VanEssential Storage Solutions That Saved Our Cross-Country Road Trip
In last week's video and article, I walked through the final four days of our DIY Sprinter van build before leaving on our cross-country road trip. It was equal parts exciting and stressful, filled with long days, last-minute setbacks, and plenty of lessons learned. By the end of those four days, our van wasn't finished, but it was ready enough to begin the adventure.
This week, I want to take a moment to talk about 3 VanEssential Storage solutions that were absolute game changers in finishing parts of our build and adding much needed functionality. Since we were leaving on cross country road trip without any built-in cabinets or permanent storage, these products filled a critical gap and made living in the van dramatically easier.
Special thanks to VanEssential for providing 2 of the 3 storage solutions featured in this article (Venture Flex 48-inch Upper Storage Cabinet and the Upper and Lower Sliding Door Storage Panels). Your support on finishing our van build and our road trip has been incredibly appreciated!
Pre Storage Solution Thoughts:
One thing we knew we wouldn't finish before leaving on our trip was cabinetry, counters, and all the oh so important organizational must haves.
We already owned VanEssential window covers and have been impressed with their quality. After the team over at Volcano Vans mentioned VanEssential made some really unique and innovative storage solutions as well, we knew we needed to take a closer look. Fortunately, VanEssential was more than happy to work with us and sent us the Venture Flex 48-inch Upper Storage Cabinet and the Upper and Lower Sliding Door Storage Panels. The Rear Door Storage Panels I purchased myself knowing this would be a perfect addition to the build.
Venture Flex 48-inch Upper Storage Cabinet: More Information
We were immediately drawn to this cabinet for one simple reason. A soft cabinet above the bed made far more sense than hard wooden cabinetry. Not only would it eliminate the risk of painful head bonks in the middle of the night, but it also offered an excellent place to store all of our clothes while keeping weight down compared to traditional wood cabinets. After using it for a month, it exceeded our expectations with one drawback.
Pros:
Massive amount of storage space
Every inch of the cabinet has usable storage components like hooks, zippered pockets, outside pockets
High quality and extremely sturdy even when fully loaded
No painful corners or head bonks
Install is extremely easy
Cons:
I really have very limited negative things to say about this. In fact, the only criticism I have is also one of its biggest strengths. The storage cabinet is very deep. The standard cabinet is 12 inches. This cabinet interior dimensions is 14.25 inches. Since we have intentionally placed our bed so high in the build, the cabinet hangs over the mattress more than it might in other layouts. It wasn't uncomfortable by any means, but it did reduce some of the usable bed space. It roughly took our queen size mattress to something more like a full size. That said, for this trip we used a standard queen-sized mattress as opposed to a thinner RV mattress. So, perhaps using a thinner mattress would help alleviate this issue.
What we primarily used it for:
This was where we kept all of our clothes, towels, and hygiene items throughout our road trip. We also had some miscellaneous items like belts, Nintendo Switch, and evening reading material. Once we finish our build and move in full time, we plan to continue to use this for this exact purpose.
Upper and Lower Sliding Door Storage Panels: More Information
Finding a finishing solution for the sliding door that looks good and is functional is very challenging. When we discovered this solution, there was no doubt in our minds this was the answer we were looking for.
Pros:
High quality and extremely sturdy. I could even grab the pockets to close the door without fear of ripping it (although I wouldn’t recommend making this a habit).
Great pocket sizes
Extremely easy install
Looks great
Cons (or better stated as a design consideration):
Like the previous product, this isn't really a flaw, it's something to think about during your own van design. Eventually, our kitchen galley will extend slightly into the sliding door opening, which means the right half of the lower storage panel will become inaccessible. If your future layout includes cabinetry or anything else that overlaps the door opening, you'll likely run into the same limitation. It's simply one of those trade offs every van builder has to consider when deciding what you want to get out of your build.
What we primarily used it for:
This is a great place to store those quick grab items that might not have a specific place otherwise. In a way, this was the “junk drawer” of our van (but in the best way). It housed running hats, sunscreen, bear spray, random camera items, dog leash and collapsible bowl, and other items like this. Over the course of the trip we tested varying combinations here and found this to be the best use for us. One thing to keep in mind is the items in this will possibly get wet if it is raining and you open the sliding door.
Rear Door Storage Panels: More Information
The rear doors are a space I feel many builds overlook. From installing windows (which admittedly has its pros) to covering with wood panels, these storage panels prove how important this space is to make functional. I can say with complete authority that VanEssential knocked these out of the park.
Pros:
Massive amount of versatile storage space
Amazing use of space with hooks and pocket sizing
High-quality construction
Easy installation
Looks fantastic
Cons:
I have absolutely no real criticisms for this! The closest thing I could come up with for a critique is for the fold out table on the right door panel. It feels a little bit flimsy compared to the rest of the system. But even after using it numerous times to lay tools on to work on the bikes, I never had any issues with it. A bit more rigidity would be nice, but again, it never gave me any real issues.
What we primarily used it for:
This was where all of our gear lived. Everything from helmets to shoes to hammocks to tools, this housed it all. The upper module on both doors was perfect to store glasses, a book, water bottle, phone, and other similar items when laying in bed.
Final Thoughts:
These storage systems made living in a partially completed camper van dramatically easier and quickly became some of the most valuable additions to our build so far. In fact, we've seriously discussed purchasing additional Venture Flex cabinets and using them throughout the van instead of building traditional upper cabinets. They're lightweight, incredibly functional, and have exceeded our expectations in every way. If you're planning a DIY Sprinter van conversion (or really any camper van build) I would absolutely recommend giving these storage solutions a look.
Follow Along on the Journey
This four-day sprint was only the beginning of our cross-country adventure.
Over the coming months we'll continue documenting the van build and sharing our experiences mountain biking, photographing, hiking, and the small moments in between as we drive across The Home of The Brave and Land of The Free.
If you want to stay up to date with the BEST information to build your next adventure or you just want to see more of my adventures and photography, follow along on Instagram @martins_migration or subscribe to the newsletter below, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel!
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In this article, we review our experience installing and using 3 separate VanEssential storage solutions after spending a month on the road with them. Prior to departing on a cross-country road trip, we added some major storage upgrades to our DIY Mercedes Sprinter camper van build with VanEssential’s 48-inch upper cabinet, sliding door storage panels, and rear door storage modules.