Hest Dually Camping Mattress Review
The most comfortable camping and van life memory foam mattress
Home > Gear Reviews > Camping
April 26th, 2024
Our verdict
As a full-time van dweller, I sleep on a HEST Dually mattress whenever I’m not in the backcountry. I’ve slept in many places, but I never dreamed that a camping mattress would be the most comfortable mattress I’ve ever slept on.
But after 90 nights of sleeping on the Dually, I can say this is quite possibly the most comfortable way to sleep outside. With the exception of the occasional night in hotels after a long day of thru-hiking through snow and freezing rain, when comfort simply seems higher because of literal external conditions, this mattress is perhaps the coziest surface I’ve ever slept on. Maybe it’s because I’ve taken it to some really cool places, but I’m not exaggerating. The Dually will seriously level up the way you sleep outside.
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Specs
Dimensions
Short: 64 x 50 x 3.9 inches
Long: 78 x 50 x 3.9 inches
Wide: 72 x 60 x 3.9 inches
Queen: 78 x 60 x 3.9 inches
Custom S60: 68 x 60 x 3.9 inches
Custom S75: 68 x 75 x 3.9 inches
Rooftop Tent: 94 x 54 x 3.9 inches
Packed Size
Short: 64 x 25 x 7.8 inches
Long: 78 x 25 x 7.8 inches
Wide: 72 x 30 x 7.8 inches
Queen: 78 x 30 x 7.8 inches
Custom S60 (size tested): 30 x 68 x 7.8 inches
Custom S75: 37 x 68 x 7.8 inches
Rooftop Tent: 54 x 47 x 7.8 inches
Weight
Short: 20 pounds
Long: 24 pounds
Wide: 26 pounds
Queen: 29 pounds
Custom S60: 27 pounds
Custom S75: 34 pounds
Rooftop Tent: 31 pounds
Comparison Table
| CAMPING MATTRESS | THICKNESS (IN) | R-VALUE | SELF-INFLATING? | WEIGHT (LBS) | PACKED SIZE (IN) | DIMENSIONS AVAILABLE (IN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HEST Dually | 4.00 | 8.8 | No | 20.0 | 64 x 25 x 7.8 | 7 options |
| HEST Sleep System Sleeping Pad | 7.00 | 11.8 | Partial, but comes with pump | 26.0 | 14 x 25 | 78 x 25 |
| Nemo Roamer Double | 4 | 6.0 | Yes | 7.5 | 78 x 54 | 78 x 52, 78 x 30 |
| Exped MegaMat 10 Duo | 3.90 | 8.1 | Yes | 7.5 | 31.3 x 9.8 | 72 x 41, 77.6 x 52 |
| REI Co-op Camp Dreamer XL Self-Inflating Deluxe Bed | 4.00 | 6.6 | Yes - includes pillow pump to top off | 6.4 | 11 x 30 | 78 x 32 |
What we liked
As comfortable as our home mattress
Removable cover for cleaning
Folds in half to transport
Doubles as a couch
Dirt and water-resistant bottom
Lots of sizes with some made to fit in a van
What could be better
Expensive
Not as packable as an inflatable mattress
Comfort compared to other mattresses
As someone who’s always on the move, I’m pretty good at sleeping on most surfaces. But that also makes me appreciate a comfortable place to lay my head even more. I’ve spent 4-5 months sleeping on a lightweight sleeping pad on the Pacific Crest Trail and Continental Divide Trail. I also spent 7 months straight sleeping on a cheap self-inflating sleeping pad while bike touring across the country, then for several months after that in a rented room before I could afford a “real” mattress.
When car camping, I previously used a cheap folding memory foam mattress. I thought that memory foam mattress was as good as it gets for sleeping in my car. I didn’t have to inflate it, and it folded into thirds so it’d be out of the way when I wasn’t using it. But I was wrong. The Dually, which comes in six different shapes and sizes to fit the back of your car, truck, SUV, van, or tent, is worlds more comfortable than other portable memory foam mattresses.
Now, if I sleep at a friend or family member’s house, I fold the bed in half, clip the ends together, grab the carry handle, and bring the Dually inside. It’s always more comfortable than the couch or spare bed I’d otherwise sleep on. There’s nothing more comfortable than sleeping in your own bed, after all. And a bed that’s this comfortable and durable enough for the outdoors? You can’t do better than this.
The Hest Dually is a two-layered memory foam mattress with a plush top layer and a supportive bottom layer. The result is a mattress that feels oh-so-soft to the touch without being so soft that it causes you to sink to the ground, even if you sleep on your side like me. Compared to my old folding memory foam mattress, the Dually feels softer on top, yet it doesn’t cause you to sink so far into the mattress when you lay down. And the foam doesn’t lose its softness in cold temperatures, as my old memory foam mattress did.
