The level of comfort and support provided by your mattress can have a profound impact on your sleep. And a mattress topper is an effective way to improve your current set up. Whether you need to revitalize an ageing mattress, change the softness or firmness, or give yourself an extra layer of luxury to sleep on, there’s a topper that will give you what you need. In this review I’ll be looking at the best mattress toppers made from a range of materials: memory foam, latex, wool, down and cotton. Whether you’re looking for comfort, support, pain-relief or temperature regulation, hopefully you’ll find one which gives you a great night’s rest. Memory foam mattress topper that avoids heat retention The Isolus ventilated mattress topper is a luxuriously supportive and comfortable memory foam topper, made by the well-respected bedding company Malouf. This is a topper which you can sink into, feel cushioned and drift off to sleep safe in the knowledge that you won’t be bothered by pressure points.
Impressively for a memory foam topper, you’ll find it has minimal heat retention due to the ventilation tubes running throughout it. Here are the key points to consider: There isn’t much to complain about with this mattress topper. It would be nice if it came with a cover, but it’s the main body which is most important. And despite being superior to most other memory foam toppers in terms of heat and initial smell, you may find that there’s still a little of both. Overall, this is an excellent addition to any bedroom, whether you’re new to memory foam or are looking for a good quality mattress topper. Once you’ve slept on it it’s unlikely you’ll ever want to go back to a normal mattress. This natural bamboo topper by Exceptional Sheets is technically advertised as a pad rather than a topper. However, the terms pad and topper are often interchangeable, with the end result being what really matters. And the thickness and quality of this pad definitely merit a place among the more heavyweight mattress toppers.
The pad is particularly soft and comfortable, feeling like goose down and very popular due to this. It won’t mold to and support your body like a memory foam topper, but it will get you some way towards that fabled ‘sleeping on a cloud’ feeling. Here are the key features: The main downside is that if you’re trying to hide very large lumps or dips in your current mattress, it might not be up to the job. But if your main goal is to provide an extra layer of softness and comfort, this is a very effective choice. It will definitely spruce up your mattress and have you feeling soft and cozy again. Made in the United Stated by the Dreamfoam bedding company, the Ultimate Dream mattress topper ticks the boxes for comfort, support and durability. It’s 3 inches thick, which will help hide any lumps or dips in your current mattress, and you have three choices of firmness to choose from. The soft version is at the lower end of the scale for firmness, so you’ll sink into it but still receive support for your back.
The medium is actually probably in the medium-firm category, so you’ll get plenty of support for your body. And the firm really is quite solid – great if you enjoy a harder sleeping surface, but otherwise perhaps a bit too much. Overall, it’s an impressive mattress topper, solidly constructed and with enough choice to get the exact level of support you need. If you’re looking for a serious mattress upgrade which you’ll sleep comfortably on, the Utimate Dreams latex topper won’t disappoint. The Biosleep Concept is an excellent wool mattress topper, with a lovely balance of luxurious feel, body support and temperature regulation at night. If you’re not keen on the more synthetic materials such as memory foam or polyester, wool should be high up on your shortlist. If you tend to overheat at night or have allergies, and want a comfortable yet firm, supportive, chemical-free mattress topper it’s a great option. Here are the key points to note: One drawback to wool is that it does tend to compress over time, so if you’re looking for a soft, fluffy, sinking into the bed feeling for years to come, it might not be right for you.
You’ll also find you do need to occasionally fluff it or take it outside for a few minutes to breathe. So if you have problems lifting, that could be an issue. Wool toppers are probably the best choice if you need a combination of support for aching muscles or stiff joints and temperature regulation. And this is a carefully made topper with high quality natural materials which does those jobs extremely well. High quality feather mattress topper Having covered mattress toppers which provide firmness and support, it’s now time to focus on softness. And for that there’s nothing quite like lying on a bed of down feathers. And of the many feather toppers available, my recommended choice is this one from Pacific Coast. It’s a well-designed model which should give you the perfect soft surface to sleep on. The main downside is the same as with all feather and down mattress toppers – you’ll have to fluff it on a regular basis. The instructions tell you to do it daily to maintain the best shape and softness.
