Did anyone else sleep in one of these? I think I would have to be helped out of it today
Posted by cloggedDrain@reddit | Xennials | View on Reddit | 103 comments
rddog21@reddit
Yes. Up until about a year ago. Man, I miss that 80 degree heat in the winter
YewAreSpecial@reddit
My Dad bought one off of someone he worked with. It had a backboard with two big cabinets on opposite sides of the bed and little storage drawers that flipped up by base.
I worked for a lumber yard in Minnesota. My job had me helping someone on a forklift grabbing various lengths of boards outside for orders. You get used to the cold when your outside but when you come back in you feel how cold your body really is.
The first thing I would do when I came home from work was lay down on the bed. It was the perfect temp and it would wrap around you. It was like a warm hug and I always think about that bed whenever I come in from the cold. Sadly the bed sprung a leak we never fixed it.
jlangemann-man@reddit
I did. Had a full sized and California King sized bed. The King sized lived until 2008 when I finally gave it to.
DerbGentler@reddit
You just have to role out to one side until gravity helps you out of it.
fickenfracken@reddit
My dad had a cali king one., he swore it alleviated his arthritis. It was a bitch to get rid of when he passed. I also recall my cousin having a twin sized one. Such bizarre beds.
Blaze_556@reddit
My parents did in the early 90s before they got divorced
tangential-llama@reddit
The way you’ve written that seems to imply the waterbed was a factor in the divorce.
indecisivesloth@reddit
My brother's caught on fire due to a faulty heating element. Luckily it put itself out.
Cashewkaas@reddit
A friend of mine in high school had one, his whole family had them.
Years later my gf (now wife) and I rented a room with a waterbed for a weekend. It was….. interesting and fun(ny) it wouldn’t want one in my house.
ViewAdditional7400@reddit
Had one. Learned that cats and waterbeds are not meant to be together
GeetarEnthusiast85@reddit
I had one in my teens and into my mid 20s. It was comfortable and awesome to sleep in during the winter as long as the heater didn't crap out. It could be very uncomfortable in the summer if you didn't adjust the temperature just right.
I ditched it when I got my first apartment. Now I'm all about memory foam.
neuroxin@reddit
I had one. I think maybe my sister did too? We had them when we were like 8-12 i think. I don't think I ever popped it and my parents ended up giving it away to one of my cousins for some reason. I think maybe they didn't want to move the frame or we had to move over a summer I was at camp and it didn't fit in my new bedroom or something.
I remember some people had them with a kind of shock absorbing sponge inside so they wouldn't make so much sound and waves when you moved, but mine didn't have that and I could get it to make some crazy slapping sounds by shifting my weight all crazy for a minute.
travelinmatt76@reddit
I had one up until I moved out of my parents' house in 2003.
hhmmn@reddit
I had one...also had cats. Now I'm trained to repair leaky tires
Cael_NaMaor@reddit
My grandmother had one. Slept in it when I was younger & would stay thru the summer
Redrooster549@reddit
The memory of sleeping on one of those was always nice because we were kind of poor and it was just my mom raising me and my sister in a trailer house in Texas.
When I would visit family or spend the night at a friend's house was when I got to lay on one of these. It was so comforting being in nicer houses.
ThePrincessOfMonaco@reddit
It's weird how much that thing looks like an alter, or a coffin, or such a serious piece of furniture.
rabid-@reddit
I slept in the space betwixt mattress and frame. Sleep on it? Shit, I wish. I'd need to tie myself to an anchor. I was so excited to, then it sucked. Same thing with bunk beds. My parents got me one, just for me, so I could sleep on the top or bottom. Too tired to crawl up top and always banging my head on the bottom.
Icy-Profession-1979@reddit
Are we life twins? If I didn’t sleep in the middle of the water bed and hold still all night, I’d roll into the crack between the water and the board haha. Then I got bunk beds just for me and sleep overs. I slept on the top because the bottom was a futon and it would hurt after a few nights. But I’d wake up and slam my head into the ceiling too 😂
rabid-@reddit
Don't take this the wrong way but, God I hope we aren't. If we are, my double condolences and congratulations on orphanhood?
Mine was double beds. I think it fit my ADHD life for the best. Sleep on top and let the brain run wild, and below just a mattress with all kinda stuff stacked on it. Projects in the makings, if you will.
