Product Release

Product Release Announcement:

We are pleased to announce the
Beta release of the long-awaited

DIY Paneling Kits!

for Sprinter and Transit High Roof Platforms

The Process:

Bringing a product from something that we professionally install in our shop, to an online product that can be flat pack shipped, and easily installed by a DIY customer, is no small task.  Add to that our commitment to very high standards of quality and attention to detail, this is sometimes a very lengthy process.  This has certainly been true in the case of paneling kits.

Beta Release

Though issues are few and far between, we want our customers to know that the product is still relatively new, and there may be some minor improvements pending to things like product descriptions/images, packing lists, instructions, etc…  Any issues that arise will be resolved quickly, and your feedback and suggestions are invaluable to this stage of the process.

Much More To Follow

2024 will be a breakthrough year for Roost’s DIY product line.  In the coming months we expect to be able to offer the following Roost Vans products to the DIY Market:

 

  • Electrical solutions including power panel, wiring kit, diagrams, and enclosure(s).
  • Pre-cut Insulation & sound deadening kits.
  • Dinette bed system   (Yes, a 3rd unique bed design option for DIY installers!).
  • Additional kitchen cabinet variations, including compact designs for various applications.
  • Expansion to new platforms (hopefully soon to include Promaster, Transit Mid Roof, and/or Sprinter Low Roof).

Smooth Rail Vs. L Track

Smooth Rails Vs. L Track

 

Smooth Rail Mounting System

 

 

L Track Mounting System

L Track (also known as Logistic or Airline Track) is a tie-down system.  Its primary purpose is to secure cargo.  At some point L Track (and sometimes E Track) was adopted by the #vanlife and builder community as an interior mounting solution.  Until recently it was seen as the “go to” approach for an interior mounting system, and has been used for many years by DIY van builders and even some professionals.

Our clients regularly ask why we prefer the Smooth Rail Mounting System, and about the differences and advantages over these ”X” Track systems.  To be clear, a properly mounted L track or E track system, with correct support bracketing, sufficient metal to metal contact and ample attachment points can be a functional, strong, and safe mounting solution.  If you are a DIY van builder this is still an acceptable solution.

However, when Dennis (our founder) built his first van as a family project, his frustrations with the limitations of these types of tie-down tracks led him to develop a much better solution.  His close attention to detail, and eye for aesthetics inspired him to develop the Smooth Rail Mounting System, and ultimately the origins of Roost Vans itself.  Since that time, many van builders have adopted our approach as an innovation.  Below are some of the key advantages, and the reasoning behind this trend in the van building community.

 

PRECISE POSITIONING

One of the biggest drawbacks to an “X” track system is that it is only incrementally adjustable, typically in 1” intervals.  This is fine for a tie down system, but when trying to position interior components in a van build, it is often very important to position a component exactly where we want/need it to be, rather than “give or take an inch”.

The Smooth Rail Mounting System is infinitely adjustable, allowing each component to be dynamically placed in a precise location.  This allows cabinetry to be flush mounted, and/or positioned for a specific, consistent gap.  When dealing with a mechanical component, precise positioning is sometimes critical to proper operation (such as a bed with a flip up kit, or an adjustable strap).  We find it extremely valuable to place components exactly where we want them, or to be able to reposition in one direction or the other without fully removing the component.  This is very helpful when trying to maximize design efficiency.  Without the smooth rail system, many of our innovative product designs would be less effective, or in some cases impossible.

 

FASTENER OPTIONS:

Mounting components to one of the track systems, typically involves a protruding bolt from the mounting system.  Our system reverses this by placing a threaded nut into the mounting system allowing the use of any bolt we desire, including a wide variety of decorative bolthead options.  Most of our products use a black zinc coated, button head bolt that looks beautiful and offers no protrusion; just a smooth and finished looking surface.  This is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also helps with rust prevention by minimizing the exposure of hardware surfaces to humidity.

