Fixed bed or 2 berth
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We have the most comfortable Single come Double that we have ever used in our latest van, Its plenty long and wide enough when singles and we are not thin ! and just pull out slats and flip the rhe two opposite bases over and there is a level Bigger than all "fixed beds"we have used and tried
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Each to their own of course but wild horses wouldn't drag me back to the making up beds routine - we've a 4 berth van for the two of us, fixed double, end washroom etc. Comfortable with domestic duvet etc. Only down side - not transverse and it does involve
my wife clambering about to get out!Entirely agree. Our fixed transverse bed 4 berth makes an excellent two berth. It's our home from home. Proper Duvalay mattress giving us an excellent night's sleep with a duve. Good size washroom for the morning. The downside is that, once you've pulled
the bed out into the night position, it's a tight squeeze to get past but that far outweighs making up the jigsaw of cushions for a most uncomfortable sleep.0 -
We have moved over to the fixed bed and would not go back. Our last caravan was however a four berth with a side dinette so we ony moved up in length a lot less than you would have. We did start up with a 10 ft caravan and they have got longer almost every
time without problem. My feeling is that you need to give it rather longer to see how it works out longer time.With the fixed bed the toilet has got smaller but we gained a partioned of changing area so we regard it as swings and roundabouts but not everyone will feel that way.
I think the trend is to fixed beds but it is all a matter of what you are comfortable with.
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.... outweighs making up the jigsaw of cushions for a most uncomfortable sleep.
4 piece jigsaws are easy peasy and we both sleep like a log. I know not all fixed beds are the same but there are loads that are eaither rounded off ie D shaped or a corner cut off ..... what do you do with your legs if you have the cut off corner?
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.....Without using high backs?
And they are? .........
I lie each cushion face down, each cushion from the back is under your head & feet, and the two bases are laid down so that the knee roll bits are touching in the middle.
...Do not need the back cushions, even during day as the singles are used as loungers unless we have company (they stay in shower)
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We have had two fixed beds in a row but are going back to a 2 berth when our new 'van arrives in November.
We have enjoyed our fixed beds but will enjoy having a shorter 'van again for easier movement on our drive.
Have bought a couple of duvalay sleeping bags with memory foam bases so hope to still have a comfy nights sleep.
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.... outweighs making up the jigsaw of cushions for a most uncomfortable sleep.
4 piece jigsaws are easy peasy and we both sleep like a log. I know not all fixed beds are the same but there are loads that are eaither rounded off ie D shaped or a corner cut off ..... what do you do with your legs if you have the cut off corner?
We don't even notice the cut off corner. Mind you, our cut off bit is modest compared to some others, and our bed is a long one, and wider than average for fixed beds as our van is 2.29 metres wide.
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After three weeks in the south of France and making the bed up every night I developed a very painful shoulder so we bought a new caravan this year with transverse bed.
at the caravan show last year we fancied and tried fixed singles ( trust me, I had my shoes off and got stretched out, tried my favourite position and tossed and turned) all were too narrow and I am not a large person.
we didn't want one with a side bed as I would be the one doing the climbing.
we opted for the Swift Corniche with transverse bed and don't regret it at all
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We have graduated from 2 berth through 4 berth side dining to fixed 'French bed' end bathroom layouts on a t/a and would not go back to bed assembly. However with all due respect to the OP before we bought our current van we tried the shower space going
through a pretend shower, drying, getting dressed etc and laid on the bed in our sleeping position In all the vans we considered Over a period of many, many months. As a result all transverse bed layouts (within budget and weight parameters) were dismissed,
and we accepted a compromise on shower space compared with the generous layout of our previous 2010 Moonstone.0 -
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We don't even notice the cut off corner. ...
Is that the 'Royal we'? ie your other half has the cut off bit
Our caravan is wide... can't remember now, but it's a Coachman Laser 620/4 you want to look it up .... and our bed is made up across the caravan so no shortage of room in bed
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Since 2002 we have had the so called French bed fixed double and would be very reticent to give it up. It is a proper bed in having a deep spring interior mattress capped by a memory foam topper, superbly comfortable. I sleep the easy side as I need night time visits, OH does not normally so no real issues there.
It does lead to a very long van, 8 metres LOA and I accept this can be an issue here in the UK with access and exiting some rural 5 van sites. We travel extensively in France typically in May and June and with the site low occupancy levels we encounter, finding suitable pitches these last 14 years has not be something I found a real problem.The set up does give a compromised shower/loo area, but then we both spend very much longer in bed than in there so it is an acceptable compromise for the good nights sleep this bed offers.
