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By HEST · Updated May 2026
How to set up the HEST Foamy camping mattress — no pump, no inflation, ready in 30 seconds. Works for car camping roof top tent, van life, SUV sleeping, and truck bed camping.
Rooftop tent companies make great tents. They engineer impressive lifting mechanisms, durable fabrics, and clever folding systems. But the mattress that comes with your RTT? That's not what they're known for.
The most common feedback we hear from RTT owners is the same every time: uncomfortable, not great, too thin. The stock mattress is an afterthought — a pad thin enough to fold away when the tent closes, not something designed to give you a genuinely good night's sleep.
The problem is that most people accept it. They spend $2,000, $3,000, even $5,000 on their rooftop tent setup — and then sleep on whatever came in the box. That's backwards. The mattress is the one piece of gear that affects every single hour you spend in your tent. Everything else about your RTT experience gets better when you sleep well.
"You already spent a lot on the rooftop tent. Don't skimp on the mattress and sacrifice your sleep to save money."
Before you buy a replacement mattress, this is the one thing you need to know: whether you have a hard shell or a soft shell rooftop tent changes everything about what you should buy.
Hard shell rooftop tents Hard shell RTTs— like the iKamper Skycamp, CVT Mount Rainier, and similar clamshell designs — can typically keep a HEST mattress inside when closed. That means you can leave your Dually or Foamy up there permanently, no removal needed. For hard shell owners we often recommend the Dually, since the tent can close with it inside and it gives you a proper two-person sleeping surface.
Soft shell rooftop tents Soft shell RTTsfold flat when closed and cannot accommodate a 3.9" memory foam mattress inside. For soft shell owners the HEST Foamy is the right choice — it rolls up quickly and removes easily every time you set up or break down camp. The Foamy is built exactly for this: compact enough to store when the tent is closed, substantial enough to sleep on every night. Solo sleepers take one Foamy. Couples link two Foamys side-by-side.
Before you buy — one critical check Confirm your RTT can accommodate a 3.9" thick memory foam mattress when closed. You will likely need to remove the stock mattress that came with your RTT to make room. Hard shell RTTs typically have the clearance — soft shell RTTs do not.
For any RTT not listed: measure your platform length and width and match to the closest HEST product. Visit hest.com/pages/sizing-guide for a full vehicle and RTT fit guide.
For RTTs not listed: measure your sleeping platform and match to the nearest Dually size (hard shell) or use the Foamy (soft shell). When in doubt, the Foamy Regular fits most standard platform sizes and rolls up if you ever need to remove it.
Rooftop tents are three-season capable by design — elevated off the ground, insulated from below by the tent platform, and sheltered from wind on all sides. With the right mattress and bedding, HEST customers have used the Foamy below 30 degrees routinely, and in some cases well below zero.
The key is layering. Memory foam insulates from below — you're not losing heat through an air-filled pad the way you would with a cheap inflatable. But no mattress alone carries you through a cold night. Here's what works:
The linked Foamy system is one of the most practical solutions for couples in a rooftop tent. Two Foamy Regulars Regulars clip together side-by-side using integrated clips built into each pad. They stay connected throughout the night — you don't feel the seam between them.
The result is a 78" × 50" sleeping surface that fits most standard RTT platforms and gives both people the same memory foam comfort. Each Foamy rolls up individually for storage, which makes setup and breakdown faster than managing a single large mattress.
For couples in a hard shell RTT with enough platform width, the Dually Long (78" × 50") or Dually Wide (72" × 60") is the purpose-built two-person option that lives in the tent permanently.
The Go Fast Camper community is one of the most vocal HEST RTT audiences — and for good reason. The GFC Standard Platform pairs directly with the Dually Platform 50, purpose-built for that setup.
Here's what one GFC V2 owner had to say after upgrading from the stock mattress:
"I have a V2 GFC and the OE mattress was like sleeping on plywood. This mattress is worth every penny. Tons of comfort and the transform-a-floor panels still behave. The fabric is super resilient to stains — inadvertently tested with both coffee and bourbon. I had tried adding a topper to the stock one and it doesn't come close."
