mattress/airbed or similar for driver & passenger seats

[cavey]

Hi gang,

We have a removable rear conversion, which is great for us as we sometimes need to turn the camper back into a bus or van (how versatile are these Bongos, eh?)

Consequently, if we need to sleep down below, rather than in the AFT (kids, guests, etc.), we must use the front and middle seats. This is itself is fine but the Mrs and I could do with a little more comfort.

We initially tried with some garden chair cushions, and these were great apart from the fact there's nowhere to store them (mattress, sleeping bag and window blinds already stored in the AFT). So I bought a couple of Gelert airbeds. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gelert-ABD050-R ... 85&sr=8-17 These fitted fine, and were great the first night, but when we subsequently used them, they went down quickly. There's no obvious puncture, and I did look after them, so I'm sending them back to Amazon as a manufacturing fault.

Before I buy some more (different design I think - maybe without the built in 'pump', which is where I think the problem lies), does anyone have any recommendations for making this bunk arrangement more comfy?

Also, any top tips for pillows?

Cheers,

Dave

[Jillygumbo]

Lidl/Aldi guest beds - if you can still find them. I use square rubber jigsaw mats to bulk up the gaps. Some use memory foam pillows.

[cavey]

Well having previously bought my AFT mattress from a BongoFury member who makes and sells them on eBay, we got in touch to discuss an arrangement for 'downstairs' using the front and middle seats. He came up with a memory foam mattress that breaks down into four cushions for easy storage (in individual zip-up bags) and it is extremely comfy. To even out the huge dip where the driver's and passenger's bums go, there's a double layer of foam, so what you end up with is a level comfy bed. So we're now sorted. Many thanks Nick!

Links to pics below - demonstrated by our two-year-old!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/y1fekunki0tyx1h/photo%201.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4igwi4y1tt4oc5z/photo%202.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/n7gh0cs64vwf0ar/photo%203.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kyhbz0gb6f5y85i/photo%204.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ytjvsrqayhcedkh/photo%205.JPG

[lancyman]

Hi,

I use a futon mattress from an Ikea futon, chair bed. It's very good.
Bit bulky though, especially if you had two. Fits nicely on the front and
Middle seats though.

[Roger c]

I'd recommend a memory foam mattress topper from amazon for about £35

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... os_product

Used one last weekend for the first time and it made a massive difference to comfort levels

[wonkanoby]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251116337329? ... 1497.l2649


have one of these for when some one needs to kip on the sofa

and its brilliant

never used in bongo but im sure it would help

[helen&tony]

Hi Cavey
From whence do the zip-bags cometh?....rather stylish...and perfect to bung in the trailer to stop all the gubbins rattling.
Cheers
Helen

[Bob]

As a first line of defence we use a couple of those kneeling pads you can get in Poundland and garden shops.

They come in 2 sizes, and by putting the smaller one, then the larger, in the depression it really helps level the bed, camping maattress on top to suit.

Small enough to keep onboard for unplanned overnights.

[cavey]

Hi Cavey
From whence do the zip-bags cometh?....rather stylish...and perfect to bung in the trailer to stop all the gubbins rattling.
Cheers
Helen

Good old eBay.... Search for bongo mattress.

Lots of great ideas from everyone, thanks. But I really must say, I doubt any are quite as comfy as this one!

Cheers,

Dave.

[helen&tony]

Hi
Ta, Dave
Cheers
Helen