           

 

AESTHETICS

Our mounting system consists of continuous powder coated rails.  When installed properly they are largely recessed into the paneling allowing only enough surface area to fully engage with the attached components.  This provides a much more finished look.  Further, proper positioning of components, and consistent sight lines also enhance the visual presentation considerably.  The recent addition of plastic end caps further enhances the look of our system by closing off the very ends of the rails.  This type of attention to detail is the difference between a “pretty nice-looking van” and a visually stunning result.

 

SAFETY

In terms of strength and weight capacity, either mounting system will perform comparably.  When properly mounted both tracks and rails generally exceed the capacity of the fasteners and/or the van’s structure itself.  However, there are a couple additional and unique safety concerns to consider:

  • Track systems have relatively abrupt corners and can sometimes have sharp interior edges, where the smooth rail system provides a continuous smooth and rounded rail edge the full length of the rail section.
  • Smooth, rounded boltheads rather than protruding bolt ends help minimize surfaces for clothing or small fingers to catch on.

 

FLEXIBILITY

Our entire ecosystem of products is designed with the DIY customer in mind.  Though some may want to use our plug and play solutions, others want a simple platform upon which they can build and create their own solutions, specific to their individual needs and circumstances.  This is where our  system really shines.  Not only do we offer plug & play solutions, but any bracket or material that sits flush on the rail surface can be attached to the mounting system using a threaded insert nut with any bolt of the desired length, head, and finish. The only “specialty” supply you need is the 5/16-18 Universal Insert Nut itself, which can be purchased directly from us, or a variety of online vendors.

 

CONSLUSION

L Track and E Track are great cargo tie down systems, but less than desirable as a van’s interior mounting system.  For a more robust and versatile interior mounting solution for Sprinter or Transit van conversions, our staff, affiliates, and DIY customers strongly prefer the Smooth Rail Mounting System.  It is the future of the van building community.

 

Kicking It Up A Notch for DIY

Our core business is the design, development, and manufacture of products for van builders and the DIY market.  Regardless of your circumstance or skill set, our goal is to provide what you need to get on the road in style, and within your budget.  Our clients take a variety of approaches:

    • Some want our professional installers to do their entire project in our Portland, OR van conversion shop.
    • Many are drawn to specific products such as our Smooth Rail Mounting System, FU-Kit Bed System, Strap Up Bed System (coming soon), or any variety of our modular cabinetry solutions, and in some cases, they hire a local builder to help install our products.
    • Others choose to hire experts to do the shell/core work (electrical, plumbing, paneling, flooring, etc..), then use our DIY products for the main components (cabinets, beds, accessories, etc..).
    • Many more choose to do their own van build, using our products for some, most, or all of it.

Our mission is to support all of these approaches, and everything in between.  We are here to provide you with what you need to get on the road!

The DIY Dilemma

In our experience, most DIY van builders choose this approach because of a specific aspect of their design.  This often involves an innovation, idea, or custom need that they are excited to bring into the world.  In some cases it is due to a particular area of expertise such as an electrician, a wood worker, or a fabricator that is excited to do that portion of the van build.

However, when faced with the scope and complexities of a full van build, the prospect can be quite daunting.  In reality a van build involves almost as much complexity as building a home, and few individuals possess all of the skills and tools to do every aspect of their build without a lot of support.  Sometimes these realities lead to procrastination or project abandonment, and we hate to see that!

Our Modular Approach

(aka “Build It Your Way”)

The Roost line of products is designed to provide the support you need, in conjunction with the inspiration and freedom to pursue your passions.  This is baked into our “mix & match, use what you want” line of products, and serves the do-it-yourself builder particularly well.  We can often help tackle aspects of the build that are a particular challenge, while freeing a van owner to focus on the more desirable aspects of their build.

We cherish the symbiotic relationship we have with our fellow creators and do everything we can to support this approach.  Our DIY customers often remain in contact with us through their build process, sending pictures, offering suggestions, and making additional requests for products and support.  These interactions fuel our commitment to a constant state of improvement, and allow us to regularly refine and improve our products and services.

One of the most common requests we receive is for assistance with sourcing matching materials and hardware (particularly bamboo, rail material, and specific hardware).  Though we are happy to point these builders to our suppliers, many of our suppliers either don’t sell to the public, only sell in bulk, and/or have shipping costs that are prohibitive for smaller orders (this is specifically true of bamboo and steel).

