Island Bed · Double · Custom Cut · North West
Caravan Mattress North West: Island Bed, Double & Custom Cut
Replacement caravan mattresses in 50kg/m3 SABS-approved high-density foam, delivered free across North West, built to handle dry heat, dust and gravel approach roads.
North West caravanning is bushveld and dam caravanning, usually within easy towing distance of Gauteng, and often down a stretch of gravel at the end. Dry heat and dust are the constants. Both are hard on cheap foam: heat accelerates the breakdown, and dust works into an unwashable cover and stays there.
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 North West
Pilanesberg and the Sun City area are the obvious draw, with Hartbeespoort and Vaalkop Dam close enough for a weekend and Madikwe further north for a longer trip. Most of it is an easy tow from Johannesburg or Pretoria, which is why so many North West campsites fill with Gauteng plates.
Practically, that means the mattress needs two things: foam that breathes in dry bushveld heat, and construction that shrugs off corrugated gravel. Foam beats an innerspring on the second point outright, because there are no coils to bend or rust, and our zip-off cover means the dust comes out in the wash rather than living in the bed.
Payload, towing balance and where the mattress sits
North West touring means distance: long straight hauls out toward the Kalahari and the Botswana border, often fully loaded with water because the next fill is a long way off. Payload gets tight fast, and a sprung mattress is one of the heaviest single items in the caravan sitting in the worst possible place for it.
| Item | Typical weight | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Full 90 litre water tank | About 90kg | Usually low and near the axle, the good case |
| Two filled 9kg gas bottles | About 40kg | Nose, adds towball weight |
| Sprung caravan mattress | Commonly 15 to 25kg heavier than foam | High up, often behind the axle, the bad case |
| High-density foam mattress | Light enough to lift one-handed | Same place, far less of it |
Position matters as much as mass. A mattress sits at roughly waist height, which raises the centre of gravity and increases roll when a truck passes you, and in most layouts the fixed bed is at one end of the van, so that weight sits well behind the axle where it reduces towball download. Light towball weight is strongly associated with caravan sway. Removing 15 to 25kg from that specific position is worth more than the same saving low down near the axle. One caveat: the lightest foam is the lowest density, and that bottoms out under an adult. Take the weight saving that comes from choosing foam over springs, not from choosing bad foam over good foam.
Full detail in our guide: Caravan Payload and the Mattress.
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 North West
We are opening stores nationwide through 2026 and 2027. In the meantime North West orders are delivered free to your door, vacuum-rolled in a box that carries through a standard 65cm caravan door and expands on the bed within hours.
If you tow through Gauteng regularly, our Kempton Park store at 6 West St is an easy detour if you would rather feel the foam in person before buying.
Free delivery reaches Rustenburg, Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp, Mahikeng, Brits, Hartbeespoort, Lichtenburg, Vryburg and Zeerust, with a small fee only for genuinely remote addresses.
How we compare in North West
The usual North West options are a Rustenburg or Potchefstroom upholsterer cutting foam to measurement, or replacing through a caravan dealer. As elsewhere, the foam density is rarely published, so you are buying on trust rather than on spec.
We publish 50kg/m3 SABS-approved, publish the price, deliver free, and carry a 30-day money-back guarantee, a 365-night trial and a 10-year written warranty.
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 Rustenburg and the Pilanesberg area?
Yes, free delivery covers all of North West including Rustenburg, Brits, Hartbeespoort, Potchefstroom and Mahikeng, typically 3 to 7 working days, with a small fee only for genuinely remote addresses.
Is a foam caravan mattress better than springs for gravel roads?
For a caravan, yes. Foam has no coils to bend, squeak or rust on corrugated approach roads, and it saves 15 to 25kg of payload compared with an innerspring, which matters when you are towing.
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.
Does a lighter mattress improve caravan towing stability?
It helps, because a mattress sits high up and usually well behind the axle. Weight carried high raises the centre of gravity and increases roll, and weight far behind the axle reduces towball download, which is associated with sway. Removing 15 to 25kg from that position is worth more than the same saving low down.
How much does a caravan mattress weigh?
It varies by size and construction, but a sprung caravan mattress is commonly 15 to 25kg heavier than a foam one of the same size because of the steel coil unit. Foam versions are generally light enough to lift and turn single-handed, which also makes airing the bed out far more likely to actually happen.
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.