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Sodo Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007 Posts: 9517 Location: Western WA
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Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 8:42 pm Post subject: DIY mattress toppers for Westfalia |
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We made these mattress toppers a few years ago and are very happy how it works in the Westy bed.
For a few years we used TWO bare foam "egg-crate" mattress pads from the department store, cut to match the westy bed size 47 x 74.
They were comfortable, but kinda ugly (bare, sun-faded foam).
When you fold up the bedding, they are visible on top thru the window.
So we put them into a single "comforter cover" which was like a large pillowcase.
It wouldn't remain distributed nicely within the cover, always bunched up in a corner.
The 47 x 74" unit didn't last long.
======= THE SOLUTION narrow foam pads, in tubular sheet covers ======
We bought gray sheets to match the gray interior, to make the covers.
And found a Coleman® pair of sleeping bags that were gray & Bordello red.
Then we solved the problem like this.
There are two toppers, each with two layers of 74" x 24" foam.
They are like a long and narrow pillowcase ----EXCEPT open on BOTH ends.
No zippers, no snaps.
Quite a bit longer than the 74" foam, so the inner pad never protrudes.
The foam pads do squirm inside the pillowcase ---but remain "mostly straight".
If you made the cover with two colors, you would notice the seam twisting around the long pad.
If you sewed one end closed like a pillowcase, the closed, squared end would cause problems as it "twists".
But with both ends OPEN, like a tube it can twist and causes no problems.
And open on both ends, you can pull the foam either way it needs (to be re-centered).
Cuz you can't push it, so ability to pull either way is better.
They hang off the front of the bed, and can hide some of your junk too.
With the bed folded, they cover the bedding.
Anyway we like this solution and wanted to share it.
In this pic you can see the profile of the 24" x 74" foam.
I think the tubes are are just "full length" (of the bedsheet size). _________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb
Last edited by Sodo on Tue Jun 18, 2019 11:50 pm; edited 7 times in total |
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tarandusVDub Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2010 Posts: 1649 Location: Between Here and There
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Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 8:47 pm Post subject: Re: DIY mattress toppers for Westfalia |
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Nice! I've been trying to figure out a low cost but comfy option. Thanks! _________________ 1990 Syncro 16" DoppleKabine 2.1 DJ 112i
________________________
Sold: 1972 Bay Campmobile; 1984 Westy, base model, 2WD. |
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E1 Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013 Posts: 6378 Location: Westfalia, Earth
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Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 11:14 pm Post subject: Re: DIY mattress toppers for Westfalia |
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Oh Geez, here's your epic post. Thought it was in the other topper thread, and couldn't find it, D'Oh!!!
Very cool. I've pondered something kinda similar, based on our old semi-rec Marmot bag we've used since the '80s that opens and zips to a coupler groundsheet holding the Thermarests. So my idea's a cheater and yours is not.
Bus version idea is a open-boxed bottom flannel sheet holding a pad(s) and the cushion ends, zipped to a wide-ish rectangular down quilt. Burnt orange with poptop-tent tan interior and groundsheet and brown pillowcases, for our decor. Now all we need is room for a sewing machine.
Sorry to derail Brudda, I love what you've done here! Co-Zy! _________________ ‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman |
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E1 Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013 Posts: 6378 Location: Westfalia, Earth
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Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 4:05 pm Post subject: Re: DIY mattress toppers for Westfalia |
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How's comes we're all on the cheap pad thread instead of here? _________________ ‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman |
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plummerdesign Samba Member
Joined: September 04, 2010 Posts: 539 Location: PNW
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Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2020 12:23 pm Post subject: Re: DIY mattress toppers for Westfalia |
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As with everyone here, I love to camp in my bus. Being a side sleeper, the factory foam is not my best pal. After a day of adventuring I desire a good, PAIN-FREE night of zzz.
Okay I must admit really WANTING the GW topper. The sleeve is amazing and looks just right. BUT there is an issue of needing to wash that sleeve at least once a year. So I dug deeper.
This 2" gel-infused memory foam pad with a washable sleeve is the answer for me. Got it on Amazon, HiFort brand. Folds up well.
Coupled that with a full-size 2-person Sleepingo bag.
Thought it worth sharing.
.
.
The old blankets and sun-bleached cotton sleeping bags are getting a final wash before going to my niece along with the sweet 2-person Walrus tent. _________________ It is old and green and it makes me grin.