Overall, this is a well-designed and beautifully soft feather mattress topper. It’s a great option if softness is your number one criteria and you enjoy that uniquely special cosy feeling that down brings. Here's how it works: Anybody can ask a question The best answers are voted up and rise to the top I've been camping since I was a teenager in the scouts, and I've never really had a very comfortable night out. As an adult with a girlfriend, 20 years later, I'd like to just throw some money at the issue and be done with it and have ourselves a comfortable bed for car camping. ("Car camping" meaning we will have the car next to the campsite and don't care about weight or size much.) This Memorial Day weekend, we went out with a few other couples, and I don't think a single person had a successful sleep. We brought a feather bed as an experiment and it was pretty terrible, feeling only slightly better than the ground (warm though). Other people spent 30-60 minutes fussing with getting their air beds inflated, and then they leaked or went flat by the morning.
I've used self-inflating Thermarest pads and I'm sure those are the best for backpack camping but they aren't great and they get quite expensive once you start buying two of the XL ones. Are there other choices I'm missing? Or is there an air mattress option that isn't fussy and frustrating? ALWAYS bring a patch kit for an air mattress. If your airpad is going flat something is wrong (though perhaps the wrong part is just getting a cheap mattress). Get a pump that you can plug into your car (you're car camping after all). Buy memory foam to lay out on top of your pad. Do not inflate your mattress to be completely taut. give (unless you like sleeping on a rock). Buy a mattress with a foam top (and yes, then slap more foam on top of it). "Field Test" before camping. Buy it, inflate it at home, then leave a backpack on top of it overnight. If it's flat in the morning, return it. For car camping, don't bother to shop for "camping" mattresses, just get a quality air mattress.
When we car camp the night before a canoe-camping trip, we bring an extra comforter from home and put it on top of the Thermarests, under our sleeping bags. We also bring pillows. These combine to produce a luxurious sleep as far as we're concerned. I've also slept on my fair share of air mattresses, mostly in houses, and if they don't go flat they're fine. They shouldn't go flat - if they do, patch them. Since you're car camping and you don't have to worry about carrying things to the site, the general answer is to layer until you're sufficiently comfortable. If one foam pad isn't enough, lay down 2. If you're worried about the air mattress deflating, bring a patch kit as well as extra pillows and comforters just in case. But at least you'll have peace of mind and enjoy your trip. Also, since you mentioned "ultimate", you may want to look at Car Top Campers: Personally I love a good 4" memory foam mattress topper. I often prefer that to a bed even at home. If you sleep on your back, it's definitely the best option and I've tried air mattresses, cots, blankets, and all combinations of those.
The topper will take a bit of room even when you compress it (use motorcycle tie downs), and it won't be the lightest option but if you're going to camp out of your car or near your car, you should try it. They can be found for ~100$ at Walmart. I use two Coleman queen size air matress stacked on top of one another. Between I use an emergancy blanket to reflect heat to me and not the ground. With a few well placed strips of anti slip padding, and its like the Ritz of the outdoors. As for inflation for $30 you can get a powered inflator to run off your car lighter, just rembered to use a cupple of lung fillers just befor bed for fermness and your set for a total of $130 CDN It's tough to beat. I agree with the above and recommend Therm-a-rest for anytime of camping provide its within your budget, there a little expensive but well worth the long-term investment if you intend to use them again. I car camp 30-40 nights a year. I use a twin air mattress if camping by myself or a queen air mattress if I'm sharing.
I used to think that a queen for just myself would be best but found myself sinking in the middle. One tip that I always use is to give the air mattress a little extra air right before going to bed. Hot air expands during the day and "stretches" the air mattress. At night the cool air causes the air inside the air mattress to condense so therefore I give it a boost of additional air to provide the comfort it should provide. I also let a little air out in the morning so as it gets hot during the day it doesn't stress the mattress and cause possible leaks. A battery operated pump is much more convenient than one you have to hook up to your car. I always keep extra batteries...just in case. I also bring an extra air mattress...just in case. Sign up or log in Sign up using Google Sign up using Email and Password Post as a guest By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service. Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged gear camping or ask your own question.