Scamp dinette/bed

[camper1887]

What modifications have people done to their rear dinette/bed to make it more comfortable for sleeping? How much weight does the bed hold? Thanks!

John

[Rick Mooyman]

My son is co-owner of my 1971 Boler and he took a piece of 3/4" OSB cut it to the full lenght to fit as a bed between the 2 seat bunks and then cut it so the table part is 3/4 the lenght of the original table and placed the 1/4 part against the wall and then when the table is set up you can get into the seats alot easier. He then mitered the edges and coated the OSB with thick polyurathayne and painted the edges black.

[john warren]

we find that a couple comforters is all it takes to be fine for sleeping,,but everyone has their own needs

[koolperson2]

My wife bought a piece of foam at walmart 30 and i cut a board from the piece I made the table out of that gives support to the edge.

[Carol H]

Added 3" of memory foam on top of mine and it made an amazing difference as far as comfort level.

[dylanear]

I got a 2" topper of high quality natural latex foam and the back issues I was having when using a cheap polyurethane foam topper went away almost immediately. The poly foam started crushing down thinner in the middle the first night and had much less support where I needed it (like almost none) after a mere few weeks. Some polyurethane foams will last much longer, but latex is the stuff to get if you don't mind the cost. Poor quality poly foam is a complete waste of money. Not sure how to know which polys are better. Latex can last 20+ years I'm told.

And I stuffed various thin flat items under the table area (on the table top, under all the cushions) since it seems to sit a cm or so below the seats on either side.

Actually, the stock cushions were not that bad alone, just felt those gaps a bit. But bare stock cushions is better than with a foam topper with no support anymore.

I sleep like a baby in my Scamp since the latex topper!

[Ruthies Radiola]

After 5 years of too thin cushions and wandering foam toppers we bought 8 inch thick foam mattresses and replaced the cushions and sofa/ bunks for wonderful comfortable sleeping and when its raining we would rather lounge in bed with a good book or the computer, then sit at the table. Right now like most of the mid-south and west rain would be a welcome break from the heat and threat of fires.

[David B.]

We use "Alps Mountaineering" self inflating air mattresses (the smallest ones) that back packers use. We leave them inflated under the cushions while in the dinette position, and then place them sideways (thats why we use the Smallest size) under the cushions while in the sleeping position. We had ordered them on-line. If you choose to store them, they roll up to approximately 6 inches and are placed in a stuff sack.
Happy Trails
Dave & Paula

[Raz]

I removed the rear dinette and covered the space with a piece of 1/2" AC plywood. Added cleats on the bottom to keep it from moving and a stiffener on one end. Original cushions and a 2" memory foam topper make for a comfortable bed. It also makes it easy to get to the storage bins below. Raz

[Bryan L.]

My wife and I now sleep head to feet and it's made a world of difference. That bed just isn't big enough for two adult shoulders to be right next to each other.

[ruscal]

The head to feet is working for us pretty well too. I replaced all the factory cushions with new medium density foam in 4" thick like the stock ones. It is comfortable, but I wish we would have used 5" to be even better, since we had new covers made anyway.
Russ

[Byron Kinnaman]

Head to feet and sleeping bags works good for us. However, when we bought the Scamp we were pretty used to sleeping on the ground with about an 1" think Thermorest pad.

[Mike T]

Ok, here's an idea....try finding a container or two that are the same height as your bed (take a tape measure to the store) and fit them in between the sink and closet. Then put cushions over them the same height as your existing bedding (no doubt you have enough from your camper or else buy some). Now you can sleep with your heads at the back of your camper and your feet pointed toward the front of the camper in between the sink and closet. Your feet really don't need much room but your shoulders have plenty! My wife and I love it! Also, go to Target or Walmart and buy a 1" or 2" piece of memory foam and cut it so that it lays over your entire bed. Now you won't feel any cracks in between your cushions and it will feel like your comfy bed at home! And when you're done sleeping you can put the memory foam in your new containers for storage and when you're camping you can put dirty clothes in the containers for storage till you have time to wash them at home. Voila! Tons of new storage!! And more roomy and comfy sleeping quarters!

[Mary F]

Great ideas, Mike!

[Raennshadow]

In our new to us 17 foot BigFoot, I keep it set up as a bed all the time; my husband uses the side couch..with a sleeping bag. Camping World used to sell a slumber bag which contained the sheets as an inner bag, a blanket on one side and a cover like a duvet on the whole thing. They no longer carry that, so I am making my own using a full size duvet and a comforter I already have. I just have to stitch it to keep it from sliding around in the bag. It will fold nicely and store under the seat should we decide to set the dinette up. I carry two sturdy wooden tv tables for meal eating inside [and they can be used outside too]. We can sit side by side on the couch, or face each other kitty corner...I sit on my bed/dinette and he on the couch. I also have a small round table, purloined from a long ago camper...that has 3 twist-and- remove legs. It fits nicely under the cushions at the foot of my bed and I don't know it's there at night.

My brother had table holders put on the side of his pop-up camper, so he could move his dinette table outdoors when he was camping. I may do that with the BigFoot...although the tv trays are easier to move.

[Raennshadow]

I forgot to mention one of my former RVs was a 1980 13 ft. Scamp...and I loved it! My husband sold it out from under me...almost cause for the D word...but after 50 years, I didn't want to train another one...I had the dinette in the Scamp set up as a bed all the time also, and my husband slept on the front couch.

[Donna D.]

Good for you! I love it when I hear about the things that people have done to their trailers so that it works for them.

Making/creating a Travasak is One of the most recent, active threads over on the CasitaForum is where someone posted they'd found a bunch for sale at Tuesday Morning for pretty cheap. It almost turned into a feeding frenzy

Do you have any pictures to share?

[Raennshadow]

Not yet, but I will. Hmm I used to "live" at the Casita site looking for the perfect one...and then we found the roomier Bigfoot at a price almost $2000 less than the current trend for even older Casitas. It actually had lived in Eugene, Oregon... so it has been an adventure just getting it home with my also new to me Honda, who cried and complained all the way home. "I can't do it! It's too heavy for me...sob sob!" Well it turned out there's a malfunction in the "check engine" light of older Honda Passports...so we told it to "buck up soldier! This is a load you can carry." I can't wait until we go met my family in Teton Nat. Park next summer. I have a Bigfoot costume to wear, but with 2 five year olds attending, I am warning their parents that I will be wearing the costume without the head until the girls get used to it.

[Raennshadow]

I ca't figure out how to post photos, but I do have some posted on Facebook...my name there is Nikki Nickell; I'll be your friend if you want to contact me there.