Best RV Mattresses - Short Queen & Other Sizes
Last Updated: September, 2023
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Recreational vehicle (RV) camping is capturing campers' imagination like never before. The freedom of driving the open roads and the chance to explore the country's wealth of scenic highways and national parks all appeal to RV owners. Despite all the joys of touring, lack of proper sleep can ruin the experience.
To make the most of your traveling experience, you need an RV mattress to sleep on and rest after a long day of adventure. But finding the right mattress for your truck can be tricky, which is why our experts did the research for you.
We tested hundreds of RV mattresses, performed intensive product research, and sourced verified RV owners' experiences to come up with the perfect mattress for your trip.
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A Quick Glance At The 5 Best RV Mattresses
GhostBed RV Mattress
The GhostBed RV mattress is a viable option for travelers looking for the bounce of latex and the contouring support and pressure relief of memory foam mattresses. Its hybrid version is an ideal alternative for couples and sleepers who often have difficulty getting in and out of their beds.
Brooklyn Bedding Wanderlust RV Memory Foam
If you're looking for an RV mattress that's designed for virtually any space and sleep position, the Brooklyn Bedding Wanderlust Memory Foam Mattress is your best bet. It has five firmness options and 20 different RV mattress sizes, including RV twin and RV short Queen.
Short Queen Gel Memory Foam Dynasty Mattress
This short queen RV mattress is one of the recommended RV mattresses for pressure relief. It features an adaptive and responsible gel-infused memory foam that contours your body and compresses evenly to body weight to relieve common pressure points.
Brooklyn Aurora Hybrid
As one of the top RV mattresses for temperature regulation, Brooklyn Aurora Hybrid comes with gel beads that liquefy when temperatures are high to cool you down and resolidify once temperatures drop to keep you warm and comfortable
Zinus 8 Inch Foam and Spring RV Mattress
The Zinus 8 Inch Foam and Spring RV mattress features moisture-absorbing ActivCharcoal and refreshing green tea infused into pressure-relieving memory foam layers that cradle your body, so you wake up free of aches and feeling as fresh as a daisy.
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The GhostBed RV mattress is a solid value for travelers containing latex and memory foam that encourage deep, luxurious sleep every night. Its Dunlop latex layer adds some bounce and helps keep your bed cool, while its gel-infused foam provides contouring support. The result is an RV mattress that offers exceptional pressure relief for campers who experience painful pressure buildup during the night. It uses top-shelf materials and comes at a competitive price point. However, if edge support is a deal-breaker for you, then you may want to consider purchasing the GhostBed RV Hybrid model.
Materials and Construction
The GhostBed RV mattress is a foam and latex mattress, designed in four layers and three different sizes - the RV queen, RV king, and the RV short queen. Their short queen mattress sizes, which measure 60" by 74", are specially made with RV owners' interests at heart.
The support core is 5.5 inches of high-density polyfoam. It's firm enough for maximum spinal alignment. Next is 2 inches of foam, constructed to contour your body. Aside from offering support, the gel memory foam helps wick heat away from your body, so you stay cool throughout the night.
The 1.5-inch comfort layer is made of synthetic Dunlop latex foam. This top layer adds responsiveness and natural bounce to your mattress. Lastly, the GhostBed RV mattress features a smooth, soft cover designed with a stretchy blend of polyester and viscose for a breathable feel. It's also infused with cooling gel to minimize heat retention. This ensures you get maximum rest and recovery from biking, kayaking, mountain climbing, and other outdoor activities.
Mattress Performance
Memory foam and latex beds often provide sound motion isolation, and the GhostBed RV mattress is no different. The latex and foam layers tend to trap movement, so you can comfortably toss and turn in bed without disturbing your partner.
Like most foam-made mattresses, GhostBed RV mattresses lack a reinforced perimeter. Luckily, Ghostbed's high-density base somehow helps stabilize the edges, but you won't enjoy that good edge support that you'd find in innerspring mattresses. Plus, you can opt for the GhostBed RV Hybrid, which features GhostBed's Spirited Edge™ design to give you the comfort and support you need.
