Thinking of having bench seats re-upholstered......

[benderry]

Having just spent a weekend away in the bongo we need a solution to the uncomfortable bed that folding down the bench seats make. Want to do something that doesn't involve storing bulky foam mattresses. Have read about people having the seats re-upholstered to make them flat thus eliminating the lumps and bumps once folded down into a bed.

Can anyone tell me whether this is a successful solution please?

I believe Clearcut Conversions and 321Away do this but neither are local to me. I am near Hinckley in leicestershire (very close to Warwickshire border), does anyone know anywhere not too far that I could try?

Thanks.

[Simon Jones]

Flattened seat makes all the difference. We had our first one done by Kevin Baggs in Poole and the second van came with it already done (by the same chap).

[mikeonb4c]

I found the main lump was the headrests (i sleep on middle and rear seats on a 95 model with split rear seats). Taking the headrests out and reversing them made at all very comfy even if slightly curvy. Worth trying before committing to spending money?

[benderry]

Thanks very much for posting those photos Simon, they look great, much more comfy. Just need to find somewhere local to do it.....
.

[benderry]

Mike, thanks for that. We did take the headrests out but found we couldn't reverse them, in the end I took them out and stuffed the hole with a towel, that was one less bump and was definitely a big improvement but I still woke up with achey hips and and back across my shoulder blades. We also sleep on the middle and rear seats, perhaps folding down the front seats and moving down the bed a bit may help.....

[mikeonb4c]

Mike, thanks for that. We did take the headrests out but found we couldn't reverse them, in the end I took them out and stuffed the hole with a towel, that was one less bump and was definitely a big improvement but I still woke up with achey hips and and back across my shoulder blades. We also sleep on the middle and rear seats, perhaps folding down the front seats and moving down the bed a bit may help.....

Yes it's a bit of a lottery. I was quite surprised to find my fussy back seemed to like the uneven bed. I have a couple of self inflating mattresses for laying over the flattened seats which improves things further and avoids carrying a bulky overlay.

[benderry]

Been using a self-inflating mattress and still too lumpy, it is putting me off going away in the bongo and I don't want anything to do that!!

[mikeonb4c]

Been using a self-inflating mattress and still too lumpy, it is putting me off going away in the bongo and I don't want anything to do that!!

Sounds like you're running out of options. Not going away in it is not an option!

[benderry]

Exactly!

We have three girls, 7, 5 and 1 and sleep is hard to come by, I don't want even less sleep on holiday than I get at home, the kids always sleep better when we're in the bongo than they do at home so I'm feeling cheated!