Gaucho matress

[bww1977]

Hi all! We are awaiting our 17b with gaucho. We plan to use the gaucho as permanent bunks. Does anyone have a suggestion for mattresses for this space? Our 60 something backs appreciate your advice!

[h2owmn]

I have used a 3" foam topped with a thick thermarest on top of the cushions, but I'm not sure that's enough comfort by itself on the bunk. Now I'm using an Exped Megamat from REI which is pretty pricey but I have used it for 1.5 years, close to 200 nights, and it's still working fine. It has separate inflation/deflation valves, and I am careful to let some air out if I am going to ascend/descend elevations while i'm driving. Both pads have been enclosed in a sewn "big pillowcase" and the megamat is wrapped in a modified mattress pad. Quite comfortable.

[bww1977]

Thank you!! I am going to look into the REI option!

[Bobbie54]

How wide is the bed? I've tried several options with my 15A but don't know if they'd work or not without knowing width.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by bww1977

Hi all! We are awaiting our 17b with gaucho. We plan to use the gaucho as permanent bunks.

Have you seen this arrangement in person? Have you tried ( 60 + years old ) to climb up into the top bunk? How about getting down in the middle of the night?

Any increase in mattress depth is going to reduce the space you have above to breathe or roll over.

Do you ever suffer claustrophobia?

I've slept in my 17B front dinette/bed and it's fine for one. I don't think I'd be comfortable with a bunk above.

[bww1977]

it is 30 inches wide. I am not claustrophic, but am a bit concerned about that lower bunk. The upper bunk is not as much of a concern, although in reality we shall see how it works. If all else fails we will get the mattress for the rear dinette from Escape and use that for the bed. But would really like to try to keep that dinette set up as dinette.

[gbaglo]

If I was willing to buy a new tow vehicle, I'd get the 19.

[M & M]

We have a 17 B on order ( April delivery) Once in awhile we are going to need a 4th bed, the problem is my wife doesn't like the looks of the Gaucho bunk, does anybody know if it is difficult/possible to removed it and just put it up when is need it? We have being " tent people" and have a lot to learn on the trailer way of camping.

[h2owmn]

bww1977, there are perhaps other ways to reconfigure. rather than take up the whole back dinette with a big mattress, you might consider a way to have a bed across the back similar to the bed you are planning across the front. I had the front which is usually a double mattress/solid platform made into a second dinette. my bed is 30 of the 52 inches. the table was split 30/22.

If you did this in the back, it might be possible to work out a way to use a hinged table, or maybe two pieces of table with two posts, so you could use one piece partial table or both pieces for the whole thing. or perhaps use the lagun table mount in which the table can be "disappeared" for access to the back bed. There are a lot of clever folks around here; maybe someone can expand these ideas or come up with better.

[bww1977]

That is an appealing option. I would love to see pictures if any one has done this.

[bww1977]

I saw a post of mods someplace here where the hinge was switched out with one that is removable.

[M & M]

Originally Posted by bww1977

I saw a post of mods someplace here where the hinge was switched out with one that is removable.

I proposed ETI to build my 17 B with just the brackets and the cross bars, forget the Gaucho bunk option. That would have being enough for me, but I was turned down.

[sclifrickson]

Originally Posted by M & M

We have a 17 B on order ( April delivery) Once in awhile we are going to need a 4th bed, the problem is my wife doesn't like the looks of the Gaucho bunk, does anybody know if it is difficult/possible to removed it and just put it up when is need it? We have being " tent people" and have a lot to learn on the trailer way of camping.

The gaucho bunk folds up and out of the way when not in use and the space turns into a two person dinette.

I would not advocate the gaucho setup for anyone with mobility issues. The upper bunk would be hard to get into without a step stool, and the lower one requires some contortions to get into for an adult, due to the small opening into the bunk area.

Both do work great for smaller people, eg kids, or flexible, non-mobility-impaired adults.

Our kids loved it when we had our 17B. But it was yoga for me to get into the bottom one.

[Thane]

There is not much headroom on the upper bunk because of the overhead cabinet. A mattress would make it worse. Turns out that cabinet is structural and can’t be removed, bummer.

My 5 foot 10 inch tall son can no longer use the upper bunk as hits head when he rolls over.

I have a three inch thick pad on the lower bunk, that reduces the headroom and makes it stuffy. I looked into adding a vent or window with no luck so I mounted a 12v computer case fan to a flexible dryer vent line (the thin white plastic kind) and use that pull air from the cabin to my head area.

I had to add a 12V plug to run the fan. A plug built into the shower wall would have been nice.

We store a thin mattress topper in the cabinet below the rear dinette, it is enough for us as we use a big double sleeping bag that adds padding. During the day we stash all that on the upper bunk. Setting up the rear bed is pretty easy.

[bww1977]

We finally got our 17B yesterday! We had our maiden voyage at Lynden KOA and were regretting the concept of using the gauchos as bunks last night, and really regretting not getting the 19. My husband is just south of 6 feet and felt he would put his feet thru the screen on the top bunk and felt like he would fall off. I could barely squeeze thru the lower opening after adding the Exped matt.
So last night I slept in the lower bunk with the gaucho back down and did fine. He was on the permanent bed and the trailer was a horrible mess. Not something I could live with. (I swear it shrunk since our visit to Escape’s showroom—LOL)
So, this morning, more shuffling, and this time took seat cushions off the lower bunk and OUT of trailer, before putting down Exped matt(which fits like a glove), the 4-5 inches gain in the opening space down there made an enormous difference ! (Duh) So, he will be on lower bunk, and I am 5’8, but don’t sleep stretched out like a board. Athough no doubt I will bang my head a few times sitting up, I can sleep just fine and don’t feel like I will roll off. (So, who is the more adaptable in this family, i ask?)
Ultimately, this will work, and hopefully we won’t have 2 foot-itis in a year...... the jury is out.....
Thank you all for your input to my initial question! Hope the rally in Osoyoos won’t be affected by the corona virus and we will be able to meet you.

[John in Santa Cruz]

I'm 6' tall and just love the bed in our E21. I sleep on the street side, she (5'2") sleeps on the shorter curb side of the mattress, we can each scootch off the foot of the bed to make midnight bathroom runs without waking the other. the U shaped dinette makes an awesome late night lounge. We can drop the pedestal and turn the dinette into a guest bed if friends are sleeping over.

[bww1977]

That u shape dinette looks nice. My husband is really handy, that may be a future retro fit.

[h2owmn]

bww1977, I also have the Exped mattress in my 17A and I really love it. I altered a twin sheet and a mattress pad to fit, and use a duvet with a llbean sleeping bag inside as a cover. It's easy to make the bed by just folding that in half and the duvet cover is way easier to wash than the sleeping bag.

you likely already know this, but a caveat: if you are going up in elevation, pull the deflate valve before traveling. the pressure can increase dramatically. i usually remember, but the one time i forgot the mattress looked like a squished bell curve. now it's on my leaving camp check list.

[bww1977]

I forgot about that elevation tip. Thanks for the reminder and info!