Comparing Caravan Mattress Types: Which is Best?

Introduction to Caravan Mattresses

Few things impact your caravan adventures more than the quality of sleep you get. Many people use the standard mattresses that come with their vehicles, not realising how much an upgrade can improve their comfort and touring experience. A good mattress can be the difference between waking up refreshed or starting your day feeling stiff and tired.

Since 1985, we've specialised in making premium replacement caravan mattresses that provide home-like comfort wherever you go. Our custom options fit the unique dimensions of caravan beds, including cut corners, curved edges, and island bed configurations. With over 30 years of experience, we've perfected our manufacturing to address the specific challenges of caravan sleeping environments.

In this guide, we'll compare different types of caravan mattresses, looking at their features, benefits, and potential drawbacks. By the end, you'll understand which mattress might be best for your needs, sleeping preferences, and caravan setup. We'll explore the science behind different foam technologies, discuss proper support for different sleeping positions, and provide recommendations based on thousands of customer experiences.

Browse our complete range of custom-shaped caravan mattresses designed to fit any touring caravan layout and provide superior comfort compared to standard offerings. Our collection includes options for all major caravan manufacturers and models.

Understanding Different Caravan Mattress Materials

Before looking at specific mattress types, it's important to understand the basic materials used in modern caravan mattresses. These materials need to balance comfort with practical considerations like weight, durability, and performance across different temperatures.

Memory Foam Technology

Memory foam has changed the mattress industry with its ability to shape to your body, providing personalised support and pressure relief. In caravans, memory foam offers excellent motion isolation—helpful when sharing a bed in a small space. This material responds to body heat and weight, creating a customised sleeping surface that distributes pressure evenly and can reduce discomfort for people with joint pain or circulation issues.

Our memory foam caravan mattresses use premium Vasco™50 technology, which balances support and comfort whilst being made to work well in the changing temperatures found in caravans. Unlike regular memory foam that can get too firm when cold or too soft when warm, our specialised foam maintains consistent performance across temperatures typically found in touring environments.

High-Density Foam

High-density (HD) foam feels more responsive than memory foam, with excellent durability and support. Our HD foam caravan mattresses are designed to keep their shape and supportive properties even with regular use, making them a good long-term investment. The structure of high-density foam creates a resilient sleeping surface that quickly returns to its original shape when pressure is removed, making it good for people who change positions often during sleep.

The Novolatex™ range features Laytec™ technology that gives a spring-like bounce whilst still providing foam comfort. This makes it a good middle ground for those who find memory foam too enveloping but still want superior comfort. The special formula creates a responsive surface that offers immediate support without the slow-sinking feeling that some people find uncomfortable with traditional memory foam.

Cooling Gel Technology

Temperature control is important for caravan mattresses, as caravans can experience significant temperature changes. Our Coolplus™ mattresses use ReVo™ cool gel memory foam technology made to dissipate heat and maintain a comfortable sleeping temperature. This material contains millions of tiny gel beads that absorb and distribute body heat, creating a cooler sleeping surface compared to regular foam mattresses.

This advanced material is especially helpful for summer caravanning or for people who naturally sleep hot, helping to prevent overheating that can happen with standard foam mattresses. The gel works throughout the night to regulate temperature, preventing heat buildup that can disrupt sleep and cause sweating - problems that are particularly troublesome in the small sleeping spaces typical of caravans and motorhomes.

Detailed Comparison of Caravan Mattress Types

Now that we've covered the basic materials, let's look at our three premium caravan mattress types in detail to help you decide which might be best for your needs. Each type offers different advantages that make it suitable for different sleeping preferences, body types, and caravan usage patterns.

Bodyshape™ Memory Foam Mattresses

The Bodyshape™ range features our premium Vasco™50 memory foam technology, which slowly moulds to your unique body shape to provide personalised support and pressure relief. This adaptive material responds to both body weight and temperature, creating a customised sleeping surface that distributes pressure evenly across the entire contact area, significantly reducing pressure points that can cause discomfort and sleep disruption.

Key Features:

• Premium Vasco™50 memory foam technology that maintains consistent performance across varying temperatures
• Exceptional motion isolation (ideal for couples), reducing disturbance when your partner moves during the night
• Anatomical support that relieves pressure points and helps maintain proper spinal alignment
• TENCEL® zip-off cover for easy maintenance, featuring natural fibres that enhance breathability
• Available in three firmness levels: Medium, Firm Orthopaedic, Hard to accommodate different sleeping preferences
• Choice of depths from 15-25cm for personalised comfort based on body weight and sleeping position
• 5-year guarantee included, reflecting our confidence in the durability of these premium mattresses

Best For:

Side sleepers who need pressure point relief, particularly at shoulder and hip areas. People with joint pain or back issues who benefit from the adaptive support of memory foam. Couples who are easily disturbed by partner movement, thanks to superior motion isolation. Caravanners who prioritise personalised body support and are willing to invest in premium sleep quality.