While mattresses made of foam tend to retain heat, latex foam is well-known for increasing airflow and helping maintain cooler temperatures. Like the hybrid version, the GhostBed RV mattress regulates temperature effectively and sleeps relatively cool, thanks to its comfort layers made of memory foam and aerated latex.
Firmness and Support
With a medium-firm rating (6), this RV mattress comes with a firmer feel than most traditional memory foam thanks to its responsive Ghost Bounce layer. This makes it a viable option for campers who prefer the balance of cushioning and support.
What's more, back sleepers who require contouring along their spine but also need sturdy support to keep their bodies positioned safely on an even plane. Campers who prefer sleeping on their sides should also find this RV mattress comfortable and supportive as they need a sleep surface that supports their lower back to protect it from sinking in while cradling their shoulders and hips.
GhostBed offers free shipping to shoppers in the contiguous U.S. and a 101-night sleep trial. You also get to enjoy a 20-year warranty.
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The Brooklyn Bedding RV memory foam bed has multiple comfort layers with open-cell technology and various sizes to offer an elevated sleep experience for RV campers. This RV mattress is engineered with a top-quality layer of memory foam and an advanced stain-resistant fabric. As a result, it combines enhanced contouring and cooling with easy maintenance and care. Not to mention, its all-foam construction isolates motion perfectly, making it rank as one of the top RV mattresses for families traveling together. Variable bed depths combined with the traditional and non-traditional mattress sizes make the Brooklyn Bedding Wanderlust mattress the perfect option for many types of sleepers.
Build and Construction
The Brooklyn Bedding Wanderlust luxury mattress is an all-foam mattress made for RVs, designed specially to relieve the pains after driving for a long time. With ten RV-friendly mattress sizes, including RV short king and RV short queen, and three different profiles, you can easily find an RV mattress that fits just right.
The Brooklyn Bedding Wanderlust mattress comes with two layers of foam; a base layer of high-density support foam and a layer of gel swirl memory foam at the top. The base layer gives your RV mattress support and durability, while the memory foam top layer offers pressure relief and contouring.
Unlike memory foam, the high-density polyfoam in the base layer has a firm feel and a faster response to pressure. This supportive nature makes this RV mattress a good fit for campers who prefer sleeping on their back and stomach. There's a thick polyester cover that also enhances durability.
Mattress Performance
The all-foam construction allows Brooklyn Bedding Wanderlust mattress to isolate motion transfer effectively, reducing movement disruptions for campers who share their beds with their partners while traveling. Since the foam comfort layer is gel infused and uses open cell technology, you can rest assured your bed will sleep cooler than other all-foam beds.
The firm feel is a solid choice for side sleepers weighing more than 230 pounds. Alternatively, you can go for the medium-firm feel if you weigh between 130-230 pounds. This feel is also better for back and stomach sleepers weighing less than 130 pounds.
For maximum temperature regulation, you can opt for the firm version that also provides a solid perimeter. Like the medium firm version, this model also offers sufficient bounce for sex. Brooklyn Bedding offers a 10-year warranty on the Brooklyn Bedding Wanderlust RV mattress and a 120-night sleep trial.
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Are you searching for affordable memory foam, a medium-firm feel, and a cool sleep experience for your next RV mattress? Then you may want to give the Short Queen Gel Memory Foam Dynasty mattress a try. This memory foam bed is a good choice for couples on a tight budget looking for pressure relief. If you like the hug feel of memory foam and the slow response it provides, you'll likely enjoy this mattress.
Firmness and Support
Sleeping on the wrong mattress for your sleep position and body type can lead to restless and painful nights. If your mattress is too firm, it can cause uncomfortable pressure points on your body, while an RV mattress that's too soft can cause poor sleeping posture. Luckily, this memory foam RV mattress is both supportive and comfortable as it comes with a medium-firm level of firmness.
