I am in middle of a 12 day spring break camping trip with the Hest Platform 50 in my GFC. I bought it about a month ago. It’s me and my 6 year old using it. We left Chicago and spent a few days in the Smoky Mountains and are currently camping on the beach at Huegenot Park in Jacksonville. Varying conditions so far from 35-79 degrees. I’m writing from the mattress right now.
Mattress has completely changed our camping experience. My garmin sleep score on the old mattress averaged around 45. After the Hest it’s been 85-98. I have been sleeping like a rock. I usually sleep on my side and it’s been super comfortable. I’m a bony 6’4 at 195lbs and don’t bottom out or have any sore spots at night. Multiple back surgeries and other broken bones from sports used to make camping miserable. We’ve been mountain biking, kitesurfing and I’ve been trying to hurt myself skim boarding with my kid. I’m pretty beat up at the moment. This is as comfortable as my fancy mattress at home even when I’m bruised up. My kid hasn’t wanted to get out of bed until 9am and he’s usually a 630 guy. Its doesn’t feel hot or cold in the varying conditions.
My worn out overland softgoods sheets from the old mattress fit well enough for now but I’ll be upgrading to bigger ones when they wear out.
I used to look forward to getting out of the camper in the morning and stretching out. This thing makes me look forward to going to bed and delay waking up.
Installation was simple. Took around 30 minutes total. Little cushions took a few tries to get perfect.
Camper seems to close fine, it’s a bit harder to close but we’ve had some storms while driving at highway speeds and it hasn’t leaked. You just have to be a bit more careful to get all the tent materials inside the shell.
I used to limit my camping to 3 days and look forward to getting home to my bed or taking a break in a hotel. Now I’m thinking I could actually live in this thing full time if I could find a way to make money on the road.
TLDR: Get one. It’s awesome. Camping is supposed to be relaxing for you.
Can confirm would buy a @HEST full size queen or king mattress and would buy a set of @AERONAUT HQ and blankets if they came in house sizes with a duvet to protect against the dogs claws.
I have a cheap/thin headliner wannabe and it does make closing precarious. I do get a decent seal, but I believe the headliner is slightly thicker than what I’m using so you’re probably right.
I have the OSG 1" topper and the GFC headliner. I do have to take an extra 30 seconds to a minute to make sure everything is tucked in well, but it definitely closes and seals. I’m not sure how thick the Hest mattress is but I think they’re similar
When I had my GFC, I went from the old stock mattress with OGS 1” topper to the Hest Dually and can agree - it was the only way I could hit the 50+ nights. Hest is the WAY!
Great to hear….im wondering if the Hest made for the GFC with the smaller cushions is firmer than a standard Hest mattress. I don’t ever enter GFC from inside only from ladder and I ordered a Hest and had an upholstery shop modify it to fit. I’m 230lbs and felt it was too soft and liked the Exped better with the ability to dial in the firmness. I get concerned with Exped popping at altitude which has happened when I forgot to deflate enough and wanted the convenience of the Hest mattress.
I have over 100 nights on my Exped in my SP and it’s been fantastic. Like you said, the ability to dial in the firmness or softness is the winning point imo.
HEST - nothing better than a good night sleep! I’m responding to this while I’m under my HEST synthetic comforter, with my head on the HEST pillow with a Jade pillowcase on my Dually-Platform-50. Win win!
