Children’s bed across captains chairs

[Scjones]

Hi all,

I’m wondering if anyone has a good solution for adding a kids bed across the two captains chairs in VW Cali Ocean when facing inwards. I’ve done loads of research tonight, looking at various products on the market like the Cabbunks (awkward to fit and makes use of pop top difficult), various ebay bunk options (look like seats need to be forward) and the cab hammock (lots of issues setting up and not very comfy apparently).

I think some people put a booster seat laying sideways between the seats for support and just stick a memory foam mattress or self inflating mattress across the seats - does this work well for kids and any recommendations if so?

My daughter isn’t very tall (a small 9 year old) and it is mainly for when very windy as she gets scared up top. Would mean my son could sleep up there instead of the pup tent on cold nights too (he is currently refusing to sleep up top when his younger sister up there).

Ideally not take up too much storage so perhaps mattress could be used up top when not downstairs.

Any thoughts? Anything new on market?

 

[jeff]

Hi all,

I’m wondering if anyone has a good solution for adding a kids bed across the two captains chairs in VW Cali Ocean when facing inwards. I’ve done loads of research tonight, looking at various products on the market like the Cabbunks (awkward to fit and makes use of pop top difficult), various ebay bunk options (look like seats need to be forward) and the cab hammock (lots of issues setting up and not very comfy apparently).

I think some people put a booster seat laying sideways between the seats for support and just stick a memory foam mattress or self inflating mattress across the seats - does this work well for kids and any recommendations if so?

My daughter isn’t very tall (a small 9 year old) and it is mainly for when very windy as she gets scared up top. Would mean my son could sleep up there instead of the pup tent on cold nights too (he is currently refusing to sleep up top when his younger sister up there).

Ideally not take up too much storage so perhaps mattress could be used up top when not downstairs.

Any thoughts? Anything new on market?

We used the seats and used a piece of ply wood to bridge the gap and then a memory foam mattress on top . Seats facing into the cab.

 

[Campingrookie]

Interesting to hear someone else has had the same quandary! I’ve been looking for the exact same solution. I bought a cabbunk, the double one. It’s ok but I find it a bit tricky to put in and I don’t seem to have it set up perfectly so the side supporting poles often end up slipping out of place.

Very hard to find a bunk for use when the cabs are facing inwards. I’ve been thinking about designing something myself but haven’t had the time!

Will be watching this thread with interest to see if anyone has found the solution!

 

[Calimili]

Please use the search function. The California has been around for a long time, almost any question has already been asked and answered.
Search for bed across seats..

 

[Campingrookie]

Please use the search function. The California has been around for a long time, almost any question has already been asked and answered.
Search for bed across seats..

Well aware of the search function thanks. There are indeed discussions on cab beds/bunks but generally the products discussed are for use when the captain seats are in the driving position, with the exception of the cabbunk.

You might have missed it in the original post but the query here is for a bunk/bed which is for use when the captain chairs are facing inwards.

Happy to be corrected though so if you’re aware of a thread which covers this which I’ve missed, let me know.

Thanks

 

[2haw]

Please use the search function. The California has been around for a long time, almost any question has already been asked and answered.
Search for bed across seats..

This sort of response is so unhelpful and unwelcoming in my opinion. The OP has clearly stated he has looked into various different products and has not seen anything that suits his needs. He has just asked if anyone knows of any other options.

As the OP has only posted 6 messages, to tell someone to search is basically telling them to not ask a question, which only puts new members off from posting!!

Unfortunately I am unable to help but I do hope that someone else can suggest some other solutions.

Welcome to the forum @Scjones and please feel free to ask anything you like!

 

[andyinluton]

You might have missed it in the original post but the query here is for a bunk/bed which is for use when the captain chairs are facing inwards.

I'm not sure you will find anything, the problem is with the front seats swivelled to face the rear , there is not enough cab door left showing to rest a bed wide enough on. If you try supporting anything off the window cills further back it would be resting on the sliding door on one side or the sink top on the other.

Having used a cab bunk in our first cali, we found one of the major problems was getting access into the pop top, the bunk was in the way & there was no cab seat left to stand on.
It also made getting changed etc very difficult, with the upper bed down, that space under the hatch is normally the only place you can stand up straight in the van, that being blocked by a bed makes the whole van feel very, very cramped.

We found the bunk better than nothing for an overnight stop on the way to somewhere but wouldn't t want to be reliant on using it for weeks holiday.

If the problem is having two kids in the same bed, I would be thinking about making some sort of curtain velcrod to the pop top ceiling dividing the space lengthwise & then individual sleeping bags.

 

[bob_summers]

Would this work? Obviously shown on a single and double seat facing forward - but perhaps it would work with seats reversed if there’s something to attach the two straps (there’s a coat hook above the sink and next to the side door iirc, not load bearing just to hold the side of the bunk up.)
You’d need something to plug the gap between the seats still.

Front Bunk

The front bunk bed is a simple solution for converting the front seats of your van into a small bed for children or dogs. The hanging straps fasten to the headrest and the sun visor making them work with pretty much any van. Made from a water-resistant and washable 620D weight fabric. ➕ FOR...

stitchesandsteel.com

 

[Perfectos]

I think some people put a booster seat laying sideways between the seats for support

Would blow up pillow(s) work ?
Pillow Placed between the seats to fill the gap SIM mattress over the top.
if two were required : could be placed in a bag / pillow case if needed To keep them together (or Velcro attached to two separate pillow cases)

edit : something like this ? (Cheaper versions / other sizes available this was the first image I took I photo of )


alternatively 9mm ply cut to size, laid over the seats for use, stored on the floor behind drivers / passenger seat when travelling (under van when not in use at site. SIM mat over the ply for comfort?

