camping bunks

[jimc1]

I was after some advice from seasoned travellers.


I have 3 young kids and plan on heading around Aus in the next 12 months or so. We have a soft floor camper and was thinking of getting 2 sets of camping beds that can flat pack and be stored up on top of the main mattress when in transit.


So...what brands of camping bunks have people found that need minimal assembly at setup time?

[UR-50-LO]

I use 2 sets of outdoor connection beds.
Good solid bunks that fold flat and assemble with only a few pieces...

[FZJ]

These don't fold flat,I keep mine under the floor but they are super fast to set up. Think camp chair quick.http://www.bcf.com.au/online-store/products/Wanderer-Easy-Out-Camp-Stretcher-Single.aspx?pid=131832#Cross

[Watty2975]

We are looking at these ones. Have been recommended in othe threads and only have 10 pieces.

This is where I found the best price.

http://www.greatescapecamping.com.au/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=Bunks

[timneva]

We've got these ones http://au.oztent.com/products/viewProduct.asp?productid=159 but there's plenty of similar ones in other brands available at different prices. Takes about 2 minutes to set each one up and our kids do it themselves. Heaps easier than some of the bunks if you have the room.
Not sure if they'd flat pack on top of a soft floor mattress, but definitely pack up compact to store in the trailer section easily and if you're heading around oz would be a pretty comfy option.

Good luck!

[r0ssrg]

We had the Double bunk ones when we camped in a tent.  That was bc.   Before Camper.   I hated them.

They are a right pita.  It was something else that I had to do and my list was too damn long anyway. Might only be a few poles but was painful stretching the material so everything would come together.

We have two kids and use these.

www.anaconda.com.au/Product/Camp-and-Hike/Sleep/Deluxe-Padded-Stretcher-XL#90007196001

We Have friends with three kids,.they use the same ones based on the arguments my wife and I would have with the bunks.

Their ct is an extender , that extra length makes it all work.

Rossco

[r0ssrg]

BTW,  we do fold ours up and place on the bed for packing up.  Nice and easy.

Rossco

[jimc1]

thanks for the tips...looking into the outdoor connection fold away bunks.


anyone looking for an oztrail bunk? premature to sell it as its way buried in my camper.


trust me..they are brilliant..if you have the time and patience to set them up.

[speedcomm]

Arrrghh Oztrail bunks, still have nightmares about putting them together 
Be good for long stints in one place maybe, suckfull for anything else...

[westvic]

We bought the Oztrail double bunks and completely agree with the above comments...bastard of a thing to set up and dangerous if you dont dynabolt the bottom bunk to a concrete slab.

http://www.oztrail.com.au/WebPage.gtl?Product=FBS-DB-B?currentgroup=ZZZ013?currentsubgroup=BED?currentsubsubgroup=BUNKS

However, once we figured out that we could leave the bed part set up and just attach the legs things got a lot easier. We now leave the frame and "matress" part permanently set up and just chuck them on top of the main matress as part of the pack up. The stands/connections for the legs just fold up flat too. Then, set up just involves twisting the leg connections 90 degrees and slipping on the legs....takes 5 seconds each end tops. Actually makes 2 beds very quickly.

[Pipeliner]

I wouldn't want to use bunks on anything except a dead flat surface, and even then I'd be concerned unless the person in the top bunk stayed perfectly still - particularly if the bottom bunk was empty.

Depending on the age of the kids you'd be better putting 1, 2 or all 3 in a separate tent so they each have their own stretcher bed - if they are too young for that then get a double size bed and get them all to sleep together.

[Hefty]

We've got some that are like the Oztrail ones. I think they're made by Coleman but I can't find them under that brand when I search atm.
As they are, if you want to use them as double bunks, yes, they're a PITA but as singles, as Westvic pointed out, you can just rotate the leg joiners up flat in the bed frame and leave them assembled.
I'm planning to modify mine (with the help of a fitter and turner mate) so that the uprights between the two bed frames sleeve on the outside of joiners in both the top and the bottom frame, instead of being one solid piece that both frames must be assembled around. This way I can do the same thing (rotate the leg joiners) with both bed frames and still be able to use them easily as bunks.
Then I'll just drill and 'R' clip them top and bottom so if the kids muck around they can't pop the frame of the upright.

Might have to take photos of the mod for all the others who are pulling their hair out with this style of bunk.

Cheers!
Jono.

[#jonesy]

Thought I would add a few pictures to show what most others have done

Set up


Close up of white rivet, circled in red  (used white rivet as that was what was handy)  only took 4 rivets, one each end of safety rails



Legs removed and folded over.  It remains as one piece (+ legs) and doesn't fall apart

[Socks]

We just purchased bunks for the munchkins like the ones in Jonesy's pics but spinufex brand I think. Just showed the other half and we are now off to Bunnings to get what we need to be able to set them up as shown in Jonesy's pics. 

[deepop]

Jonesy that's brilliant!

I think I can set my pair of bunks up like that too - what a time saver - more drinking time (oops, I mean family time).

Does it fit on a double bed or do you need a Queen size?

[fuji]

I need a single bunk and all the ones I have tried are crap. What I am after is what I use to use overseas as a kid  It was a ex US army one. Bulky but bloody comfortable.

[DaveR]

We have these from BCF.
http://www.bcf.com.au/online-store/products/Wanderer-Kids-Easy-Out-Stretcher-Blue.aspx?pid=327019&menuFrom=20106#Combo
They fold up easy and take no space in camper.
Being shorter than normal length is good for kids.
I was a bit concerned about them not having something which keeps them open firmly, but has not been a problem as yet.
They are blue or pink, but no mattress available for them. Hasn't bothered our munckins, we just use the sleeping bag for a mattress.

[#jonesy]

I'm not taking credit for the idea. I saw it at the Vacation Campers display at Caulfield last year.

Fits on a queen bed, not sure about double. It is 1600mm wide, if you remove the safety rail it will still stay together and be a touch under 1500, just more loose pieces.

Alternately you could pull off the bottom canvas and poles and fold the legs towards the middle. A bit fiddly but a bit easy then starting from scratch.

I suppose you could cut the uprights and put a sleeve over it so they sir atop each other.

[jimc1]

The last time we headed out, my wife pipes up and suggested the process Jonesy had. So the oztrail bunks and the Outdoor Connection bunks co-exist happily.

One thing I did was add rubber stoppers to the bottom poles. Call me pedantic, I dont want them the wear through the canvass bed bag when we are on corrugations.

[Socks]

On another note but still related to these bunks , what do people use for linen or do yu just stick with a sleeping bag? Do fitted single sheets fit?

[#jonesy]

Jimc, I was about to add that today I went and bought stoppers for mine for the very same reason for the upcoming Anzac weekend.

Socks the kids just use sleeping bags in top of Aldi self inflating mats.

[jimc1]

My wife is in process of making big flannelette pillow cases for each of the self inflating hiking matresses.

[Socks]

I put the camp bunks together today. The double bunk was a pain in the bum so I'm super happy that Jonesy posted on here the process he used so that the set up is only a one off. They will sit on top of the main bed when we aren't camping and when we are the set up will on,y take a few minutes. Thanks heaps Jonesy for sharing

[UR-50-LO]

Our kids love their bunks.
They are often asking for a lounge room camp out lol
They usually have their sleeping bags but this was taken in the peak of summer (hence the open window & it being an early night for them)

[#jonesy]

No probs.  I took the photos and posted the same day.  I thought it was much easier than messing around for a 1/2+ hour each time.
Used them over the anzac weekend for the test run.  Lift off the bed, unfold upside down, pop on the legs on, turn it the right way up. 1 minute setup without exagerating