It has a durable cover that unzips so you can easily wash it. The cover's TPU-coated nylon bottom allows you to throw it anywhere. The top is a soft and stain-resistant twill that feels as comfortable as any bed sheet.
The Dually comes in four rectangular sizes to fit two people of most sizes or two people and a furry friend. It also comes in two van-specific shapes that fit perfectly across the back of most standard cargo vans and into the slightly narrower opening for the rear doors. And it comes in a rooftop tent size as well if you sleep outside on top of your car.
For this review, I tested the Dually S60, the smaller of two van-specific sizes. I’ve been using it as my bed while living full-time in my converted GMC Savana campervan for three months through late winter and spring in Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, and Illinois. This mattress is a joy to return to after backpacking trips, all-day trail runs, bike rides, and other adventures.
How we tested
As a full-time van dweller, I sleep on my Dually whenever I’m not in the backcountry. Suffice it to say, I’ve been thoroughly testing this mattress for three months.
This December, when converting an old cargo van to a camper, I found out that HEST made mattresses specifically shaped to fit the dimensions of the back of a van, with cutouts in the corners to fit in the van’s rear door opening: the Dually Custom S60 and S75. I had briefly tried the HEST Foamy, which uses the same enhanced memory foam as the Dually, and knew it was incredibly comfortable, so I decided to try a Dually in my camper van. After checking the dimensions of the different Dually sizes, I got the shorter Dually S60. When it arrived, it fit perfectly in the back of my GMC Savana.
Since I finished building out my van in February, I’ve slept on the Dually in conditions ranging from below-freezing in Northern New Mexico and Colorado to hot and muggy in Arkansas and Okalahoma’s Ouachita Mountains. I’ve slept in the Catalina and Superstition Foothills in Arizona. I’ve been to National Forests, BLM land, State Parks, and rest areas along the interstate. And every night, I’ve slept on the Dually.
When I want a couch, I prop it against the side of my home on wheels to lounge in the evenings and watch the sunset. I’ve spilled beer on it, gotten it wet when I opened my doors during a rainstorm, and gotten dirt from eight states on the cover. When I do laundry, I wash the cover just as you’d wash other bed sheets. Re-covering the mattress isn’t quite as easy as slipping on a fitted sheet, but it’s not too difficult, either.
Features
Material
The HEST Dually is made of two layers of HEST’s enhanced memory foam. The top layer is softer and contours to the shape of your body. The bottom layer is slightly firmer to provide support and relieve pressure points.
Most traditional memory foam works great in room temperature settings but doesn’t stay as soft in colder conditions. The enhanced memory foam used in the Dually stays soft in cold temperatures. I made cushions out of a cheap memory foam mattress topper for my van’s dinette/workstation. On cold mornings, these cushions are rock-hard, but my Dually mattress is still soft.
The mattress cover is made of two materials: a soft twill on the top and a durable, water-resistant nylon on the bottom. The top is a stretch woven nylon twill that feels like the top sheet of your bed at home. The bottom is a TPU-coated nylon.
Both of these cover materials are rugged enough for the outdoors. The top, which looks and feels like a top sheet, stays surprisingly clean when you track dirt all over it as I regularly do. The bottom material is waterproof, so dirt and grime don’t stick to it. After plopping this mattress directly on the ground, you can brush off the bottom with your hand or a damp cloth to clean it.
Size
The Dually is available in four rectangular sizes: Short (64 x 50 inches), Long (78 x 50 inches), Wide (72 x 60 inches), and Queen (78 x 60 inches). It’s also available in two other sizes made specifically for vans, with two corners cut out to fit in a van’s door opening: Custom S60 (68 x 60 inches) and S75 (75 x 68 inches). And, it’s available in a 94 x 54-inch rectangular shape to fit inside common rooftop tents.
Every Dually is four inches thick and folds in half lengthwise. This makes the packed size 8 inches thick, half the width of its shorter size, and the same length as when unfolded.
Comfort
The Dually is extremely comfortable. Most camping mattresses are more comfortable than sleeping on the ground, but that’s not saying much. I’ve never owned a high-end memory foam mattress like the Nectar mattresses you hear advertised on podcasts, but I’d wager the Dually rivals these in comfort.
It’s pillowy-soft yet supportive enough that I can’t feel the slatted bed platform it sits on. I regularly sleep on my side, and this mattress is comfortable enough for side sleeping. Even though it’s only four inches thick, my hip doesn’t sink too far into the mattress to touch the platform underneath. When tossing and turning, it’s comfortable on my back and lying on my stomach as well.
