We believe a RIB seat is an essential part of any campervan conversion.
We have installed RIB seats of all shapes and sizes in many different campervan conversions and would love to help you find the perfect one for your needs.
Below you’ll find a bit of information about exactly what RIB seats are, the various sizes they come in, RIB seats with ISOFIX, available colours and installation details.
However, if you’ve still got questions, all you need to do is give us a call and we can provide more information.
What is a RIB seat?
RIB seats are manufactured by French company Scopema, who cottoned on that their design was pretty unique and so had it patented.
Because of this, there is no other seat on the market that works in the same way as a RIB.
The most popular RIB seat is known as an ALTAÏR 3.
Essentially, this has three main cushions which all fold individually on an advanced crank system via a handle to create the bed for your campervan.
The base part of the seat folds up and over itself while the back folds forward, meaning at no point do you end up trying to sleep on seatbelt clips or awkward grooves.
The unique design also gives you a great rear parcel shelf to effectively double your boot space.
The beauty of a RIB is that once folded out, the bed is super flat, meaning you’ll get a great night’s sleep.
Also, they have the added benefit of being able to set the cushions at different reclined angles to increase comfort for multi-purposes.
The NEPTUNE 3P seat is a two-part version of the ALTAÏR and has been designed to work with front rotated seats to make up the additional length.
Different RIB seat sizes
The normal length of the ALTAIR seat is a generous 6,4ft.
The width of both an ALTAÏR and NEPTUNE RIB seat varies depending how many people you want to fit on it, the size of bed you require and the space you have to work within a conversion.
For one person, the 600mm size works best.
After this, the RIB comes in either 860mm, 940mm, 1120 and 1200 and all these widths are designed to seat two people.
For three people, the RIB comes in either 1290 or 1500mm sizes.
RIB seats with ISOFIX for child seats
For families with children, installing a RIB seat with ISOFIX can make your life a lot easier and safer when it comes to moving car seats in and out of your campervan.
However, there are a few things to consider.
First off, what actually is ISOFIX?
Put simply, it’s the international standard for attachment points for child safety seats in passenger cars.
The fixed locking system means no human error when installing the seat which is the biggest cause for car seats failing.
Having an ISOFIX point on your car/campervan seats allows you to automatically lock your ISOXFIX car seat or base onto two metal clips between the vehicle seat.
We tend to fit all our seats with ISOFIX to future proof any van but it can be ordered without if necessary.
One important fact to consider is that, because RIB seats are much higher than standard car seats, the base legs on pretty much any car seat won’t reach the floor.
We suggest discussing this with the car seat supplier.
A RIB seat with ISOFIX works best with a top tether car seat, so bear this in mind too.
What colour RIB seat can I have?
If you want to keep costs down, the RIB seat can be ordered in four different colours as standard, and these can be viewed on Scopema’s website.
You can also opt for a genuine VW or other vehicle model fabric so it’s a direct match to the front seats already in your van.
However, if you want your campervan to be fully customised with matching front and back seats (and you aren’t prepared to settle for standard black) then there is another option.
In this instance, we would recommend ordering your RIB seat in black, which is the cheapest option.
Then, we can send your seat over to our partner, Devon Custom Trimmings, who can pretty much cover them in whatever takes your fancy, whether it’s leather, vinyl or standard fabric, special stitching or piping around the edges.
All seats are custom-made!
You can see many examples of seats covered by them on our social media pages (links are at the end of the blog).
Installation of a RIB seat
We are able to fully fit a RIB seat into your campervan as part of a conversion.
We use a full custom design which is a heavy-duty fitting plate which is shaped around the van's underside chassis. This is made from galvanised, 5mm thick metal.
This goes on the underside of the van and attaches to the back row of high tension bolts of the RIB frame.
We also fix into the van chassis for an extra secure fitting.
As every van is different, we recommend calling us so we can discuss your requirements and come up with the best size and fit for your campervan.
Contact Taylored Campervans about RIB seats
Give us a call and let’s get the ball rolling on your RIB seat installation.
Phone 07710 544934 or email [email protected]
You can also head to our Facebook and Instagram pages to see examples of our conversions and RIB seats.