I thought the waterbed would be so cool. Like, hello adulthood... Which now that I think about it, it is an extremely powerful metaphor for life.
We have this ideal, but in the end we come to rest in an oddly comfortable crack between hard unmoving reality, and a slightly comforting artificial pool of water that stands in for the okay but ultimately plastic relationships we'll eventually develop as adults in some capacity.
Thanks waterbed for showing me future's path!
Icy-Profession-1979@reddit
I’m sorry you sound like you’re having a rough go at it. We aren’t life twins (I meant it as a joke), but ironically I also have ADHD and I am having a rough go at it myself. I think maybe, I wish us both to find some peace and happiness. Sincerely.
slamminsalmoncannon@reddit
I purposely wedged myself between the water bladder and the wood side. It was like a precursor to a weighted blanket. Gotta get that full body squeeze.
StatementAlone620@reddit
I had one as a child and I miss it
bird_legs_1@reddit
My stepmom still has this and has no intention of getting rid of it. She’s replaced things as necessary and keeps it in excellent condition. Just loves it.
sweet_pickles12@reddit
Apprehensive-Tell360@reddit
My dad is the same. He’s always adamant about using things until they can be used no more, which may play into this.
Reasonable-Wave8093@reddit
Toilet and bathtub planter
ijustsailedaway@reddit
OMG I wanted one so bad. A friend had one I got to sleep on one time. Young me just thought it was cool as hell. Older me wonders if it would help or hurt my back.
al_rey503@reddit
My parents had one. This exact one, we used to or someone in the end and then jump cannonball style off the top of the head board and make people fly off.
wordnerd1023@reddit
My mom and I each had one growing up. I'm wondering if they were cheaper than regular beds or if she got a deal on them because we were poor. There was nothing better than snuggling in on a cold winter night and then nothing worse than rolling over into soggy sheets because your cat decided to deploy his claws.
Redeyebandit87@reddit
This was my parents set up in the early 90s. My Dad thought the water bed was gonna be good for his back. But I think it made it worse lol.
_Winterlong_@reddit
I loved my waterbed and I miss it dearly! But I don’t miss waking up soaking wet from a leak, or waking up freezing cold because the heater died, or hitting my head on the sides. I also don’t miss sleeping in it after a few too many drinks.
lovemypennydog@reddit
Omg I had a friend in college with that exact bed! He thought it was baller and girls actually agreed. (he was a man whore).
Piccoloshis_Island@reddit
lol. I bet the girls agreed until they actually tried to get some swerve on. I hated my boyfriend's. HATED IT. "You just have to time the waves" riiiiiiggghht. 👎😂
Psychological-View84@reddit
I just made my own comment about how awful sex was on/in these things 😂
Piccoloshis_Island@reddit
Oh so awful. If it wasn't filled to be firm, the waves rivaled those I've experienced on an offshore fishing trip during a storm. Careful if you're on one end and they plop down on the other - you might get bounced right the eff out! And forget kneeling...I just don't want to think about it.
slamminsalmoncannon@reddit
Same! It required an incredible sense of timing or everything went to hell.
Plane-Post-7720@reddit
All about the motion of the ocean
cherrydarling79@reddit
Yes my friend had one and it WAS hard to get out of especially when we were fully stoned
cash77cash@reddit
Sure, but paid cash. Most people who turn door handles with ease had to finance these.
Country_Gravy420@reddit
I had one. It was cool at the time. Looking back on it, it kind of sucked
jaymoney1@reddit
I slept on one a couple of times, but never in one. We didn't own a snorkel.
kellynch10@reddit
I had a water bed as a kid. One night my cat poked through it.
Pale-Conference-174@reddit
My husband and I inherited a "hybrid" from his rich aunt in a huge bedroom set. It was a water mattress inside a regular one. I liked it. I've never really seen another.
DebiMoonfae@reddit
My cousin had one when we were kids Hurricane Andrew popped it and flooded their house. I never had one myself but know I also would probably have a hard time getting out now.
SlytherClaw79@reddit
My parents had one of these. My dad worked overseas and I slept in it with my mom for a couple of years from 4-6ish. Such a weird fad.
Psychological-View84@reddit
I had sex with my second high school boyfriend on his water bed back in the 90s. It was awful. Now that I’m older, I don’t know why any older/married couples I knew (friends’ parents) had them, but plenty did.