Not to mention, you'll find different sizes ranging from RV king, RV queen, to RV short queen, depending on the features you need. This makes it work perfectly for all sleep positions and campers who move around quite a lot during the night. The mattress base is constructed with dense foam that gives it a supportive core, thus promoting maximum spinal alignment as you rest. Remember that your body weight significantly impacts how firm the bed feels for you; the lighter you are, the firmer it will feel.
Build and Construction
The comfort level of the Gel Memory Foam Dynasty mattress is designed with multiple layers of foam. The RV mattress stands 12" high and uses four layers. It has a cool silk cover that's machine-washable, followed by a 3" layer of gel-infused memory foam (Sleep Cool Technology Foam).
Both the memory foam layer and the silk cover allow your mattress to have a cooling effect. Next are two 2" foam layers of Cool Airflow Foam (breathable foam) made by Dynasty. Lastly is the 7.5" high-density foam base for ultimate support.
The foam layers used in the mattress give room for more air circulation and better comfort for campers. Generally, gel memory foam is foam infused with gel beads. Although conventional memory foam is notorious for retaining heat and often allows sleepers to sink in, these gel beads provide support and increase airflow. This technology prevents hot sleepers from overheating and sinking on too far.
Temperature Regulation and Motion Isolation
The Short Queen Gel Memory Foam Dynasty mattress uses two airflow foam layers between the dense base and cooling gel. This layout is perfect for temperature regulation. If you're a hot sleeper and also crave a comfortable memory foam RV mattress for pressure relief, you're in luck.
Unlike other memory foam beds which retain heat, the issue with heat retention is virtually non-existent with the Dynasty mattress. Memory foam is the leading mattress material when it comes to motion isolation. As with other mattresses made of foam, this RV bed absorbs disturbances almost immediately, meaning you won't be disturbed whenever your partner or pet moves around during the night.
Mattress Performance in Terms of Sleep Position
Foam RV mattresses generally work best for side sleepers, and the Short Queen Gel Memory Foam Dynasty Mattress is no exception. Its foam comfort layers cradle the shoulders and hips, key areas where campers who sleep on their sides exert much pressure.
Because this RV mattress is on the firmer side of the scale for a memory foam bed, it's also a perfect fit for back sleepers, especially those who weigh about 230 pounds. If you fall in this category, the sleep surface should give you the right balance of cushion and support needed to keep your back flat and cushion your spine.
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If you're a hot sleeper yearning to snuggle down into a soft mattress, the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora is the right new RV mattress for you. The hybrid mattress is constructed with innovative cooling properties and gentle foams and packs a serious comfort punch.
It also comes with cooling infusions and phase-change material specially designed to absorb excess body heat and dissipate it away. These cooling features make it a solid option for campers traveling to warmer climatic regions.
Construction
The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora is a bed-in-a-box RV mattress that's soft to the touch. This is a hybrid mattress that travelers who like sleeping on their sides should like best. The mattress cover features a unique Phase Change Material that's cool to the touch and effectively dissipates body heat.
Beneath it, you'll find a 1.5-inch CopperFlex foam layer. This copper-infused layer is treated with TitanCool to promote airflow throughout your hybrid mattress. You'll then find a 2-inch contour layer of TitanFlex foam that's very responsive and offers additional cushioning on your pressure points.
Below the contour layer, you'll land on a transitional layer constructed with 1-inch of visco-elastic memory foam. It eases you down onto the individually pocketed coil area of the bed. Next is an 8-inch tall support layer of pocketed coils, which support the memory foam layers above and encourage more airflow throughout your bed. They also ensure adequate support for your hips and torso and a gentle feel for lighter sections of your body.
And finally, we arrive at the high-density base foam. This 0.75-inch section is mainly here to give your coils a base to bounce off as you move around your bed.
Firmness
Like other feel factors, firmness is subjective, so it changes a lot, depending on your preferred sleeping position and body type. However, the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora has a medium-firm feel. We gave it a 5.5 on the firmness scale. Compared to the industry standard for medium firmness (6.5), it's clear Brooklyn Bedding Aurora is a soft mattress. However, the company still allows you to choose from three different firmness options: firm, medium-firm, and medium soft.
