Air flow, beds

1) All pods have a Fantastic Fan in the bathroom, it will move tons of air, very quietly. I don't remember anyone having an issue with it bothering them.

2) The pod is built to a price point, AND, mattress comfort is hugely and personally subjective. The mattress they use is not very good, most replace with a mattress they like. That said, lots of owners stay with the factory mattress. I would rather pay less for the pod, and get a mattress I like on my own, rather than pay for a "good" mattress, that I hate and have to change anyways..

If you need to use the dinette as sleeping space, as it sounds you do, the 178 is a much better choice. The chatter from 179 owners is pretty consistent that it's a "couple trailer" only. The dinette just doesn't make up or sleep well.

With the 179, we took the table out and put it in the barn.  Made a pedestal table that comes apart and stows for travel on the bed.  It is about 2' square and four can eat comfortably.  We also came from a tent trailer.  the mattress was about like the fleetwood tent trailer.  We did get a memory foam mattress from Costco, cut 6" off and it feels like a luxury motel.  Fresh air isn't a problem, but then we camp mostly in the mtns or Snake River plain where there is always a breeze, or a big"breeze".  I have yet to be anywhere I could plug the AC in.  I have a 2000 watt generator.  Any more than two campers gets the tent.

Welcome.  We added a memory foam topper with the factory mattress and loved it.

Thanks, for the helpful ideas, Podders.  I'll take another look at the 178 and see how I might incorporate your ideas.

Airflow has not been a problem in our 179, although it's good to leave a window open just a crack as it can get fairly humid inside otherwise. 

On sleeping, as it comes from the factory, the 179 is best for two, or maybe three sleepers.  The dinette does convert to a bed that may be wide enough for two, but it requires five different cushions and the resulting bed covers three heights.  And those two corner cushions are in the way most of the time.

We got a cover from FR to match the cushion in the seating area and added foam from a local store.  The quirky table was exiled to storage.  Then I cut plywood to about 26" wide and attached aluminum channel to the ends.  I considered attaching the plywood with hinges but did not want to void any warranties, so the plywood just slides in and out.  The aluminum channel makes sliding easy. 

Those hassock-things remain to support the extended bed, but it takes 3/4" 1x6" spacers to bring the new bed up to the height of the original bed.  We use soft plastic drawer liner underneath the new bed and everything stays in place nicely.   They may not even be necessary. 

For tables, we added two folding TV tables from Target.  They store nicely under the extended bed at night, or while on the road.  They can be stored on the dinette cushion and held in place by the strap that comes with the Pod, or moved to the "real" bed.  The new cushion becomes the seat back for the dinette and those corner pillows are in storage, along with the folding table.  I'll admit that the new seat back does cut down on the view outside but so far, the trade-off is great. 

So now, although crowded, four adults can sleep inside.  In our case, the expanded bed works well if one of us has to get up during the night.  No more squabbles about who will sleep on the outside.

We had a mattress topper that we moved from our old FR Surveyor, and it helps a lot. 

There are some pictures elsewhere in the forum.