Climbing into a high up bed

[Davydd]

I'm curious. With all the toy hauler Bs, the poptop roof Bs and such there are high up beds. I was intrigued by the 2005 Airstream Westfalia with it's high bed under a skylight with built in steps and grab handles but dismissed it at my retirement age because I felt I might not be able to negotiate it. I was probably wrong in 2005. Maybe not now. It is not a subject touched on much. James, the FitRV guy, seems to not be troubled by it. OK, he's fit. How does one negotiate getting into these high up beds?

[dhuff]

"James, the FitRV guy, seems to not be troubled by it. OK, he's fit."

I think that's got it right there In my mid-50s, I'm still limber enough to manage it. But my wife, who's a bit on the short side, has told me "No way!" So the option is already out for us...

[rjf7g]

I would be fine with it (52 yo 5'4" overweight but very active woman) except for the bathroom trips in the middle of the night!

[jrobe]

I am in my 50's and like James from Fit RV I ride my bike 6000 miles per year, weigh 160 lbs and am still pretty limber. I gave up on the idea of a high bed after one night in a rental Tiger RV. Not only was it inconvenient to get and out of the bed (in the dark at night) but it eliminated the bed as a place to sit up or recline for reading or watching TV. The low bed height also was claustrophobic. My wife hated it worse than I did. The ladder system in the Tiger RV was even a little dangerous.

Maybe it could be a useful if there was a good lift system to get the bed way up to the ceiling when not in use and then down to a more normal bed height for sleeping. Of course, that design would create its own compromises.

[GeorgeRa]

Climbing up was great for our kids when we had Westfalias. For a few years, in the late nineties we had the Bigfoot truck camper which required climbing. My wife and I were at ages that climbing was fine but midnight bathroom trips not so fine.

Most if not all truck campers required bed climbing. I believe that 2 level sleeping in a van is great for young families.

[jon]

Originally Posted by jrobe

Maybe it could be a useful if there was a good lift system to get the bed way up to the ceiling when not in use and then down to a more normal bed height for sleeping. Of course, that design would create its own compromises.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...&v=2qHur4Fu2tA

[Davydd]

Originally Posted by jon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...&v=2qHur4Fu2tA

That's pretty much what the Winnebago Revel does and I believe Safari Condo has one as well, but you don't have to climb in bed.