The Number One Tip for a Great Campervan Sleep
Vložit
- čas přidán 22. 08. 2024
- #camping #campervans #ebikes
It's pointless having a campervan if you don't sleep well in it. Indeed I've known a number of folk who have given up the campervan life simply because they just couldn't get a decent night's sleep. This is my Number One Tip for sleeping well in your campervan or motorhome.
I'm based in the Scottish Highlands and I use a VW campervan to access the great outdoors, where I climb hills, ride my e-bike or gravel bike and just visit some of those places I've never been to. I've been climbing hills and mountains all over the world for 50 years and I'm a former editor of Climber Magazine and The Great Outdoors Magazine.
www.duvalay.co.uk
I would think the camper van wallas should partner with the likes of Duvalay and offer this as standard, or optional upgrade ... accepting that their base product is, at best, just about tolerable - though admittedly better than a wet tent!
I bought a double Full Forever mattress topper from Dunelm and covered it with a double duvet cover sewn up one side so it fits perfectly for a fraction of the price and it is really comfortable. It removes easily for washing and folds up neatly.
A 3" foam from ebay does a good job too👍
So I finally caved after years of thinking about the duvalay and got a 5cm comfort one for my T5 pop top. Yes it takes up a fair bit of the back of the van but a lot less than I thought. I roll mine back up and put it in the bag with straps which is no bother to do. I am pretty good managing my storage so it’s not a bother to me. Im recovering from a hip op and value my sleep and comfort even more now so after a big day walking, a good sleep is worth the sacrifice of some space. It’s the firm (silver) but not too firm and works for my hip. Ive just come back from a couple of nights sleeping on it and I have no regrets at all. Really comfortable and well worth it.
A Duvalay on a Froli base is better but even that isn't as comfy as a proper bed. The person who invents a packable pocket-sprung mattress will earn my everlasting gratitude.
I have a fixed bed motorhome and bought , very quickly a good quality mattress and this provides me with a better night sleep than at at home!
Thanks for sharing.
We've hired a couple of VW campervans with the pop up roofs and you're right that the rock and roll type seats aren't very comfy.
They generally have a thin memory foam mattress in the pop up roof so kids can sleep up there.
We quickly discovered that since there is just me and my wife this mattress makes the fold up bed hugely more comfortable.
You just put it back up top when you're done and it's out of the way.
Good tip for pop-up roof users.
An alternative if you really don't want to give up so much space is to use a Thermarest mattress. Even a large one packs down to less than pillow size. It does need to be as wide as the bed however, as if it isn't it won't be underneath you for very long.
I've used Thermarest inflatable mattress when backpacking and to be honest I just don't like sleeping on what amounts to be an air bed. Just can't get comfortable.
I LOVE my little Peugeot camper but the bed is so uncomfortable! I've tried 2 different thicknesses of Duvalay toppers (not at the same time!) Very large to store and not very successful. Then various self inflating sleep mats...still not really comfortabl. HOWEVER ,i may have found the answer...splashed out on a Sea to Summit sprung cell inflatable mat...it takes a few puffs of the special bag to inflate and it's very very comfortable!! Also small to pack up... but not cheap!
Sea to Summit is a great company with great products. I'll need to check this one out. Sounds interesting, although I wouldn't swap my Duvalay now!!!
That Duvalay topper looks a bit thin to me but it’s so difficult to know without trying which is hard to do before buying. We’ve just bought a Sea to Summit Deluxe SL Campervan self inflating mattress. It’s 10cm think when inflated and is great. Also when deflated it fits in our pop top when it’s down so takes up “no room”!
We have a bespoke Duvalay mattress topper for our Toyota Alphard Campervan. It has made a phenomenal difference. However, your suggestion for storage has been a revelation. Thanks! I would also recommend a Night Owl coverless duvet, for a cosy night in the cooler months. We have just purchased a Duvalay compact sleeping bag for our son, who sleeps in the pop-top. This is an unconventional sleeping bag which is essentially a mattress topper connected to a duvet. Extreme comfort! Thanks for the video. We recently purchased the ECOFLOW River 2 Pro, based on your recommendation in a previous video.
We have had two duvalay and went from the 2.5cm to the 50mm- we put the quilt and sheet all in and roll up with straps into the back - makes a huge difference
We have 2 single duvalay with quilts They are bulky and wouldn't fit in a VW van or pop top but our 5 m Renault Trafic high top has a locker over the cab which they fit in perfectly. The shape of the van means we have more space than the VW. They are very comfortable and warm.
