Road trips. Hitting the open road whenever you want and going wherever strikes your fancy is the ultimate adventure. Perhaps your next holiday weekend will take you up the coast or maybe just on a trip through the countryside. Regardless of where you travel, having your sleeping accommodations at your fingertips makes being spontaneous that much easier. Rather than lugging around bulky camping gear or settling for another roadside inn, traveling and overnighting in your own VW doubleback camper is the way to go.
Exploring the Limits of Traditional VW Campers
VW campers have long been the mode of transportation for “hippy” road trips. They’re funky and they usually get great mileage. Several memorable movie road trips have occurred in VW campers, vans and buses, such as “Little Miss Sunshine” and “Dumb and Dumber.” These vehicles provide more space and comfort for sleeping than a car and are much less difficult to drive than a full-sized RV.
1952 VW Camper
Unfortunately, they usually have limited space. The area that accommodates sleeping in VW campers is often the same area that is used for seating. It’s a trade-off. If there are plenty of seats for passengers, there isn’t much room for beds. When beds are in use, nearly all of the seats are unavailable.
Traditional Camper Interior
Fortunately, there have been several updates to the campers of the past. Along with furnishings that fold up on the walls or otherwise collapse, a variety of extensions allow for additional living space to be present when camping.
Volkswagen Elevating Roof Campervan Conversions
One of the most popular solutions to increase the interior space of the VW camper is to have an elevating roof. This gives the inhabitants somewhat of a loft over the rest of the van.
Denby Conversion
This can be used as storage space, but is typically used as the primary or a secondary bed. As an area for sleeping, it accommodates up to two comfortably.
Elevated Roof Bed
Although many camper vans are manufactured and come equipped with an elevating roof, they can also be added later. Conversion kits can be purchased and installed by a mechanic at a dealership or by an industrious owner.
Introducing the Practical Motorhome Doubleback VW Camper
Modern extensions increase the inhabitable volume more than a mere elevated roof ever could. Volkswagen Doubleback camper vans make the limitations of previous models a thing of the past. In its traveling state, the cargo area provides, for example, more than enough room for storing bikes, ski equipment and luggage. By pushing a button located inside the sliding side door, however, the entire interior of the cargo area slides out the back, doubling the living space.
VW Doubleback Campervan
As the van extends, steel legs emerge from the two rear corners to level and steady the extension. The entire rear is made of a sturdy aluminum composite and weighs only 286 pounds. While it is being extended, it can hold up to about 661 pounds and that increases to around 1323 pounds once it is fully extended and steadied with the steel corner legs.
The back extends over 19-feet making the camper almost 26-feet in length. Furthermore, it also comes equipped with an elevating roof, which adds to the overall spaciousness. For the convenience of a rear entry, the tailgate works even when the back is fully extended.
Interior of the Volkswagen Doubleback Camper
Abundant sleeping space consists of a full drop-down bed in the elevated roof and a second bed that folds down as two separate halves from the sidewalls in the extended back. A three-person bench seat, which flips up while driving, lines one wall while a single-person bench seat occupies the space adjacent to it.
Somewhat Similar Modern Interior
A table, that is stowed under the drop-down bed in the elevated roof while traveling, can be placed between the two bench seats for dining or playing cards. The compact kitchen includes a two-burner range, a sink and a small refrigerator that runs off a 12-volt battery.
This video demonstrates the Doubleback Camper in action. The seamlessness with which the back extends after simply pressing a button has to be seen to be believed.
Although the camper sleeps up to four people, with the bed in the extension and the drop-down bed in the elevated roof, there are only two seats for traveling–one for the driver and one for a single passenger. When purchasing a new VW doubleback camper, however, the buyer can specify that, rather than a single passenger seat, he or she would prefer to have a double passenger seat instead of a single. This brings the total number of people who can ride in the camper to three seat-belted individuals.
In conclusion
With a practical motorhome like the VW Doubleback Camper Van, you truly get the best of both worlds. You have the ease of travel that a regular van provides, rather than the struggle of cornering or backing a full-sized rig. You also have the convenience and spaciousness of two extensions that more than double your living and sleeping space. Converting from a luxurious camper back to a road-ready vehicle is as simple as the press of a button. Before heading out on your next weekend or month-long excursion, it is important to consider your options and decide what accommodations would make your trip the most enjoyable and unforgettable. Happy travels!
