Most of the van dwellers I’ve written about who travel with their dogs usually reserve a little nook for their furry friends. Today, I’m checking out a fantastic camper that offers much more space in a huge kennel, providing superior comfort for two large dogs.
If we want to bring pets along for van adventures, it's important to make sure they're safe and sound and, ideally, have their own space to rest. I say “ideally” because some dogs prefer to be with their owner 24/7, which also means sleeping next to him. In this case, building a bedroom for your dogs may not be necessary.
Anyway, back to the van. What we have here is a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with a 170″ wheelbase. It was created by Ready Set Van, a company based in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, that specializes in building high-performance luxury vans. I've covered several of their projects here on autoevolution.
One thing I like about Ready Set Van is that it modifies its setups from top to bottom, unlike other converters, which focus primarily on interior space. This Sprinter van has a lot of useful exterior upgrades.
First, Ready Set Van improved the vehicle’s off-road capabilities. It did so by lifting it 2 inches (5 centimeters) and installing Black Rhino Arsenal wheels wrapped in BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tires.
Photo: YouTube Screenshot / Ready.Set.Van
Up front, you’ll notice an Owl Vans Pismo bumper with a 10,000-pound (4,536 kg) Warn winch and dual LP9 Pro lights. Additionally, the company has installed Owl Vans steps on both sides of the vehicle and dual Artic Tern windows.
Head to the back and you’ll find a spare tire/ladder on the left and a B2 roof rack with a Monster bin on the right – all of these rear accessories are made by Owl Vans. Interestingly, Ready Set Van has also installed an extra ladder on the driver’s side of the van.
I like the aggressive, rugged exterior of this Sprinter van. However, don't expect the theme to continue inside. Slide open the door and you'll be greeted by a soft, finely designed interior.
The customer of this van opted for a bright white interior with walnut accents, such as cabinet doors, shelves, and more. The interior has an open layout, meaning the driver's cabin is not separated from the living space.
Photo: YouTube Screenshot / Ready.Set.Van
The kitchen counter covers part of the entryway. On the outside, it has a custom folding table made of hardwood and acrylic composite. It offers plenty of space to hold a cup of coffee or other items. In addition, you can also use this table to prepare meals, as you will find a cutting board, a magnetic utensil holder, and a small light above it.
Right in front of the sliding door, Read Set Van has designed a seating area. It consists of a small bench with two built-in drawers and a large walnut butcher table.
Above, you’ll notice two large cabinets (one of which holds a microwave) with a recessed LED light strip underneath. You won’t need it during the day, as a large Artic Tern window lets plenty of light into the interior.
The two seats in the cabin can be rotated to face inwards. In addition, when rotated, the driver's seat becomes part of the seating area, as it is perfectly within reach of the table.
Photo: YouTube Screenshot / Ready.Set.Van
Next up is the galley, located on the passenger side of the cabin. It features a deep sink, a two-burner induction cooker, and a Dometic CRX 80 refrigerator with a small freezer compartment. For storage, there are multiple drawers built into the counter, as well as a beautifully designed floor-to-ceiling pantry with two tall pull-out compartments.
One of the distinguishing features of Ready Set Van is an electromagnetic drawer system. When the engine starts, the system locks the drawers and you can unlock them using a button. The drawers unlock automatically when the vehicle is parked and the engine is off. This is such a convenient solution that will undoubtedly make your life easier on the road.
Opposite the kitchen, you will discover the bathroom. It is the company's exclusive bathroom with white acrylic walls, a shower, a teak mat, a Laveo dry toilet and a Nautilus self-cleaning sliding door.
The rear of the interior is occupied by the bedroom. Comfort is not an issue in this vehicle, as you have plenty of space to sleep. Specifically, the bedroom has a short RV king-size mattress that is 75 inches (190.5 centimeters) long and 72 inches (183 centimeters) wide.
Photo: YouTube Screenshot / Ready.Set.Van
Other noteworthy details in the bedroom include three wall cabinets, a swivel TV, a 9,500 BTU ceiling air conditioner, and two windows, one on each side.
Finally, we come to the most distinctive part of this tig: the dog house. In most vans with fixed beds, the space under the bed is used as a garage. In this case, the garage has been repurposed as a dog house.
The customer of this van has two large dogs and would like to travel across the country to various dog shows. So, Ready Set Van came up with a fantastic setup.
The dog house is accessible from both inside (through a gate) and outside the van (through two steel gates with openings). It is divided into two sections, divided by a sliding metal door. This door can be slid to connect the two parts.
Photo: YouTube Screenshot / Ready.Set.Van
Utilities are typically located in the garage. In this unit, Ready Set Van made them as small as possible to make extra room for the dogs.
There’s enough room for the dogs to rest comfortably in the kennel. However, Ready Set Vans had another problem to solve: cooling. So, the builders installed a separate air conditioning system just for the dogs.
The company cut out the floor and installed a steel box that houses the A/C unit. It has two vents, one in each kennel, ensuring the customer’s furry friend stays cool during the journey. The van’s electrical system is more than capable of powering both A/Cs, as it has a 1,200Ah battery. The kind of things we do for our pets, right?
All in all, this is the perfect tiny house on wheels for a road trip with your dogs. It is spacious and cozy and has all the amenities you need for full-time living on the road.