Just bought a Duvalay 5cm thick silver foam option as I am a side sleeper. It cost 3x as much as our previous topper from Amazon. It is definately firmer and I am hoping therefore more supportive than the Amazon topper. I did not feel the Amazon one made much difference to comfort as it was crushed flat at the pressure points. So I am hoping that all the extra money will be worth it.
We use the Duvalay sleeping bag system, and find this is ideal for us 👌 👍
We had a memory foam topper on our RIB bed in ourT5 van. It was great to sleep on but it nearly filled the whole van in the day time. In our 6m Ducato van we use Duvalays with the foam underlay. These are
great - as easy to use as a sleeping bag but comfortable and as nice as a duvet. Not too bulky either.
Fantastic. Bought one.
Thanks Cameron, a really useful review. I’ve often considered the Duvalay topper for the lower bed in my VW California, but feared that it would be too bulky.
The existing three-fold mattress that came with the van is generally comfortable but does not quite provide enough padding for my painful lower back/hip. I have added a foam cushion for that area which works for me at the moment. But having seen this VLOG I am reconsidering a Duvalay - it really doesn’t appear to take up as much space as I thought.
Takes up very little space if you use it as I suggested, ie folding it up in the rear shelf space.
Great things. Forget the brand of our UK made mattress but same material & thickness but half the cost. Our vans a little narrower than yours with smaller shelf but we still get the mattress, bedding & 2 chairs in there no problem with it rolled up. Gone from comfortable'ish to comfortable.
Yeah we have Duvalays for our campervan, can confirm very comfy😴🚐
Takes up too much room in a campervan but we had one in the overcab bed in our Swift Escape years ago and it was extremely comfortable.
Always read good things but feel they take up too much room and can’t pack them away as we would like. We ended up getting two Vango inflatable mats which we find are excellent and fold away to the size of a coke can. We combine them with camping quilts in the summer and winter sleeping bags for the cooler months.
There isn’t a perfect solution and there is always a compromise.
I've found that an old-style "thermarest" air mat under the campervan matress works really well and they roll away to something really small and lightweight.
BTW another very helpful video. Thank you
great video
A cheap duvet from IKEA is just as effective on top of a mattress as a duvalay
Err, sorry to disagree. It simply isn’t.
I agree ...
Love the idea
Sent ours back, far too big and bulky
My number one tip for a good night's sleep in my camper is to leave my wife at home. As soon as I get a 2 or 3 miles away I can't hear her snoring.💤💤💤💤
I have been swithering about buying a duvalay for ages. I cannot make my mind up on whether to go for the thicker option , the 5 cm ? . From your review you seem to feel the 2.5 cm is plenty ? I know it’s subjective :-) . It’s space that I need to consider also. Mine is a pop top same kind of shape as yours.
The 5cm version will take up twice the space, although it can fit in the read parcel shelf like mine. I think I would find the 5cm thickness just too soft.
Hi, Just bought a 5cm comfort mattress in the Silver foam option which Duvalay says is better for side sleepers. As a member of this species I went for the thicker mattress. I didn't want to pay the Duvalay premium for a thinner mattress that doesn't cut the mustard. Hope to test it soon.
Come on Cameron yer gettin saft wi all these reviews aboot bouncy mattressses and fancy hipster gear ... 😂 Get back up the hills and talk aboot the folklore , history and Gaelic placenames , leave the mind numbing gear reviews to Chris Townsend! 😂
Getting old you mean! Not so easy getting up hills these days but if you want more of that read my monthly column in The Scots Magazine. This You Tube channel is essentially about campervan life.
Well, I think they are outrageously expensive ‼️ I presume those seats came with the van ... and there is your mistake. A self made box bed, with a made to order, or self made matress about 4 or 5 inches deep will solve your problem. But seeing as your 'bed' is already there, you have paid for something you don't want, and is not very comfortable to boot ‼️ I will never buy an off the shelf camper van, it's a total waste of money in my view - but each to their own - if you've got the dosh 🥺
Sure but it's not only about money. There are many reasons why people buy an "off the shelf" campervan. For example I have neither the skill or the time to build a campervan and to be honest, I don't have the desire either. Faffing about with DIY stuff isn't my idea of fun but, as you say, each to his own. I've seen some pretty shocking examples of DIY vans out there.