Bongo Fury

Planning to head off for a nights Bongo camping in our new purchase. Before venturing into the wilds I was wondering if anyone had actually slept on the standard Bongo rear seats?

Is there any extra kit we should be taking to ensure a good nights kip? - Or is it a case of just rolling out the sleeping bags?

Most people flesh out the seats with either inflatable sleeping mats or blow up mattresses. Obviously the seats are there to mould a seat passenger and it's a bit 'lumpy' for kipping. However, give it a whirl, flatten the seats and have a nice 10 min lie down which will then give you a good idea of what would suit you best.......

We use an inflatable matress with ours and yes it is a bit bumpy, but we seem to be able to fit ourselves around the lumps quite nicely and usually sleep very well.

It's normally just me and the kids (4 and 5) downstairs and Donald in the roof but we have slept all four of us down on the seats when it's been too windy to have the roof up (or too cold).

As well as blow up beds, I think some people use memory foam and some use lidle guest beds (these have good reviews).

Good luck, have fun on your first trip.

Sara

The big obstacle to a good night's sleep is the 60/40 split mechanism on the centre seat.

Best solution I found is a decent thickness of firmish foam mattress. I used a 3 fold mattress off a folding sofa bed.

Like this

http://www.mattressonline.co.uk/Product ... tress-P902

1100x1800mm is just the right size

But I bought a complete bed inc. the frame for less than that.

PS Ahhh just seen why the second one is so expensive, that mattress is memory foam so that is actually quite a reasonable price for a complete covered mattress, not just a mattress topper.

hooch wrote:Planning to head off for a nights Bongo camping in our new purchase. Before venturing into the wilds I was wondering if anyone had actually slept on the standard Bongo rear seats?

Is there any extra kit we should be taking to ensure a good nights kip? - Or is it a case of just rolling out the sleeping bags?

I personally have never kipped in the van,me and the kids usually sleep in the tent,but my Mrs has with only a duvet. Once you`ve kind of positioned yourself in the `hollows`of the seats its a decently comfortable place to kip i`m told!
The very back seats were left in a slightly upright position for extra comfort.
Just take you`re sleeping bags and give it a go

Ive slept on the flattened seats and found them very uncomfortable

I then bought the lidl guest bed and didnt fing it any better really

Last purchase was a HiGear "chambered" flock airbed......superb....very comfortable and i sleep like a log

Brian

Thanks all. Going to do some experiments tomorrow. Really looking forward to getting out there

We've got a blow up mattress, I'll compare with and without - Will report back results.

I use a double airbed, very comfy and cheap.

As you can see there are many ways to sleep on the seats

we used a mattress topper last time and found it very good

We've taken to using the front and middle seats for sleaping.

Leaving the rears folded against the sides leaves a good space to get changed, but try not to put weight on the back of the flattened middle one as it is now unsupported.

Poratloo lives there, too.

Ditto what Bob does, as we have a removable rear kitchen which takes up part of the back (then Portaloo on the other side and a bit of a space for getting changed too!)

However, as there is quite a dip in the front seats, I tend to either use a folded blanket to fill it out, or if the blankets are in use I just fold up the clothes I have been wearing and use those. I've got a 3/4 length tapered self inflating mattress which works a bit better with the front seats as the standard rectangular sort is a bit wide to fit nicely between the centre console and the side of the Bongo.

ive slept in the front and middle with a self inflating mat they are about 12 quid from go outdoors / the range ..etc about an inch thick and then fill out the gaps with a memory foam pillow

ive done this twice and both times was a good sleep

Weve done the roll out futons- too thin, blow up air bed- too bouncy and goes down, finally found Lidl guest beds- fit perfectly and very comfy. Keep a look out as they come round quite often at around £35. Top them off with a double duvet when its cold and for us its near on perfect.

Reverse the headrests in the middle seats and optionally use self inflating airbed. Then i'm very comfortable

just back from two weeks in france and belgium.8 seater unconverted aft.the mrs and myself slept great in the bongo we used a self inflating outwell mattress even though we had the stand alone awning'with the use of thermal screens we had a great sleep all the time and experiment with the third row seat for your best comfort ie how upright you want it.i myself am quite a big guy and we were very pleased with our bed also this was our first outing also!good luck and enjoy