Lap desk anyone?

Van Living Forum

Help Support Van Living Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

vagari

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 21, 2012
Messages
210
Reaction score
0
Does anyone use a lap desk in their RV? You can search youtube if you don't know what they are. Basically a 22x14 piece of carbon fiber (or wood) with pads underneath to rest on your legs. If you sit on couch or bed, it sits on your lap to hold your laptop. A renamed, revamped bed table I guess. I was looking at an RV with a couch and no dinette. I use a dinette a lot to do computer work. I was wondering if you can work comfortably on these lap desks while sitting on a couch.
 
I use an old TV table from my S&B clean out. I'm using it with my passenger seat turned facing the living area of the van and can pull it close enough to me so that I am sitting properly. When I need to get up to do something, I just shift it out of my way.

There's also small adjustable height fold up tables about the same size as the TV table- I've seen them in the Campers' World catalogue, just never stopped in to get one.

I think the lap top table would get old real fast and would encourage some bad posture and I know that the weight of the table and the laptop if used for any length of time would be a problem for me.
 
I use a pillow on my lap in a lawn chair when using my laptop.  Works well if your knees are higher than your butt.  I will be adding a plywood top to the pillow to be able to use my mouse instead of the touchpad.  It did not work well sitting inside the camper unless I had something to put my feet on to raise my knees; the seat was too high.

 -- Spiff
 
vagari said:
Does anyone use a lap desk in their RV?

I do!  I've traveled with for years with one I made.  The top was cut from half inch plywood with hardwood veneer.  The best part of my set up is the bottom, made from rough textured polyester cloth filled with (of all things!) buckwheat hulls.  It's lightweight, and conforms to the shape of your lap.
Buckwheat hulls can be found at most health food stores/co-ops.
Try it, you'll like it...
Charlotte's Web
 
I bought a Levenger kidney shaped lapdesk 20+ years ago. I bought another so my husband and I wouldn't fight over the one. Even one of my kids wanted one for his laptop. They are about a quarter inch thick and absolutely flat, they fit anywhere.

Yeah, they were/are expensive, but after so many years if use, they still look brand new. You could make one yourself. Just cut the wood and sand the edges.
 
I use a cheap Belkin lap desk I got at Home Depot. Cushioned bottom is comfy, but it has a curve to the top so air circulates under the laptop. It comes with a build in USB fan but I rarely use it because the curve is usually enough.

I run my entire worldwide internet empire from it! I hate desks!
 
It is not a good idea to place a laptop on soft surface like a bed or cushion, it will overheat.

A poormans solution is to use a large egg tray, the size restaurants use. The idea is they allow air flow.
 
I have always sat "meditation-style" so have always used something for a lap desk. In my teens it was my old "Ouija Board". Now I just use a couple of thrown pillows to set my laptop on to type. My favorite was a breakfast tray with little legs. :)
 
I have a few different types, the typical breakfast in bed item with fold out legs, the notebook one as someone else described... and I've used the fancy reinforced pull up to the bed/couch type....

but I have to be careful and sit straight, so no bed sitting for me... if I can angle in against my knees while I'm flat on my back, ok. ;)

There just isn't enough space on any of these for a notebook (computer or pen/paper type) a book, coffee cup.... not for me.
 
Spaceman Spiff said:
I use a pillow on my lap in a lawn chair when using my laptop.  Works well if your knees are higher than your butt.  I will be adding a plywood top to the pillow to be able to use my mouse instead of the touchpad.  It did not work well sitting inside the camper unless I had something to put my feet on to raise my knees; the seat was too high.

 -- Spiff

I use a pillow for my laptop when sitting in the recliner (at home). Also use a pillow to hold a plate of food while watching tv sitting on the couch. I can't do TV trays because it causes me to lean over and it hurts my back. The wooden top is a good idea; I think I will check Amazon now for that!
 
WalkaboutTed said:
I bought a Levenger kidney shaped lapdesk 20+ years ago. I bought another so my husband and I wouldn't fight over the one. Even one of my kids wanted one for his laptop.  They are about a quarter inch thick and absolutely flat, they fit anywhere.

Yeah, they were/are expensive, but after so many years if use, they still look brand new. You could make one yourself. Just cut the wood and sand the edges.

I bought one exactly like what WalkaboutTed is describing here -- for $10 at Walmart.  Hard table top, with a pillow mounted under it. (The pillow part can be removed - velcro - but I love that aspect of it.)
 
jaye said:
I bought one exactly like what WalkaboutTed is describing here -- for $10 at Walmart.  Hard table top, with a pillow mounted under it. (The pillow part can be removed - velcro - but I love that aspect of it.)

Hey jaye, where in walmart did you find it?

Thanks,
  -- Spiff
 
sometimesido said:
I have one I use at home and I like it. folds fairly flat when not in use. A little fiddly at first to get the angles right.

I like mine okay but am currently back to using a stack of books..lol...because the ohuhu forces my laptop mouse to be placed further away to use. I like laptops but use a mouse with them.
 
Top