Performance
Each comfort layer of the Brooklyn Aurora Hybrid helps isolate motion, thus preventing sleep disturbances. This is perfect for couples and families sharing a trucker. The bed's neutrality regulates temperature, preventing campers from sleeping hot.
Its hybrid construction is durable and boasts a longer than average lifespan. Sleepers who weigh less than 130 pounds may prefer the medium-soft option. The medium firm model is best for back and stomach sleepers weighing more than 130 pounds. Alternatively, if you often sleep on your stomach and weigh more than 230 pounds, you can opt for the firm option for ample support.
Aside from the standard mattress sizes, the Aurora Hybrid is available in RV King and Short Queen sizes. It comes with a 120-night sleep trial and a mandatory 30-night break-in period. The Brooklyn Bedding company covers this RV mattress with a 10-year warranty.
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The Zinus 8 Inch Foam and Spring offers the proper support and comfort that will make you and the other campers feel like you're having a restful sleep at home. It's a highly customizable and lightweight RV mattress in seven different sizes and four different heights. The short queen version measures just 60 by 74 inches and comes in the 8" and 6" profile, ideal for cramped spaces, such as camper vans.
Made for Ultimate Comfort
The Zinus RV mattress 8-inch model contains three layers. The first one on the top is a 2" memory foam layer that allows your body to sink slightly into the bed and get the best out of its comfort and support. This proprietary green tea layer is charcoal-infused to keep your bed fresh during your entire trip. Plus, the ActiveCharcoal blocks moisture effectively, so you can rest on your bed after hours of outdoor activities without worrying about leaving sweaty smells on it.
Beneath it is another 2" layer of comfort foam that contours to your body, cradles your joints, and keeps your spine aligned. Open-air pockets in this middle layer encourage airflow, saving you from overheating, especially if you sleep hot. What's more, they add extra comfort beneath pressure points like knees, hips, and shoulders
The third and last thick layer is four inches of reliable, high-density base support foam, perfect for average-weight sleepers, back sleepers, and side sleepers. The combination of these thick foam layers provides excellent comfort, support, and pressure relief. This version also offers excellent motion isolation for its price point. This is great news for couples who'll be sharing the smaller queen size while on the road.
Top-shelf Materials and Certifications
This Zinus RV mattress is made of CertiPUR-US certified foam, meaning it's durable, long-lasting, and offers great quality. Simply because this mattress is specially made for RVs doesn't mean it's of low quality than mattresses made for bedrooms.
Actually, the Zinus 8 Inch Foam and Spring RV mattress comes with Bio foam, which unlike other dangerous chemicals, such as petroleum, only contains natural components. These materials reduce off-gassing significantly and ensure the freshness of your mattress.
Additionally, its cover is machine-washable, so you can easily remove it and clean it in the washing machine. This mattress gives you superb value for your money than many RV mattresses in its category. It ships free and offers a 10-year warranty and a 100-night sleep trial.
Buyers Guide For Finding an RV Mattress
Choosing an RV mattress strongly depends on your type of vehicle and other factors such as price-point, size, and firmness. In this guide, we'll take a look at what you need to consider when purchasing a mattress for top-notch sleep while RV traveling
How Are RV Beds Different?
The most significant difference between RV mattresses and standard mattresses is size. An RV bed can be about 5 inches shorter than the regular mattress. However, some RVs leave enough room for standard mattresses length to fit.
Unlike standard mattresses, RV mattresses are thinner because of the lack of vertical space in RVs. The average RV bed measures about six to eight inches thick, but you can still use beds up to 10 inches wide in your truck.
Because of their small dimensions, most RV-friendly mattresses are cheaper than standard mattresses; the average price ranges between $200 to $400 for a queen mattress. Most RV beds are made of high-density support cores and memory foam comfort layers. However, other types of Mattresses like innerspring and latex beds can also meet the sizing criteria.
