Storage on mattress in boot

[Jason Warhurst]

Hi just bought a 2008 California SE. We changed from a large Caravan and are figuring new ways of minimising what we can take with us on trips out in the van. My wife is worried that the manual says never put objects on the rear mattress when driving for risk of injury.
It’s my belief that the boot is for storing “things”! We have our awning and bedding on the small mattress in the boot and other things that may move under the rear mattress in the boot.
Does anyone else use the boot in this way?
Does anyone know vw thoughts on this?
Surely a boot is a boot!!

 

[T6 CFO]

Hi Jason and welcome. I’ve got loads of things on top of my mattress. Three Ikea storage boxes that hold all sorts. I would presume the warning is to prevent anything flying into the front in an accident or emergency stop. Not going to happen in mine so just give a thought as to what you put there and how. Also applies to stuff in the passenger area. Either strapped in or not a danger.
My porta potty is in there mind. Fingers crossed it’s empty if things go wrong.
Just my guess.


Mike

 

[Jason Warhurst]

Hi Jason and welcome. I’ve got loads of things on top of my mattress. Three Ikea storage boxes that hold all sorts. I would presume the warning is to prevent anything flying into the front in an accident or emergency stop. Not going to happen in mine so just give a thought as to what you put there and how. Also applies to stuff in the passenger area. Either strapped in or not a danger.
My porta potty is in there mind. Fingers crossed it’s empty if things go wrong.
Just my guess.


Mike

Hi Mike
Thanks the quick reply! I do think you are right about the breaking and things flying around. Will look into boxes like you and maybe some method of securing things maybe with bungees or some kind of net??
Cheers
Jason

 

[T6 CFO]

Hi Mike
Thanks the quick reply! I do think you are right about the breaking and things flying around. Will look into boxes like you and maybe some method of securing things maybe with bungees or some kind of net??
Cheers
Jason

This is the back of mine every day.

When we go away bedding lives in the top box.

All from Ikea. Skubb boxes.


Mike

 

[Jason Warhurst]

I can see now how nothing could fly into the passenger area! I like those boxes and the colour might have to visit Ikea.

Cheers
Jason

 

[Hotel California]

Do hope your wife has read the more important stuff in the manual also....

 

[T6 CFO]

I can see now how nothing could fly into the passenger area! I like those boxes and the colour might have to visit Ikea.

Cheers
Jason

I nicked the idea from someone else. Loads of suggestions on here. Good luck.

Mike


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Jason Warhurst]

Do hope your wife has read the more important stuff in the manual also....

Ha ha yes I think she has read every single word!!

 

[DaNish]

We do not keep anything but bedding on top of the shelf. Not because of the manual but to keep it simple. To me one of the joys of the Cali is the "no hassle" feeling. We stop and make the bed, nothing to put away anywhere else, and it is just as fast to be ready to move.

 

[Loz]

Mainly bedding stuff: pillows, skeeping bag, camel blanket, comfort mattress and our rucksacs.

 

[Stow]

I've never thought of storage being a safety issue though. I don't keep anything on the mattress because I don't want to compress the foam long term and knacker it, basically.

 

[greenfintry]

Mainly bedding stuff: pillows, skeeping bag, camel blanket, comfort mattress and our rucksacs.
View attachment 36528

Is that a slide out lower boot shelf there? Tell me more!

 

[GrannyJen]

All my bedding goes on the top, nowt else.

As someone mentioned, I don't like moving things around to make the bed.

 

[B J G]

Anyone doubting the danger of loose or even seemingly secure item should look at this.
it doesn't show the risks added if a roll over or passengers who do not use seatbelts. A bit gory details in those ones.

 

[Michaeltaiwan]

Anyone doubting the danger of loose or even seemingly secure item should look at this.
it doesn't show the risks added if a roll over or passengers who do not use seatbelts. A bit gory details in those ones.

Thanks BJG,
They say a picture/video is worth a thousand words/opinions. The video clearly shows what you and fellow passengers get clobbered with in the event of an accident. Agree with GrannyJen, nowt. else but soft bedding for me.

 

[Ksar-el-kebir]

Thanks BJG,
They say a picture/video is worth a thousand words/opinions. The video clearly shows what you and fellow passengers get clobbered with in the event of an accident. Agree with GrannyJen, nowt. else but soft bedding for me.

Just bedding. Some of the bedding I put in the cupboards to stop rattling.

 

[SE VanMan]

This is the back of mine every day.

When we go away bedding lives in the top box.

All from Ikea. Skubb boxes.


Mike

Thanks Mike, you just ruined my Sunday... I’ll be trapesing round Ikea now... Love em!

 

[T6 CFO]

Thanks Mike, you just ruined my Sunday... I’ll be trapesing round Ikea now... Love em!

Target shop and you should survive. No wandering. Straight to the items you want and out.

Mike


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[BikerGran]

I put mostly bedding, coats etc on top of the mattress. But a couple of other things do creep in from time to time - camera tripod, extra folding chair etc. Life's too short to worry about everything.

 

[MattBW]

Nothing heavy on there for me, plenty of stuff but nothing heavy.

 

[samdb]

This is our boot, packed for good weather (in bad weather the event shelter gets swapped for a drive-away awning). Above the mattress it’s loaded with a couple of Outwell cupboards, a table, two (comfy) reclining chairs, four vacuum packed pillows, a double sleeping bag, a pop-up pup tent, a large awning ground mat and a 4.5m event shelter.

Below we’ve got a camp cooker and gas bottle, two sleeping bags, awning sides, awning tie-down kit, wind break, pop-up beach tent, level ramps, and various mats, games (frisbees, nerf ball, kite, pétanque, etc) and bike locks. Oh, and a Thetford porta-potty!

I’m using a net from Amazon to secure it but it’s not strong enough in my opinion, so still looking for the right kind of load securing system. Has anyone found a good way to secure yet??

 

[Loz]

You could add a webbing ratchet strap with hooks, start by hooking on the shelf, up, over, round the headrests, back over, down and hook back on the shelf.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Outbound to continent: bedding, and a wicker hamper (empty).

Inbound from continent: bedding (compressed in stuff sack to make room for...) boxes of wine; wicker hamper (containing more wine / breakable knick-knacks acquired by Mrs VD / French cheese so smelly it has been banished to rear of van).

But for most trips we try to take as little superfluous gear as possible so the rear shelf isn't used for much except coats, dog lead etc.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Soft stuff above hard stuff below from now on!

 

[flying banana]

Mainly bedding stuff: pillows, skeeping bag, camel blanket, comfort mattress and our rucksacs.
View attachment 36528

where did you get the drawer. did you make it?