I know two women with wider hips than me who both have said their hips don’t sink too far into the Dually. They also overwhelmingly agree that this mattress is super cozy.
Insulation and temperature regulation
The Dually has an R-value of 8.8. This is warm enough for all but the absolute coldest conditions.
This mattress prevents drafts or the cold ground from making you cold from below. I sleep cold, and have used it in temperatures down to 20 degrees in Colorado. While I’ve had to pile multiple blankets on top, I never felt the need to add insulation underneath me.
In warmer temperatures, it doesn’t feel hot and sticky either. In warm, muggy conditions, it breathes well. I never felt like it was too hot, even when the temperature barely dipped below 75 degrees and humid at night in Arkansas. I’ve slept on some memory foam mattresses that are far too warm for the summer, but the Dually breathes well so it doesn’t make you too hot.
Ease of use
This mattress is very easy to use. It folds in half and has clips to keep it folded, so you can store it off to one side when you’re not sleeping on it. It also has a carry handle for transporting it. Even when folded in half, it’s quite large and a little floppy, so I wouldn’t want to carry it that far. But compared to other folding mattresses this is about as easy to carry. And when it’s time for bed, you simply unfold it then it’s ready to sleep on.
Unlike many other camping mattresses, the Dually requires no inflation when setting it up. This does mean that it doesn’t pack as small, but it makes setting up your sleep situation very easy. And since it doesn’t inflate, you don’t have to worry about punctures or relying on a battery powered pump, either.
Since it folds, you can prop it up against a wall or rock to use as a couch. The cover easily unzips to remove it for washing, and the dirt and water-resistant bottom means you can plop it down anywhere. It also has two cell phone storage pockets on the foot end.
Warmth
I already discussed this above, but I’ll reiterate here as well: the Dually is warm enough for most cold-weather camping. I’ve used it in 20-degree temperatures, and I sleep pretty cold. This mattress is warm enough for that.
If you’re going to be camping in deep winter conditions, the HEST Sleep System has an extra inflatable layer under the same 4-inch dual-layer memory foam as the Dually. The Sleep System has a higher 11.7 R-value. But again, I sleep cold, and I’ve used the Dually in the cold without issue.
Care and maintenance tips
I haven’t been careful when lugging this mattress around. (Sorry, Ms. Prickly Pear Cactus, but it looks like you’re still alive, so that’s good. You also didn’t puncture the bottom of my mattress, thank you!)
After three months of use, I can say the Dually is very durable. It still looks and feels like it did when brand new, and I expect it will last for years to come.
I’ve gotten dirt on the twill top when I set it up outside to cowboy camp and evening couch hangouts, and that dirt brushes off better than it would off of cotton. The TPU-coated bottom easily wipes clean, too. When folded in half for storage or transportation, the waterproof bottom material faces out and acts as a cover.
The mattress cover unzips and is machine washable. Whenever it gets dirty, you can simply throw the cover in with the rest of your laundry and wash it as you would a set of sheets. But since dirt brushes off the bottom and the top, this mattress stays surprisingly clean without washing. I never feel the need to wash the cover any more often than I would with bedsheets used indoors, and I’m constantly getting dirt and dust on it.
Warranty
The Dually and all other HEST products are covered by a 5-year warranty against defects in workmanship and materials. If something goes wrong with your Dually, they’ll repair or replace it. The warranty doesn’t cover normal wear and tear or punctures, but that’s not surprising.
Sustainability/Ethical Company
HEST is a part of the 1% for the Planet initiative. They assemble all their mattresses in their Seattle warehouse, and source all their foam from American sources to reduce shipping impact as much as possible.
They’ve also partnered with the following environmental organizations:
Protect Our Winters, which works to combat climate change through political and community initiatives.
The Rob Machado Foundation, which creates programs focused on eliminating single-use plastic, creating access to clean and free drinking water, organizing beach clean-ups, and working to establish durable recycling bins in communities.
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA), an organization of hunters and fishers whose mission is to strive for sustainability and protection of our wild places, and fight for access to public lands.
And, they’ve partnered with Washington's National Park Fund (WNPF), which works to raise private support to preserve and protect Washington’s national parks.
Should I buy the HEST Dually?
If you’re looking for the most comfortable mattress for car or tent camping and don’t need the portability and packability of an inflatable mattress, you should definitely consider a HEST Dually. It’s slightly more expensive than many camping mattresses. But for a camping mattress that easily sleeps two, it’s about on par with other options and definitely more comfortable.