Explore our complete Bodyshape™ memory foam caravan mattress collection to find the perfect option for your specific caravan layout and comfort preferences. Our extensive range includes designs for all major caravan manufacturers, with options to accommodate various bed configurations and personal comfort requirements.

Novolatex™ HD Foam Mattresses

Our Novolatex™ range features revolutionary Laytec™ technology that delivers spring-like bounce back and rebounds faster than traditional memory foam, providing a more responsive feel whilst still offering excellent comfort. This innovative material combines the durability and support of high-density foam with advanced comfort properties, creating a sleeping surface that provides immediate support without the slow-sinking sensation some users find uncomfortable with memory foam.

Key Features:

• Revolutionary Laytec™ technology for spring-like response that supports easy movement and position changes
• Faster rebound than traditional memory foam, making it ideal for those who change positions frequently
• Cloud™ sculptured zip-off cover with soft cloud-like design for enhanced surface comfort and breathability
• Available in three firmness levels: Medium, Medium Firm Orthopaedic, Hard to suit different body types and preferences
• Choice of depths from 15-25cm for personalised comfort based on body weight and sleeping position
• 5-year guarantee included, reflecting the exceptional durability of our high-density foam construction

Best For:

People who find memory foam too enveloping or dislike the "sinking" sensation it can create. Sleepers who change positions frequently during the night and need a responsive surface that makes movement easier. Caravanners wanting a balance between support and bounce similar to a traditional spring mattress. Those who prefer a more traditional mattress feel with modern comfort technology and better durability.

View our full range of Novolatex™ HD foam caravan mattresses designed to provide the perfect balance of support and responsive comfort. Our collection includes options for all popular caravan models and bed configurations, ensuring you'll find the ideal match for your specific requirements.

Coolplus™ Gel Foam Mattresses

The Coolplus™ range features revolutionary ReVo™ cool gel memory foam technology specifically designed to regulate sleeping temperature—a crucial consideration for caravan environments that can experience significant temperature fluctuations. This advanced material incorporates millions of microscopic gel particles that actively absorb and dissipate excess body heat, creating a noticeably cooler sleeping surface compared to conventional foam mattresses.

Key Features:

• Revolutionary ReVo™ cool gel memory foam technology that actively works to dissipate body heat throughout the night
• Optimal temperature regulation for comfortable sleep even during warm weather or in caravans without air conditioning
• Coolplus® zip-off cover for easy maintenance, featuring specialised fabric that enhances the cooling properties
• Available in three firmness levels: Medium-firm, Firm Orthopaedic, Hard to suit different body types and preferences
• Choice of depths for personalised comfort based on body weight and sleeping position requirements
• 5-year guarantee included, reflecting our confidence in the durability and performance of this premium technology

Best For:

Hot sleepers who tend to overheat at night and frequently experience sleep disruption due to temperature issues. Summer caravanners or those in warmer climates who need enhanced temperature regulation for comfortable sleep. Anyone concerned about temperature regulation in the variable conditions typical of caravan environments. Those who want memory foam benefits without the heat retention that traditional memory foam can sometimes exhibit.

Choosing the Right Firmness Level

No matter which mattress type you pick, choosing the right firmness level is crucial for good comfort and support. We offer three different firmness options across our range, each designed for different sleeping positions, body types, and personal preferences. The right firmness can make a significant difference in sleep quality and can help prevent or reduce common problems like back pain, stiffness, and pressure points.

Medium Firmness

Our medium firmness option provides a balanced feel that works for many sleepers. It gives enough to shape to your body whilst still providing good support. This is often best for side sleepers and those who switch between different sleeping positions. The medium firmness allows heavier body parts like shoulders and hips to sink in when side sleeping, helping to keep your spine properly aligned whilst still supporting your waist and lower back.

Medium-Firm/Firm Orthopaedic

The medium-firm to firm orthopaedic options provide better support with less sinking, making them ideal for back sleepers and people with back pain. These mattresses promote proper spine alignment whilst still offering enough comfort to prevent pressure points. The firmer surface helps distribute body weight more evenly and prevents too much sinking of the heavier middle section, which can cause an unnatural spinal curve. Many sleep experts and doctors recommend medium-firm mattresses as the best choice for maintaining back health and preventing or reducing chronic back pain.

Hard Firmness

Our hard firmness option delivers maximum support with minimal sinking. This is particularly good for stomach sleepers, heavier individuals, or those who simply prefer a very firm sleeping surface. The hard option also tends to last longer over time. For stomach sleepers, the firm surface helps prevent too much arching of the lower back, which can cause pain and discomfort. Heavier people often find that firmer mattresses provide better support and prevent the excessive sinking that can happen with softer options, leading to better spine alignment and fewer pressure points.

