3 Best Mattress For Car Camping
- Best Washable Cover For Car Camping :Puffy OriginalStarting at $699 Shop Now
- Best Budget Bed For Car :Tuft Needle NodStarting at $269 Shop Now
- Best Ultra-Cheap Truck Bed Foam Mattress :AmazonBasics Memory Foam MattressStarting at $146 Shop Now
Best Mattresses For Car Camping Overview
Cross-country road trips, weekend adventures, spontaneous star gazing: If your heart rate just spiked, you’re probably a fan of car camping or taking long trips with your truck. Lucky for you, we’ve compiled a list the best truck bed mattresses for car camping for your next adventure.
The idea of sleeping in your car (or van, camper van, or even your semi truck) might sound like a cramped and achy experience, but adding a good mattress to the mix can really make things more comfortable. However, finding the best mattress for a truck bed or the backseat of an SUV can be a bit overwhelming.
There are so many options and it’s hard to know which one will be right for you, especially when you can’t test it out before buying the mattress. Add in the plan to put it in your car, and things can start to get complicated. That’s why we’re here!
Puffy Mattress – Washable Cover
Best Washable Cover For Car Camping
We love the Puffy mattress because it’s comfortable, but also because it has a washable cover, which is much easier than purchasing an additional mattress protector. The only thing is to keep in mind is that Puffy’s cover is not waterproof so if you want to absolutely ward off stains and messes, you might still consider the protector.
Puffy feels a bit like Casper or Tulo in that it’s responsive, comfortable, has a medium firmness profile, and we’d wage that the majority of people will really like it. We think Puffy is just fine for all types of sleeper positions, and although it has an all-foam construction, it should be fine for all body types if you aren’t using it every night.
Why we chose Puffy Mattress – The list of beds that have a machine-washable cover is short. Puffy is among the most accommodating and easiest to move of the bunch. On top of that, it’s very comfortable and really is a notch above many of the others on this list. It’s even backed by a lifetime warranty!
Best Budget Mattress
Tuft and Needle’s Nod mattress is 8″ thick, made of two layers of polyurethane foam. While it has a very simple construction, we think it’s great for the typical person who wants a budget bed without any hoopla.
If this is going to be your full-time mattress and you weigh over 230 lb, we can’t recommend Tuft & Needle Nod. In fact, we’d urge you to look at a bed with coils. If, however, you’re just using the bed on the weekends or every once in a while, Nod should be just fine for you.
Why Tuft & Needle Nod could be for you – Nod is an Amazon-exclusive bed from Tuft & Needle, which is one of the most respected bed-in-a-box brands. It’s about as simple as you can get, but that’s probably exactly what you should be looking for if you’re sleeping in your car, van, or the back of your truck.
Ultra-Cheap Bed
If you’re looking for a super cheap mattress for car camping, you can’t beat the AmazonBasics memory foam mattress. Typically, for the 8″ model, you can get the bed for under $200 if you select a full or twin. To put that in perspective, most budget-level beds are in the $400-$800 range for a full. You could buy multiple AmazonBasics beds for the price of some of these other beds.
This mattress comes in three height profiles: 8″ / 10″ / 12″. The 8″ is what we were primarily thinking of when we put this list together. In any case, however, the bed has three layers of foam, including a very thin layer of memory foam on top. Even so, the bed has a neutral feel with memory foam mixed in and we think it’s comfortable. Only comes with a one year warranty, though, which is perhaps reflected in the price tag.
Why we chose the AmazonBasics Mattress – The entire AmazonBasics brand centers around value. In other words, what can you get for your money? If price is the number one concern this is likely the best bed for car camping for you. It offers a range of height options, and has a neutral feel we think most people will enjoy.
Best Mattress For Car Camping Price Table
| Mattress | Twin | Twin XL | Full | Queen | King/Cal King |
| Puffy Original | $795 | $825 | $995 | $1,150 | $1,350 |
| Tuft & Needle Nod | $268.99 | $295 | $350 | $395 | $528/$495 |
| AmazonBasics Memory Foam Mattress 8” | $146 | N/A | $190 | $233 | N/A |
| AmazonBasics Memory Foam Mattress 10” | $168 | N/A | $237 | N/A | $316 |
| AmazonBasics Memory Foam Mattress 12” | $189 | N/A | $266 | $320 | $367 |
Why Trust Us
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What’s The Right Size Mattress For Car Camping?
Now, let’s be logical here—you’re putting this mattress in a car or truck bed camper or van, so it can’t be big. Nothing larger than a Twin is practical for smaller spaces.
You might be able to shove a Full size into a larger van or truck bed camper, but it will be tight. Go for a Twin in most cases and definitely not a Queen, King, or California King. It’s perfectly a fine mattress for car camping and you can fit two people on a Twin if you cuddle. You should also pay attention to the thickness of the mattress, as well as the weight. You’ll want a bed that’s thick enough to keep you from bottoming out, but no thicker, and you don’t want anything especially heavy. It’s likely that you’ll be moving it around quite a bit, so a heavy bed will be a hassle.
Reasonable Pricing For A Truck Bed Mattress
Mattresses aren’t a cheap product—we all know this. And it’s okay to spend a decent amount of money on the bed you’ll be sleeping on every night for the next decade or so, but it’s not necessary to spend a ton on the mattress you’re going to shove in the bed of your truck for summer weekends in the middle of Joshua Tree. It’s all about finding the best mattress for the money given what you’ll be using it for.
And as we already covered, the best car camping mattress doesn’t have to be large or expensive. You usually only need a Twin, so we think it’s more than reasonable to keep your costs under $1,000 and in some cases under $500. You might just consider getting an Amazon mattress or a regular, cheap mattress.
