Best Truck Mattresses

As useful as trucks already are, buying a high-quality truck mattress extends their utility even further. Truck mattresses are also a must-have for long-haul drivers. Whether you want to catch some sleep on a road trip, stay comfortable when working, or turn your truck into an ultra-convenient “tent” for camping, the right mattress can turn your truck into a bed on wheels.

Just as ordinary mattresses have undergone massive innovation in the past decade, so too have truck mattresses — some can now rival standard beds for comfort and support!

Of course, buying any kind of mattress can be headache-inducing, and truck mattresses add extra questions to the process. To help our readers find a truck mattress in their price range that offers everything they need for a good night’s sleep, we’ve put together a list of the best truck mattresses on the market. Below our list of favorites we’ve also provided a guide to the purchasing process, including details on materials, sizes, pricing, and other important factors to consider before making a decision.

What is a Truck Mattress?

Truck mattresses are designed to turn a truck bed or a semi-truck cab into a comfortable and cozy place to settle down for the night. Drivers use them for a wide range of reasons — resting on a road trip, camping, sleeping on a long-haul drive, or just relaxing — and there’s an equally wide range of options to choose from.

Inflatable mattresses used to be the most common variety and are still available for purchase, but innerspring and all-foam models have gained in popularity thanks to their improved durability, comfort, and support. Many are flippable to offer two different firmness options for changing preferences or different sleepers, and other features — such as gripping covers and lightweight designs — are designed to appeal to different needs. Most truck mattresses are also available in many different sizes for a near-custom fit regardless of whether you’re driving a pickup or a semi.

How to Choose a Truck Mattress

Buying any mattress can be a daunting prospect for the uninitiated, and truck mattresses are no different. With so many models to choose from, it can be difficult to know what will work best for your needs. To help our readers choose a truck mattress that will offer them many nights of comfortable sleep, we’ve put together a guide to the most important factors to keep in mind when making a purchase.

What to Look For in a Mattress

The most important things to look for in a truck mattress aren’t that different from the most important factors when buying a mattress for your ordinary bed. When reviewing mattresses, we judge them in a range of categories — some of these may be more important to you, or less, but each is crucial to consider before making a purchase.

Mattress companies have their own vocabulary which can sometimes be misleading, such as touting their non-descript “comfort” or claiming to be supportive for every sleeper. Instead of relying on these marketing claims, focus instead on your specific sleep needs to make the right choice.

Price
Shoppers seeking a cheap mattress will be delighted to find that truck mattresses tend to be less expensive than their ordinary counterparts. This is because they are usually both smaller and thinner than at-home beds. Price ranges can vary dramatically between different models, and different types of mattresses (such as inflatable, innerspring, and foam) also have their own average prices. For a high-quality, non-inflatable truck mattress, customers should expect to pay anywhere from several hundred to just under $1000.

Sleeping Position
Mattress suitability is very personal and based on many different factors, but one of the most critical of these is your preferred sleeping position. For example, side sleepers tend to require significant pressure relief to eliminate pressure points at the hip and shoulder, while back sleepers usually prefer beds with light contouring and solid full-body support. Stomach sleepers tend to land in-between, requiring significant pelvic support paired with excellent pressure relief for the arms and shoulders.

Quality Materials
Although all beds should be made well with high-quality materials, truck mattresses should be particularly durable. No matter how you’re planning to use your truck mattress, pay close attention to the materials used in its construction to ensure they’ll stand up to regular use.

Size
Instead of the standard sizes used by the mattress industry, truck mattresses are usually described by their dimensions in inches. Most brands are available in many sizes to fit standard truck bed or semi-truck cab sizes, but customers should double-check their vehicle before purchase to ensure they’ve made the right choice.

Firmness Level
People who weigh more usually prefer firmer mattresses than people who weigh less than 130 pounds, but firmness preferences are very personal and can even change over time. Many truck mattresses are flippable to offer dual firmness options, while others are available in a single firmness meant to appeal to a wider range of sleepers.

Pressure Relief
Memory foam has soared in popularity thanks to the way its deep contouring cradles the body and eliminates aches and pains from the pressure of your body. However, well-designed innerspring models can also offer enough relief for most people. Side sleepers and stomach sleepers tend to require more pressure relief than back sleepers.

Motion Isolation
This category refers to how well a mattress prevents your sleep partner from noticing when you change positions, roll over, or climb out of bed. All-foam beds usually have the best performance, since the linked coils of an innerspring mattress transfer motion mechanically regardless of any foam layers.

Temperature Regulation
Staying cool and breezy in the heat or warm in the cold is important regardless of where you sleep, but this can be a particularly important factor for truck mattresses. Innerspring beds are a good choice if airflow is important to you, as foam beds contour to the body for less airflow and a warmer sleep.

Contouring
Contouring is the difference between feeling as though you are sleeping “on” or “in” a mattress. Highly-contouring materials like memory foam create a cradle that hugs the body regardless of firmness, while inflatable mattresses create a bouncy surface with very minor contouring. Innerspring mattresses usually have minimal contouring unless they are made with a foam comfort layer.