 

[Perfectos]

Would something like this work ?
you could attach a couple of straps to the frame and support it via the head rests of the front seats ?

 

[Wesel]

And more ideas on Google

 

[andyinluton]

And more ideas on Google

View attachment 86477

Thats the exact one we had, with 5 sleeping in the van it was a bit of a squeeze.

 

[WelshGas]

And more ideas on Google

View attachment 86477

The OP wants the front seats turned around. So this won't fit on the window cills.

 

[danvan]

I've also been trying to come up with a solution to the same problem posed by the OP (and I've done lots of searching, on here and more widely). We're five in an SE and, as the kids get bigger, space for them all downstairs is getting tight. The only option I could come up with was a shaped piece of foam across the seats and an appropriate middle support above the handbrake. But with the seats facing inwards, you get quite a narrow little bed. I still think the ultimate solution for us will be a Beach with a kitchen in the boot, that downstairs bed should then fit three kids.

 

[andyinluton]

We're five in an SE and, as the kids get bigger, space for them all downstairs is getting tight.

Depends on the length of your kids, but for us we found the best set up with 3 kids in a SE was parents upstairs. Leave rear bed shelf at home & use folded down bench for 2 short kids & then lump of foam on rotated drivers seat and folded down 5th Seat to make another short single. It also solved the problem of what to do with the 5th seat.
We have also done similar with 6 of us in a SE - then just chuck the smallest kid up top with the parents. We did a few overnight stops at French service stations like that! For an occasional one off whilst in transit it worked.

We did do 2 adults, 4 kids plus a 4 month old puppy once whilst waiting for the ferry to Jersy, that was just a step too far.

 

[Campingrookie]

Would this work? Obviously shown on a single and double seat facing forward - but perhaps it would work with seats reversed if there’s something to attach the two straps (there’s a coat hook above the sink and next to the side door iirc, not load bearing just to hold the side of the bunk up.)
You’d need something to plug the gap between the seats still.

Front Bunk

The front bunk bed is a simple solution for converting the front seats of your van into a small bed for children or dogs. The hanging straps fasten to the headrest and the sun visor making them work with pretty much any van. Made from a water-resistant and washable 620D weight fabric. ➕ FOR...

stitchesandsteel.com

This looks great!

 

[Camperfamily]

I've also been trying to come up with a solution to the same problem posed by the OP (and I've done lots of searching, on here and more widely). We're five in an SE and, as the kids get bigger, space for them all downstairs is getting tight. The only option I could come up with was a shaped piece of foam across the seats and an appropriate middle support above the handbrake. But with the seats facing inwards, you get quite a narrow little bed. I still think the ultimate solution for us will be a Beach with a kitchen in the boot, that downstairs bed should then fit three kids.

It depends on age/ size of kids, but 3 kids upstairs, 2 adults downstairs might work better. This is our plan when our current 1yo is old enough to join our two older kids upstairs.

This past summer, we done dad+2 older kids upstairs, mum+baby downstairs and it worked well.

 

[Meoncoast]

Volkswagen Transporter Front Cab Bed | Forty Winks

Our own branded 7cm high density Front Cab Bed is a great addition to any Kombi set-up. Its rigid back enables the bed to lie neatly and securely over the seats creating a perfect sleeping space for an additional child or pet. The Cab Bed is made up of 3 sections each having its own zip for easy...

www.fortywinksuk.com

 

[Drpps]

Have you considered a really useful box or two of the correct dimension to come up to seat bolster level?
or a short length of ply to rest on the edges of the seat base and some infill foam or a really useful box of the right height?
Then use an inflatable matress/thermarest over the top?
the disadvantage of the seats facing towards the rear is there is less to stop them falling off!

 

[andyinluton]

the disadvantage of the seats facing towards the rear is there is less to stop them falling off!

Its a lesser risk than someone leaning on the steering wheel & sounding the horn in the middle of the night!

 

[WelshGas]

Its a lesser risk than someone leaning on the steering wheel & sounding the horn in the middle of the night!

That function can be disabled with Carista or VCDS or equivalent.

 

[andrew bazeley]

Nothing I've ever had to think about, fortunately, but would a single blow-up airbed fit, and provide enough rigidity in the middle section? Probably not, but it would be interesting if someone has tried it.

 

[Mikef63]

Try “ childs cab bed” on eBay. They also have a web site called “fieldsofdreamswales.co.uk”

 

[Scjones]

Nothing I've ever had to think about, fortunately, but would a single blow-up airbed fit, and provide enough rigidity in the middle section? Probably not, but it would be interesting if someone has tried it.

Turns out we have a Childs ready bed which should neatly fit. Will put the booster seat between the captains seats for support and will test how that is. Will let you know if it was an effective solution if we end up using it

 

[Lambeth Cali]

This all slightly reminds me of Grannie Jen’s view on roof boxes (I think) - ‘if you need one, you’ve bought the wrong van’.
There is an element of truth there. Beach?

We had the cab bed hammock thing. It worked very well for us with a 3yr old in it. She really liked it. Our baby son was then in the boot which worked great as a cot with the seats up. This meant my wife could get down in the night and sit on the bench and feed the baby when needed. I’ve still got it if anyone wants it!?