When we bought our Four Wheel Camper, we were excited about hitting the road and spending quality time exploring the mountains and backroads. But after just a few trips, we realized the stock mattress that came with the camper was a major weak point. It was hard as a rock—definitely not something you want to sleep on after a long day outdoors.

Our first fix was to add a foam topper. That did help with comfort, but the added height made it a pain to close the pop-up roof of the camper. So we started searching for a better solution: a low-profile mattress that offered solid comfort without compromising space. That’s when we came across Hest.

The reviews were overwhelmingly positive. People raved about the comfort, durability, and overall quality. So, we decided to go all in and bought the Hest Dually for the main sleeping area, along with the Hest Foamy (single) for our daughter to sleep on the fold-down couch. We’ve used them for over a year now, and here’s our honest take.

Hest Mattress Specs & Features

Hest Dually

The Hest Dually is designed for two people and built with campers and vanlifers in mind. It’s essentially two layers of high-performance memory foam and support foam wrapped in a durable, removable cover.

• Dimensions: Available in four sizes: Dually Short (50” x 64” x 4”), Dually Long (50” x 78” x 4”), Dually Wide (60” x 72” x 4”), and Dually Queen (60” x 78” x 4”)
• Weight: ~26–31 lbs depending on size
• Features:
  • Dual-layer foam system for support and comfort
  • Waterproof and dirt-resistant cover
  • Folds in half with buckles and a carrying handle
  • Stays warm in cold temps, breathable in 
    warmer weather

Hest Foamy

The single-person version is meant for solo sleepers or as a kid’s pad. It’s made with the same dual-foam construction and rugged materials as the Dually.

• Dimensions: Available in Foamy Short (25” x 64” x 4”), Regular (25” x 78” x 4”), and Wide (30” x 78” x 4”)
• Weight: ~11–13 lbs
• Features:
  • Same dual-layer foam
  • Integrated compression wrap
  • Easy to clean, weather-resistant cover
  • Packs up like a yoga mat with a strap system

Our Real-World Experience After a Year of Use

1. Quality – Excellent

Hest really nails it when it comes to build quality. After a year of use the mattresses still looks and feels like new. The zippers, straps, and covers have held up great, and the foam hasn’t degraded or lost its shape. Zero complaints on durability.

2. Portability – Not the most packable Mattress

For our Four Wheel Camper setup, portability wasn’t a huge concern since the mattress stays in place most of the time. That said, this is not a backpacking mattress—it’s heavy and bulky. It’s ideal for car camping, truck campers, or van life, but you’re not throwing this on your back and hiking into the backcountry.

3. Comfort – A Disappointment

This is where things went south for us.

Despite glowing reviews online, we found the Dually to be underwhelming in terms of comfort. Our hope was to ditch the foam topper and just use the Hest on its own, simplifying the setup and making it easier to close the camper roof. Unfortunately, that didn’t work out.

The Hest mattress was too soft and didn’t provide enough support. We felt like we were sleeping directly on the hard camper platform—definitely not the upgrade we were hoping for. We tried adding a topper to it, but even then it wasn’t as comfortable as our original setup: the stock mattress plus a topper. That combo, although bulky, had a better mix of support and cushioning.

Comfort is subjective, of course. But in our case, it was a major letdown. I usually like a softer mattress, but when you’re only working with 4 inches of total thickness, softness without support just means bottoming out.

We’ve since moved on and are currently testing out the Exped MegaMat Duo. So far, early impressions are promising—we’ll post a review once we’ve logged enough nights on it.

4. Price – Not Worth It (For Us)

At $549 for the Dually, the Hest mattress sits at the premium end of the market. The Exped MegaMat Duo, by comparison, retails for $519—but we snagged it on sale for $389.

Given that we had to add a topper to the Hest just to make it usable (and still didn’t find it comfortable), we don’t think the value is there. The extra expense didn’t result in a better night’s sleep, which is what it all comes down to.

Final Thoughts

The Hest Dually and Foamy are incredibly well made and designed with rugged, long-term use in mind. If the comfort works for your body type and sleep style, it could be a fantastic option. Unfortunately, that just wasn’t the case for us.

After a full year of use, we can confidently say that the Hest Dually didn’t meet our expectations when it came to comfort—which was the main reason we bought it in the first place. Add in the high price tag, and it’s not something we’d recommend for Four Wheel Camper owners who are trying to strike the right balance between comfort and pop-top clearance.

We’ll be updating soon with our take on the Exped MegaMat Duo once we’ve spent more nights on it. Stay tuned!