It is in response to these requests; we are pleased to announce a major expansion of our product line to include:

 

About Pricing:

 

We offer these new options as a courtesy to support our DIY clients.  We definitely aren’t trying to become a high-volume material supplier.  We have set our pricing to be as affordable as possible, but the reality is that to provide this service, we pay to ship in both directions, cut/assemble, re-package, and re-ship these materials, as well as the associated administrative and overhead costs.

We encourage you to attempt to source materials and hardware directly with local or online suppliers when it is affordable and practical to do so, using our offerings when not.  Further, sourcing material can be a daunting and time-consuming task, and you may find that it takes you many hours to save a few bucks, and still possibly not find the right material.

It is for these situations that we are here to help.  We want to provide an easy and reasonably affordable way for our customers to source top quality, matching material so they can focus their time and energy on the passion project(s) that led them to do their own build in the first place

2021 In Review

2021 In Review

 

It has been a great year for Conversion Van Enthusiasts!  Below are some of the highlights from 2021, and directions we are headed toward in 2022.

 

Our Installation Shop
(Portland, OR)

The early months of 2021 did get off to a rocky start with significant delays in Transit and Sprinter van deliveries from dealerships.  Due to COVID and supply chain issues, there was a period that our customers (both DIY and shop installs) were simply not getting their vans.  However, by mid-summer most of these issues had improved, and we have been struggling to keep up with van builds and orders ever since!

We have continued to streamline the build process utilizing our growing product line.  As an increasingly robust set of versatile solutions are added, we are able to accelerate the build process considerably.  Builds that used to take 3 or 4 months (or sometimes more), are typically turned around in 6-8 weeks.  This is largely due to the versatility and adaptability of our mounting system and product line.  Once the Core Build is complete, much of the remaining build involves off the shelf products that simply require assembly and installation.

Online Orders
(DIY & Builders)

The Roost product development team has been hard at work to bring more of our product line available for DIY van builders.  As more of our products in development reach the Beta or Full Release stage, we are streamlining the release process.  We hope this continues to accelerate and we are able to bring more and more of our standard products to the DIY van builder who wants a boost to their conversion van build experience.  Please visit our Product Line page to see a list of our growing line of products that are currently or soon to be available for online purchase.

 

Rental Van(s)

We are in the process of building our first “Try Before You Buy” rental van.  When complete it will be available for rent for those who might like to try our products and/or van life itself before making the leap.  Our rental van will be build using our standard product line.  Depending on interest level in this option, we may consider adding more rental vans in the future, and building a rental fleet.  This may allow for more options in terms of build, size, platform, etc…

 

Affiliate Program

In 2021 we have had a few more professional van builders join the team and start using Roost products in their builds.  At present we do offer volume discounts to professional van builders, but beyond that it is a fairly informal program.  Long term we plan to build a very robust affiliate and certified dealer program.  Our Portland location is only able to service a small fraction of the inquiries we receive for professional van builds, and we hope soon to build a network of qualified and verified van builders who share our values and commitment to excellence.  As with product development, we are very careful and methodical about growth and development.  We will take the time to make sure that we can confidently recommend/refer customers to reliable and trustworthy builders.  Building a vast and reliable will be several years in the making, but we have decided to put a very serious emphasis on beginning this process in the earlier portion of 2022.  We look forward to a day that we can serve more customers who are outside of our area, who want professional van builds using our products. More to follow!

Roost Flagship Van

Roost Flagship Van

 

       

 

The build begins…

We have finally done it!  We purchased a 2021 Ford Transit 148” EXT and have begun the buildout process.

This marks a new chapter for Roost.  We will be offering this vehicle as a “Try Before You Buy” rental option, as well as a display van for tradeshows and customer visits.

With customer van builds booked up for months, customer builds are obviously going to receive priority.  However, we will be steadily completing this project over the coming months as time permits, and hope to have the van available for rent and show by spring of 2022.