Amid the explosion in popularity in the overlanding sector, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans have rapidly acquired cult status. Offering something a little different than the Broncos, Wranglers and other SUV- and pickup-based rigs, Sprinters are attractive for their mix of size, style, capability, luxury and camper van ease-of-conversion, according to Alan Mondus, CEO and co-founder of Sprinter conversion specialists, Sandy Vans.
Mondus and his colleagues set up shop in San Diego just three years ago, since when growth has been rapid. Aside from an expanding line of overlanding accessories for Sprinter vans, including racks, steps and storage boxes, builds of Sandy’s turnkey, luxury custom vans grew from just eight in 2022, to 15 in 2023 and 26 in 2024, with around 40 builds forecast for this year. The company, which has 14 staff, expanded into a larger, 11,000-sq-ft facility in December 2023.
“I think everyone has a wanderlust,” says the Minnesota native, who moved to California and embraced ocean sports – including touring in a converted Sprinter – after initially chasing the dream as a motorsports driver in the Midwest before going to college and working in sales. “There’s something about RVing and camping that grabs Americans, and I think the Sprinter does it so well because it’s very accessible. It’s not a big, rig that require you to have to think far ahead, where you have to have campgrounds or RV parks set up. This is fully off-grid. It captivates that sense of be-where -you-want-to-be, adventure-from-where-you-want-to-be. With Starlink, lithium batteries and solar panels, you have a full livable house on wheels, wherever you want to be.
Related – Airstream Ventures into New Territory with Mercedes-Benz Sprinter-Based 19X LE
Why the Sprinter Reigns Supreme for Overland Builds
“For me, the Sprinter is the best product out there that’s available for an overland build,” he continues. “When you get in a Ram ProMaster or a Ford Transit, it feels like a work truck. It’s very much, ‘Hey, I should be driving Amazon packages around!’ It’s not a feeling of luxury, or homely, nor does it have the aesthetics of a Mercedes.
“It’s also better for the overall user interface and on the build side [to have one base van]. They all have their own unique designs, attachment points, etc, so it makes a lot of sense to streamline the product line to one van. But we get a lot of interest in Transits, and I think someday we’ll have a Transit product line.”
Mondus explains that a number of features designed-in by Mercedes make it easier to use the Sprinter as a base van than vehicles from other brands. The diesel fuel tank, for example, has an auxiliary tap that enables you to easily plug in the small, efficient, German-made Espar diesel heater. Likewise, the stock alternator from the factory allows for up to 60 amps to be pulled while driving – ideal for charging a lithium battery bank. Nevertheless, brands such as Ford are taking note with products such as the Transit Trail and Mondus recognizes that there is an opportunity for other manufacturers to get involved in the space, including with future EV products.
Related – The Fully Customized Strata from Outside Van
Innovating the Overland Game: Sandy Vans and Redarc Power Up
The first product from what became Sandy Vans was the Boost Box, a rear-mounted storage container that Mondus and his future business partner conceived during the pandemic. But as well as accessories of its own design, Sandy incorporates products from third parties into its van builds, including Australian company Redarc, which provides power management technology that enables van owners to stay off-grid for long periods. The two partners have worked together to develop products for van use, including the latest Manager Alpha100 smart charger. This can draw the full 60 Amps available from the Sprinter’s alternator, as well as AC or DC current from other sources, to recharge the battery bank faster than before.
A tech demonstrator van completed for Redarc in 2024 showcases many of the available options. Based on Sandy’s ‘Social’ layout, it incorporates elements such as a 450aH lithium battery bank made up of three Alpha150 lithium batteries, electrical system control through the RedVision display, and two, 120W monocrystalline solar panels. It’s expected that Redarc will continue to update the show van with its latest electrical technologies.
Related – The Beast MODE 4×4 is a Sprinter Van Conversion Done Right
Concrete Oasis and the Future of Custom Vans
Part of Sandy’s production plan for 2025 is a limited run of replica Concrete Oasis vans in partnership with designers Nicole and Edden, creators of the original Concrete Oasis – famous for its boutique-style, micro-concrete finish. The Concrete Oasis vans built by the Sandy Vans team will have the HappiJac bed lift and Alpha and lithium-battery-bank technology from Redarc.
For the future, Mondus believes that – unlike in other RV segments – there’s plenty of room for further growth in the custom Class B van space, noting that big manufacturers such as Thor, Tiffin and Winnebago are shifting R&D resources from Class A (coach-like RVs) and Class C (truck-chassis-based) to Class B.
“We’re already starting to see some pressure from California that they need to be EVs,” he adds, “but there’s no chassis in place yet that’s ready for that. In five years, I think there will be, and I think that will be part of our product line. We’ll hopefully be able to tap into that system, integrate it with our electronics and have additional solar wings up top to capture more sun and even charge the battery, if you’re BLM (Bureau of Land Management) camping for a week, for example. There is an exciting opportunity to grow in the electric vehicle space and customers are definitely asking about that. The manufacturers are focused on the high-volume vehicles first, but it will trickle down and hit us.”
More generally, Mondus is confident that “there will always be demand for custom. People like to have something that’s unique, especially when it’s a luxury vehicle. Our vans start under US$50,000 and the Concrete Oasis starts at US$300,000 so these are expensive products that people want to be different and add something cool for their lifestyle.”
