Van Life Road Test

We first met the wonderful Mr & Mrs S at the 2025 Kilnsey Agricultural Show in beautiful Wharfedale, North Yorkshire.

 

We were showcasing our 100% British wool bedding at the show when they wondered past. Intrigued by the story of our Serenity wool duvets and pillows they stopped to have a chat.

 

Wool bedding was a new one on them and they were genuinely impressed – which, to be honest, pretty much everyone is.

 

But then, what’s not to like?

 

All our bedding is 100%, fully traceable, Grade A British wool and certified organic cotton - all hand made to order in Yorkshire. Natural, healthy and sustainable - it keeps you warm when it’s cool and cool when it’s warm, it wicks away moisture so you don’t sweat sleeping under wool, it’s surprising light but cosy and warm, super durable, easy to care for and packs down small.

 

After chatting for a while, Mrs S said that she thought for all those reasons it would be ideal for their VanLife adventures – but also because she thought it would pack down really well, which was a key consideration for her.

 

Having had the exact same conversation with countless other ‘Vanners’ before, I decided there and then to ask them whether they’d like to do a road test for me – to prove it once and for all.

 

They give me a very enthusiastic ‘Yes’!

 

And the rest – detailed below – is history.

 

Take a look at their feedback and if you have any questions, please do get in touch.

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The Road Test

 

Date:                           4th February 2026
 

Location:                    Starbotton, North Yorkshire
 

Elevation:                   790ft above sea level
 

Forecast:                    Light rain
 

Temperature:            3°C down to 1°C

 

Van:                             VW California Ocean 6.1

 

Bedding on Test:      1 x All Season double duvet

                                     1 x Firm travel pillow

                                     2 x Medium travel pillows

 

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The Brief:

 

Below you can see the original Road Test questionnaire and Mr & Mrs S’s feedback.

 

All their feedback is exactly word for word from Mr & Mrs S - we just want it to speak for itself and let you be the judge…

 

‘Thank you for taking part in this our Serenity wool bedding product road test!

Your experience and feedback will be so valuable in helping us to understand how well our Serenity wool bedding performs and its suitability for the campervan & motorhome community.

 

Please feel free share your honest thoughts and experiences – I’m counting on it !

There are no right or wrong answers, I just want to understand how the bedding performs in real life and how well it fits your van lifestyle.

 

I have outlined the key things I’d like to know about below - alongside which there is a rating score. 

 

The list is not exhaustive – so if you have any comments, observations, improvements or criticisms PLEASE feel free to add them in the comments of each section.

           

Many thanks.’

 

 

Rating Key: 1 = Poor  2 = Fair 3 = Good 4 = Very Good 5 = Excellent

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1. First Impressions – Quality & Feel

 

Please Rate:

• Overall quality & craftsmanship:            1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5 

• Appearance & presentation                   1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5

• Texture & softness                                   1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5

 

Key Questions:

• What were your first thoughts when you unpacked the bedding?

• Did anything stand out in terms of  packaging, product quality and feel, smell etc?

• How did it meet or differ from your expectations?

 

Your Thoughts:

• The duvet and pillows looked really good quality.

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• The material was soft and feels luxurious.

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• Smell is clean with only a slight wool smell, which isn’t off putting.

 

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2. Fit in Your Camper Van

 

Please Rate:

• Ease of making the bed                            1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5

• Fit of duvet in the sleeping space           1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5 

• Comfort for 2 people (no cold gaps)       1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5

• Pillow size & practicality                            1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5

 

Key Questions:

• What vehicle & sleeping setup are you using?

• Did the duvet wrap comfortably around both sleepers?                   YES

• Was there enough coverage to avoid draughts or cold gaps?         YES

• Did the bedding fit the space well?                                                        YES

 

Your Thoughts:

• Vehicle is a VW California Ocean 6.1 2021 plate.

 

• Sleep set up is the bespoke VW spring type base, size of a small double with a 40mm thick foam mattress, Sea to Summit self-inflating air mattress with a man made topper and fitted sheet.

 

• As we decided to use an All Season double duvet this fitted the space perfectly, with enough to tuck in at the foot space, wrap comfortably around both of us and left no cold gaps.  As we are both side sleepers not having a middle gap is important to avoid draughts and this duvet size fit perfectly.

