finding comfort on a jack knife bed?

[flying free]

Hi,
Trying to get advice to make this more comfy. It folds down but is hard. Do NOT want a memory foam topper... Should I layer it with a sheepskin cover, foam, eggshell crate, sleeping bag?  Big down comforter?


What's worked out for you?

Also do you need those plastic levelers to get the van level?  Not sure where to store them, its a class B, not much storage.
Thanks.

 

[SondraRose]

Sheepskin mattress cover has worked for me. Also a wool comforter. Down compresses too much, in my experience.

 

[Ms Daisy]

Hi,
Trying to get advice to make this more comfy. It folds down but is hard. Do NOT want a memory foam topper... Should I layer it with a sheepskin cover, foam, eggshell crate, sleeping bag?  Big down comforter?


What's worked out for you?

Also do you need those plastic levelers to get the van level?  Not sure where to store them, its a class B, not much storage.
Thanks.

I use a feather bed (full sized down) that has a twin sized duvet cover on it.  Very comfortable/like sleeping on a cloud.  Purchased mine 20 years ago so they last a long time...you can get one on amazon for about $60.

I have a class c and do use the plastic levelers.  I store lots of things under my jack knife sofa...maybe put them under there?

 

[Almost There]

People have been unsuccessfully trying to find a way to be comfortable on those jack-knife beds put in conversion vans since they were first introduced almost 40 years ago.

Most end up removing the bed and putting in a bed platform and the mattress of their choice.

Not only is is more comfortable but you can also get substantial storage under the platform that cannot be achieved with the jack-knife bed because of the mechanisms on the underside.

You can either use pieces of 2 x 10 or the levelers. Either is  handy for those times when you just can't get the van level any other way. I'm getting really good at sizing up a parking spot and figuring out how to get level enough so I don't have to use them but I still carry at least a couple of boards.

 

[rm.w/aview]

For leveling & easy storage, maybe Andersen Camper Leveler 3604
For sleeping, maybe ThermaRest Self Inflating Mattress

 

[Stargazer]

This worked very well for me, I am 5'3" 135# and am solo.  I sleep on the sofa like I would a regular sofa, leaving it in the upright position.  I bought a piece of 4" upholstery foam and cut it to fit the seat. I wrapped the foam in a king sized fitted sheet.  Laid a king comforter on top of that and up over the back like you would to cover the whole couch.  Then laid a king top sheet over that.  In warmer weather, Id sleep with the top sheet folded in half like a sleeping bag, if it turned cold, just pulled the comforter over me.  Left it like that during the day and sat on it as a sofa.

The key here is to use upholstery foam.  I found it at Joann Crafts, $50 on sale.

For leveling, I carry a few boards and the leveling blocks. You don't need to be perfectly level, just good enough to be comfortable. And yes, look for a spot that is already fairly level if possible.

 

[DLTooley]

I use multiple camping pads that I already had, topped with a washable cotton chaise lounge pad. Very comfy.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Almost everything in an RV has the same name whether it's in the RV or in a house.

But not the jackknife sofa. 

In a home, that's called a Futon.

Weird.

And yeah, those are pretty uncomfortable too.