Sleeping platform/headroom height

[nctacoma]

So in planning and building a sleeping platform underneath a truck cap, how much room would you allow for headroom between the top of the sleeping platform and the ceiling of the truck cap?
I built my drawer system and tried it out this weekend and realized I didn't leave enough headroom. I now need to cut down everything to make it more comfortable for us on a long trip.
Looking for advice or guidance before I screw up twice.
Thanks

 

[goodtimes]

Headroom is the reason I didn't put a platform in the back of my truck.

We use a simple air mattress at bed level. There is a 1/2 length platform (30") at bed-rail height that the dogs get to sleep on (there is plenty of room between the air mattress and the bottom of the platform for our feet).

This arrangement gives us enough room to sit upright under the shell (using the platform as a back rest) when the weather turns crappy.

 

[LukeH]

Or you could just cut around the top and make a lifting roof.:bike_rider:

In my luton bed we had 80 cm between mattress and ceiling. It was ok, but got a bit stuffy in hot weather. You can't sit up but you can still get up to some interesting things.

 

[pods8]

I was just pondering a similar question for my cabover height. With a cabover I think around 24" would be a minimum in my mind, which gives your room to rest on an elbow but not sit up. This is okay since I'd have the rest of the camper to get up in. If you're dealing with just a cap I'd definately want enough room to full sit up. Figure out your torso but 30" as mentioned above would likely be minimum.

 

[ywen]

well depending on a number of factors: your body size, your bed depth, your topper's headroom... basically just build it to fit you... Not sure how other ppl's measurements will help.

My 03 tacoma which has a high-top topper. I slept in the back with a Roll-a-cot and it gave me enough headroom to sit with butt on the cot and feet on the truck bed. THis proved helpful in getting dressed in the morning. I could also sit up in the cot with legs still on it. However I would imagine if you had a drawer system that covered the width of the bed, you won't have a place to put down the legs.. and that's the main inconvenience.

The best feature of the roll-a-cot is that it has only two sets of cross legs. This allowed me to place the cot above the wheel well hump and put a lot of stuff underneath the cot. All other cots I've seen has 3 sets of legs...

View of Topper

 

[java]

enough to sit up plus a couple inches is ideal IMO

 

[FettsWay]

its personal preference, but I need enough room to situp comfortably. I have asthma and there is nothing worse than waking up from sleep and quickly needing to get some air in your lungs from an elevated position. Plus, if acid reflex is an issue, being able to sit up can be very helpful as well.

- fettsway

 

[TwoTrack]

How many people sleep back their? If it's only one, why not build only 1 side with drawers and sleep ontop, and leave the other side for sitting upright/fridge/whatever? Thats why I would do if it was just me back there, but its not so I am still trying to figure out my design as well.

Goodtimes, do you have a picture of your platform?

 

[Greg]

On page 5 of the post "Are FWC campers worth the money?" there is a photograph of Stan@FourWheel laying on the cab-over bed. FWC's dimension is 27".
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=645439#post645439

I have taken measurements from top of mattress to bottom of ceiling of various hardsided campers and would like 33" or more. If not bumping your head when sitting up is an issue then you are looking around 40". It also appears to be a visual impression as to what you would be comfortable with. I hadn't realized until I was looking at them but the big campers with basements caused them to raise the roof to get 6'4" headroom which allowed them to build a taller cabover.

For a pop-up, it would seem easier to achieve more room sleeping headroom by sleeping feet forward and using a pull toward the rear type bed like FWC, but using a tilt-up roof hinged at the front of the cabover.

 

[oneeyedjackass]

In designing our camper build the chief and I have one determining height factor....
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woman_on_top_(sex_position)?wasRedirected=true
Our current lance camper has 33" of space (not including mattress)...about the minimum. 36" would be a little better.
My 2 cents

 

[pods8]

On page 5 of the post "Are FWC campers worth the money?" there is a photograph of Stan@FourWheel laying on the cab-over bed. FWC's dimension is 27".
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=645439#post645439

I have taken measurements from top of mattress to bottom of ceiling of various hardsided campers and would like 33" or more. If not bumping your head when sitting up is an issue then you are looking around 40". It also appears to be a visual impression as to what you would be comfortable with. I hadn't realized until I was looking at them but the big campers with basements caused them to raise the roof to get 6'4" headroom which allowed them to build a taller cabover.

For a pop-up, it would seem easier to achieve more room sleeping headroom by sleeping feet forward and using a pull toward the rear type bed like FWC, but using a tilt-up roof hinged at the front of the cabover.

More is always going to be better. I think for sleeping only (ie you have somewhere else to sit up) you can get away with ~24" comfortably, however I'd gladly take the more height for sitting up in the bed too if it didn't compromise much in the rest of the design.

 

[thecriscokid]

I have 37-38" from my bed surface to the roof. I do have a tall topper.
Remember that you will lose some space if you sit on top of whatever padding you sleep on.
I made one side much taller for storage and to eat off of.

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