We moved to this arrangement two years into retirement where we found ourselves spending much longer periods away, than basically extended weekends; effectively now living in the van for periods up to 6 weeks. So a fixed bed, no making up and no bedding storage issues, for us suit that life style better.
The bed is though despite the gas struts simply too heavy for mid 70s to comfortably lift; thankfully its under stowage is easily accessed from the outside so the storage is used for outside clobber. The water tank is also neatly housed there, positioned clear of the locker door.
Like most things caravanning they are personal choices along with personally accepted compromises.
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As Ocsid said. Choice and circumstance mean compromise. Our previous van was a swift Charisma with an L shaped rear dining area that made up to a double bed. We had the van for 7 years. When away in the spring, summer and early Autumn we used to leave the
rear bed made up. The front seats were possibly 6'1'' or more. We never liked using a dining table between them though and used a porch awning for dining. We were usually away at Christmas for about 8 nights and as it was to cool to eat in the awning I would
strip and make the rear bed daily to give us the space and also a dining area. During the last year that we had it though the arthritis in my spine worsened and putting up an awning became more difficult. Still prefer a separate dining area and space and so
settled on the present van with long front benches that are well sprung and comfortable and the side dinnette. No longer need an awning. Spacious washroom and shower. Van has a shipping length of 7m which for us is important as much more and we would have
problems even with a mover in getting out due to a narrow highway in front of the property. As well as the side dinnette we wanted long, well sprung front benches. We move every 5 nights normally and after a drive of more than say 1.5 hours I can suffer with
my spine even with pain killers that I take as little as possible. I cope OK but, on those days, after prepping a meal and dining I can start suffering again and may well have a couple of scotches and stretch out. If I drop off to sleep say around 10pm OH
can easily make up her bunk and leave me to sleep. Other nights it takes me less than 3 mins to make up the beds. Most of that time is moving the cushions and back cushions to the shower. Making the bed itself is therefore a doddle.Before we chose this option we spebt two nights sleeping on the front benches of the Charisma which were less than the 6' 4'' length or the 2' 5'' width and not as well sprung. Then we realised it was, for us, an acceptable compromise.
It is a question of finding the compromise that suits the user(s)
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.... outweighs making up the jigsaw of cushions for a most uncomfortable sleep.
4 piece jigsaws are easy peasy and we both sleep like a log. I know not all fixed beds are the same but there are loads that are eaither rounded off ie D shaped or a corner cut off ..... what do you do with your legs if you have the cut off corner?
My wife is only 5ft tall so she sleeps where the cut off corner is lol
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.....Without using high backs?
And they are? .........
I lie each cushion face down, each cushion from the back is under your head & feet, and the two bases are laid down so that the knee roll bits are touching in the middle.
...Do not need the back cushions, even during day as the singles are used as loungers unless
we have company (they stay in shower)Why do your guests have to stay in the shower?
must be cramped for them....
is it bceause you are hogging the two front sofas?
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When we bought present van we went to at least 5 dealers in order to look at all locally available caravan fixed bed models, both singles and double, that were under 1500kg MPTLM. I made a list and sourced the display models. Got the keys for each and played
house. Then we realised not for us.Repeated with the side dinnette and long front bunk models. Each time we took the keys from salesmen and locked ourselves in to play act using the caravan.
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We always said that we would never have a fixed bed. Until we got one and now we love it. But like every thing else there are compromises, I don't think it is a family layout, the Kitchen space is compromised and the space arround the bed when pulled out
is tight.It is without doubt a big van 8m x 2.4m. Overall it works for us and like EasyT we spent time in it to try and judge if it was practical for us, so the compromises weren't a surprise when we came to use it.
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i think its essential to do as Alan describes, try the bed, the shower, are wardrobes big enough etc....after all, its our money.
beds are important, for a lot of reasons....comfort (obviously) but the type will dictate the size of the van....
the simplest, make up bed, that also serves as a sofa (or two) has to perform to different functions....sitting and lying dont (necessarily) require the same type, or level, of support....
if toppers are so comfortable, why dont sofas come with them already fitted to make sitting more comfortable?
we did the 'make up bed' thing for a year in our first van, but after our first long trip (four weeks plus) we realised that this wasnt really what we wanted, and we dont like sleeping bags much, not that we used them when we made up the beds...we like sheets
and duvets.so, next van had a fixed French bed....yes, a cut off corner (there is now a better washroom/door design to overcome this) but not too bad and as a couple of skinnies, no real issue.
