If you’ve ever dreamed of living in the wilderness for a day or two but only have a plain old van, you can now have the best of both worlds without having to buy a camper.
Being able to live on the road is a dream for many people, but few can even stomach the idea of giving up a comfortable bed for a stress-free night’s sleep. Of course, a bed is just the tip of the iceberg when you’re trying to survive away from the trappings of modern life. There’s also the consideration of how you’ll even be able to bring all of the necessities, which is why some really ardent roadsters try to invest in an RV or camper. Not everyone has the budget for that or the space to have two vehicles, one for normal everyday use. Fortunately, you don’t have to choose anymore if you don’t mind having to put in or take out a big metal box whenever you switch between a weekday van and a weekend camper.
Designer: Beauer
Modular and multi-functional furniture is all the rage these days, especially after more people got stuck at home with very little room for expansion. The same, sadly, can’t be said about cars, almost all of which are designed with fixed forms and functions that are rigorously tested for road safety. Vans have enough space inside for modification inside but are likewise limited on what you can pull off on the outside.
That’s what makes the XVan extension genius in its simplicity. You are, in a way giving up some of the seating space that would have been available in the back of your van, but you still have enough room for stuff when the module is collapsed inside. Of course, you might not have that space available at all anyway if you have decided to use the back of the van to carry your weekend wilderness equipment, with or without the XVan.
The XVan is pretty much a large box that slots into the back of your van and extends out when you’re ready to settle in for the night. There’s a unique fold-out bed that is large enough for two persons, windows on both sides with a mosquito net, and blackout shutters for privacy. The setup for XVan puts two niches on both sides for your belongings, and there’s also a 50L chest under the bed for bulkier items.
Beyond the “box” itself are the accessories that will make your life in the great outdoors a bit more comfortable, including a kitchen unit with a sink, a gas fire, a 40L 12V fridge, two 10L water tanks (clean and dirty), and a small gas bottle to make you somewhat self-sufficient during that short sojourn. You can even opt to have a “lounge area” with a removable table if you’re fine modifying the two front seats into swivel seats.
The XVan is advertised to be compatible with many van models, so you don’t have to buy a new one just for this modification. What makes the XVan really special is how convenient and fast it is to use once the modifications have been made. It is advertised to take only 10-15 minutes to push in or take out the module thanks to the included lift table, and the motorized bed deploys in only a minute. It’s not going to be as comfortable or as fully featured as a camper, but you definitely can save up on space and money if you’re not the type that goes out for very long trips on the road and into the wilderness.