1984 Westfalia 1.9 |
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whagg55056 Samba Member
Joined: February 07, 2020 Posts: 25 Location: Florida
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Timwhy Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2009 Posts: 3997 Location: Maine
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Jake de Villiers Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2007 Posts: 5911 Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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dobryan Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006 Posts: 16474 Location: Brookeville, MD
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2020 9:39 am Post subject: Re: DIY mattress toppers for Westfalia |
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I find the old stock foam in the westy mattress and seat back to be too stiff also. We used a 2" topper for years and were happy with it, but it took up space. I always thought that the stock foam depth should be plenty to get comfortable so I removed the foam from the rear mattress and replaced it with the foam from this futon mattress.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00W67PCTE/ref=sspa_dk_d...s9dHJ1ZQ==
I also removed the foam from the seat back and replaced it as well.... that was a PITA. I left the seat bottom foam in place since it gave good sitting support and was not in play with sleeping comfort since we sleep with our heads to the rear of the westy. YMMV. _________________ Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD
"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson
MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646
Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371
The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794 |
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Corwyn Samba Member
Joined: December 29, 2009 Posts: 2230 Location: Olympia, Washington
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valvecovergasket Samba Member
Joined: October 10, 2018 Posts: 1491 Location: pnw
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2021 8:51 am Post subject: Re: DIY mattress toppers for Westfalia |
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ill second this
bought one last year on a samba recommendation, and will likely buy another for this season.
it stores down to smaller-than-a-football and is really really comfortable when inflated (which is easy to do using the carrying bag) _________________ MegaSquirt resource - SpitfireEFI.com
gone, but not forgotten: '83 tdi westy - swap thread |
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deadaheadub Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2004 Posts: 787 Location: New Mexico
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2021 8:58 am Post subject: Re: DIY mattress toppers for Westfalia |
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I wanted easy and inexpensive; I don't have any sewing ability.
From Target, I picked up a 1.5" memory foam full mattress topper ($50) and a twin duvet cover ($20). Done. Works great; love it.
The topper is 52" wide and the cover is 66" wide. Not as custom-fitted as others here. A little excess width for the top bunk, a little more for the bottom, but they're so flexible and moldable it's not a big deal at all for me.
Roll it up into a duffel and store back above the engine lid. _________________ Grateful daily,
Ryan
______________________________________
Past loves: '65 Bug, '70 Westy poptop, '64 Squareback project, '76 Westy tintop "Loose Lucy", '76 Westy tintop "Sharee"
Current:'84 Westy poptop "Ramblin' Rose- Rosie" w/ 2003 Subaru EJ25 conversion |
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Sodo Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007 Posts: 9517 Location: Western WA
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2021 9:19 am Post subject: Re: DIY mattress toppers for Westfalia |
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I'm curious about the Klymit too, cuz it looks thicker, and you can 'inflate' to your liking, right?
In the interest of keeping posts on-topic for our Vanagon info repository, do any of you Klymit owners care to explain in the Klymit thread about how the Klymit inflates/deflates etc?
Klymit thread: Klymit Double V Inflatable Mattress Topper _________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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vwwestyman Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2004 Posts: 5680 Location: Manhattan, Kansas, USA
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2021 9:31 am Post subject: Re: DIY mattress toppers for Westfalia |
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For our Bus, my wife and I also use a foam mattress topper (probably the same Target one!) It came with some kind of fitted thin cover that would go over the topper and mattress, but we just have it on the topper, and the elastic keeps it in place well enough. Then we put a fitted sheet over that, with the flat sheet and comforter blankets on top.
When not camping, the topper, sheets, and comforter go in one of those giant ziplock bags that you can vacuum air out of to make it smaller and flatter.
When camping, the bed is laid out, topper, sheets and blanket and all that are all laid out. When it is time to turn the bed into the back seat, the whole thing just gets folded in half on itself such that the blankets are in the middle and the foam is the outside part. That bundle just goes over the engine area. Pillows and duffel bags can sit on top of the folded blankets, or duffel bags could go on the floor if desired.
This makes for pretty quick setting up the bed and seems pretty convenient. _________________ Dave Cook
President, Wild Westerner Club
1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing |
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bobbyblack Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015 Posts: 4333 Location: United States, Iowa
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2021 10:20 am Post subject: Re: DIY mattress toppers for Westfalia |
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plummerdesign wrote: |
As with everyone here, I love to camp in my bus. Being a side sleeper, the factory foam is not my best pal. After a day of adventuring I desire a good, PAIN-FREE night of zzz.
Okay I must admit really WANTING the GW topper. The sleeve is amazing and looks just right. BUT there is an issue of needing to wash that sleeve at least once a year. So I dug deeper.
