Do-it-Yourself Trav-a-Sak

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Paul

We bought one of those trav-a-sak sleeping bags from West Marine. It was shaped for a vee-berth, so we coughed up the nearly $300 that it cost to have something fit neatly into that odd-shaped space. The best thing about the trav-a-saks is that they have sheets like your bed at home, which you can remove and wash, but don't have to be tucked underneath the mattress to look neat and tidy. HOWEVER, for the aft berth we made our own. We bought two sleeping bags and zipped them together. Then we sewed two double flat sheets together across the bottom and about 1/3 of the way up the sides. For about $100 at Kmart (including the pillowcases), we have exactly the same kind of system that West Marine sells for over $300 in the size we needed. Now we can make up the aft berth for guests, but I can lift up the mattress to open/close the raw water seacock without screwing up the bed. If you can find them, buy sleeping bags of different weights to zip together. Depending on the temperature, you can sleep under the heavier or the lighter side.
 
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Tom Boles

Different weights is the key...

Paul- Finding two sleeping bags of different weights is really the key here (once the sheet is made). We've had a queen-sized sak in our travel trailer for several years now, and having real sheets to sleep in plus the different weight of insulation is really nice. Do you have any trouble keeping the sheets in the bag without the velcro?
 
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Bill Murray

two part sleeping bags

look in a good camping store for one of the new bags that has a traditional outer shell and also a fleece liner. for a single - use either part or both if REALLY cold. For a double - unzip and use part one on top, other on bottom depending on temps. use a sheet liner too -- it's great. BTW -- no need to stitch up the sides at all. we just do the bottom and it works fine. If you want to get fancy - put velcro (instead of stitches)across the bottom seam. Then you can wash the sheets separately. Be sure to measure your bag and look at actual measurements on sheets when you buy, since you won't be tucking in, you can by smaller sheets.
 
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