Jeff and Lisa Knight stand with a family member in front of a white Volkswagen Westfalia van.
Campfire burns near a rocky lakeshore surrounded by pine trees under a clear blue sky.

Hi, We're Jeff & Lisa Knight

We owned a sweet 87 VW Westfalia, which we loved, but it wasn't great in the winter and when we moved to our homestead in the Lake Superior Highlands, we traded it for an 83 FJ60 Landcruiser. But damn, the seed was planted, we'd been thinking about an adventure van for years and in 2016 we bought a new Sprinter 2500 4x4 Cargo Van, named Grady. Our plan was to build it out using our experience, passion and the skills we have acquired from our decades of experience innovating, designing and manufacturing outdoor gear. In the process we developed a lot of van items that were new and innovative and we knew it was time to turn it into a business. Our goal with all the products we offer is to make them super clean, visually and aesthetically pleasing. We want it all to enhance the look, but more importantly increase the performance and usability of your van.

Man in blue ski jacket relaxes by his camper van with a dog sitting inside and skis leaning nearby.

Van Life in the Making

Our first van builder customer was TouRig, in 2016. Their Founder Eric Miller is an old friend of ours and also has roots in the outdoor industry. We got to know him when he was a sales rep for our outdoor gear company, Granite Gear Inc. We became great friends with a shared passion for innovation, skiing and other outdoor pursuits. We worked to develop all the soft-goods needed when building out an adventure van and we've been expanding the line and keeping up with model changes ever since.

Rear view of a red camper van with doors open and mesh screen covering the back.
Water cascades over rocky ledges surrounded by lush forest under a clear blue sky.

Tested in the Northwoods

We are also fortunate and I suppose we'd say blessed to live where we do. Two Harbors, MN is 20 miles up the shoreline of Lake Superior from Duluth, MN. This region draws people from all over because of its rugged beauty, the lure of the Northwoods, and our lakes and rivers. This region is a paddler's paradise and we aren't far from the BWCAW! We have world-class mountain bike trails and some great rock and ice climbing. We also have some surprisingly good skiing, not too far away. It's the perfect testing ground to prove out our Adventure Van Soft Goods designs. Our bug screens are a great example of this — they are tried, tested and proven in an environment where little blood suckers are abundant and hungry!

Jeff and Lisa Knight smile and hug in front of their camper van during a road trip.
Camper van parked at a wooded campsite during sunset, with a campfire and a dog nearby.
Built with Passion

There is a lot more competition now than when we started. We get that there's a lot to sort through when choosing who to purchase your van goods from! Our customers tell us all the time that they think we make the best van goods out there, but I guess we are too humble to yell that from the mountaintops. We feel like it's best to let you discover that for yourselves. Anyway, it's been a great ride and we still love what we do and the adventure van market. We still own and love our van Grady and we've also added a 2021 Transit 2500, 148" AWD to our fleet.

Enjoy your travels out on the open road, my friend.