Caravan beds are rarely a standard size. Static caravans use narrow, short mattresses; touring caravans and campervans have cut-off corners, curves and island beds; and the foam that came with the van is usually thin and gone soft within a few seasons. A standard double or single will not fit, so the choice is a made-to-measure mattress or a topper over what you have. This guide covers how to measure, what depth and foam to choose, and the made-to-measure options from The Foam People, the UK maker whose standard mattresses we have tested.
The quick answer#
- Static caravan or holiday home: a made-to-measure foam mattress, 15 to 20cm deep. The Comfort Premium 8-inch (from £150) is the one most owners should pick; the Core 6-inch (from £100) is the budget choice for a spare bunk or a rental.
- Hire caravan: the waterproof version (from £111) wipes clean between guests.
- Touring caravan, motorhome or campervan: a cut-to-shape mattress made to your template: rectangle, cut-out corner, curve or island bed, 10 to 25cm deep, from £160.
- Lorry or truck cab: a truck mattress with a wipe-clean cover, from £115.
We have tested eight of The Foam People's standard bedroom mattresses (see our Foam People review); the caravan range uses the same British-made foams, but we have not tested the caravan mattresses themselves, so there are no scores on this page. Prices were checked on 31 October 2026 and are the cheapest size of each; larger sizes and deeper options cost more.
Why a standard mattress will not fit#
A UK single is 90 x 190cm and a double 135 x 190cm. Static caravan beds are commonly 4ft (120cm) or 4ft6 wide but only 5ft9 or 6ft long, and twin rooms often take 2ft or 2ft3 (60 to 69cm) singles. Touring caravans and campervans are worse: fixed beds taper at the foot, corner beds lose a corner to a wardrobe or washroom, and island beds have rounded ends. Even where a standard mattress nearly fits, the extra depth of a normal 25cm mattress can stop an overcab bed closing or leave no headroom in a bunk.
Made-to-measure solves all of that: you give the maker the exact width, length and depth, and for odd shapes a paper or cardboard template.
How to measure a caravan bed#
- Measure the bed base, not the old mattress. Old foam shrinks and spreads. Measure the frame or board the mattress sits on, in centimetres, at both ends; caravan walls are rarely square.
- Check the depth you have. Lift any overcab or drop-down bed into its stored position and measure the gap. For bunks, measure from the base to the bunk above and leave at least 60cm of sitting room.
- Template any cut-off corner or curve. Lay brown paper or flattened cardboard on the base, crease it along the edges, cut it out and mark which side is the head. Photograph it with a tape measure in shot before you post or upload it.
- Note split beds. If the bed is in two or three sections that make up a dinette, each section needs its own measurement, and the seat sections usually need firmer foam than the backrests.
Which depth and foam to choose#
| Depth | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 10cm (4in) | All reflex (supportive) foam, firm | Overcab beds, bunks, dinette seats, children |
| 15cm (6in) | Reflex base with a thin memory foam top, medium-firm | Occasional use, rentals, tight headroom |
| 20cm (8in) | Reflex base with a 5cm memory foam top, medium | Regular use by adults, the all-round choice |
| 25cm (10in) | Deeper base and memory foam top, medium-soft | Full-time or long-season living, side sleepers |
Two rules of thumb. Go firmer than you would at home, because caravan bases are solid boards or slats with no give, and because a softer mattress on a narrow bed rolls you towards the edge. And favour open, breathable foams: condensation is the enemy in a van, and a mattress that holds moisture will smell within a season.
Static caravan mattresses#
The Foam People's static caravan range is ordered by width and length from a list of caravan sizes (2ft to 4ft6 wide, 5ft to 6ft6 long), so most owners will not need a template.
- Core Caravan 6" Memory Foam Static Caravan Mattress (from £100): a 15cm mattress with a cool-touch cover. The budget option for bunks and twin rooms.
- Comfort Premium 8" Memory Foam Static Caravan Mattress (from £150): 20cm with a memory foam top layer. The one to buy for the main bedroom if you use the van regularly.
- Superior Diamond 10" Memory Foam Static Caravan Mattress (from £162): 25cm, the deepest and softest of the three, for owners who live in the van for months at a time.
- Core Waterproof Static Caravan Mattress (from £111): a 15cm mattress with a waterproof, wipe-clean cover, made for hire fleets and holiday lets.
Touring caravan, motorhome and campervan mattresses#
For tourers and vans the shape matters as much as the size. The Foam People make the same foam in a set of standard shapes, each in your own dimensions up to 200cm long:
- Standard rectangle (from £160) for fixed beds and rock-and-roll beds.
- Cut-out corner (from £170), with a gradual curve or a square cut, for French beds and corner beds.
- Dome ends, cut-outs on both ends and one-side corner cuts for island beds and transverse beds, at the same prices.
Each shape comes in 10, 15, 20 or 25cm depths, and every one has a removable zip cover. For a van conversion with a fold-out bed, order the sections separately and ask for the seat sections in the firmer 10cm foam.
Truck and lorry mattresses#
Cab bunks in DAF, Scania, Volvo, Mercedes, MAN and Iveco trucks take a narrow mattress, usually 60 to 90cm wide, and drivers sleep on them in work clothes without a sheet. The Rectangle Truck Mattress (hard-wearing cover) (from £115) is made to the cab's size in 10 to 20cm depths with a black, hard-wearing, wipe-clean cover; a soft quilted cover is the alternative if you do use bedding.
Topper or new mattress?#
If the existing foam is still flat and firm and just feels hard, a 5cm memory foam topper cut to size is the cheaper fix. If the foam has a dip, has gone soft in the middle or smells, replace it: a topper over collapsed foam sags with it. Our guide to mattress toppers covers when they help.
Keeping a caravan mattress dry#
- Lift the mattress and air the base every time you leave the van for more than a few days; condensation collects underneath.
- Use a slatted or breathable underlay on solid boards.
- Stand the mattress on its side over winter, or take it home.
- Use a breathable protector, not a plastic sheet, unless you are running a hire fleet.
For a spare bed at home rather than in a van, see our best mattresses under £500, which are tested and scored.
Frequently asked questions#
What size is a static caravan mattress?#
There is no single size. Main bedrooms are usually 4ft or 4ft6 wide by 5ft9 to 6ft3 long; twin rooms take 2ft to 2ft6 singles, often shorter than a standard 6ft3. Measure the base before ordering.
Can you use a normal mattress in a caravan?#
Only if the bed is a standard UK size and there is room for the depth. Most caravan beds are shorter or narrower than standard, and overcab and bunk beds need a thinner mattress than the 25cm of a normal one.
How thick should a campervan mattress be?#
10cm of firm foam for a fold-out or dinette bed, 15 to 20cm for a fixed bed used regularly. Thicker is more comfortable but reduces headroom and is harder to fold.
Are memory foam mattresses good for caravans?#
A memory foam top layer over a firm reflex base works well. Avoid thick, soft memory foam throughout: it is slow to recover in a cold van, holds moisture and makes a narrow bed feel smaller.
How long do made-to-measure caravan mattresses take?#
Typically one to two weeks, because each one is cut to order. Odd shapes that need a template take a little longer, so order before the season starts rather than the week you travel.
