Air Mattress Questions??

We’ve decided to try air mattresses in the TM. Currently, we just roll out foam over the original bed when we arrive, then roll it back up before we depart. Sleeps ok, but the idea of just being able to deflate and go seems awfully attractive!

The smallest thickness of air mattress, that I've found with good reviews at Amazon, is about 8 inches thick. I am thinking that it would be best to remove the original mattress, then use the air mattress with a cotton pad on top. Deflate and travel - no problem!

Who has done this, or something similar? Happy with it? Trouble getting into and out of the bed – two step or three step ladder needed?

Comments and suggestions?
Thanks.

[Kwantau]

Just bought two step stool from Amazon. Light weight , collapsible, and easy to set up. Here is the link. http://www.amazon.com/Range-Kleen-SS...tep+step+stool. Hope this will help.

[Campin'People]

We use this bed with a 2" TemperFoam topper. We flip the mattress over so that the "felt" side lays down on the frame. (We did pull out the original bed foam.) It sleeps like a dream!

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/queen-s...air%20mattress

[ThePair]

We've got a 5" Coleman (I think!) air mattress under a 3.5" foam (1/2 memory, 1/2 high-density) topper. Both stay on the bed when collapsing, as well as the comforter. Works very well, I just have to remember to inflate the mattress before pushing the bed into position.

TPU fabric queen

Our TM queen size mattress has been very uncomfortable. We tried toppers and using thermorests but these didn't work well.

We had avoided air beds because of the strong vinyl smell and the poor seals but we recently found a TPU fabric queen air bed that is very comfortable and does not leak. It has the same style of valve as I have seen on zodiac inflatable boats. Ours is made by Lightspeed and we got it at Costco in Canada for around 50.00.


http://www.amazon.com/Lightspeed-Out.../dp/B00BTSV97A

The air mattress is placed under the foam mattress and inflated fairly hard. We use a couple of noodles (one on each side) to keep it centered on the platform since it is slightly narrower than the foam TM mattress.

It is very comfortable and comes with a battery operated inflator. We placed the valve at the head of the bed so it is handy to get at. In travel mode we open the valve and the bed goes flat. It doesn't have to be removed and is simply re-inflated for sleeping.

Sweet dreams, Peter and Martha

[B_and_D]

We use air mattresses when we tent camp. I've sewn a cover for each one out of a heavy flannel sheet (usually purchased at the local Goodwill) and we leave the covers on at all times. This has greatly extended their lives.

We replaced the standard mattress with an AeroBed soon after purchasing the TM. It has worked very well and we are extremely happy with it. You might want a taller ladder, we didn't. We did find a heated mattress pad which is fabulous, as long as you have shore power. There is no clearance problem when closing the TM as long as you let the air out. In fact, you gain a bit more room to store other flat things when travelling.

Thanks everyone!

We're looking forward to a long-for-us trip to the Asheville, NC area in a few weeks and hope for lots of good sleep along the way. Several one-nighters there and again on the way back, and anything to speed the process will be welcomed.

I like the ideas of a heat pad on bottom and foam on top. The only "pea" in that stack of layers would be if the mattress(es) leak

For getting into and out of the bed, I've thought about getting something taller than the "two-step" that we currently have, but most of what I have seen so far have a curved hand-hold at the top which I think would be in the way when getting in or out of the bed. My thinking now is that I will build a light weight platform of whatever desired height on which to put our two-stepper, but I will know more after removing the current mattress and substituting the two air mattresses.

Love my TM!!

[RejoiceWay]

We use a Range Kleen SS2 Double Step Stool - it folds easily and is light weight - can be purchased at Amazon or Camplers World.

[ThePair]

I won't show what we use...it's mainly for the dog, it's huge, it works well, but you kind of have to see it to believe it. It's more like we have 2 levels with a staircase, now.