vans esthetics.

This campervan mattress is best for really unusual layouts that require a highly customized mattress. However, it can be a bit pricy.

If you have a semi-standard van layout (like a rear bed in a Transit, ProMaster or Sprinter), I recommend you look at the semi-custom options below.

3. Semi Custom Van Mattress By RoamRest

The easiest and most cost-effective campervan mattress option is a semi custom van mattress from RoamRest.

RoamRest specializes in custom van mattresses and have many of the more common dimensions available, without needing to special order a fully custom size.

Because they’re a quality campervan mattress company their mattresses are designed to maximize comfort without unnecessary bulk.

Most traditional 5″ mattresses aren’t very comfortable, but RoamRest has created a 5″ foam campervan mattress that uses high quality materials to provide the same comfort you’d get with a thicker style mattress.

Additionally, RoamRest offers tri-fold and no-fold options in common campervan mattress sizes – including standard rear corner cutouts for Ford Transits, Ram ProMasters and Mercedes Sprinter dimensions.

While this isn’t a fully custom van mattress, it does offer a highly customizable campervan mattress size without the price tag or extended delivery timeline as the custom options above.

All RoamRest campervan mattresses are CertiPUR-US certified, made in the USA and come with a removable cover for easy cleaning.

Other Campervan Mattress Options

These are some additional options for campervan mattresses if a foam mattress isn’t your idea of a comfortable nights sleep.

While these are good options for comfy campervan mattresses, they’re less “adjustable” – meaning you can’t trim them to the specific size of your layout.

If your campervan layout can accommodate an as-is traditional mattress size then these will be great options!

4. Coil Campervan Mattress

A coil mattress (also known as an innerspring mattress) is a type of mattress that is made up of metal coils or springs that are arranged in a grid pattern.

This is the traditional type of mattress most people are familiar with.

These coils provide a more consistent level of comfort, and are topped with a layer of padding. Padding materials can be foam, cotton, or wool and provide an extra layer for comfort.

Coil mattresses have been a popular choice for many years, and they are available in a wide range of firmness levels, from ultra soft to extremely firm. I’ve even seen “marshmallow” as an option!

If you have back pain, or struggle to find a comfortable mattress for your sleep style then a coil mattress will offer the widest variety of options to suite your specific needs.

The downside to a coil campervan mattress is that it is very difficult to DIY and can be expensive to customize (often costing thousands of dollars).

Most van’s cannot accommodate a standard mattress if your bed is positioned side-to-side. The mattress is about 5″ too long to fit the width of most vans.

However, if you plan to position your bed front-to-back then most vans can accommodate a full or queen sized standard mattress.

5. Futon Style Campervan Mattress

Having a futon in your van creates a lot of versatile space. It can be a bed at night and a place to sit during the day.

Being able to fold your futon bed up and down is an easy way to go from day mode to night mode.

Futon mattresses are flexible and able to “fold” into a couch. This makes them a good use of space, but it also means they tend to be far less comfortable.

Additionally, they tend not to hold up well over time.

6. Air Mattresses For Campervans

An air mattress for a camper van is a good budget option, especially if you’re looking for a temporary solution.

However, air mattresses are not durable long term so you’ll find yourself replacing them more often.

Additionally, air mattresses are typically not insulated. This means the air inside of the mattress can cool off at night and leave you very cold regardless of how many blankets you have.

In general, I would not recommend an air mattress for a campervan. However, an air mattress can be a great option for an additional guest bed in your campervan!

Luno Life makes an innovative air mattress that doesn’t take up much space to store, and can turn the cab area into another sleeping area for when friends visit.

Best Foam For Campervan Bed

Most blogs lump foam campervan mattresses into one category, but it’s important to know that not all foam is created equal! There are different types of foam, with varying quality and comfort.

Foam is available in polyurethane foam, memory foam and latex foam – and the differences do matter so make sure you know which kind of foam you’re purchasing!

Polyurethane Foam For Campervan Bed (Good)

Polyurethane foam is the least expensive foam option, but that comes with some disadvantages.

This foam is the lowest quality and is made primarily with petrochemicals.

