Front Seat Choices for Your Campervan Conversion: Double Bench vs Captain’s Seats

The seats up front do more than just get you from A to B: they influence how you live in your van when parked, how you socialise, relax, sleep, and use your space. At Spartan Campers we’ve spent countless hours designing layouts, living in our vans, understanding what works and what doesn’t. In this blog we’ll look at two popular front-seat options: the double bench seat style (with slide & swivel functions) and the single captain’s seats configuration. We’ll explore pros and cons for each, from usability to comfort to layout impact, and help you decide which fits your build and lifestyle best.

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Double Bench Seat with Swivel & Slide

What it is:
A front double bench seat gives two people up front — typically the driver plus a bench passenger seat — which is mounted with mechanisms to swivel (rotate) and often slide so the seats can face into the living area when parked. Swivel base manufacturers describe how double-seat swivels “transform your campervan living space” by allowing the seat to rotate and face the rear.

Why we like it (particularly for Spartan builds):

• It allows more seating up front: you can take two passengers up front in the cab instead of only one — beneficial for families or friends.

• The swivel/slide functionality means that when you’re parked, the front seats can become part of your living/dining area rather than being isolated up front. That means maximised space and social flow in your van.

• In many layouts, the double bench seat integrates nicely with the interior furniture – it keeps the “living area” feeling open because the seats can face the cab and the living space.

• If you use a sliding bench system, you might even have more flexibility to adjust for leg-room or access.

Pros:

• More front-passenger seats (two instead of one) which is great for travelling with friends/family.

• Excellent social & living-area integration: with swivel/slide you can turn the seats into part of your lounge.

• Keeps the front area looking purposeful rather than just “driving only”.

• For Spartan conversions where we upholster in premium materials and match surfaces, a double bench up front can add to the premium feel.

Cons:

• The mechanism for slide + swivel is more complex: requires space, correct mounting, and may raise the seat height slightly (which can affect driver ergonomics).

• Because you’re fitting more functionality, you may need to package in adjustments for seat belts, anchorage, and ensuring crash-safety of the bench configuration (bench seats need proper mounting and belts).

• With a bench seat up front, you may sacrifice a little in the luxury of individual seat adjustment compared with a high-end captain’s chair (e.g., lumbar support, individual armrests, etc).

• In some vans, fitting a full double bench swivel/slide demands more floor space or door clearance for rotation.

When it’s ideal:
If your conversion is aimed at socialising, you’ll often have two front passengers, you want an open living area feel, and you’re comfortable with our Spartan upholstery finishing and installation – a double bench with swivel/slide is a top choice.

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Single Captain’s Seats (Front)

What it is:
Captain’s seats refer to individual front seats with deep bolsters, often with armrests, high adjustability, sometimes luxury materials. In a campervan conversion, you use the driver’s seat plus a single passenger “captain” seat up front. Many installers also add swivel bases so the single seat can rotate into the living area.

Why you might prefer this setup:

• Individual seats give greater comfort per occupant: better ergonomics, armrests, lumbar support and tailored adjustment.

• Cleaner, streamlined look: with only one passenger front seat the layout can feel more open, less crowded.

• Simpler integration: fewer seats up front means less weight, less complexity, and often fewer compromises around mechanisms or bench mounting.

• Flexibility: you can treat the second space (where the bench would have gone) as extra storage, work area, or lounge space rather than seating.

Pros:

• Excellent comfort for front occupants; high-end feel if you choose premium captain seats.

• Simpler mechanism (especially if you only swivel the one seat) with fewer moving parts and less compromise.

• If you rarely have a front passenger, you may prefer the open space that one seat leaves for layout freedom.

• Potentially easier to upholster and finish in luxury materials as part of the build – aligns well with the Spartan brand’s premium interiors.

Cons:

• You’re limited to one front passenger seat – if you regularly carry more than one front passenger you’ll have to use rear seats for them.

• The living-area integration might be slightly less social if you have only one front seat that swivels vs two seats facing inwards.

• If you later want more flexibility for seating, you might feel constrained compared with a bench that can take two up front.

When it’s ideal:
If your conversion is more focused on luxury, you frequently only travel with the driver + one front passenger, or you want front space optimised for lounging/storage instead of seating, then single captain’s seats are a top choice for a Spartan build.

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Decision Factors: Which Should You Choose?

As you decide between a double bench with swivel/slide or single captain’s seats, here are key factors to weigh – and how they line up with the Spartan philosophy of smart, premium, camper-friendly design.

1. How many front passengers do you regularly carry?
If you often have more than two people up front (driver + 2 others), a double bench wins. If you normally have just one passenger, a single captain’s seat is sufficient.

2. Living space & social layout vs driving ergonomics:
Double bench with swivel gives you a great living-area interface, but may raise seat height or take up more door space when rotated. Captain’s seats may offer better driving ergonomics and allow more flexibility behind them.

3. Luxury finish and materials:
At Spartan Campers we upholster all seats in premium materials to match the rest of the conversion. If you go with either option, choose seats that allow custom finishing. Captain’s seats may give a sleeker finish; benches may require more design attention but can still look fantastic.

4. Usage flexibility:
If your layout benefits from front seats rotating into the living space (for dining, working, relaxing), then the swivel function is key regardless of type. Make sure whichever you choose supports full swivel and safe locking when driving. Swivel bases are widely available and improve usability.

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Our Spartan Recommendation

Because we build conversions with a focus on style, comfort, and practical living, at Spartan Campers we favour the double bench seat with swivel/slide in many of our builds — especially when the layout supports it. The reason? It offers that extra front-passenger seat, integrates beautifully into the living area when parked, and when upholstered in our premium materials, delivers a true luxury feel. That said, we recognise that not every build needs two front seats or a lounge-heavy front area. For more streamlined layouts or couples builds, the single captain’s seat setup is equally valid and may serve you better.