The 5 Best RV Mattresses of 2024

Our take - This bed is already one of our most highly regarded mattresses on the market, so much so that it's featured on our overall Best Mattresses list. It is about 12 inches thick, and features pocketed coils as its main support layer. Coils provide some extra bounce and airflow compared to a mattress with foam support, and the coils offer more long-term support and durability.

You should ask yourself a few questions when considering a new mattress for your RV, trailer or camper van. Finding something comfortable is priority No. 1 because even if you seldom sleep in your RV, you should still be comfortable.

Mattress size

Size is probably the most important thing to keep in mind when shopping for an RV mattress. Space is much more limited in a vehicle or trailer, and depending on the manufacturer, it might not accommodate standard sizes like queen or king. 

Before buying anything, make sure you precisely measure your available space for a mattress and decide accordingly. If a standard mattress size doesn't fit, that would eliminate quite a few options.

The height of the mattress is also something to consider. If the mattress space in your RV is in a loft, for example, a thicker, taller mattress could make you feel cramped and uncomfortable, so choosing a thinner mattress would be better.

Durability

The durability of a mattress is something we strongly consider when recommending beds, which is why we often recommend coil beds. Durability is still an important factor for RV beds, but it will be less of a factor depending on how often you actually sleep in it.

If you live in an RV, trailer or camper full time or spend months at a time on the road, a less durable mattress isn't a great idea, but if you only sleep in it a few weeks out of the year, then you can probably afford to go with a super affordable foam mattress like the AmazonBasics.

Our team of experts has a very extensive mattress testing process. For this particular list, we looked at a variety of factors and paid special attention to mattresses that are available in non-standard sizing specific to RVs. 

Mattress feel

Probably the two most important things we test for are a mattress' firmness rating and feel. The feel of a mattress is dependent on its construction, especially the top layers, although we don't always agree with what the brand says their bed feels like. 

Getting an idea of your preference for feel can be a little tough without trying a huge number of beds. If you're unsure of what feel you prefer, going with a mattress we describe as "neutral" is generally something most people like because it's unspecific.

Mattress size

Only a few brands we test have non-standard sizes or RV-specific sizes available, so the ones that do have priority for this particular list.

Brooklyn Bedding and their sub-brand, Dreamfoam, has many mattresses that come in RV king and RV bunk sizes and "Olympic queen" size, which is slightly wider than a standard queen (66 inches x inches" versus 60 inches x 80 inches), a "Short queen" size which is slightly shorter (60 inches x 74 inches) and "Short full" (48 inches x 74 inches versus 53 inches x 75 inches).

Other brands like PlushBeds have RV sizes (and possibly others we still need to test), but Brooklyn Bedding has the widest variety, which is why they are well represented on this list.

For all of our best lists we have to make the cutoff somewhere, but here are a few picks that we considered but didn't quite make the cut but are also solid picks.

AmazonBasics Mattress: This is one of the most affordable beds we've ever tested, and it's solidly comfortable, especially for the price. Our concerns with this bed are primarily with durability as it uses "egg-crate" or "convoluted foam," which we don't often see and doesn't come with a traditional 10-year warranty.

I don't recommend the AmazonBasics mattress to folks intending to sleep on it every night (unless you just need the most affordable mattress available), but if you're going to be sleeping on it only occasionally, then I feel good about recommending it.

DreamFoam Doze: The Doze is more affordable than the DreamFoam Essential (depending on the thickness you select), and I find it a bit more comfortable, but that's subjective. It also comes in some RV-specific sizes, just not as many as the Essential. It's a great option at a very low price point, but we felt the Essential was a slightly better pick.

Plank Mattress: This mattress has a flippable design, and both sides are meant to be quite firm, so it's really only appropriate for back and stomach sleepers. If you're looking for an ultra-firm mattress for your RV, this has a handful of RV-specific sizes and an optional cooling cover.

No one type of mattress is best for RVs. It comes down to your personal preferences for firmness and feel to get optimal sleep in whatever RV you might have.

This will depend on the space you have available for a mattress inside your RV. It's possible it can fit standard mattress sizes, or it might require something more specialized. Make sure to measure your space before purchasing.

Certain mattresses feature removable and machine-washable covers, but most of the time you have to spot-clean it if the cover gets dirty.