A-frame Dinette bed comfort

[RichardEB]

We bought an A-124 where the only bed is the dinette folded down. After a few days I really felt the plywood through the cushion. We bought a memory foam topper (1.5 in) and then an air mattress (9.5 in). The air mattress eliminated the problem with feeling the plywood but the two of us rolled together which was another problem. Does anyone have a solution that would also allow us to have a dinette during the day? If I get a 6 in memory foam mattress I have no place to put it during the day so that is not really a solution. Any other ideas out there?

[rawlus]

Have you thought about the self-inflating foam+air therm-a-rest type backpacking mattresses? These can often be very comfortable with the added advantage of very small storage size. The valve can be used easily to adjust the cushioning level. I have a small 14x14 size I use as a chair pad in long drives... But they have extra wide versions as well. They're made by a number of different manufacturers now, but these guys were the original I believe...
http://www.cascadedesigns.com/therm-...doking/product

Tow of these side by side and you'll have the camping version of a sleep number bed! You could probably try them both above and below the dinette cushions to see which worked better, I'm guessing above is probably the best though.

The other option would be to replace the foam in the dinette cushions themselves with a different foam makeup... Perhaps a firm foam not quite the full thickness and then add some REAL memory foam to fill the rest of the way. Keep in mind there are a lot of products called memory foam but most are not it, if it's inexpensive, it's not memory foam... If it's not made in the USA, it's also probably not memory foam.... But anyway, you can make the foam composition you want to make sleeping better and just zip that into the dinette cushions and that would get you something better than the very stiff and unforgiving foam that is in those cushions now.

[handbuilder]

Great suggestions, Rawlus! Cot pads are great! They are thin and add a little cushion, easy to transport.

Worse case (cost wise) is upgrading the cushions to "real" memory foam.

[Pooneil]

I have a self inflating bed for car/tent camping. Mine is an REI brand, 3.5 inch self inflating mattress. I actually prefer it to the Tempur-Pedic at home. They come in 78X30 and 72X25 inch sizes. Together these might just work in your sleeping area. Either alone or supplementing the cushions I can guarantee you there is a inflation/firmness level that will keep you from feeling the plywood. Even a thinner one would prevent the cushions from bottoming out on the plywood. Check the Therma-rests too, as Rawlus suggests.

REI Camp Bed 3.5 Sleeping Pad - Free Shipping at REI.com

[thehamguy1]

Last summer our local ALDI's store sold them, not Thermarest or other national brand but also not expensive, I think less than $20. We bought two and they seem fine to us. If you have an ALDI's grocery store nearby it might be worth asking the manager if they have any left over from last year. The manager at our neighborhood store says sometimes they have leftover products like that stored in the back room. The other possibility is to watch their sale flyers or website; I've noticed they have some of their outdoor gear (battery lanterns, electronic compasses, etc.) available on a recurring yearly cycle.

[RichardEB]

thehamguy1, thanks for your post but I don't see anywhere where you name the product you are talking about. What is it?

[rawlus]

Richard, it's one if these self-inflating camping mattresses... They're made by a number of brands now, Aldi has their own label for outdoor recreation equipment so it's probably under that brand apname, but it's essentially the same as the therm-a-rest I mentioned earlier.