How to climb up to the roof bed?

[bmassaer]

We have our two little girls travelling with us. Right now this is our first night out with the Cali - I am enjoying!!
What is the best way for them to get on the upper bed? I know one should not stand on the arm rests, so do you position the front seats so they can climb on the back of the seat to get up there? Can they rest with one foot on the cover of the kitchen unit?

 

[motacyclist]

Good question this. I'm not sure how VW expect us to get up because they tell us not to stand on the seats (may damage the electric heating), nor the armrests etc. Unless you've got biceps like Arnold Schwarznegger to pull yourself up with your arms you need to push on something with your legs. I think most people do carefully use the seats, armrests (only near to where they are attached to the seats) and seat backs to give themselves and bit off a lift, and your girls should be light enough not to cause any problem.

My wife can't easily get up top, we did buy a short telescopic ladder which helped but it was hard on bare feet and it needs storing somewhere during the day; it now clutters up the garage with a load of other stuff which seemed a good idea at the time!

Maybe the T6 will be fitted with a lift

 

[GrannyJen]

for me, a 5'8" amazon, it is easy. Swivel front passenger seat, stand on seat, arms on bed base, ever so elegantly in olympic gymnast fashion lever up and slide back until buttocks are firmly placed on bed frame.


Ok, stand on seat, squirm, wriggle and heave until arse is very inelegantly dumped with little reverence for feminine aplomb on the bed base.

It was designed by Romanian gymnasts, that I am sure of.

 

[Californiaman]

Tell them they are not allowed up there. They'll find a way....

 

[F5 JNR]

motacyclist...thinking of selling yr ladder to my 3 year old son? Been looking for months since maplin, aldi n jtf stopped selling and begrudge £69+ for new or £85 from argos in case its a bad idea and ends up sat in my garage.

 

[jts46]

Stand on seat, one foot on top of front seat (not swivelled) other foot on other seat, slide onto mattress head first, then do a 180' turn feet facing rear of cali and thats it....................!!!!!!

John

 

[WelshGas]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-6m-8ft5...543?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item58b3cc53ef

£40 inc. on eBay.

 

[DavidofHook]

We only ever used the top bed once. Whichever way you did it, feet first, head first, arse first it was a major struggle.
We have a better system now, Mrs Davidofhook pulls out the rear seats and then makes up the bed using our sleeping bags and a blanket if it is cold while I go over to the toilet block to use the loo. It also has the benefit of giving you a bit of fresh air before going to bed which is very important.

 

[bmassaer]

I see there is no standard way to do this... Okay, finally they will find their way. Reading these descriptions I thought maybe it would be good to add some how-to-video's??
;-))

 

[motacyclist]

motacyclist...thinking of selling yr ladder to my 3 year old son?

Sorry, just asked Marg if we should sell it and she said she won't be able to get in the roof (not that she ever does!). Good luck in your search.

 

[Bramco]

While californiaman's suggestion will almost certainly win the day, how about taking a leaf out of Romke's book. See the recent post on customising their Beach. They lay a board across the front seats for their dog, so why not carry a board with you to lay across the front seats, either way round and stand say a bucket on top.

Never tried this but will do next time we're away.

Up to now, we've been gingerly using the top of the seat and the arm rest where it meets the back of the seat. I had looked at ladders but they all look too bulky and too wide to be of any real practical use.

 

[storma63]

Due to government austerity cuts I've wondered if James Bonds old ejector seat is up for auction? Perfect for getting up there in a hurry!!! Say if you were on a promise???? ;-)

 

[Maud]

I place one foot on the seat base of the swivelled passenger seat whilst simultaneously placing one hand on the bed and the other hand on the metal lip of the roof (so hands either side of the gap) which means I can use my arms to start to lift myself and avoid putting my whole weight on the passenger seat. I can then lift myself up if I'm feeling energetic, but I usually place my other foot on the 'shoulder' of the drivers seat (not swivelled), just to balance myself as I push up onto the bed. I am fairly nimble at <9stone though, and I can see how it would be harder if I were bigger, not least that the actual gap doesn't give a whole lot of turning room. I think small children will find it a doddle though; they have a knack of making everything look easy! Maud

 

[GrannyJen]

If getting up is a problem,

just wait until one has had a little bit too much of a celebration, wakes up feeling ever so terribly disorientated, not to say unsteady, feels the need to go whilst it is pitch black, ejects oneself out of the roof cavity onto the waiting swivelled seat below which then causes said seat to swivel and in the resulting melee the other foot about to land instead goes into the porta-potti .....

Not that is has ever happened to me of course ...

 

[teeboy]

motacyclist...thinking of selling yr ladder to my 3 year old son? Been looking for months since maplin, aldi n jtf stopped selling and begrudge £69+ for new or £85 from argos in case its a bad idea and ends up sat in my garage.

I have an unused one in the garage (might be a bit dusty) - open to offers - I am in Northamptonshire and often in Leicestershire

 

[WelshGas]

I use this between the front seats. Also useful for putting the Topper on.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PLASTIC-F...t=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item1c3f0914fd

 

[teeboy]

I use this between the front seats. Also useful for putting the Topper on.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PLASTIC-F...t=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item1c3f0914fd

That is a bargain - also handy for cleaning the roof and reaching the middle of the windscreen to clean it???

 

[Spud]

We have a cube cushion which we place onto one seat, we do use seats to get up but never armrests. One foot on seat next onto cube and up into top bed, always sleep upstairs can't be bothered moving stuff to put lower bed up!

 

[bilberry]

We've just taken delivery (on Easter Monday too!) of a telescopic ladder. Seven treads (2m) and very light and neat. It came from Amazon but was a 'used-like new' one and only cost £27. Very happy with it. Have to say it took me an hour to scrub off the 35 warning and safety notices that were spoiling its minimalist good looks, but perhaps I'm a bit picky! Builder's Brand, though I suspect many of these are the same ladder under different names. It's now added to our list of great Beach (and Cali) kit that I'm updating as we learn at campfiremag.co.uk.

 

[CannellWalker]

+1 for an outdoor bean bag cube placed on one of the seats. Doubles as a foot rest for the rear bench seat on long drives.

 

[Spud]

We bought a ladder from someone on this site, never used it as not sure where to put it! May try it out this week as we are away!

 

[Skylark2.0]

Our son seems to get up there so fast it's hard to see what he does. Saw a foot on the drivers door briefly. Mind you his legs reach right up to his bum!

 

[parrots mum]

We have our two little girls travelling with us. Right now this is our first night out with the Cali - I am enjoying!!
What is the best way for them to get on the upper bed? I know one should not stand on the arm rests, so do you position the front seats so they can climb on the back of the seat to get up there? Can they rest with one foot on the cover of the kitchen unit?

 

[parrots mum]

We have our two little girls travelling with us. Right now this is our first night out with the Cali - I am enjoying!!
What is the best way for them to get on the upper bed? I know one should not stand on the arm rests, so do you position the front seats so they can climb on the back of the seat to get up there? Can they rest with one foot on the cover of the kitchen unit?

I bought a light weight Fiamma ladder and put a folded piece of grey non skid, cut to size, on each tread with long plastic ties-- one each side and cut the ends when they're as tight as you can make them.Put the cut ends underneath so you don't accidentally scratch yourself on any sharp edges. That way you're not putting your feet on cold metal ---aaargh!! When travelling secure the ladder either inside the sliding door and along the side of the drivers seat OR place it in the middle and secure it to the passenger seat with a bungee.I have seat covers so attached the bungee to the seat cover straps The latter proved better for me so I didn't have to climb over it. Also bought a folding ladder, and added the non skid as before, but it takes up a bit more floor space, in the cab, when you're climbing into bed and was heavier BUT easier to stow in it's bag in the back.When I'm home the Fiamma ladder hangs on a similar width aluminium strip fixed to the garage wall. It depends what suits you best.

 

[MichaelB]

I made my own folding ladder. It fits between the front seats giving more room for Porta Poti to be out at night.