Why Can I Feel the Bed Board Through My Campervan Pop-Top Mattress?
Updated: Oct 16
Your campervan pop-top gives you valuable extra sleeping space – but if you can feel the hard wooden bed board underneath you all night, it doesn't always make for the most comfortable night's sleep.
It's one of the common frustrations of sleeping in a pop-top.
You lie down and everything feels fine. A few hours later, your hips or shoulders are aching, you're constantly changing position and that hard surface underneath suddenly feels very noticeable.
So why does it happen – and what can you do to make your campervan pop-top bed more comfortable?
Why can you feel the pop-top bed board?
Unlike your bed at home, a campervan pop-top doesn't have a deep mattress sitting on a sprung or supportive bed base.
Instead, you're sleeping above a hard, flat wooden bed board, with only the mattress providing cushioning and support between you and the solid surface underneath.
Space is also limited inside a pop-top roof. The mattress needs to be relatively slim while still providing enough comfort for a good night's sleep.
If your existing mattress is particularly thin, too soft or doesn't provide enough support, you may begin to feel the wooden board underneath – particularly around heavier pressure points such as your hips and shoulders.
A thicker mattress isn't always the answer
It might seem obvious: if you can feel the board, just add a really thick mattress.
Unfortunately, things aren't quite that simple in a campervan.
Pop-top roofs have limited space when closed, so adding too much mattress depth can create another problem – your roof may no longer close correctly.
That's why choosing the right foam and construction is just as important as mattress thickness.
You need enough cushioning for comfort, but also enough support to prevent your body simply sinking through the foam towards the hard wooden surface underneath.
Support and comfort need to work together
This is why NAPS campervan mattresses use a dual-foam construction rather than relying on one type of foam.
The supportive reflex foam creates the foundation of the mattress and helps distribute your weight across the sleeping surface.
A viscoelastic memory foam comfort layer then provides cushioning and adapts to the shape of your body.
The two layers have different jobs.
Reflex foam = support.
Memory foam = comfort.
Together, they create a comfortable sleeping surface without simply making the mattress unnecessarily thick.
Why do your hips and shoulders hurt most?
If you're a side sleeper, you'll probably notice an uncomfortable pop-top bed most around your hips and shoulders.
These areas naturally put more pressure onto the mattress.
If there isn't enough support and cushioning between you and the wooden bed board, those pressure points can become much more noticeable during the night.
You might go to sleep feeling comfortable but wake several hours later needing to change position – or wake in the morning feeling stiff.
A supportive mattress helps spread your weight more evenly while providing cushioning between your body and the solid surface below.
Why foam quality matters in a pop-top
When you're working with limited mattress depth, what's inside the mattress becomes particularly important.
Simply adding a very soft piece of foam may feel comfortable initially, but if it compresses too easily, it may not provide the support you need above a solid wooden base.
A combination of supportive and comfortable foams allows you to get more from the limited depth available in a campervan pop-top.
This is particularly important if you regularly use the pop-top for adults rather than it simply being an occasional bed for children.
Can I leave a mattress inside my pop-top when the roof is closed?
This depends on your particular pop-top roof, conversion and the amount of available space.
Our NAPS Pop-Top Mattress is approximately 106cm wide × 180cm long × 5cm deep and has been designed with campervan sleeping in mind.
However, pop-top roofs and installations can vary, so we always recommend checking your available dimensions and clearance before purchasing if you intend to leave your mattress inside when the roof is closed.
Don't assume that because a particular mattress works in one van with the same make of roof, it will automatically work in another installation.
How can I make my campervan pop-top more comfortable?
If you're struggling to get comfortable upstairs, start by looking at what you're actually sleeping on.
Consider:
Whether your existing mattress provides enough support
Whether you can feel the hard wooden bed board underneath
Whether you're sinking too far into very soft foam
Whether your hips or shoulders become uncomfortable during the night
How much mattress depth your pop-top can accommodate
How much space you have available when the roof is closed
You don't necessarily need the thickest mattress you can fit.
The aim is to find the right balance between support, comfort and practicality.
Make your pop-top somewhere you actually want to sleep
Your pop-top shouldn't just be somewhere you can sleep. It should be somewhere you can actually get a comfortable night's rest.
At NAPS, our UK-made Pop-Top Campervan Mattress
combines supportive reflex foam with a viscoelastic memory foam comfort layer, helping create a comfortable sleeping surface above the hard wooden bed board.
It also features a removable, washable cover and has been designed specifically with campervan adventures in mind.
So if you're tired of waking up feeling the hard board underneath you, it might be time to rethink what you're sleeping on.
Because a great day in the van starts with a great night's sleep.
NAPS – Better sleep. Better adventures.
Comments