things moved on and we wanted a garage to put our bikes in, so this van has beds over the top of this..they are nominally two singles, but are joined at the head end for a length of around four feet (which can be extended to the full 2m if required).....so
we can sleep either lengthways or across the van.either way, supremely roomy and comfortable, with memory foam mattresses and rising backrests....
when it comes to comfort, my question would always be....if you were at home, would you sleep downstairs on the sofa rather than going upstairs to bed? i know what our answer would be.
i realise that, in a caravan or MH, there are other influencers, but, as we spend more than half our lives in the van, the comfort and space in the bed (and no jigsaw puzzles) is important for us.
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when it comes to comfort, my question would always be....if you were at home, would you sleep downstairs on the sofa rather than going upstairs to bed? i know what our answer would be. ....
But a sofa/couch is made specificallyto sit on
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when it comes to comfort, my question would always be....if you were at home, would you sleep downstairs on the sofa rather than going upstairs to bed? i know what our answer would be. ....
But a sofa/couch is made specificallyto sit on
and a caravan sofa, isnt?
some are even called sofa/beds, but does this actually compromise both functions? possibly yes.
that was my point....one piece of 'furniture' will find it hard to perform two functions well...
sofas (at home or in the van) work best for sitting on...
beds are better for sleeping on..
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We don't even notice the cut off corner. ...
Is that the 'Royal we'? ie your other half has the cut off bit
Our caravan is wide... can't remember now, but it's a Coachman Laser 620/4 you want to look it up .... and our bed is made up across the caravan so no shortage of room in bed
No - I have the outside bit. I think he quite likes climbing over me!
The problem with transverse beds, as far as we're concerned, is that we'd have to get another car in order to be able to tow one! We tow our current caravan with a bog-standard Mondeo Diesel estate. Our caravan is a Swift 490, with MTPLM of only 1350. From the technical spec it appears yours is nearly 500 kg more so must need a much heftier tow car..
There are always reasons why people choose one layout or another, but I bet there aren't that many people who have remained in love with their caravan layout (and their bed), and kept it, for sixteen years!
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No - I have the outside bit. I think he quite likes climbing over me!
The problem with transverse beds, as far as we're concerned, is that we'd have to get another car in order to be able to tow one! We tow our current caravan with a bog-standard Mondeo Diesel estate. Our caravan is a Swift 490, with MTPLM of only 1350.
From the technical spec it appears yours is nearly 500 kg more so must need a much heftier tow car..There are always reasons why people choose one layout or another, but I bet there aren't that many people who have remained in love with their caravan layout (and their bed), and kept it, for sixteen years!
I'm onthe outside & just have to get/sit u if SWMBO wants out throught the night
Not all transverse bed caravans are huge. We had a Lunar Delta for 10 yrs that was around a ton kerb weight & 1350kg gross, your Mondeo would have towed that.
Yes our tow car is a big 'un .... not exactly what you'd call frugal, but there are other smaller commuter cars at home.
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...and a caravan sofa, isnt?
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No ..... it's intended to be slept on too
IMHO, jack of all trades, master of none
the seats in our van are designed to be sat on, and have the support where needed for this function.
our beds are designed for sleeping in, and do a damn fine job
having spent a year in our first vsn sleeping on a bed made up from pieces of upholstery designed for sitting on, i know what i feel more comfortable on.
our sofas had knee rolls which were great for adding underthigh support when sitting, but (literally) a PITA when sleeping on them....and yes, we tried moving them around and turning them over etc, but just made the whole process
even more of a drag.each to their own, but sleeping on a sofa isnt for us....
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I think we must be lucky. We don't have slats for the made up bed. We pull the seat across on its runners, fold the legs down and the back cushion drops into place. We can use the bed as two singles, a single and a 3/4 or a massive double. It's just as comfortable
as the bed at home even without duvalays which we use because we had them in our last van and bed making is quicker that way.As loungers rather than sitters - even at home - the comfort of the sitting position is irrelevant to us. We prefer a short van but we like lots of space and a big washroom. I've been looking for years and haven't found a fixed bed van that ticks the boxes
with the possible exception of last years quirky coachman.There is no right answer to suit everyone. I really feel for the OP who has made an expensive mistake it seems.
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The system in our van is definatly "jack of all trades" as when used as the two long front bench/setees they are very supportive, at night in either singles or double just turn them over and they are ,by the way they are made, converted into body moulding beds
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