Last Updated on 06/07/2024 by Glynn Willard
Turning Our Campervan Cab Into A Comfortable Sleeping Surface
Not all inflatable mattresses are created equal. This statement is not new to you.
If you’ve landed on this page (thank you BTW), you need a solution to turn a space in your vehicle into sleeping quarters for your road trips.
So you went down the “rabbit hole” of finding a cozy bed for your van, car or truck on camping trips.
And here you are!
Why am I writing this article? Glad you asked!
- I wish it had been written for me to consume before wasting a ton of time researching air mattresses for the front row seating of vans.
- I may be frugal, but I believe spending more once on a quality product rather than replacing poorly manufactured goods shortly after purchasing is wise.
- I was blown away by the product quality and customer service of Luno products.
- We’re semi-retired small business owners and tend to evaluate businesses with a fine tooth comb and are usually disappointed. We are NOT disappointed with Luno.
We “part-time” in our campervan and needed an additional sleeping space for our youngest son.
Our campervan is a ’23 Roadtrek Zion Slumber built on a Ram Promaster chassis.
It has a pop top for our oldest son and a bed in the back for Rose and myself.
So the Luno air mattress was our solution and I want to share our experiences with you so that you can make an informed decision before purchasing.
I’m using affiliate links and photos to make it easier for you to a) know what I’m talking about and b) help you make an informed decision. We also appreciate the small commission that does not cost you any extra.
Luno Life Mattress Fit For Front Seats Of Van
Perfect fit!
The base of the mattress fills in the space of the center console, the front of the driver seat, and the passenger seat of your van.
It’s a perfect fit, which is a reflection of the manufacturing processes of Luno Air mattresses.
It’s clear that if you have a campervan built on a Mercedes Sprinter or Ford Transit chassis, you’ll have the same perfect fit based on the manufacturing standards.
The top cushion is a separate inflatable slimmer mattress and lays over the base and front seats.
Depending on the position of the seats, we’ve found that a rolled-up towel placed on the passenger seat allows for a level platform for our son’s torso and head.
We’ve experimented with slim couch cushions and folded/rolled towels on the seats to “customize” the top mattress for our son.
The towel under the passenger seat works great!
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Luno Life Air Mattresses Maximum Sleeping Space
The sides of the mattress make contact with the door handles of each door.
These dimensions will dictate the length of the sleeping space for your “slumbering passenger.”
Our Dodge Promaster allows a total of 77″ across the cab.
There’s enough room for a small adult and definitely a child.
Anyone using the Luno Air Mattress will have to sleep with their head on the passenger side of the van.
The steering wheel dictates this arrangement for obvious reasons.
We were initially concerned that Zach (our youngest) would kick the steering wheel in his sleep and sound the horn.
Our concerns diminished after many nights using the mattress. He never once sounded the horn.
Our Setup For Our Youngest Son’s Sleeping Space
Behind the curtain of Zach’s “cave.”
We installed a privacy curtain using Command Hooks, a thin curtain rod, and two 42″ by 54″ curtains.
He absolutely loves the space and his bed! It’s his “cave.”
Luno sells a privacy curtain specific to the van, which may be a superior setup for you.
We like how quickly the curtains slide to the side and tie back out of the way.
Before you decide that a 10-year-old’s opinion of comfort lacks experience, please understand that he’s extremely picky and spent two years living full-time in an ORV travel trailer with his own custom-fit mattress.
So to him, it’s not sleeping in a “cozy campsite,” it’s where he expects to get a restful night’s sleep and spend a lot of time.
For us, it’s a real solution for adding a third bed to our Roadtrek Zion Slumber campervan and allowing for a good night’s sleep.
How Is The Included Pump?
The included electric air pump is surprisingly good quality.
It charges with a USB-C cable and will inflate and deflate the whole system three times before it needs recharging.
Our Roadtrek’s DC electrical system is great. We just plug the pump into one of the USB ports and within an hour it’s charged.
The base and mattress each have a separate inflation valve and deflation valve.
The supplied pump comes with an attachment for each and makes fast action of both inflation and deflation.
It takes a total of 11 minutes for us to inflate both the base and air mattress as well as add the sheet/blankets to the setup.
It takes about half that time to break down the setup, roll it up, bag it, and store it for a “moving day.”
Luno Life Fitted Mattress Sheet
We opted out of including the fitted sheet that can be purchased with the Luno mattress.
After haphazardly covering it with a twin sheet, we wish we had sprung for the fitted mattress sheet.
It has “cut-outs” for the inflation and deflation valve and could likely be rolled up with the mattress when you’re storing it during drive days.
Don’t quote me on that.
Where Do We Store Our Luno Mattress During Travel?
The pack-down size of the Luno Life Mattress system is ~20″ X 11″ x 12″.
Mind you, I don’t roll it perfectly since we’re usually in a hurry.
It will fit in the gear storage space (garage) of our van, but that’s not where we store it while driving.
Why? Two reasons.
- If it’s raining when we need to set up, we prefer not to have to go outside to the back of the van.
- Depending on the amount of time out or where we’re going, other items take priority in the garage space.
So where do we store it?
Yes, it rides in the bathroom on moving days.
It rides on the floor of the wet bath. There’s plenty of space.
Whenever we stop for a “pit stop,” it easily comes out of the bathroom.
Hay, the reality of a campervan is cramped spaces and stepping over things. It’s just what it is!
There’s a hard bamboo mat on the floor of the wet bath, so the mattress system never gets wet.
Our Luno Life Purchase Experience
Rose ordered our inflatable mattress system and raved about how personable the rep was when she made a mistake on the initial order.
Everything was handled as if we were dealing with a “Mom & Pop” operation and we were the only customers.
That’s a good thing by the way!
The system arrived quickly and included free shipping.
Even the packaging material was cool. No, I’m not exaggerating!
Shipping Locations For Luno Life
Luno ships to the United States, and Canada and has limited shipping to Australia.
Everything we have ordered was sent in 5-7 days with free shipping.
Not Sure What You Need For Your RV?
Other Luno Life Mattress Solutions
Luno Life has expanded into other products including beds for:
- Back of a Subaru Outback (my daily driver when I’m home).
- Truck beds
- Back seats of many different cars.
- Tent camping mattresses.
- Pillows
- Cargo hammocks.
- Car window screens.
- Window screens.
- Privacy curtains.
- Gear organizers and bags.
Okay, you get the point.
They have a lot of very cool and great quality products to enhance the comfort and utility of your outdoor adventures.
Our Overall Review Of Our Luno Front Cab Air Mattress
The material Luno uses to fabricate their mattresses is the best quality I have encountered.
They state it will stand up to the elements, and your furry friends (pet claws).
The fabric used is thick (300-denier fabric) and has held up to our (and our son’s) abuse just fine.
We’re genuinely glad we decided to go with Luno instead of coming up with our own “makeshift” van cab bed.
Or worse, ordered something that would not stand up to our abuse.
Have you tried placing an air mattress in your car or van for a better car camping experience?
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