Custom Shapes and Sizes for Caravan Beds

One of the biggest challenges with caravan mattresses is fitting the unique shapes and dimensions found in different caravan layouts. Unlike regular home beds, caravan beds often have unusual configurations designed to maximise space in the limited area of a touring vehicle. These special designs require mattresses that exactly match these unique dimensions to ensure both comfort and functionality.

• Cut corners (to allow for movement around the bed and accommodate cabinet placements)
• Curved edges (to follow the contours of the caravan's interior walls and maximise space efficiency)
• Bolster ends (for island bed configurations that optimise access around the bed)
• Irregular shapes (to maximise space utilisation whilst working around fixed elements like washrooms)

Our custom-shaped caravan mattresses are designed to perfectly fit these unique configurations. We offer a wide range of pre-designed shapes to match popular caravan models, including configurations from leading manufacturers like Bailey, Swift, Elddis, Adria, and many others. Our extensive database of patterns has been developed over decades of experience working with virtually every caravan model on the market.

If you have a particularly unique configuration, we can also create fully custom mattresses based on your specific measurements and template. This ensures a perfect fit regardless of your caravan's layout or brand. Our template service allows you to create an exact pattern of your existing mattress, which we can then use to manufacture a premium replacement that matches the dimensions perfectly whilst upgrading the comfort and support significantly.

Browse our Adria caravan mattress collection to see examples of our custom-shaped options designed for specific caravan layouts. Our manufacturer-specific collections showcase the attention to detail and precise fitting that sets our mattresses apart from generic alternatives.

Special Considerations for Caravan Mattresses

When picking a caravan mattress, there are several special things to consider that are different from choosing a regular home mattress. The unique environment of a touring caravan presents specific challenges that must be addressed to ensure optimal comfort, durability, and performance over time. These factors have been carefully considered in the design and construction of our specialised caravan mattresses.

Weight Considerations

Caravan owners need to be mindful of weight limits and fuel efficiency. Whilst our premium mattresses are designed to provide excellent comfort, we've also engineered them to be as lightweight as possible without compromising on support or durability. Through careful material selection and advanced manufacturing techniques, we've created mattresses that offer the perfect balance between comfort and practical weight considerations. This is particularly important for touring caravanners who need to manage their vehicle's overall weight to stay within legal limits and maintain fuel efficiency during travel.

Ventilation and Moisture Management

Caravans can have problems with condensation and moisture, particularly during colder months. All our mattresses feature breathable constructions and removable, washable covers to help manage moisture and prevent issues like mould or mildew development. The specialised cover fabrics we use are designed to enhance airflow through the mattress, allowing moisture to escape rather than becoming trapped within the foam layers. This is crucial for maintaining a healthy sleeping environment and extending the lifespan of your mattress, especially in the variable conditions experienced in touring environments.

Temperature Regulation

As mentioned earlier, caravans can experience significant temperature changes. Our Coolplus™ range specifically addresses this with cooling gel technology, but all our mattress types are designed with temperature management in mind. The materials used in our mattresses have been selected for their ability to perform consistently across a wide temperature range, avoiding the excessive firmness in cold conditions or uncomfortable softening in warm weather that can affect standard domestic mattresses. This ensures comfortable sleep regardless of seasonal variations or climate conditions.

Durability in Mobile Environments

Caravan mattresses need to withstand the unique stresses of a mobile environment, including vibration during travel and potential storage compression during off-seasons. Our premium materials are selected for their resilience and ability to maintain performance over time, backed by our 5-year guarantee. The high-density foams used in our mattresses resist the compression and breakdown that can occur with standard mattresses subjected to the vibration and movement inherent in touring. Additionally, our mattresses are designed to recover quickly from the compression that may occur during winter storage, maintaining their supportive properties season after season.

Complementary Bedding for Your Caravan

To maximise your sleeping comfort, we also offer specialised bedding designed specifically for caravan beds, including their unique shapes and dimensions. Standard domestic bedding rarely fits properly on caravan mattresses, particularly those with custom shapes or cut corners, leading to uncomfortable bunching and slipping during use. Our purpose-designed caravan bedding solves these issues, providing a complete sleep system that enhances your touring comfort.

Our odd-shaped caravan duvets and caravan-specific bedding sets are designed to perfectly complement our mattresses, with options to match various caravan layouts including specialised configurations that accommodate the unique dimensions and shapes found in modern touring vehicles. The fitted sheets feature elasticated corners and specially designed cuts that ensure they stay securely in place even with movement during sleep.

We currently offer a 5% discount on all caravan and motorhome bedding through our sister site, providing a complete sleep solution for your touring adventures. This complementary bedding is manufactured to the same high standards as our mattresses, using premium materials selected for their durability, comfort, and suitability for the unique requirements of caravan environments.

