Which Bedding and storing it

We are getting our Symbol organised and ready for the 'off' as soon as the weather improves. We cannot decide on bedding. This Symbol has a lower roof than the older versions (not such a great idea in my opinion) therefore the overcab space is pretty narrow. We want single bedding so we always have a choice, but with limited space don't know whether to go for sleeping bags or single duvets plus Raskelf memory foam to lay on. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. 

Also, has anyone managed to remove the wooden blocks in a top cupboard which have clips on and hold wine glasses - too much wasted space here. 

Thanks from the BeeGees 

We have these in our van [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] extremly comfortable and adaptable,just roll them up in the morning and stand them in the shower room.

Hi,
We find single duvets slide off.  We also use Raskelf memory foam & this year hope to buy their covers into which you put the memory foam & a single duvet. Ends up a bit like a sleeping bag but is completely open down one side so is easy to get in & out of but does not slip off.  Only problem - it is a bit bulky when rolled up together.  We travel with them on the seats.  My wife managed to join 2  older single duvet covers which worked well as a trial last year.
Hope this helps. Good Luck.
Nick

Duvalays in the caravan. made my own version for my motor home, works a treat. anyone needs the instructions just pm me.

Hi there,

Personally, I don't think you can beat sleeping bags.

Make sure that they:

a)  Are suitable for the type of camping you will be doing.  (We use a Vango that is classed as "three-seasons".  They have zips across the bottom that allows them to be opened up to let a bit of air in on those warm nights when it could become too warm.)

b)  Are the correct size.  (If, like me, you are high, wide but not too handsome it is easy to buy a sleeping bag that is too short or won't wrap comfortably around your shoulders.)

c)  Zip together for those times when a double bed is available.  (An optional extra for some couples!)   

With regard to storage, most decent sleeping bags come with "compression bags" so that they can be compressed into the smallest possible volume.
Hope this helps.   

Best regards,
 

We have two 2.5cms 4.5 Tog Duvalays which roll up and are stored under the bench seat on top of the shoes and beer boxes.

However, the bedlocker on the 2013 Symbol may not be as deep as on my 2009 version.

G

Very limited space in our a Topaz so although I would love Duvalays they're not practical.  Sleeping bags for us now.  Felt very constricted at first but now I only zip up the bottom edge and a few inches up the side so I gave a nice warm pocket for my feet and I can tuck the rest of the bag around me.  In the morning they just squash into the overcab locker, along with the fitted sheet, thin quilt and the hot water bottles.

I still can't get my head around Duvalays. At home you have the duvet so that it overhangs on both sides of the bed. With a Duvalay, the duvet can only go as far as the join with the mattress with a huge overhang on the other side. I also can't justify the cost of them. If cost wasn't an issue I would have these..

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Paulmold wrote:I still can't get my head around Duvalays. At home you have the duvet so that it overhangs on both sides of the bed. With a Duvalay, the duvet can only go as far as the join with the mattress with a huge overhang on the other side. I also can't justify the cost of them. If cost wasn't an issue I would have these..

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Overhang would depend on how fat a person was,any surplus could be tucked into your back/belly..yes they are expensive,we bought ours when they had offers on.
Getting out in the middle of the night is easier than fighting with a zip jammed in the material.

'Er' indoors has memory-foam base, sheets, duvets, pillows etc. etc. Looks like one of those burial-mound things when I look across   

ME, I have a 60 oz king-size sleeping bag, with just the lower few inches zipped up, as I always get too hot & like to 'let bits hang out'   

2 separate beds on the sides so either can get up at night without disturbing the other!!

ALL this stuff easily goes in the front-overhead locker & there's room for the same again.

Many thanks for all your contributions. The main problem is the lower roof on the Symbol. Would love the Duvalays but know they are bulky. Think sleeping bags would be the best option, but the wider rectangular ones as I would hate to be 'mummified'.  Hopefully we can stuff the bags into what space there is over the cab...............now to choose a sleeping bag........so much choice for everything you want to buy these days!  Thank you all again  

As Ann B says there can hardly be less storage space than we Topaz, most-expensive, yet smallest-capacity van-conversion in the Auto-Sleepers range :-)  (£58000 0n the road!!! Mad.) owners have.
We now use a memory-foam mattress, individual down bags and a throw-over cheapo Argos double zip-up bag as a duvet (for those very cold nights). All this stuff really does pack up into very small spaces- it has to!
One of the reasons why we decided to go for a small, yet very expensive, vehicle was because we like to go right up into the mountains where it can get chilly.
What has really surprised us is how much stuff we can (with a certain amount of thought and a few years of experience) cram into a very small space.
We looked at, and tried to fit in, the Duvalay products; whilst they are excellent they simly would not go in the available space.

Hey- have you folks noticed it is getting lighter in the mornings and evening? See you soon!!!!!

Hi Pete, you are not that far from me (Leigh) and if you took your Topaz to Dunham Massey NT two or so years ago then you are the reason we bought our Topaz.  There were two on the car park when we were there and after a sneaky snoop round we made up our minds that the a topaz was just what we wanted.
(sorry to go off topic).

Ann B wrote:Hi Pete, you are not that far from me (Leigh) and if you took your Topaz to Dunham Massey NT two or so years ago then you are the reason we bought our Topaz.  There were two on the car park when we were there and after a sneaky snoop round we made up our minds that the a topaz was just what we wanted.
(sorry to go off topic).

Ann,
Not guilty! We have only had ours since December 2012, we popped into Spinney to get some plastic plates and came away with the Topaz!

Thanks Ann & Pete - more useful advice. Well Pete as my brother in deepest, darkest, Dorset would say - 'it gets late later now'.

We once went into a Hypermarket in France Ann, just to get a baguette, and came out with a bicycle!!!