Cai_x2_ne@reddit
I didn’t sleep in one, but my kindergarten BFF’s parents had one. We spent hours watching Disney movies on VHS while laying on our stomachs on a waterbed very similar to this one. What’s funny is that we lived in an apartment complex. From what I gather, waterbeds are supposedly outlawed in apartments. But 🤷🏻♀️ either that wasn’t a thing back in the 80s, or that particular apartment management didn’t GAF
qualityskootchtime@reddit
Was in an earthquake once and couldn’t get out of the waterbed then just said F it and went back to sleep
Intelligent-Invite79@reddit
Fun story, as a kiddo I was playing with my older brother and cousin at my aunts house. I was pretending to be a bull, so I lowered my head with my fingers up like horns and charged them. My older brother dodged me and I ran past him and slammed the bridge of my nose right onto the edge of that top rail. It was rough lol.
Rude_Negotiation_160@reddit
My parents had one.my siblings and I used it as a "blob" before that was a thing,or before we knew of it anyway. We'd get on the edge and get the other 2 of the 3 to jump on the opposite edge to see how far we could shoot each other off of it. Being the youngest and smallest I of course went the farthest. We only finally stopped when one of us(I think me) got launched into the big fat backed TV of the day.😂
Legitimate-Produce-1@reddit
My parents did. Man, I hated the wooden sides. No padding = ouch!
Imnotonthelist@reddit
I suffered through chicken pox in my parents’ water bed
HappySkullsplitter@reddit
I had a California King sized one when I was in the military
I very nearly injured myself trying to get out of it every morning in a mad dash to get to work on time
Mournhold_mushroom@reddit
I slept in at a sleepover with 2 other girls and it was terrible. Hot af and every time someone rolled over it felt like I was being hit by a tsunami.
C0BRA_V1P3R@reddit
I learned a hard lesson that water beds and three cats don’t mix.
Enxu@reddit
Anyone else also have herniated discs now 😂
cloggedDrain@reddit (OP)
🙋♂️ And maaaan, a heated waterbed actually sounds nice
JBSConCarne@reddit
My parents did for years
xnekocroutonx@reddit
My sister in law had one, and my husband and I slept in it one night when we were staying over. I just remember barely being able to climb out of it. 😂
cb27ded@reddit
I had one from age 12 til a little after college. I loved it but the maitenance was a pain. And any time you had to drain it was horrible. Eventually, the frame broke so it was time for it to go.
BennyOcean@reddit
What do you think these might sell for today on the used market?
RedditRatsPodcast@reddit
The exact same model.
auditorydamage@reddit
Had one. Loved it.
OGRube@reddit
Had one in college with my first partner. Got a puppy that peed the bed at least twice and had to drain it and somehow clean up. F that
media-and-stuff@reddit
I’ve owned two. lol
One as a kid, and we bought one as our 1st bed when I moved in with my boyfriend.
We couldn’t afford a new bed, and I figured used mattresses were gross and I could clean plastic better. Plus they are easier to move and we didn’t stick around anywhere long.
We found one that had not been used in years, it was kind of creepy. The son had passed away and the mom was finally selling all his old stuff. But it was in great shape, had the soft velvet bumpers on the edges.
I can’t believe some of the terrible cheep rentals we lived in didn’t give us hell for it. And kind of shocked it didn’t just fall through the floor from the weight of it. lol
I miss it, it was so cozy. But not fun when drunk. We’d yell at each other for rolling over and turning it into a wave pool. A couple nights we slept on the sofa because we drank to much and didn’t wanna get seasick.
timmytapshoes42@reddit
Woah, I think that might be the identical to the one my parents had!
ZedGardner@reddit
My parents did until about 10 years ago. Lol. my sister had one growing up, but I couldn’t stand them because I felt like I could not regulate my body temperature in one I was either hot or freezing cold and nothing in between
Large-Inspection-487@reddit
I had one from 2nd grade through 12th and when I went to college and slept on a bed that didn’t have a wave motion, I slept like shit for about three months. Lol
So-Called_Lunatic@reddit
If you never slept in a waterbed I don't think you're truly a Xennial.
pickleranger@reddit
My brother had one similar to this. The headboard was giant, but less ornate. I’m pretty sure we left it in the house when we moved.
typhoidmeri_@reddit
We stayed with my mother’s friends’ house for a couple of nights when I was maybe seven or eight. One of the guest rooms had a waterbed. My parents didn’t choose it so I got it. I was very excited, until I tried to sleep and failed. It was cold and I just kept listening to it whenever I moved. Swish, swish, swish.