Mattress Type
As described above, the three most popular types of truck mattresses — inflatable, innerspring, and foam — have specific upsides and drawbacks. We recommend innerspring and foam models for comfort and support, but deciding on a mattress type is a personal decision that will largely determine the way your mattress feels.

Consider the Climate

Your bedding and mattress might keep you warm in cold weather, but will your truck mattress be kept warm as well? In very cold temperatures, innerspring mattresses perform better than foam or inflatable models. Inflatable mattresses can become brittle in freezing weather and much more prone to punctures, while foam tightens and becomes very hard when the temperatures drop. Some mattress manufacturers fight this with foam designed to function better at all temperatures, but cold-weather campers may still prefer the reliability of an innerspring. Semi-trucks tend to be better insulated, giving long-haul truckers a wider range of mattresses to choose from even when driving in the snow.

What Sizes of Truck Mattresses are Available?

As previously discussed, the sizes of truck mattresses are described by exact measurements rather than single-word labels like “queen”. Even if your truck seems as though it would fit a standard at-home mattress, the measurements are likely different by just enough to make a truck mattress the better choice.

Truck bed and semi-truck sleeper sizes are broadly standardized, but they do differ slightly depending on your truck’s manufacturer and model. Because of this, it’s important to measure your available space before making your choice. Most truck mattresses are available in a wide range of sizes.

Truck Bed Sizes

Most trucks have a short, standard, or long truck bed. These have standard dimensions that differ slightly between manufacturers and models, and truck mattress companies reflect these differences by offering multiple sizing options. However, many sizes are based on semi-truck sizing and therefore may not fit your pickup perfectly.

Customers should measure their truck bed’s length and width (between the wheel wells, which tends to be 42 inches) before making a purchase, but should also measure and consider the height of a mattress as well. Depending on what kind of cover you’ll be sleeping under, some of the thicker mattresses may leave you with very little overhead space. Keep this in mind when purchasing, particularly since some of the more comfortable mattresses tend to have a thicker profile.

What Types of Mattresses Are Best for Trucks?

As mentioned previously, there are three major types of mattresses used for trucks: inflatable, innerspring, and all-foam. We’ll be focusing on the latter two varieties, since inflatable mattresses offer significantly less comfort and support than the others.

Each type of mattress has its own upsides and downsides, making it critical to choose one that suits your needs the best. That said, different models will also vary in what they offer. For example, foam mattresses tend to sleep warmer than innersprings, but some luxury foam models counteract this tendency with innovative designs or materials.

Regardless of the mattress type you choose, there are some qualities shared by all truck mattresses. They should be lightweight and compact to make it easier to move and store them, they should be comfortable in a range of temperatures, and should have a lower profile than standard beds to accommodate minimal overhead space under a camping shell.

Foam: 

Definition: All-foam mattresses are made using polyfoam or a combination of polyfoam and memory foam. They usually have a high-density polyfoam support core for stability and support, with less-dense comfort layers (on both sides for flippable mattresses) to provide a softer sleep surface with soothing pressure relief.

Innerspring:

Definition: Innerspring mattresses are built from a support core of interlocking steel springs. This traditional mattress type tends to be among the least expensive varieties while offering good support for a wide variety of sleepers. They feature a range of comfort systems, with the most common being a pillow-top or a layer of foam.

Highlight: In addition to being priced lower than all-foam models, innerspring mattresses are exceptionally durable and temperature-resistant. While foam beds can seize up and become uncomfortable hard in very cold weather, innerspring mattresses — particularly those with pillow-top comfort layers — remain in working condition regardless of the conditions outside.

Last Things to Consider With a Truck Mattress

We’ve made sure to cover the most important factors when buying a truck mattress, but there is always more to consider before making a purchase.

How Much do Truck Mattresses Cost?

Just like ordinary mattresses, truck mattresses are available at a wide range of price-points. They usually run from under $100 for an inexpensive air mattress, to just under $1000 for the most luxurious all-foam options. While the most budget-friendly in the short term, inflatable mattresses tend to be far less durable than innerspring or all-foam options. Coupled with their comparative lack of comfort and support, we don’t suggest inflatable mattresses except as very temporary options. Innerspring models are often very similar in price, but will offer a better sleep for far longer.

In addition to the cost of a mattress, there may be other costs associated with making your truck mattress-ready. Make sure to set aside part of your budget for cleaning, securing your mattress, or buying a topper if necessary.

Do I Need to Use a Truck Topper or Camper Shell With My Truck Mattress?

While sleeping under the stars may seem romantic, in practice it tends to be damp, unsafe, and uncomfortable. A truck topper or camper shell solves these problems without breaking the bank, since they are often available secondhand, and inexpensive but practical models are available for under $100. The most important considerations when buying a shell or topper are strength, available headroom, weatherproofing, insulation, and ventilation.

Do I Need a Truck Mattress or an RV or Camper?

Deciding between sleeping in your truck bed and purchasing an RV or a camper can be surprisingly difficult. RVs and camper trailers are significantly more expensive, can be difficult to move and store, and require much more maintenance. However, they do offer an all-in-one camping experience that even the most comfortable truck mattress and shell combination can’t replicate.