If you are a hiker, adventuristic camper or just a regular outdoors enthusiast, you should consider getting a folding mattress. Take a look at our buying guide and top picks of best folding mattresses in 2019, based on in-depth product research and analysis.
If you are a keen hiker, adventuristic camper or just a regular outdoors enthusiast, you are already aware of foldable beds and their importance. Foldable beds are an alternative to traditional mattresses. They are versatile, compact, light, and portable beds that you can fold up easily for transport or quick storage, and an excellent option for an extra guest bed, travel or camping. They are usually made with three panels that fold in three (tri-fold) or two (bi-fold) places. Apart from that, they are made with foam layers (polyfoam or memory foam) to be incredibly thin, with an average model measuring from 4 to 6 inches of thickness. Compared to their price, the mattresses offer quality sleeping experience. The price of these mattresses usually goes from $175, which is lower than some standard models.
If you’re thinking about buying a folding mattress, you’ll need to know what the best folding mattresses are available on the market and what you need to look for in one.
Let’s take a look at the top picks for the best folding mattresses in 2019. The first model is our editor’s choice, the Milliard Tri Folding Mattress. The runner-up choice is the Zinus with a tri-fold mat for comfort. When it comes to best value picks, our choice is the Cozzi with a tri-fold mattress. The best range in size is the Best price for the mattress with a tri-fold mattress from memory type of foam. Lastly, the Cushy Foam Tri-Fold Folding Mattress.
Highlights
The Zinus Tri-fold Folding mattress is firm with a four inches thickness profile that is most suitable for those who have at least 130 pounds. The base is made of high-density polyfoam, while the comfort layer is made from memory foam. The standout feature of this model is its transitional layer of polyfoam that reinforces the quality of the sleep and provides support to the users. With this combination, the mattress offers even support to sleep on – especially for stomach and back sleepers. It also has a very breathable cover made from jacquard. The cover offers great temperature neutrality that is especially comfortable for those who tend to sleep hot on foam beds.
The entire bed weighs sixteen pounds, making it easy to lift, transport or store, even more than other folding models. It is 39 inches wide and 75 inches long, which approximately the size of a Twin bed. All Zinus products are backed with a five-year warranty, which is unusual for folding mattresses since they don’t have any sort of warranty. The price is very low, with $90 or less, depending on the retailers.
Suitable for:
Highlights
The Milliard Tri Folding Mattress could easily be considered as one of the best foldable mattresses you can find on the market. It is a Medium Firm model that offers a comfortable feel. With its six-inches profile, it is extremely comfortable for heavier individuals – those with more than 230 pounds. Apart from its thicker than average profile, its construction also stands out. It is made with pure high-density memory foam that will provide the sleeper with optimal levels of comfort for sleeping. Above the high-quality foam is a cover made of jacquard bamboo that is responsible for the mattress’ incredible durability and long-term use.
The cover of the bed is an ultrasoft, lightweight, and removable. Like we mentioned, it is made of jacquard bamboo with its purpose being to keep the foam under it protected. It has an anti-slip bottom that guarantees that the mattress will not slide on smooth surfaces. Since it’s removable, you can wash it in the machine for easy and convenient cleaning. The support core of the bed is made from a 4.5 inch high-density polyfoam, while the comfort layer is made from 1.5 inch pure memory foam. The high-density foam is responsible for making sure that the entire bed stays firm and stable when a person sleeps on it. The memory foam adjusts the bed towards so your body, and provides great comfort and decent cooling. One of the key strengths is the temperature neutrality that the product offers with the foam and bamboo combination. The mattress is available in Twin, Full, and Queen sizes, with a higher than average price – a good pick for shoppers that have bigger budgets.
Suitable for:
Highlights
If you are looking for an elegant, modern and breathtaking design that will truly spice up your bedroom, the Cozzzi Trifold Foam Folding Mattress is the model for you. Our best value pick comes at a price of $75 or less. It has a four-inches thickness profile, support core made of high-density polyfoam, a comfort layer made of polyfoam, and a removable polyester cover that can be machine washed. The Firm mattress is 32 inches wide and 78 inches long, which is approximately the size of a Twin or Twin XL. The bed weighs twelve pounds, which makes it very light and convenient for storing and carrying. It can serve great as a guest bed, but it is most suitable for traveling or camping.
Suitable for:
Highlights
The Cushy Form Tri-fold Folding Mattress was designed for travelers. It offers portability, convenience and excellent comfort. With less than twelve pounds, the bed is very lightweight and easily stored in a handy storage case that you get with each purchase. The mattress is a Firm model, with a soft cover that can be removed for machine washing, comfort layer made of polyfoam, and base made of high-density polyfoam. Because of the Firm feel, the bed is most suitable for individuals in the heavyweight group – with more than 230 pounds, and for stomach and back sleepers. It has 25 inches in width and 75 inches in height, which is slightly narrower than a Twin size bed.
Apart from sleeping, the mattress can be used as a mat for pilates, yoga, or any other form of exercise. With the small size and weight, it is also an excellent pick for traveling, camping or sleeping in an RV.
Suitable for:
Highlights
The most common disadvantage of folding beds is size limitation, but there is always an exception. The Tri-fold Memory Foam Mattress that comes from the Best Price Mattress is available in all nine sizes, which includes the standard six sizes – Full, Twin, Twin XL, King, California King and Queen, as well as Small, Extra Small and Short Queen. The Best Price Tri-fold Memory Foam Mattress, like the company’s name says, has the best price among folding beds.
This Medium Firm mattress has a support core made from high-density polyfoam and a comfort layer made of memory foam. The bed is most suitable for individuals who have more than 130 pounds and sleep in any position. It also has a jacquard cover that is removable and machine-washable. Thanks to the cover, you will sleep fairly cool, and the slip-free bottom won’t allow any movement during the night. The Best Price’s mattress also has a five-year warranty.
Suitable for:
Folding mattresses offer many benefits. Unlike standard models, they are a handy sleep accessory – they are easily transported and stored. With these qualities, they are excellent for travel and camping, but they are also able to provide a comfortable sleep experience to its users.
Folding mattresses are ideal to use during camping events, travel, guest bedding, and kids’ sleepovers. For camping events, sleeping in a nice tent with a folding mattress provides excellent comfort during the night. They are also very easy to move – most of them will fit inside large backpacks, making them easy to carry and travel with. They can also serve as guest beds or for kid sleepovers.
There are many factors you need to consider when buying a new folding mattress. Let’s take a look at them.
First, the material composition. The majority, if not all, are made from foam. Because of its qualities, foam mattresses are lighter and stored easier. Some models that have viscolatex or latex in their layer, but foam has proven to offer the best compromise of weight and comfort. An alternative to folding mattresses is air mattresses that are also very lightweight and easily stored. Hybrids and innersprings are almost never made as folding models.
As for the type of foam, there are two foams used in folding mattresses. Polyfoam, or polyurethane foam, is commonly found in both standard and foldable models. It’s not very durable or comfortable, but it does offer a relatively low price. Memory foam, or viscoelastic polyurethane foam, was made to be softer when coming in contact with the body, but return into its original form when you get up. Memory foam also conforms closer than polyfoam, while giving more pain and pressure-point relief. However, they tend to be more expensive than all-polyfoam models.
The cover of the bed acts as a protective cover against moisture and damage. It is usually removable for machine washing, with a zipper and a slip-free bottom. However, some models that have a non-removable, sewn-on cover. The material used needs to be waterproof or at least antimicrobial in order to fight against dust mites and other allergens that the bed can be exposed to when camping.
The thickness of the bed, which dictates the height, needs to be shorter than most mattresses, but it’s still comfortable enough for sleeping. Portability is also something that needs to be considered, so the thickness needs to be smaller in order for the bed to be lighter and easier to carry and store. Because of that, the usual thickness is between three and eight inches.
Length of the bed is also something to consider, but there is no need to worry since folding models are mostly available in the same sizes as standard mattresses. Some even have more sizing options.
The firmness of the bed is also a big consideration. Most folding models are Medium Firm or Firm, so it might be a problem for those who like softer beds. However, it does make it suitable for all types of sleepers, and those in the average and heavyweight groups.
Tanya is a professional writer and editor with a B.A. in English from the University of Chicago. Tanya has been fighting insomnia for most of her adult life, and she knows firsthand how vital a good night’s rest can be for people with sleep problems.