Factors to Consider When Purchasing a New RV Mattress
If you're purchasing a new RV bed, there are various incredible options out there. Just ensure you keep these things in mind before making a decision.
Can a Topper Help?
One vital thing to consider is, should you replace your old RV mattress, or can you improve its performance by getting a mattress topper? Unlike toppers, buying a new RV bed can be a bit expensive. If your current mattress is still in good shape but somehow too firm for your comfort, maybe getting a softer topper will help.
Mattress Sizes
What size is an RV mattress? Many RV mattresses come with RV short queen mattress sizes. It's 60-inches wide by 75-inches long. It’d help if you didn't use regular queen mattresses in your RV, as the mattress is likely to hang over your frame by about five inches. That said, always measure your mattress frame to find the best size for your RV.
Type of RV Mattress
Just like your at-home bed, RV mattresses come in different sizes and materials. Common mattress types include;
- Memory Foam
- Latex
- Innerspring
- Hybrids
- Airbeds
While any type of mattress can work on your truck, some are better suited than others. Let's take a close look at how each mattress type performs and the benefits of settling for a specific RV mattress.
Memory Foam RV Mattress
Mattresses made of memory foam are the most commonly used types of RV mattresses, thanks to the automatic contouring comfort they provide. They're well-known for adjusting to the sleeper's body shape and offering relief from pressure points. For campers who hike, cycle, or lead an active lifestyle, this mattress type can improve sleep quality by preventing aches and pains.
However, one of the main problems with RV mattresses made of foam is that they can heat up at night. Their thick comfort layers enable you to sink in the sleep surface, leaving little to no room for heat to escape. Luckily, some memory foams feature cooling gel layers or use open-cell technology to increase airflow, keeping you cool throughout the night.
Innerspring RV Mattress
An innerspring mattress is one of the most affordable alternatives when it comes to RV mattresses. This makes them appealing to value-minded RV owners who may not want to purchase a more expensive model. They're made with metal coils and surrounded with padding for combined support and comfort.
Latex RV Mattress
Latex mattresses can be an eco-friendly alternative. Just like mattresses made of memory foam, latex mattresses can adapt to your body shape to provide maximum support. Original latex is highly durable and has a long lifespan, so you won't have to replace it frequently. They're also hypoallergenic and naturally more breathable when compared to traditional foam beds.
Hybrid RV Mattress
A hybrid RV mattress incorporates elements of latex and innerspring or foam mattresses. These mattresses come with a thicker comfort system than innerspring beds for better pressure relief.
RV Air Mattress
RV Air mattresses are generally filled with air that users often have to pump themselves. They're perfect alternatives for campers who want to customize their firmness levels. You can adjust them with a smartphone App or a remote, and most Airbeds need electric power to function. An RV Air bed will also give you more room in your truck as you can easily deflate it and pack it away until nighttime when you want to sleep again. However, the biggest problem with these beds is that you lack a power source to inflate them with.
Materials
RV mattresses and standard-sized beds come with a wide range of materials. Polyurethane foam mattresses are the most common as they arrive at a cheaper price point. But if you'll be spending a lot of time in your RV, it's worth going for more supporting material. These include memory foam, gel, natural latex, and innerspring.
On the other hand, consider a gel mattress if you plan to go RV camping in hot climatic regions. Innerspring mattresses feature many coils, making them more supportive, whereas foam beds help distribute heat evenly. Natural latex is similar to a foam mattress but more durable due to the rubber material component.
Profile
The RV mattress you go for must fit in the allocated space in your RV. For instance, if your RV comes with a pop-up trailer or bunk bed, then you need to opt for a low-profile mattress.
That's why it's always wise to take measurements of your bed frame and space beforehand to help you know the exact profile that will fit comfortably on your truck. Most RV mattresses come with a 6-inch or 8-inch profile. However, some spaces and bed frames can accommodate a 12-inch mattress.