A few practical notes from real-world GFC use worth knowing before you buy:
| Model | Size | Best For | Sleepers | Linked Width |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foamy Short | 64" × 25" | Smaller SUVs, Subarus, compact cars | 1 | 50" (two linked) |
| Foamy Regular Most Popular | 78" × 25" | Most SUVs, standard car camping setups | 1 | 50" (two linked) |
| Foamy Wide | 78" × 30" | Solo sleepers who want extra shoulder room, taller or larger sleepers (6'2"+) | 1 | 60" (two linked) |
| Two Foamy Regulars linked | 78" × 50" | Two people in a standard SUV or larger | 2 | 50" |
| Two Foamy Wides linked | 78" × 60" | Two people who want maximum sleeping width | 2 | 60" |
HEST Camp PillowThe same memory foam technology as the Foamy, in a travel pillow that packs down small enough to throw in a stuff sack. Adjustable fill so you can dial in exactly the loft you want. Cold-temperature performance matches the Foamy — stays soft and supportive even when the temperature drops overnight. The GFC V2 owner above has the pillows too — and rates them the same as the mattress: worth every penny.
HEST Down Comforter The pairing that completes the setup for three and four season RTT use. The Foamy handles insulation from below. The Down Comforter handles warmth from above. That combination has taken HEST customers below zero and kept them sleeping well.
The HEST Foamy is the best replacement mattress for most rooftop tents. It's 3.9" of enhanced memory foam that requires no pump or inflation, rolls up quickly for soft shell RTTs, and delivers a significantly better sleep experience than the thin stock pads most RTTs come with. For hard shell RTTs, the HEST Dually is the best two-person option since it can stay inside the tent when closed.
Can I leave a HEST mattress in my rooftop tent when it's closed?
It depends on your tent. Hard shell RTTs can typically keep a HEST mattress inside when closed — no removal needed. Soft shell RTTs cannot close with a 3.9" foam mattress inside. For soft shell owners, the Foamy is the right choice because it rolls up and removes quickly every time you set up or break down.
What size HEST mattress fits my rooftop tent?
It depends on your RTT platform dimensions. The iKamper Skycamp 3.0 fits the Dually Wide. The iKamper Skycamp Mini fits the Dually Long. The GFC Standard Platform fits the Dually Platform 50. For any tent not listed, measure your platform and match to the nearest Dually size (hard shell) or use the Foamy Regular (soft shell). Full sizing guide at hest.com/pages/sizing-guide.
Can you use a HEST mattress in cold weather in a rooftop tent?
Yes. HEST customers regularly use the Foamy below 30 degrees in rooftop tents. In cold conditions below 20 degrees, pair it with a HEST Down Comforter for full four-season performance. Unlike air mattresses, the Foamy doesn't lose heat overnight and stays soft in cold temperatures rather than hardening the way cheap memory foam does.
How do two people sleep in a rooftop tent with HEST?
For soft shell RTTs, two Foamy Regulars link together side-by-side using integrated clips to create a 78" × 50" sleeping surface. The clips hold them securely through the night — you don't feel the gap. Each Foamy rolls up individually for storage. For hard shell RTTs, the Dually Long or Wide is the purpose-built two-person option that can stay in the tent permanently.
Do I need to remove my stock RTT mattress?
By a wide margin. RTT manufacturers focus on engineering great tents — the mattress is almost always an afterthought. Thin, uncomfortable stock pads are the most common complaint among RTT owners. The HEST Foamy is purpose-built for exactly this use case: durable enough for outdoor use, warm enough for cold nights, and comfortable enough to make your rooftop tent feel like sleeping at home.
What is the best mattress for a Go Fast Camper?
The Dually Platform 50 is purpose-built for the GFC Standard Platform. It was designed specifically as a premium sleep upgrade for GFC campers and stays inside a closed GFC. For the GFC Max Mid Size, two Foamy Regulars linked side-by-side is the recommended setup. For the GFC Max Full Size, a Foamy Regular paired with a Foamy Wide covers the platform.
