When planning your campervan layout prior to conversion, there is one item that is pretty much guaranteed to cause more of a headache than anything else. The Bed.
This is because to be comfortable you want a proper size bed. However in reality if it’s not retractable it will likely take up 50% of the space in your van. That’s assuming of course you have a long wheel base van. If you have a standard length chassis you’ll be nearer 75% of your living space lost to the bed.
Shop now for Z fold mattresses
Obviously the vast majority of people will be reluctant to give up such an amount of space. Consequently this has led to the popularity of rock n roll beds in motorhoming. However such beds often similar challenges to roll up mattresses and camp beds. Rock & Roll beds tend to not be hugely thick, and therefore not wonderfully comfortable.
Z-Fold Mattress Solution
The option we have gone for with Bertha is a Z Fold mattress. One of these will fold down to 1/3 of it’s full footprint during storage. This means that space is not overly compromised in your van by day allowing you to maximise your #vanlife.
Shop around and you can get good thickness memory foam mattresses that are just like sleeping on your own bed at home. The one in the image below was available for around £90 at the time of writing this article.
Shop now for Z fold mattresses
There are some concerns over the durability and longevity of Z-Fold mattresses. However, it is unlikely that you will be using your motorhome 365 days a year so the impact of this will be less. Frequent folding and unfolding will put stress materials over time. This means a foldable mattress will likely wear out sooner than a traditional type of mattress.
Make sure you check out the reviews carefully when you are shopping for your mattress. There is potential for some discomfort at fold seams. The fold lines where the panels meet can create pressure points or unevenness. In a small van bed you might feel them, depending on mattress quality and body position. However you are likely to learn this quickly from the reviews before you buy.
As a word of caution, If you plan to live in the van or sleep there every night, a foldable mattress might feel insufficient long-term versus a full sized and fixed campervan bed.