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Sun Dec 16, 2007 11:24 am

Just curious, as to how folks set their beds up (in their Vanagons/Westies of course) for sleeping. Do you use a sleeping bag? Sheets and blankets? Do you have a wubby you like to sleep with?

Personally, my wife and I have a double-wide sleeping bag, and we sleep in the bottom bunk of the Westy. I have one of those Mexican blankets that I throw down first, and then put the sleeping bag on top of that. If I'm camping solo, I put the blanket down, and then sleeping in a standard sleeping bag (the double bag is really 2 bags zipped together). I'll use a down mummy bag if it's chilly out.

Anyone else?

Cheers!
-Jared

Sun Dec 16, 2007 12:34 pm

My wife and I usually sleep in the bottom bunk. We have a piece of memory foam cut to size in an old duvet cover that goes down first. Next is two old cotton sheets seamed at the bottom. Finally, we top it off with a quilt. We use a Mexican blanket that's always draped over the back seat as an extra if it's chilly out. You can't feel the spaces between the Westy pads with the memory foam and it rolls up to fit in the closet for storage. It's easier to wash sheets after a camping trip.

Sun Dec 16, 2007 1:41 pm

Good Idea. Where did you source your foam?

Sun Dec 16, 2007 2:06 pm

The Bonton - on sale at Christmas. It's the 1 inch topper.
THE WIFE

Sun Dec 16, 2007 2:51 pm

Me and Mrs. Hasavan usually throw down a sheet ad try and tuck it in, then use my late father in law's sleeping bag he bought a zillion years ago when he was fishing and then Sealing up north. It is so warm, we simply open it up and use it like a blanket. We use lots of pillows, think of a Sheiks tent.

We use the bottom bunk to sleep on and I am never ascending to sleep in the dizzying heights of the top bunk again. It is too hard to access, the bed is too firm and my honey is too far away. Trying to extricate yourself from the top bunk for a midnight pee is extremely un - coordinated and not very graceful, Hell, I'm 53 with a bad hip.

I did not think the bottom bunk was big enough for the two of us, but in reality, it is quite comfy for short periods.

Sun Dec 16, 2007 3:17 pm

Two-inch-thick memory foam pad with slipcover that snaps on (and velcro-ended straps for rolling and tying) then a flannel top sheet and a sleeping bag open on top for a quilt, or zipped up if it's colder.

Sun Dec 16, 2007 8:16 pm

I have a GL so a queen size bottom sheets fits nicely and stays in place. ON top my lady and I either use another sheet and quilt in the warmer months or when it gets cold outside throw in our down mummy bags.

We will for sure be using our mummy bags this Friday night en-route to Seattle, as we plan on pulling over half way for a little shut eye, and nothing beats down when it comes to cold nights.

Sun Dec 16, 2007 9:04 pm

My wife and I used to sleep below. Now we do the top since last summer camping. Much nicer up above. Either place, we started to tuck a bed sheet over the Vanagon mattress, then unzipped out heavy 5 pound flannel sleeping bag and use that as our main blanket to sleep under. We also bring a couple quilts my mom-in-law made us and we put that over the sleeping bag if we really need it. We used to do that below and this last summer I purchased a fairly thin 3 step step ladder and it worked great to get us up and down from the bunk. I used the pop-top bar and zippy tied two battery lanterns to it and they are the right height to read by before bed time. Nice and cozy up above and that extra arm space was so nice. Below gets cramped and my wife and I are short so still too tight below.

If it rains, we stay below with the pop-top closed. Or, if real cold, we stay below with pop-top closed also to keep better heat.

tj

Sun Dec 16, 2007 9:05 pm

2 inch memory foam that has a cover for a sheet, a tropical weight down comforter with a removable cover and I am plenty toasty. I have a Big Edna sleeping bag under the bed if it gets really cold, but if it is that cold I am in a hotel.
Cheers

Mon Dec 17, 2007 10:25 am

My wife and I prefer the top bunk – especially after installing the new 3-window tent this last summer. Kind of like your own tree house on wheels. There’s nothing better than waking up at a beach-side camping spot (e.g., Carpinteria SB) and looking out to the sand and the water. Plus we don’t have to move any luggage around to accommodate folding out the rear seat, etc.

When the kids are with us, we take the bottom bunk since the upper bunk has more room (2 teenagers – 1 girl, 1 boy) … the kids get a little breathing room. Add the dog and we’re a full house!

Mon Dec 17, 2007 10:29 am

I have a 1.5" memory foam pad I got at Target for $60. The Full size pad is almost a perfect size for the bed. I use sheets and a comforter on top of that. The pad stores in the top bunk when the top is down. It folds in thirds and fits in the back of the top bunk perfectly. The foam pad is the way to go! It made all the difference for me.

Mon Dec 17, 2007 10:56 am

Yeah, what PDX said, me too. :D

Mon Dec 17, 2007 2:15 pm

We use 2 Thermarest mattresses with a join kit and store them inflated, valves open, and folded propped up against the passenger side window in the "cargo" area. We tuck a twin, fitted sheet around them then throw over a double-size down duvet inside a cover. The duvet and cover get rolled and stored in a lidded Tupperware bin in the cargo area during the day. At night the container fits neatly on the floor under the bed's overhang. We also use the T bin as our laundry hamper and wash it all together in one load when the thing gets full.

