Island Bed · Double · Custom Cut · Eastern Cape
Caravan Mattress Eastern Cape: Island Bed, Double & Custom Cut
Replacement caravan mattresses in 50kg/m3 SABS-approved high-density foam, delivered free across the Eastern Cape, built for coastal damp on one side of the province and Karoo dust on the other.
The Eastern Cape asks two different things of a caravan mattress depending on which way you point the van. Head for the coast and you get humidity, salt air and damp storage. Head inland for the Karoo and you get dust, dry heat and big overnight temperature swings. A mattress built to a price handles neither well.
Sizes and prices
Published prices, no quote step. Island bed layouts include free rounded corners at no extra cost.
| Option | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
|
Active Foam Caravan Double or Island Bed (Queen) |
Firm, supportive, holds its shape trip after trip. The straightforward replacement. | R5,999 |
|
Revive Foam Caravan Double or Island Bed (Queen) |
Memory foam comfort layer for pressure relief. Choose this if you wake up with a sore back or hips. | R7,999 |
| Custom shape | Cut corners, French beds and odd island layouts, cut to your traced template. | R6,999 |
Caravanning in the Eastern Cape
The coast runs from Jeffreys Bay and St Francis through Gqeberha to Kenton-on-Sea and Port Alfred, then up towards the Wild Coast. Inland you have Addo, the Tsitsikamma and Storms River on the N2, Hogsback, and the long Karoo stretches around Graaff-Reinet and Cradock.
For the coastal half, breathability is what matters: our open-cell foam lets moisture move instead of holding it under you through a damp winter of storage. For the Karoo half, it is durability on gravel and a zip-off cover you can actually wash the dust out of. The same 50kg/m3 core handles both.
Gravel roads, corrugation and what it does to a mattress
Getting anywhere worth going in the Eastern Cape usually involves dirt. A caravan mattress on corrugation is being vibrated at speed for hours with nobody lying on it, which is a wear pattern no house mattress ever experiences. It is the main practical reason we build caravan mattresses in foam rather than springs.
| Factor | High-density foam | Innerspring |
|---|---|---|
| Vibration on corrugation | Continuous material, no discrete parts to fatigue | Multi-part assembly, more interfaces under repeated load |
| Salt air and damp | No metal to corrode | Steel components in a humid coastal environment |
| Cutting to an island or corner shape | Cuts cleanly to any traced template | Cutting compromises the coil unit and edge support |
| Getting it through the door | Vacuum-rolled through a standard 65cm door | Rigid, must fit through as it is |
In fairness, a well-made pocket-coil unit will not disintegrate on a dirt road, and some caravan suppliers sell good sprung mattresses. The argument for foam is weight, simplicity and shapeability, not that springs are bad products. Two practical habits if you tour rough roads: stop the mattress sliding in transit with a non-slip underlay, because a mattress moving on the base chafes its cover and rounds the edges, and use a breathable washable protector, because gravel dust gets everywhere.
Full detail in our guide: Foam vs Innerspring on Gravel Roads.
Caravan mattress sizes and dimensions
The whole question behind "caravan mattress" is whether it fits your bed. Here are the exact footprint sizes we cut, in millimetres. Island and tapered beds get a free rounded-corner cut, and any odd shape is cut from a template you trace.
| Size | Footprint (mm) | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double Bed | 1370 x 1880 | Fixed double beds and dinette conversions | from R5,999 |
| Island Bed (Queen), straight corners | 1520 x 1880 | Island beds with square corners | from R5,999 |
| Island Bed (Queen), rounded corners | 1520 x 1880, foot corners rounded | Sprite, Jurgens and Gypsey island beds | from R5,999 (free upgrade) |
| Custom cut | To your traced template | French beds, cut corners, wheel-arch notches, odd shapes | quoted on the shape |
Does it tick the caravan mattress buying checklist?
Every caravan mattress buying guide ends with the same checklist. Here is how the Mr Mattress caravan mattress measures up, point by point.
| Foam density 30 to 40 kg/m3 for durability | 50kg/m3 SABS-approved high-density foam, published on the page, not quoted on request. Higher than the benchmark most caravan buying guides set. |
| Cut to the bed shape (island, cut corner, wheel arch) | Free rounded corners on every island bed order, and a full custom cut from your traced template for French beds, cut corners and odd shapes. |
| Fits through the caravan door | Vacuum-rolled in a box that carries through a standard 65cm caravan door and expands on the bed within hours. |
| Light enough to protect your payload | Foam, not innerspring. Saves roughly 15 to 25kg of towing weight versus a sprung caravan mattress, with no springs to bend or rust on gravel. |
| Bed-grade foam, not camping-pad foam | The same high-density bed-grade foam we put in our house mattresses, so it does not hollow out after a season or two like cheap 28 to 30 kg/m3 OEM caravan foam. |
| Trial and warranty | A 365-night trial and a 10-year warranty, in writing. As far as we can find, no other South African caravan mattress supplier offers a sleep trial at all. |
What we publish that most suppliers do not
| Spec | Mr Mattress |
|---|---|
| Foam density | 50kg/m3, SABS-approved, published here. Most original caravan mattresses use 28 to 30kg/m3 and do not state it. |
| Weight rating | 140kg per side. |
| Price | Published flat prices. No measure-and-quote step before you know the cost. |
| Trial | 365-night home trial plus a 30-day money-back guarantee on standard sizes. |
| Warranty | 10-year written warranty. |
| Delivery | Free nationwide, typically 3 to 7 working days. Small fee only for genuinely remote addresses. |
Which caravans we fit
| Layout | Caravans covered |
|---|---|
| Island Bed (Queen) | Sprite Tourer, Sprite Spiral, Jurgens Exclusive, Gypsey Royale and most other South African island bed layouts, with free rounded corners |
| Double Bed | Sprite Splash, Sprite Swing and similar straight-cut double layouts |
| Custom cut | Cut corners, French beds and unusual island shapes, cut from your traced template |
Delivered free across the Eastern Cape
We manufacture in East London as well as our other regions, so Eastern Cape orders do not travel the length of the country to reach you. Delivery is free across the province, vacuum-rolled in a box that fits through a standard 65cm caravan door.