Since it’s so durable, this might be the last camping mattress you ever need to buy. When you consider how many inflatable mattresses no longer hold air, the Dually is a better deal even if it costs more up front.
Other versions available
HEST Dually in other sizes
The Dually comes in four rectangular sizes to fit most trucks, tents, SUVs, and cars with larger fold-down seats. It's offered in short, long, wide, and queen for typical sizes as well as custom options listed below.
See all non-custom sizes
HEST Dually Custom S
This is the version I tested, the Dually Custom S60. The Custom S versions have notches cut out of two corners to fit a van. There is also a longer Custom S75.
HEST Dually Rooftop Tent
This version of the Dually is sized to fit the bottom of many rooftop tents.
HEST Foamy
The Foamy is a roll-up mattress that is shaped like a traditional single-person sleeping pad. It uses the same ultra-comfortable 4-inch dual-layer foam as the Dually.
HEST Sleep System
The Sleep System pairs a Foamy with an inflatable pad underneath to increase the R-value for even colder conditions. This is currently a winner for most comfortable sleeping mattress in our Best Camping Mattress guide.
Other camping mattresses to consider
NEMO Roamer Double
Thickness: 4 inches
R-Value: 6.0
Self-inflating? Yes
Weight: 7.5 lbs
Packed size (inches): 78 x 54
Dimensions available: 78 x 52, 78 x 30
This is a self-inflating, 4-inch-thick camping mattress that’s big enough for two people. It’s made of post-consumer recycled materials, rolls up to a small size for transportation, comes with a lifetime warranty, and also has an easy-to-use pumpsack for topping it off after self-inflation.
View the NEMO Roamer Double
Thickness: 3.9 inches
R-Value: 8.1
Self-inflating? Yes
Weight: 7.5 lbs
Packed size (inches): 31.3 x 9.8
Dimensions available: 72 x 41, 77.6 x 52
This is a self-inflating, 4-inch-thick camping mattress that’s large enough for one person. It inflates most of the way by simply opening the air valve, but you have to top it off with the included pump sack or your lungs. It rolls up for transportation and storage. It's currently a winner in our Best Camping mattress guide for best mattress for couples.
View the Exped MegaMat 10
Thickness: 4 inches
R-Value: 6.6
Self-inflating? Yes - includes pillow pump to top off
Weight: 6.4 lbs
Packed size (inches): 11 x 30
Dimensions available: 78 x 32
This is another single-person, self-inflating air mattress for camping. It’s pretty similar spec and comfort-wise to the Exped MegaMat, but this model is made with 100% recycled nylon.
View the REI Camp Dreamer XL
Thickness: 4.25 inches
R-Value: 7.0
Self-inflating? Yes
Weight: 4.4 lbs
Packed size (inches): 7 x 26
Dimensions available: 25 x 77, 30 x 80
The MondoKing is a 4.25-inch-thick single-person sleeping pad with two one-way valves, one for inflating and one for deflating, and an impressive warmth-to-weight ratio.
View the Therm-a-Rest MondoKing 3D
Thickness: 4 inches
R-Value: 6.5
Self-inflating? Yes
Weight: 3.5 lbs
Packed size (inches): 7.5 x 25
Dimensions available: 72 x 25, 79 x 29, 79 x 51
The Comfort Deluxe is a 4-inch self-inflating camping mattress that’s available in single-person and double sizes. It was our former overall winner in our Best Camping Mattress guide but after several seasons of consistent use at a summer camp, we had durability issues and the warranty system was difficult to navigate.
View the Sea to Summit Comfort Deluxe
Why you should trust us
Sam Schild is a thru-hiker, trail runner, cyclist, and mountain athlete based in his converted GMC Savana Campervan across the American Southwest. He’s slept on a lot of different surfaces while on outdoor adventures, from backpacking and bikepacking on ultralight sleeping pads to van-life and overlanding on a variety of larger camping mattresses. Before building out a van, he spent the better part of the past several years camping in a Honda Element, which he used as a base camp for adventure in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona.
When not van or car camping, he regularly gets deep in the backcountry on human-powered adventures. He has thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, Grand Enchantment Trail, Arizona Trail, and the Colorado Trail twice. He has bikepacked across the United States, riding 7,000 miles in 7 months, creating a route as he went. And he’s gone on countless shorter bikepacking trips ranging from 100-1000 miles on the Colorado Trail, Kokopelli Trail, and other routes across Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado. One of his favorite parts of every trip is sleeping outside. And every year he grows to further appreciate a comfortable sleeping pad or mattress to ensure he’s always ready for the next adventure.
You can read more about Sam on his author page or his website.