I prefer to sleep "downstairs" when it's noisy out or below 10C. Heat generated by the propane fridge and stock Westy insulation keeps us comfortable with the poptop down, to 0C, when we add the light-weight fleece blanket that covers our back seat during the day.

Upstairs is the place to be when it's warm though with the hatch door bugscreen providing through-ventilation. Depending on the temperature we use just the duvet cover and/or the fleece.

I want to go camping just thinking about how cozy it feels to bed-down in our Westy.

Mon Dec 17, 2007 9:04 pm

This is the first year we set aside bedding specifically for the Westy instead of laying out what we're bringing each trip, but we'll rotate in whatever we need.

1 set of sheets (double)
2 fleece blankets (twin - really, they work perfectly for westy-sized beds)
1 down-alternative comforter (again, twin, covers us both comfortably, without tons of bedding bunched up around the edges)

Mix & match according to the temp. We pack the home pillows. There's a feather bed involved too, but I'm trying to tempt my SO with a foam mattress cover. When we take the small fry, she gets her own set of sheets (big hippie flower pattern) and fleece blanket (blindingly pink, double sized so it can be folded for extra warmth) and yes, there's a wubby involved for her. When I'm solo or camping with friends I'll just take the old sleeping bag for me and deck out the guest with the "luxury" stuff.

Secretly, I like the simplicity of a sleeping bag - no feather bed - and one pillow. It stows fast and is easy to deal with. But there's something to be said for cozying up in a nicely made bed with toasty blankets, the westy all hunkered down for a comfortable night.

Funny! We have a Mexican blanket too. I've used it as a nice bottom sheet and as an additional evening blanket around my feet in cold weather. It comes in handy for napping, folded for a makeshift pillow, and I like to fold it over any cargo in the back during the day. Just sort of neatens up the back. I love it, and it reminds me of the Yucatan Peninsula...where we should be with the van right now!

Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:05 am

We like on top. I cut some carpet pad to fit under the OE pads on top. We use a fitted sheet for under us, and a regular flat sheet on top. We add blankets and sleeping bags as needed. I am not going to lie, it is hard on your body when you are used to a double pillow top at home. I am thinking about replacing the OE pads with some space age foam. I see them selling covers for regular beds that could be adapted. I copied the step up I saw for sale here that slips into the front table support. Table and leg up get stored behind the drivers seat when traveling. Someone on ebay had a upper bunk extension I intend to copy too. I am 6 foot and need to sleep crooked. My wife is 5'3 so there is room for my feet behind hears.

The lower area turned into a couch and storage area behind the couch. One of the side affects of the TDI conversion was notching the engine cover. I made a wood deck that fits in above the engine cover to flatten out the area. I have one of the Go Westy rubber pads on it. Luggage etc ends up there. It is out of the way and works well. Our original rear pad looks like there may have been a crime committed on it. We have it stored in the laundry room. I would need to come up with way to level out that entire area to utilize it as a bed again. On top is fine. 8)

Thu Dec 20, 2007 3:15 pm

I usually sleep up top - I cut up a 1" cal. king memory foam mattress (same price twin-king on overstock.com) to fit thebed, which just gets folded up into it when not in use. for sheets I'm using the sheets coleman makes for air mattresses (a sheet and a fleece zipped together at the bottom for a quick "tucked in" feeling... add a furry blanket and maybe a sleeping bag if it's real cold. pretty comfortable and no need to shift luggage!

Fri Dec 21, 2007 6:48 pm

We use an old comforter as the mattress pad, followed by bottom sheet, top sheet, and comforter on top. Bottom bunk sleeping, heads at the back hatch. Memory foam will be our next upgrade. When we are wake up, we just straighten up the covers, then fold them back over the engine area. The next night, we put the back seat down and just unfold a premade bed. Nice!

Thu Feb 05, 2009 9:08 pm

I think the most impressive bit about all of the above is the fact that y'all drive Vanagons and still manage to all have wives. Granted, I'm a wee youngster compared to most folks on here but still, impressive nonetheless. They make those "She left me because of this van!" bumper stickers for a reason... :wink:

Thu Feb 05, 2009 9:47 pm

My girlfriend and I usually use the bottom bunk. I find the top bunk doesn't have enough padding. Might get a foamy for it. For blankets we put down a sheet then a sleeping bag and then a another sleeping bag on top.

Fri Feb 06, 2009 7:44 am

Oecophylla wrote: I think the most impressive bit about all of the above is the fact that y'all drive Vanagons and still manage to all have wives. Granted, I'm a wee youngster compared to most folks on here but still, impressive nonetheless. They make those "She left me because of this van!" bumper stickers for a reason... :wink:

If it wasn't for my wife, I'd be sleeping under the stars out of the trunk of my car. The vanagon was my concession. :lol: