GrannyJen
Super Poster
Lifetime VIP Member
For single, or two childsized doubles, a thought for the day... 
The much discussed "which topper threads" followed by the "which topper if any" poll threw up an interesting idea from Will. He mentioned an airbed. I currently use a VW comfort mattress and, whilst reasonably happy, I am not so enamoured that I did not want to try an alternative, especially something not coloured in any one of VW's choice of grey, grey or grey.
My other consideration was bedding. I currently use a sleeping bag and not a great fan. I would prefer a duvet but with nowhere to let it drape down the sides I soon find myself with a draughty sleep.
So off I went to airbeds 'r' us... otherwise known as a cupboard below the stairs, and dragged out one of the many we use for overnight visitors.
It was a double, and a tight fit, too tight for me, too much pressure on the kitchen furniture and wardrobes. However a single airbed would be too small, I would soon find myself sliding off it.
Come in aerobed. They make an "oversized single", which is diplomatic speak for "american single" - i.e. rather large single person sized. It is 100cm wide, allowing 7 cm either side to allow a duvet to drape over and not enough space for me to fall off. I am no stranger to aerobed, I lived on one for 12 months when we recently moved home, and found them to be ever so comfortable, if quite expensive.
Blowing it up in the van was ease itself. It comes with an auto starting and auto stopping pump, clip it in and off it goes until correct pressure is reached. It can be powered by either its own rechargeable battery or off a 12v socket, the latter being much more powerful and quicker. Plugged into the rear socket, with the cable poked through the rear grid shelf, and no need to go outside.
Bedding I used a blanket from Dunelm, which sticks like velcro to the flock surface of the airbed, no slipping around and can be rolled up with the bed and still be in place when the bed is next unrolled and inflated.
Duvet, temporarily I took one off my own bed, 5ft and oversized, a standard double would be perfect,
First benefit is space. The rear parcel shelf goes to the highest setting, liberating a lot more boot space. The airbed and blanket topper, rolled up, is tiny in comparison to the tri-fold comfort mattress, fitting into a bag about the same size as a comfortz silver screen bag,.
I spent 9 days in Scotland living with it. Ever so comfortable, with the Dunelm blanket warm, and the luxury of being snuggled up in a duvet rather than twisted up in a sleeping bag, it was luxury itself. No more backache. Deflation and rolling it up out of the way virtually as easy and quick as folding back the Tri-fold topper.
Downside is that when I take Max, my long clawed dog, it is going to have to be back to the mattress. (Or will it? He often made himself at home on my airbed and I never had a puncture... another test coming up!). The other downside, punctures from any source, canine or other. Well, take a puncture repair outfit (I take two)
The much discussed "which topper threads" followed by the "which topper if any" poll threw up an interesting idea from Will. He mentioned an airbed. I currently use a VW comfort mattress and, whilst reasonably happy, I am not so enamoured that I did not want to try an alternative, especially something not coloured in any one of VW's choice of grey, grey or grey.
My other consideration was bedding. I currently use a sleeping bag and not a great fan. I would prefer a duvet but with nowhere to let it drape down the sides I soon find myself with a draughty sleep.
So off I went to airbeds 'r' us... otherwise known as a cupboard below the stairs, and dragged out one of the many we use for overnight visitors.
It was a double, and a tight fit, too tight for me, too much pressure on the kitchen furniture and wardrobes. However a single airbed would be too small, I would soon find myself sliding off it.
Come in aerobed. They make an "oversized single", which is diplomatic speak for "american single" - i.e. rather large single person sized. It is 100cm wide, allowing 7 cm either side to allow a duvet to drape over and not enough space for me to fall off. I am no stranger to aerobed, I lived on one for 12 months when we recently moved home, and found them to be ever so comfortable, if quite expensive.
Blowing it up in the van was ease itself. It comes with an auto starting and auto stopping pump, clip it in and off it goes until correct pressure is reached. It can be powered by either its own rechargeable battery or off a 12v socket, the latter being much more powerful and quicker. Plugged into the rear socket, with the cable poked through the rear grid shelf, and no need to go outside.
Bedding I used a blanket from Dunelm, which sticks like velcro to the flock surface of the airbed, no slipping around and can be rolled up with the bed and still be in place when the bed is next unrolled and inflated.
Duvet, temporarily I took one off my own bed, 5ft and oversized, a standard double would be perfect,
First benefit is space. The rear parcel shelf goes to the highest setting, liberating a lot more boot space. The airbed and blanket topper, rolled up, is tiny in comparison to the tri-fold comfort mattress, fitting into a bag about the same size as a comfortz silver screen bag,.
I spent 9 days in Scotland living with it. Ever so comfortable, with the Dunelm blanket warm, and the luxury of being snuggled up in a duvet rather than twisted up in a sleeping bag, it was luxury itself. No more backache. Deflation and rolling it up out of the way virtually as easy and quick as folding back the Tri-fold topper.
Downside is that when I take Max, my long clawed dog, it is going to have to be back to the mattress. (Or will it? He often made himself at home on my airbed and I never had a puncture... another test coming up!). The other downside, punctures from any source, canine or other. Well, take a puncture repair outfit (I take two)
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