Description: Combine the tradition and necessity of a cowboy's bedroll with today's waterproof cover and foam-padding technology, and you have The Roo Bed by Days End Custom Mattress, Inc. This 14-pound roll-up sleeping bag comes with a carrying case and strap. Unrolled, the adult-sized bed is 32 inches wide and 80 inches (6 feet, 6 inches) long, and includes a 3-inch, medical-grade mattress that can support up to 250 pounds.
A navy, waterproof, antimicrobial nylon casing zips around the foam and includes a second zipper section that encloses the fleece lining and "pocket" where you'll sleep. The dual zippers allow you to remove the mattress for laundering. There's nothing to blow up or install.
A carrying bag (included) keeps the Roo Bed clean and tightly rolled, enabling you to store it in your trailer to prepare for camping trips. Available with blue or red Hawaiian-print interior fleece. Choose youth or adult sizes.
The test: Sleeping outside under the stars doesn't have to mean waking up with aches and pains. The Trail Rider's Saddlebag Savvy editor, Heidi Nyland, tested the Roo Bed to see how it compared with her tried-and-true sleeping bag when camping out and sleeping on hard ground. She'd heard about the company's hospital-grade foam mattresses for use inside your trailer, but wanted to find a comfortable way to sleep outside.
Nyland ordered the adult-sized Roo Bed. When the bed arrived, Nyland said she was surprised to see how small and light the package was. The bed was rolled up tightly in an attractive knapsack casing. Laid out flat, the bed was as long as a standard couch and nearly as wide. When Nyland prepared for her first night of sleep on the Roo Bed, she grabbed a pillow and a few extra blankets to stack above the fleece lining.
Nyland placed the bed on a level, firm surface before setting her alarm clock. The next morning, she woke up without feeling sore and headed straight to the barn to ride. "I could feel that there was a solid floor somewhere beneath me, but I didn't have to repeatedly change positions, and I didn't wake up during the night," Nyland says. "I actually slept on my side and woke up in the same position. I didn't have a sore shoulder or neck like I sometimes do after sleeping in a sleeping bag. In the morning, my dogs immediately took over the cushiest spot! The Roo Bed was a cozy place to sleep and much more comfortable than a sleeping bag. I'd highly recommend it to trail riders and horse campers."
Nyland said she appreciated the bed's zipper design and ease of washing. It also proved easy to pack: She took the mattress out of the pouch, then zipped it back in, rolled up the entire bed, and placed it in the carrying case in less than five minutes.
Cost: $90 for youth size; $105 for adult length.
Contact: Days End Custom Mattress, Inc., (951) 694-4947; www.daysendproducts.com