 

• The pillows were comfortable and we both woke without neck or shoulder pain. Mr S used one medium and one firm and Mrs S used one medium.  Very comfortable and no off putting smell.

 

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3. Packing & Storage

 

Please Rate:

• Ease of packing for your trip                   1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5

• Space taken v’s your usual bedding      1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5 

• Ease of storing when not in use             1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5

 

Key Questions:

• Did you need to take fewer items (blankets, throws, etc.) this time?

• How did it compare with what you normally use?

• How did you store the bedding - did the bedding take up less storage space than normal?

• Was it easier to store the travel pillows?

• Were you able to the use the pillows for a cab nap whilst travelling – how did that work?

 

Your Thoughts:

• Duvet packed smaller and was easier to roll into the dry bag which is how we store them.

 

• Both the pillows and duvet took up approx 40% less space than our usual bedding which is huge.

 

• A similar space saving with the pillows as they are significantly smaller than a regular pillow, of which we always take 3.

 

• I wouldn’t use the travel pillow for a cab nap as we already have a suitable cushion of similar size. I imagine though the travel pillow would be very comfortable to use as a cab nap cushion.

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4. Sleeping Experience

 

Please Rate:

• Overall sleeping comfort                        1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5

• Temperature control                               1  /  2  /  3  / 4 Mrs / 5 Mr

• Moisture control (clamminess)              1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5

• Pillow comfort & support                       1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5

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Key Questions:

• How did the bedding perform overnight?

• Have you had problems before with condensation – waking up feeling cold and clammy?

• How did the duvet perform in terms of moisture control?

• How did the duvet perform in terms of personal temperature control through the night?

• Did either of you feel too hot or too cold?

• How did the duvet feel compared v what you normally sleep under?

• How did the pillows perform in terms of fit in the space and comfort?

 

Your Thoughts:

• Our camper van has a diesel heater that can be set to 1 at the lowest and 10 at the highest. 30 mins before going to bed we had the heater going on level 3 and turned it down to level 1 on going to sleep. Given that the temperature during our trip dropped to 1 degree above freezing - in hindsight, level 1 was too low and level 2 or 3 would have been better. This is because vans are not particularly well insulated and in the pop top you are sleeping is a canvas tent albeit ours has a liner too. 

 

• Condensation has never been an issue – so neither of us woke feeling damp, clammy or sweaty. 

 

• Mr S felt warm all night, whereas Mrs S woke at 2am for a comfort break and was cold thereafter.

 

• Even though Mrs S was cold during the night this cannot all be attributed to the bedding but some to the operator error of the heater setting.  If we were to sleep in the van without heating, we’d definitely need the Winter duvet.

 

• With our usual duvet, it often felt as though there were three people sleeping in the space because it was too big and bulky. We both commented on how warm the new duvet felt despite it feeling much lighter on our bodies.

 

• Pillows were great as mentioned before.  They fit in the space perfectly and are very comfortable.

 

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5. Airing & On-the-Road Care

 

Please Rate:

• Ease of airing                                            1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5

• Freshness after airing                              1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5

 

Key Questions:

• How & where did you air the bedding (inside, outside)?

• How did the bedding feel after airing – fresh, clean, dry etc?

• Did you air your bedding when you got home?

• How practical / convenient was the airing / cleaning process compared to your normal bedding?

 

Your Thoughts:

• Inside over the banister rail when we got home.

 

• The bedding felt great and fresh after airing.

 

• It was at home but when on the road in summer we would air it on the bike rack on the back of the van or on a clothesline we carry with us, as it is very light.

 

• Mrs S feels the new bedding will be much more practical and convenient to air and clean as currently she must take the duvet to the laundrette after every long trip.

 

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6. General Observations & Reflections

 

(Free-form - no rating)

• Did anything surprise you about using wool bedding?

• Is there anything you’d change or improve?

• Would you recommend this bedding to other van owners and why?

• Do you have any other key observations or comments about the product or the experience?

 

Your Thoughts:

• We were both surprised how warm the duvet initially was for its thickness and lightness.

 

• The ability to fasten two duvets together so you can choose your preference of warmth yourself dependent on the weather and where you are camping would be beneficial.

 

• We would 100% recommend to other van owners because it is warm, compact and quality.

 

• No further comments or observations – other than, thank you Dominic, for giving us this opportunity to trial your fabulous bedding and we wish you all the best going forward.