Construction Of Your Car Camping Bed
There are two common types of mattress constructions: all-foam and hybrid. There are also gel constructions, but those are far less common and not a practical option for car camping, vans, or truck beds anyway.
All-foam beds are, of course, made with all foam. The construction is different from mattress to mattress, with varying layers and types of foam.
Hybrid beds incorporate both foam and coils. Like all-foam beds, they vary in layers and materials, but hybrids tend to have better airflow and a bouncier feel due to the coils.
When you’re looking for the best car camping mattress, you’ll have to decide if you want the lighter weight of a hybrid or the squishable properties of an all-foam bed. There are benefits to both in this context, so it really comes down to your comfort preferences.
Common Mattress Materials
- Memory Foam: Memory foam is designed to contour to your body and relieves pressure. Traditional memory foam tends to retain heat, so it’s not the best material for hot sleepers.
- Latex Foam: Latex foam is bouncy, supportive, and responsive. It’s usually made with synthetic foam, but you can also buy natural and organic versions, which are hypoallergenic and antimicrobial.
- Polyurethane Foam: This type of foam is pretty neutral. It can be used as either a dense bottom layer or a plush top layer. Like memory foam, polyurethane foam relieves pressure and contours to your body.
- Proprietary Foam: Proprietary foam is a term that describes a foam made specifically by a company for their own use. It tends to be more breathable than traditional memory foam.
- Innerspring: Innerspring mattresses have supportive internal springs that take up the bulk of the mattress. These mattresses have been around for decades, but newer versions sometimes have a fluffy pillow top to counteract the rigidity of the springs.
- Hybrid: A hybrid mattress is made of two or more materials, usually a combination of coils and foam.
- Hyper-Elastic Polymer: Hyper-Elastic Polymer is Purple’s signature mattress material. It’s a stretchy, gel-like material that isn’t foam, but has pressure-relieving and contouring qualities.
Sleeper Type Still Matters
Your sleeper type also plays a role in determining what kind of mattress is going to be comfortable for you. Here’s a breakdown of sleeper type basics that you ought to know when shopping for a new bed:
Stomach sleepers
Stomach sleepers should look for beds with good support around the hips and trunk area. You want to be sure you keep your spine in alignment.
Back sleepers
For back sleepers, a good rule of thumb is to be sure you don’t have an uncomfortable gap under your lower back. You should also avoid a bed that to sinks too much all over. This generally means something on the firmer side, as opposed to a bed described as soft or medium-soft.
Side sleepers
Side sleepers need to look for mattresses that provide pressure relief, again to keep your spine in alignment. That means you need the bed to give around your shoulder and hips and you don’t want to have a gap under your stomach. Side sleepers usually need a softer bed than back and stomach sleepers.
Combo sleepers
Combo sleepers will want something that caters to both the need for support and pressure relief. Look for a mattress in the middle-ground in terms of softness/firmness and pay attention to the material used for each layer of the mattress.
Mattress Dimensions For Car Camping
When shopping for a car camping mattress, it’s important to consider how much room you have. The type of car or truck you’re camping in will largely determine what size mattress you should get. For most car campers, a twin or twin XL mattress is sufficient. Some larger truck beds may be able to comfortably fit a full mattress, but it varies.
For reference, a twin mattress is 39” X 75”, a twin XL mattress is 39” X 80”, and a full mattress is 54” X 75”. The issue with fitting a queen or king mattress in a vehicle is the lack of width. Queen and king mattresses are 60” and 76” wide respectively, and most cars are well under 70” wide.
Why Buy A Mattress Online
The bed-in-a-box industry has some pretty standard policies in regards to shipping, returns, warranties, and the like. They generally include free shipping, a 100-night risk free trial period, free returns within that trial period, and a 10-year warranty should you keep the mattress. Some companies offer even more than what’s standard and will give you even longer trial periods and much longer warranties.
The risk-free trial period is an important part of buying a truck bed mattress online, particularly when you’re going to put it in your car. When you can’t actually lay on the bed before you buy it and you can’t see how it fits in your vehicle (although you can and should compare dimensions before making a purchase), you need that trial period to make sure it’s the right fit for you and your car. And with that trial period, you have the option of returning the bed if it’s not right. All you have to do is call up the company, and they’ll have it picked up for no charge. Plus, you get a full refund.
Mattress Care Is Really Important
If you’re car camping, you’re likely crashing after a long, lovely day of tromping around in the mountains or falling off rocks (on belay, don’t worry), so it’s probably safe to assume that you’re covered in dust and chalk and maybe some mosquito splats. And even though you’ll have a sleeping bag or blankets, your mattress will still need to be cleaned now and then.
Most mattresses have non-removable covers, which leaves you to spot clean. That’s totally doable – just warm water and some mild detergent – but we suggest getting a mattress protector. A mattress protector is great. You can just take it off and toss it in the washing machine when you get home from your camping trip.
Best Car Camping Mattress Overview:
| Mattress | Best Of Title | Firmness Level |
| Puffy Original | Washable Cover | Medium |
| Tuft & Needle Nod | Best Budget Mattress | Medium |
| AmazonBasics Memory Foam Mattress | Ultra-Cheap Bed | Medium |
This depends on your vehicle. Usually a full or twin size mattress is best to save space.
Your budget should be around $500-$800 for a new car, van, or truck bed mattress.
Most brands give you have the option of returning the bed if it’s not right. All you have to do is call up the company, and they’ll have it picked up free of charge. Plus, you get a full refund.
Most brands ask that you just spot clean stains, but a few beds do come with washable covers that can be thrown in the washing machine.