Mattress Thickness
Examine your RV to see whether there are height restrictions from the ceiling to the mattress frame. Most older fifth-wheel RVs lack extra elevated spaces above the mattress: they come with flat rooflines. Examine your RV to see whether there are height restrictions from the ceiling to the mattress frame. Most older fifth-wheel RVs lack extra elevated spaces above the mattress: they come with flat rooflines.
Contouring
How well your mattress conforms to your body shape determines the amount of pressure relief you receive. For RV campers who are active, a contouring bed can relieve joint and back aches from hiking, cycling, kayaking, and other outdoor activities.
What's more, it can minimize tension for RV owners who've been driving for a long period. That said, if you're an active RV camper, you may want to go for RV mattresses that are designed with memory foam to help cushion your hips and shoulders and keep your spine aligned.
Price
If you're like most RV shoppers, you'll want to spend less on your mattress than you would on a quality mattress for your home. This is true, especially if you don't plan on using your RV full-time.
Generally, RV mattresses are available at a broad range of price points, ranging from budget alternatives to luxury options. While setting up a budget beforehand will help you narrow down your options, keep in mind that a high-end RV mattress is an investment. A mattress made with top-shelf materials will last longer, meaning you won't have to replace it as often.
Noise
An RV is mostly a shared space for individuals who want to avoid disturbances all night long. If you're prone to tossing and turning in bed, you should choose an RV mattress that's silent when bearing body weight. Memory foam and latex mattresses are normally silent, whereas RV mattresses with coils and springs are highly likely to produce sound when bearing weight.
Firmness Level
Most RV mattresses come in medium-soft to firm levels. To choose the perfect firmness level for your needs, you need to consider;
- Personal preferences
- Sleeping position
- Body weight
For instance, side sleepers and individuals who weigh about 130 pounds or less often go for soft to medium-soft mattresses. On the other hand, back sleepers and those who weigh between 130-230 pounds often benefit from a medium to medium-firm bed. Lastly, stomach sleepers and people who weigh above 230 pounds may prefer a firm mattress.
Closing Thoughts
That's it! Bet you had no idea the RV mattress market is full of countless choices and sizes for your truck, did you? Hopefully, you now have a clear picture of the RV bed that'll work best for your forthcoming trip. So, get your mattress, then get out there and explore!
How often do you go camping in your RV? What bed size do you think will fit best into your truck? We'd like to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.
Gabe is the newest member of The Sleep Shop team. If you like the design of The Sleep Shop, give Gabe a thumbs up. He’s a digital marketing and design guru and the brains behind the design and SEO of The Sleep Shop. He also won’t say no to testing a ton of mattresses either, and helps on almost every mattress review.
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Thank you for providing your top RV mattress recommendations. ZINUS 8 Inch Ultima Memory Foam Mattress is my personal favorite. We purchased this mattress in December, and it took us approximately six weeks to unpack it and trim it to size owing to the holidays and a battle with the flu in January.
Your welcome Rabila. Glad you liked the Zinus 8
I bought a Zinus mattress to put on top of the mattress that came with the trailer from the store. I was short on space when the trailer was closed so I didn’t go thicker than 1.5″. A really nice improvement over the original mattress! I bought one for each bed. Can be used on top of an air mattress for added comfort. Arrived on time as promised. It unfolded easily and I followed the instructions to let it air out before putting a mattress cover and sheet on top. The grandkids loved the comfort too so it was a winner for us!
That’s some great news!
Thanks for sharing! i actually enjoyed your article as a result of it had been useful and interesting. it’s helped Maine a great deal in researching and creating a getting decision.
I’m glad this review came in handy Samantha. Check out other reviews here: https://thesleepshopinc.com/product-reviews/
If you’re looking to purchase either pillows, toppers and more.
I would recommend it to all my friends and family if they are in the market for a new mattress. I have not seen anything like this on the market in terms of price comfort and quality while being competitive with mattresses 6-8 times more expensive. If your looking for a memory foam mattress and don’t want to break the bank but don’t want your sleep and back to suffer, look no further, the Zinus mattress is your best bet and buy.
Sure! It offers some great comfort and support too.