Tendaena@reddit
My parents had one no way I'd ever want one.
eaglewatch1945@reddit
Yeah, but it didn't have enough bounce so I filled it with spring water.
Adelaide_Farmington@reddit
I had one almost exactly like this one.
b1gd4ddychubb5@reddit
I had one for a few years through middle school and early high school. Then I got sick of it, I was an irresponsible stoner kid who regularly slept too long and forgot to cover it up in the morning resulting in the heater running all day if I had it on at all. My parents gave me the damned thing then bitched about keeping it warm. Fun times.
Pissouthaass@reddit
Why did we all have those?
darknightofthesoul24@reddit
No, but I really wanted one. My older cousin had one and I thought it was the coolest thing ever.
achieve_my_goals@reddit
The first girl I ever really loved had one of those. I close my eyes and I can still feel what it was like being on that bed.
Diva_Bot@reddit
I did. I hated the damn thing because my mom made me push these air bubbles out of it every other day and it was a pain in the ass when you didn’t even want the damn thing in the first place. I was, like, 10 years old. I never got the obsession but my mom had to have all the trendiest things back in the 80s/early 90s.
meggsovereasy@reddit
My neighbor had one of these when I was in middle/high school. My mom always made me feel like she was a whore for having one, but my mom is also a prude.
Key-Lead-5642@reddit
I had one growing up. I liked it especially in high school. The few girls that came over enjoyed it. I got rid of it around when i left for college. I thought about trying to find one again but I'm sure it would mess up my back or something
banshee3@reddit
The distinct smell of this floods back into my brain. So........plasticky or....something . Like a new pool liner
Kinky-Bicycle-669@reddit
My parents and I had water beds when I was a kid. I had a white twin sized one.
Icy-Profession-1979@reddit
Didn’t know they came in twin. How did you not roll off to the side??
Kinky-Bicycle-669@reddit
Honestly thinking back, I'm not sure lol
jeophys152@reddit
I had one in high school. I loved it. Turn that heat up in the winter and I had the warmest sleep experience in the house
JeanEtrineaux@reddit
Best friend had this and a tv and Nintendo in his room. Many hours of Excitebike and Kid Icarus on that thing.
crlcan81@reddit
I hated mine as a teenager.
Hurt2039@reddit
Grade school through high school, until it popped
candycookiecake@reddit
On a scale of 1-10, how mad were the adults in the house the day that happened?
Beliliou74@reddit
🙋🏻♂️parents had one
Reagannite1981@reddit
A buddy had one. I wanted one so badly. Should have gotten one when I got my own house and was single. Too late now.
TurbulentPromise4812@reddit
My parents got one sometime in the late 80s. My sister and I were just old enough to figure out why they would go to the bedroom and lock the door in the afternoons. Because of that we made many jokes about the bed.
kheinrychk@reddit
The motion of the ocean 😂
zuluTime@reddit
I had one growing up. It was all fine and dandy until the heater conks out in the middle of the night.
cloggedDrain@reddit (OP)
omg you would get sooo cold
kheinrychk@reddit
Heater didn’t need to conk out, just lose power during a storm was enough to send me to the floor.
kheinrychk@reddit
Mine wasn’t this elaborate but I slept on one from 2nd grade until graduation. Then it popped.
mrmadchef@reddit
My parents had one. Instead of one 'pouch', it was (I think) 10 individual tubes, than ran from the head to the foot of the bed. They were getting increasingly difficult to find, and considerably more expensive, to replace when one would go bad. After dad died, we were getting ready to move, and finally convinced mom to get rid of it. Chiefly because I was not interested in moving it again. It had attached 'floating' nightstands.
One-Earth9294@reddit
I actually did have a waterbed as a kid but I didn't have the big fancy headboard stuff.
What a f'n weird fad. I still remember the commercials for the local waterbed store and their big 'going out of business liquidation sale' and how funny of a pun that was to me.
miss_fisher@reddit
My sister and I had to share one for far too long. Parents also had one. My dad actually wishes he could find one now.
MagictheCollecting@reddit
Parents of a friend had one, got to lay on it once, it was weird and awkward, so am I