This 2" gel-infused memory foam pad with a washable sleeve is the answer for me. Got it on Amazon, HiFort brand. Folds up well.
Coupled that with a full-size 2-person Sleepingo bag.
Thought it worth sharing.
.
.
The old blankets and sun-bleached cotton sleeping bags are getting a final wash before going to my niece along with the sweet 2-person Walrus tent. |
I got this type as well, 2" memory foam. I like it very much. If I were to do things differently or again, I think I'd go slightly thicker. The size I ordered was slightly wider than my full Westy bed, so that needed a slight mod.
Now, mind you, I hardly ever have more than just myself, and if so, its Mrs. Black... Thus, I often leave the bed down, and pretty much ready to just jump in and crash. It's main use for the last few years has been as my lunch time crash pad. Roughly 300 naps, and perhaps 30 overnights. Seems like it lasts plenty long, I think it was ~$70. I did unzip the cover, cut the edge to width fit, and back in the cover, which seems to shrink up on its own to the new width.. The cover is easy to wash.
Side note: I once was involved with purchasing a real latex mattress (normal bedroom kind of thing) and I have never never never been more pleased, nor have I ever slept better on any bed. Unfortunately, my mate at the time was fairly plump, and her side of the bed started compressing.. She sent it back. Oh, and also, it was very very heavy. I got stuck with the job of hauling it up 3 flights of stairs and back down, came and went on a 18 wheel truck! I sure would like to be wealthy enough to have another one of those mattresses! [I guess instead, I have a Westy now, and mostly scrimping along due to 'parts creep'] _________________ '87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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ALIKA T3 Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009 Posts: 6316 Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2021 11:43 am Post subject: Re: DIY mattress toppers for Westfalia |
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bobbyblack wrote: |
plummerdesign wrote: |
As with everyone here, I love to camp in my bus. Being a side sleeper, the factory foam is not my best pal. After a day of adventuring I desire a good, PAIN-FREE night of zzz.
Okay I must admit really WANTING the GW topper. The sleeve is amazing and looks just right. BUT there is an issue of needing to wash that sleeve at least once a year. So I dug deeper.
This 2" gel-infused memory foam pad with a washable sleeve is the answer for me. Got it on Amazon, HiFort brand. Folds up well.
Coupled that with a full-size 2-person Sleepingo bag.
Thought it worth sharing.
.
.
The old blankets and sun-bleached cotton sleeping bags are getting a final wash before going to my niece along with the sweet 2-person Walrus tent. |
I got this type as well, 2" memory foam. I like it very much. If I were to do things differently or again, I think I'd go slightly thicker. The size I ordered was slightly wider than my full Westy bed, so that needed a slight mod.
Now, mind you, I hardly ever have more than just myself, and if so, its Mrs. Black... Thus, I often leave the bed down, and pretty much ready to just jump in and crash. It's main use for the last few years has been as my lunch time crash pad. Roughly 300 naps, and perhaps 30 overnights. Seems like it lasts plenty long, I think it was ~$70. I did unzip the cover, cut the edge to width fit, and back in the cover, which seems to shrink up on its own to the new width.. The cover is easy to wash.
Side note: I once was involved with purchasing a real latex mattress (normal bedroom kind of thing) and I have never never never been more pleased, nor have I ever slept better on any bed. Unfortunately, my mate at the time was fairly plump, and her side of the bed started compressing.. She sent it back. Oh, and also, it was very very heavy. I got stuck with the job of hauling it up 3 flights of stairs and back down, came and went on a 18 wheel truck! I sure would like to be wealthy enough to have another one of those mattresses! [I guess instead, I have a Westy now, and mostly scrimping along due to 'parts creep'] |
Hello!
do you mind sharing the Amazon link? I can`t seem to find the HiFort model mentioned here.
Thank you! _________________ Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget |
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bobbyblack Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015 Posts: 4333 Location: United States, Iowa
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cmayna Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2014 Posts: 1143 Location: SF Bay area, CA
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Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2021 7:15 pm Post subject: Re: DIY mattress toppers for Westfalia |
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I replaced the upper bunk mattress pieces with mattress topper material cut to fit from a local "House of Foam" store. Since it is just the two of us, I now simply bring the upper mattress pads down to the lower bed. This gives us more room upstairs to store our overnight bags, etc while we're sitting by the campfire. _________________ '90 Westy / automatic.
If I'm not working on the camper or my '50 Chebbie truck, I'm either fishing with the wife or smoking Salmon.
Craig |
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