Our new front double bunk system is the superior van sleeping system for big kids. It was a labor of love but well worth the effort.
How We Did It
We’re stoked to have created the perfect sleeping system for kids, our front-of-van double bunk system. This is a major upgrade from the first 18 months of family van life. Then, Mom and Dad slept on a raised bed platform in the back of our van, and our kids slept on a mattress tucked underneath our bed on the ground. This was a good setup of really young kids, and worked for a while. But this set up has it’s downsides.
The floor is cold, so if you do any winter camping, this could become an issue. In addition, the small space tends to get claustrophobic (and inevitably our 8 year old always ended up in our bed, which was too small for 3of us). Finally, the floor bed was too short for most adults, and was very cramped.
We shopped around for a van bed to put up front, and couldn’t find anything that would be easy to buy, and reliable/built to last. We knew we had to find something better, and from here, we developed our own front-of-van double bunk system.
The front double bunk system is simple, a twin size bed suspended over the bench seat, and a second twin bed suspended over the two front seats. Our kids LOVE having their own space, and these are WAY more comfortable for the girls.
Front Double Bunk System Version 2.0
The front double bunk system consists of the frame, the bed, cord and latches. We had to upgrade from PVC to welded aluminum with integrated foundational support. The frames fold in the middle, for easy storage. We purchased cozy custom made 5″ memory foam mattress from Mattress Insider, which also folds in the middle. We use parachute cord and S-biners to elevate and position the beds. Parachute cord is unmatched for strength to weight ratio which is why it’s our preferred method.
The front bunk by the steering wheel was the bigger challenge. Not only did we have to navigate the steering wheel, but we also had to develop a mount for the front interior near the mirrors. We ultimately went with a 3D printed mount that attaches to the handle (4×4 version) and our current version is built for the pre-2019 sprinters models.
This front bunk bed system has immensely improved family van life for us in our vome, and so we were excited to share it with the world. Goodbye Rogue Adventure Vans, hello Wayfind Vans, and Sprinterfam, we are off in comfort to new horizons.
