Date:         Fri, 20 May 2011 09:13:23 -0500
Reply-To:     mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject:      Re: Sleep Comfort
Comments: To: Ellen in Oregon <elleninoregon@HOTMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <BLU128-W15C17F7BF7E2B32C0607E0B8710@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

---- Ellen in Oregon <elleninoregon@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:
> I don't know when the last time was you slept on an air mattress, but they are cold and it is near impossible to warm up sleeping on one.  The memory foam, on the other hand, is quite cozy once you've warmed it with your body heat.  If you don't use a thick topper it folds in half nicely on top of the back mattress and the rest of the bedding folded neatly on top.  It doesn't need to cover the whole mattress; from shoulder to hip is where you need the cushioning.  My piece is 40" wide by "60 long.

Back in the day, when backpackers used air mattresses instead of Thermorest "sleeping pads," some folks recommended painstakingly blowing a little down into the air mattress through the air inlet.  They claimed it did not take much.  The author (forget his name) of _Backpacking, One Step at a Time_, repeated that notion.  I never tried it.  But my experience with the air mattress being cold was that it was cold when on cold ground, but warm enough when there was insulation between the air mattress and the ground, or when in a warm situation.  So, I would think for summer it would be ok, and in winter in the camper the bed itself would provide enough insulation.  If not, a wool or fleece blanket under and also over the air mattress.  Or, if one uses a polyester rather than a down bag, that should suffice.

But, the air mattresses I have used all eventually leaked, whether expensive canvas models, or cheapies.

mcneely