The Best of Adventure Van Expo: New Products & Innovative Ideas

Hey everybody, Matt here for AVC and welcome back to AVC Chronicles!

We're fresh off of the Adventure Van Expo in Evergreen, Colorado – our home show! It's always a blast to be surrounded by the incredible van life community, and it's the perfect opportunity to check out what's new and exciting in the industry.

We went on a mission to talk to other vendors and see their latest products. From brand new seats and custom wheels to a clever van life app and innovative storage solutions, here's a roundup of some of the cool things we found at the show.

JMG: Seats That Go the Extra Mile

I had a great chat with Henry from JMG, who showed us two of their exciting new products.

The "Cruiser" Front Seats

JMG's new Transit front seats, called "The Cruiser," are designed to make long drives more comfortable. Key features include:

• A longer seat pad for improved leg support.

• Longer armrests for better arm support.

• Adjustable headrests.

• Dual armrests on each side for both the driver and passenger.

• A unique reclining feature that keeps the armrest level with the ground as you recline, ensuring you're always supported and comfortable, whether you're upright or laid back.

The Flip-Up Double Bench Seat

This is a game-changer for those who need occasional seating without sacrificing space. JMG’s new flip-up double bench seat for Sprinters and Transits is a full seating solution, complete with a mounting kit, two three-point seatbelts, and child restraint anchor points.

• Simple Operation: With a kick plate and a recline lever, the seat easily folds down for use.

• Space-Saving Design: When not in use, a simple reverse process allows you to flip the seat up and lock it into a vertical position, giving you back all that floor space for gear, pets, or just to move around more freely.

Reika Wheels: Stepping into the Van Market

I spoke with Bob from Reika, a wheel manufacturer that's making its debut in the van market for Sprinter, Transit, and ProMaster vehicles.

• New Design: The R45: Coming out soon, this new 16-inch wheel is specifically designed for the all-wheel-drive Transit.

• Super Single Conversion: They've also created a Super Single wheel for the Transit, similar to their popular Sprinter version. This allows you to convert the dual rear wheels into a single, wider wheel, which is great for off-road performance. The design includes a universal spare that can be used on both the front and the rear.

• Made in the USA: Reika wheels are manufactured in Chino, California.

• Unique Features: The wheels include a "gnarling" on the inside to prevent tire slip and a unique design that allows the spare to be flipped to fit on either the front or rear hub.

Grover: Your Van Life Co-Pilot

Will from Grover gave me a rundown on their new app and platform that's designed to make van life easier and more joyful.

• AI-Powered Chat Interface: Grover's interface is built around a simple chat box where you can ask it anything you want, from planning a multi-day trip to finding a dispersed campsite in a specific area.

• Rig Capabilities & Troubleshooting: The app works with your builder to document all the components in your van, providing an instant reference for troubleshooting and support.

• Community and Travel Planning: Grover is designed to help you plan trips, find new places, and share your discoveries with a community of fellow van lifers.

• AVC RIGs Ecosystem: We're a proud supporter of Grover! There's a dedicated AVC section in the app where you can get into our network and ask questions about your rig.

KnightVision Development: Smart Soft Goods Storage

I met with Jeff from KnightVision Development, who showcased some of their exciting new soft goods storage solutions.

• Collapsible Cabinets: These clever cabinets mount to the walls and feature a fiberglass rod for structure. When not in use, they can be zipped up and collapsed flat against the wall, making them ideal for vans with elevator bed systems (like Winnebago Rebels) or for when you need to transport large items.

• Visor Pockets: A simple yet effective storage solution that mounts on your visor, perfect for keeping small items organized and out of the way.

• Self-Storing Window Covers: Their popular window covers cinch up and live on the side of the window, eliminating the need to find a separate storage spot for them when not in use.

• Made in the USA: All of KnightVision Development's products are made in Two Harbors, Minnesota.

A huge thank you to everyone who took the time to show us their products at the expo. It's inspiring to see so much innovation happening in the van industry!

If you attended Adventure Van Expo or another show this year and saw something new and exciting that we missed, let us know in the comments below. And if you'd like to check out these products for yourself, we've included links here.

JMG: https://www.jmgsystemsllc.com/

Reika: https://reikawheels.com/

Grover: https://getgrover.ai/

KnightVision: https://www.knightvisiondevelopment.com/