You’ve probably seen this foam before if you’re familiar with egg crate foam pads.

While it’s widely used for mattresses and mattress toppers, polyurethane foam does not hold up well to wear and degrades more quickly than memory foam or latex foam.

Because it is easily compressed under pressure, polyurethane foam does not provide the same pinpoint support you would expect from a memory foam or latex mattress, and can be more uncomfortable to sleep on, especially for side sleepers.

If you plan to use polyurethane foam for your campervan mattress be sure to get a higher density foam as it will be more durable and more comfortable.

Keep in mind that even the highest density polyurethane foam is still less dense than either memory foam or latex foam alternatives.

Memory Foam Mattress For Camper Vans (Better)

Memory foam (sometimes also referred to as viscoelastic polyurethane foam or tempurpedic foam) is the most well known type of foam mattress for a campervan bed.

A memory foam campervan mattress is a good compromise between budget, comfort and quality.

Memory foam is actually a polyurethane foam that has had some compounds added to it that give it that “memory” or “slow moving” sensation.

Because memory foam is more dense than regular polyurethane foam it can provide more comfort and support.

This is because it molds better to your body shape. However, its slow movement causes some people to feel like they are sinking, and it can be difficult to move around at night as a result.

Temperature impacts the comfort of memory foam. Have you ever laid down on a cold memory foam mattress? It’s usually hard and stiff. Whereas, a warm memory foam mattress will be more forgiving and comfortable.

I think this explains why some people find memory foam mattresses to be comfortable while others do not – it’s highly dependent on which climate you’re in.

For this reason, memory foam might be difficult to use as a campervan mattress. If you’ll be in warm and cold climates you should expect your mattress comfort and firmness to change with the temperature.

Memory foam is also known to retain heat, which can make you feel warmer the longer you’re laying on it. Not ideal for hot climates, but it could be a great thing if you’re doing winter van life!

Some newer types of memory foam mattresses are infused with gel foam which may help eliminate heat retention. This hasn’t been conclusively proven, but many brands will market their mattresses this way.

Like polyurethane foam, memory foam mattresses will last longer and be more comfortable if they are higher in density. Try to avoid buying low density foam of any type.

Latex Foam Campervan Mattress (Best)

Latex foam mattresses are the best type of foam for campervan beds. They can be made from synthetic or natural materials.

Natural latex is harvested from rubber trees. Synthetic foam mattresses are made from petrochemicals.

Additionally, latex foam has an instant response to movement and won’t lag to reform as you change positions.

Unlike memory foam, latex foam won’t get softer when it’s warm or harder when it’s cold. This is a huge benefit for use as a campervan mattress because it means your bed will be fairly consistent in comfort regardless of which climate you’re in.

Latex foam is a highly durable material and latex foam campervan mattresses can last over 20 years.

If it’s within your budget, a 100% natural latex foam campervan mattress is the best choice for both comfort and durability. They can be a bit pricey, though. Some cost almost $1,000.

Alternatively, you could purchase a less expensive memory foam mattress as your base, and use a latex foam topper to save money.

The bed in my campervan is a convertible dinette and the cushions are very dense polyurethane foam – great for sitting on, but not the best foam for a campervan bed.

I use a 2 inch latex foam topper to cover my firm cushions and it’s really comfortable to sleep on.

DIY Camper Mattress

A DIY camper mattress is the category most campervan mattresses fall into! Vans are highly custom and unusual sizes so it can be difficult to get a standard sized mattress to fit your van layout.

A DIY campervan mattress is the best option for non-standard dimensions. This is what I have in my Ford Transit van conversion.

How to make a DIY camper mattress

Making a custom sized DIY camper mattress is actually quite easy! It only took me a few hours to make mine.

You don’t need many tools – I only used a box cutter (the cheap ones are actually the best ones for this job!)

You’ll need to buy a foam mattress in order to customize a DIY camper mattress, since this is the only type of mattress you can buy and then cut down.

A coil mattress can’t be cut into without trying to avoid the metal springs and creating a massive mess, while potentially exposing yourself to fiberglass.