Making Your Decision: Which Caravan Mattress is Best?

After looking at the different types of caravan mattresses available, you might be wondering which is truly the "best" option. The truth is that the ideal mattress depends on your specific needs, preferences, and caravan setup. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, as individual factors like sleeping position, body weight, temperature sensitivity, and personal comfort preferences all play significant roles in determining which mattress will provide the optimal sleeping experience for you.

Choose Bodyshape™ Memory Foam If:

• You prioritise personalised pressure relief and want a mattress that adapts to your unique body contours
• You share your bed and need motion isolation to prevent disturbance from partner movement
• You have specific pressure points or joint pain that benefits from the adaptive support of memory foam
• You prefer a mattress that slowly contours to your body, creating a cradling sensation that many find comforting

Choose Novolatex™ HD Foam If:

• You want a more responsive feel with faster rebound that facilitates easy movement during sleep
• You change sleeping positions frequently during the night and need a surface that adapts quickly
• You find traditional memory foam too enveloping or dislike the sensation of sinking into the mattress
• You prefer a balance between support and bounce similar to a traditional spring mattress but with enhanced durability

Choose Coolplus™ Gel Foam If:

• Temperature regulation is a primary concern, particularly if you frequently tour during summer months
• You tend to sleep hot or do summer caravanning in warmer climates where overheating is a common issue
• You want memory foam benefits without heat retention that can sometimes make traditional memory foam uncomfortable
• You're particularly sensitive to temperature fluctuations and need a mattress that actively manages sleeping temperature

Ordering Your Custom Caravan Mattress

Ordering a custom caravan mattress is a simple process designed to ensure you get the perfect fit and comfort level for your specific needs. We've refined our ordering system over decades to make it as easy as possible whilst still providing the customisation options necessary for the perfect mattress solution for your unique caravan configuration.

1. Choose Your Shape and Size: Select from our extensive range of pre-designed shapes or provide custom measurements for a bespoke solution. Our database includes patterns for virtually every caravan model on the market, making it easy to find the exact configuration you need.
2. Select Your Mattress Type: Based on the information in this guide, choose between Bodyshape™, Novolatex™, or Coolplus™ according to your personal preferences and sleeping requirements. Each offers distinct benefits tailored to different needs.
3. Specify Your Firmness Preference: Select from Medium, Medium-Firm/Firm Orthopaedic, or Hard based on your sleeping position and comfort preferences. Our firmness options are consistently manufactured to provide reliable comfort characteristics.
4. Determine Your Ideal Depth: Choose from our range of available depths (15-25cm) to suit your caravan's specific requirements. The appropriate depth depends on factors like body weight, sleeping position, and available headroom in your caravan.
5. Place Your Order: Complete your purchase with confidence, backed by our Perfect Fit Guarantee and 5-year warranty. Our experienced team will review your order to ensure all specifications are correct before manufacturing begins.

Start designing your perfect caravan mattress today with our easy-to-use selection tool. Our intuitive interface guides you through each step of the process, ensuring you select the optimal combination of shape, material, firmness, and depth for your specific requirements.

Conclusion: Investing in Quality Sleep for Better Caravanning

Upgrading your caravan mattress is one of the most beneficial improvements you can make to enhance your touring experience. A premium, custom-fitted mattress ensures that you wake refreshed and ready to enjoy your adventures, rather than dealing with the discomfort and sleep disruption that often comes with standard caravan mattresses. The difference in sleep quality can transform your entire caravanning experience, allowing you to fully enjoy your travels without the tiredness and discomfort that poor sleep can cause.

With over 35 years of experience as caravan mattress specialists, we've refined our products to provide the perfect balance of comfort, support, durability, and practicality for the unique demands of caravan environments. Whether you choose the personalised pressure relief of Bodyshape™, the responsive bounce of Novolatex™, or the temperature regulation of Coolplus™, you're investing in quality sleep that will enhance every trip. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in the thousands of positive customer reviews we've received over the decades, with many customers returning for additional mattresses as they upgrade their caravans.

Remember that your caravan mattress is not just a place to sleep—it's the foundation of your touring comfort and enjoyment. With our Perfect Fit Guarantee and comprehensive 5-year warranty, you can make this investment with complete confidence, knowing that you're choosing a solution specifically engineered for the unique demands of caravan living. The improvement in sleep quality will enhance not just your nights but your entire caravanning experience, allowing you to fully enjoy your adventures with the energy and enthusiasm that comes from proper, restorative sleep.

Explore our complete range of premium caravan mattresses and take the first step toward transforming your caravan sleeping experience today. Our expert team is available to provide guidance and answer any questions you might have about selecting the perfect mattress for your specific needs and caravan configuration.