Standard sizes carry a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 365-night home trial, which comfortably covers a December at the coast and a winter in the Karoo.
Free delivery reaches Gqeberha, East London, Jeffreys Bay, St Francis Bay, Port Alfred, Kenton-on-Sea, Makhanda, Graaff-Reinet, Cradock, Queenstown and Mthatha, with a small fee only for genuinely remote addresses.
How we compare in the Eastern Cape
The usual alternatives are a foam cutter in Gqeberha or East London working to your measurements, or a like-for-like dealership replacement. Both tend to quote rather than publish, and neither typically states the foam density or offers a trial period.
We publish 50kg/m3 SABS-approved, publish a flat price, deliver free, and give you 365 nights plus a 30-day money-back guarantee to decide. If it does not suit you, we collect it at our cost.
Why buy from Mr Mattress
Hi, I'm Andries
We publish the foam density because the mattress industry mostly does not. If a supplier will not tell you what is inside before you pay, that is usually the answer.
No fake sales. Just problems solved.
Read my story →Frequently asked questions
Do you deliver caravan mattresses to Gqeberha, East London and the Wild Coast?
Yes. Free delivery covers the whole Eastern Cape, and we manufacture in East London, so orders do not travel far. Typically 3 to 7 working days, with a small fee only for genuinely remote addresses.
Which caravan mattress suits both the coast and the Karoo?
The same one. Our open-cell foam breathes, which is what you need against coastal damp, and the 50kg/m3 high-density core with a zip-off washable cover is what you need against Karoo dust and gravel roads.
How much does a caravan mattress cost?
Prices are national and published, with no quote step: R5,999 for the Active Foam caravan mattress in Double or Island Bed (Queen), R7,999 for the Revive memory foam version, and R6,999 for a full custom shape cut to your traced template. Island bed orders include free rounded corners.
Will it fit my Sprite, Jurgens or Gypsey island bed?
Our Island Bed (Queen) option with free rounded corners fits most South African island bed layouts, including the Sprite Tourer, Sprite Spiral, Jurgens Exclusive and Gypsey Royale. Measure your bed base at its widest and longest point, or WhatsApp a traced template to 087 292 1957 and we will cut it exactly.
Will a caravan mattress fit through my caravan door?
Yes. Every mattress ships vacuum-rolled in a box, carries through a standard 65cm caravan door and expands on the bed within hours.
How much payload does a foam caravan mattress save?
Foam saves roughly 15 to 25kg compared with an innerspring of the same size, and there are no springs to bend or rust on corrugated roads.
Does the 365-night trial apply to caravan mattresses?
Yes on standard sizes, along with the 30-day money-back guarantee and the 10-year written warranty. Custom-cut shapes are made to order for you, so they carry the 10-year warranty but not the trial.
What size is a caravan island bed mattress?
Our Island Bed (Queen) is 1520 x 1880mm, the South African queen size, and it fits most Sprite, Jurgens and Gypsey island beds. Island beds taper at the foot, so we cut free rounded corners on every island bed order. If your bed is an unusual shape, trace it and WhatsApp us a photo on 087 292 1957 and we cut it to match. A standard double is 1370 x 1880mm.
How thick should a caravan mattress be?
Most caravan buying guides recommend 75 to 100mm so the mattress clears cupboards and windows, but the right depth depends on your caravan. Tell us your available clearance when you order and we confirm the depth before it ships. WhatsApp 087 292 1957 with your measurement.
Is foam or innerspring better for a caravan on gravel roads?
Foam, for most touring caravanners. It is a single continuous material with no discrete metal parts to fatigue or corrode under sustained vibration, it saves roughly 15 to 25kg of payload, and it can be cut to island and corner bed shapes. A good pocket-coil unit is still a legitimate product, but it is heavier and cannot be shaped.
Do caravan mattresses wear out faster than house mattresses?
They can, for two reasons unrelated to how often you sleep on them. Most caravans are supplied with low-density foam that bottoms out quickly under an adult, and transit vibration plus condensation are stresses a house mattress never sees. Higher-density foam and regular airing address both.
Caravan mattresses by region
National guide · Gauteng · Cape Town · KZN · Free State · Mpumalanga · Limpopo · Eastern Cape · North West
Related: Caravan mattress (national) · Bakkie mattress · Custom size foam mattresses · Our stores
Reviewed by Andries Taljaard, Founder of Mr Mattress.