While you could cut a futon mattress (and then sew the fabric casing closed), it’s not the best for a DIY camper mattress because it’s not as comfortable and they tend to be similarly priced to foam mattresses (which are superior anyway – so let’s just use foam!)

Step 1: Take measurements For Your Campervan Mattress Size

The first thing you’ll need to do is measure the dimensions of your bed area. Take the longest length and the longest width measurements for the area.

In my van, my mattress isn’t square – the two back corners cut in to fit around the curve of the van. I started with a Queen size mattresses and cut it down, shortening it to fit the width of the van, and cut the corners in to fit the van perfectly.

Step 2: Determine Which Standard Mattress Size You Need

Since you’ll be starting this project with a standard sized foam mattress you need to determine which size to purchase.

Use the longest length and width measurements to determine which size standard mattress you’ll need. You want to size up if you’re in between sizes so you can cut the mattress down to the specific size for your van.

You can always trim a mattress down, but you can’t add to it, so starting with a slightly larger size is ideal.

Most vans have a queen or a full size mattress. These are the standard sizes to reference for your campervan mattress size:

Step 3: Pick the thickness of your campervan mattress

You also need to decide the thickness of the mattress. You can buy foam mattresses in a variety of thicknesses – from 3 inches up to 12+ inches.

If you don’t have much overhead clearance in your van consider buying a 5” mattress.

If you have enough clearance then I recommend an 8” campervan mattress because they are the most comfortable to sleep on.

Step 4: Let your foam campervan mattress expand

The foam mattress arrives in a vacuum wrapped bag. It’s extremely important to open the mattress at least one day before you cut it so it can fully expand.

They don’t always expand evenly at first, and you don’t want to cut it before it’s reached its final expanded dimensions or you’ll have a strangely shaped campervan mattress.

Step 5: Mark The dimensions on your campervan Mattress and cut

Once the foam is fully expanded you can mark it with a sharpie along the edges you plan to trim.

Tip: Mark the top and the bottom side of the mattress so you can make sure your cuts are going through completely straight and not on an angle.

Many blogs recommend using an electric knife to cut through the foam. I tried this but found it was extremely messy (foam was EVERYWHERE!), and the blade made the edges jagged and ugly.

Instead, I used a utility knife which worked really well (and they are far cheaper).

You might have to cut a few times to get all the way through the depth of the foam, but it’ll be easier to clean up and you’ll have a smoother looking cut.

Step 6: Add a pillow top for comfort (optional)

Depending on how firm you like your van mattress, you may want to buy a 1- or 2-inch foam mattress topper. You can expand, mark and cut the same way you did previously for the campervan mattress base.

The benefit to a thin top layer is that it can add more comfort, while allowing your firmer bottom layer to give you support.

Since the bottom cushion of my campervan bed is made up of seat cushions, they’re quite firm and uncomfortable. They provide a lot of good support, but the extra 2 inch topper over them adds the comfort to my van mattress.

Having a firm bottom half, and a softer upper half is perfect for me (a side sleeper). It’s not so soft that I sink through it and feel the bed frame, but it’s also not so firm that my hips hurt during the night.

Step 7: Cover your Campervan mattress

One of the best ways to protect your mattress is to cover it. Even with bedding on, your mattress will get extremely dirty in such a small space.

I travel in my van with my dog, and even though there are always sheets on my bed he still finds a way to track dirt onto my mattress cover. Luckily, it’s really easy to remove and wash.

I like this machine washable mattress cover because it zippers on and completely protects all sides of the mattress, including the bottom.

Since you cut down your mattress the cover may fit a little loose, but I haven’t found this to be an issue for mine.

Conclusion – Best Campervan Mattress

The out-of-the-box best campervan mattress is a semi custom van mattresses from RoamRest.

However, if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly DIY option I recommend a latex foam mattress with an optional 2-inch foam mattress topper.

I made a DIY mattress for my campervan and am really happy with how well it’s held up, and how comfortable it is. If I were to build another van, I would probably spend a little bit more and get a mattress from RoamRest to save myself time.