VanEssential

We currently offer covers for Mercedes-Benz Sprinters, Ford Transit and RAM Promaster (2014 - current model). We offer a variety of universal covers such as our bunk window covers (available for AM Auto, CR Lawrence, RB Component, and VanWindows Direct) or our MaxxAir/Fantastic Fan Roof Vent Covers, you can view those on our shop.

We don't offer custom covers. If you have a question about whether or not a cover will fit your vehicle, please email us at info@vanessential.com

We sure do! If you'd like to apply to become a reseller, visit vanessentialwholesale.com to submit your application.

We offer free Fedex Ground Shipping to the lower 48. If items purchased are in stock, they will ship next business day. See inventory notes on specific product pages for more info.

VanEssential stands behind everything we build. We offer a Lifetime Warranty on our workmanship for the original purchaser of the product. VanEssential does not warranty normal wear and tear, etc. Warranty claims will either be corrected or replaced with similar parts (subject to availability) or with current version products. In the event a product is discontinued, reasonable attempts will be made to fix any issues. If the item cannot be fixed or is subject to replacement and the product no longer exists, a store credit will be issued.

Returns are welcome 30 days from ship date at the customers expense. Returns need to be sent back in complete packaging in an unused condition. If the return is made in less than this condition, a restock fee will be deducted from the refund provided. In the scenario a mistake or a manufacturing defect is found, VanEssential will cover the return shipping costs. Please contact us via email for a return authorization number before returning your items.

Nylon vs Polyester is a debate that people will not settle on. Both are very good fabrics but when it comes to using them specifically for sun shades, Polyester with a UV treatment will ALWAYS outlast in performance against even the best nylons. It costs a little more to manufacture but the benefits you get from fading, becoming brittle, "crinkle" sound when cold and most importantly preventing sag/stretch in hot weather are key elements to consider with fabrics. At Van Essential, we only use a UV resistant Polyester material in our construction. We also use UV resistant Polyester thread to help with durability and longevity in the sun. Starting in 2022, our fabrics will be made from 100% recycled PET plastic water bottles. Learn more about our premium materials here.

Insulation comes in many forms but not all materials are created equal. When building sun shades, blocking radiant heat is the most important part. To achieve this, materials that have an Aluminum layer will reflect the radiant heat back so it does not enter the vehicle. Having two layers of this is more expensive to manufacture but yields better overall performance. Most window cover builders choose "Low E". This material is good at blocking the radiant heat, lightweight, and easy to source in the USA. The issue is the longevity and performance of the material, Low E is a building insulation is NOT designed to be folded, creased, moved and stored away time and time again (like in a Van). What happens to the material is it breaks down and loses the most important part of the radiant heat protection. How do we know this? We test materials for a period of time and then open them up to inspect the material. As the image shows, the fibers break down and separate with Low E with short use. At VanEssential, we are the only company offering automotive grade 5mm thick insulation foam with a true double faced Aluminum. This material is used in headliners and other locations in a car by large automotive companies. Our bonding strength of our insulation is rated over 100c (212f) which is important for longevity and durability. Even in the most rigorous folding, pulling, twisting, vibrations through testing, our insulation does not fall apart, split or fail. Our insulation foam is also Non toxic, mold and mildew resistant and much quieter to use.

The van industry has grown in the past few years, especially in our window cover business. We often get questions about "us vs them" and feel it is best if we share what we have learned from our research so you can make informed purchasing decisions. ​ Here at VanEssential, we take the same design and sourcing lens we have been applying to our previous work of building high end technical outdoor equipment including tents, backpacks, sleeping bags, backpacking stoves and climbing equipment to help us make the best product possible. ​ This is the short list of commercial window cover companies offering insulated/black out window covers in North America with their current pricing. ​ ​ VanEssential (www.vanessential.com) Quest Overland (www.quest-overland.com) Vanmade Gear (www.vanmadegear.com) XPLR Outfitters (www.xplroutfitters.com) ​ Strawfoot handmade (www.strawfoothandmade.com) RB Components (www.rbcomponents.com) TourRig (www.mytourig.com) ​ There are other companies making window covers such as Moohah, This Van Life, Adventure Van Company, Wanderful, NightHawk and Ripplewear among others but seem more like local operations and/or offer very limited ranges. Some product offered are not even insulated. ​ Inside these company offerings, there are features, colors and designs that can be specific to a build and recommend contacting companies for full details of what they are actually offering and materials they are using.

Magnets have names used like N52, N55, rare Earth, etc. Essentially all this is conveying is the type of strength the magnet is and most importantly, is it Neodymium as this is the strongest type for maximum holding power. In 2021, magnet prices have shot up due to the mining of Neodymium consumption is going to tech companies. Commercial EV motors and electric bicycles, motorcycles, and scooters are, in fact, expected to be jointly responsible for 23% of total global demand for NdFeB alloys and powders by the end of the decade. These magnets are expensive but important for the best holding power. We have seen some covers that do not use these kind of magnets so make sure you are getting what you paid for. ​ At VanEssential, we only use Neodymium magnets. We oversize all our magnets where possible like in our side window covers to help the strength of holding the covers up even on the bumpiest of roads and wont fall down. We also stitch all our magnets into tiny fabric pockets into the seam so they don't move around in use. This is one more quality step we take over other brands to improve the function of the product year after year of use.

"Made in the USA." It's a label that evokes patriotism, carries an unspoken promise of quality, and has a political undertone of job security for American workers. It's also more complex and harder to define than one might expect. With the exception of automobiles, textiles, wool, and fur products, there is no law requiring disclosure of the percentage of a product's content that was made in the United States. Companies that choose to make such disclosures must follow the standards set forth in the FTC's "Made in the USA" policy which is set at 50% of local sourced materials. We will let you decide what is important and let you ask the questions to those that make claims. A lot of products should actually be published as "Assembled in USA". ​ At VanEssential, we source our fabrics/materials from Taiwan and China with our final assembly completed in China. We have tried to manufacture our products in the volume needed here in the USA, Mexico and other locations but no one can offer the speed or high quality needed to support demand. Laser cutting machines, stitch automation machines or key material sources also don't exist domestically in the USA and as we supply all over the world, China has the infrastructure and support tools to support our business.

Visit our Instructions page to watch our instructional videos and read through step by step details about installing each of our products.

You are going to need to take down your window covers at some point and having storage solutions is important to keep things organized in the van. Every product we make comes with its own storage sack. Just take the cover off the window and collapse it into the sack for easy & compact storage!

Visit our instructions page to watch our new Bug Screen Installation Video here. You'll also find detailed written instructions & accompanying photos to help with your set up. If you encounter any problems during your installation, you can reach us at info@vanessential.com with your questions/photos so we can help better guide you.