Quality shouldn’t be a gamble. We’ve all experienced the sting of an impressive advertisement followed by the disappointment of a subpar product. After countless hours and dollars wasted on gear that didn’t live up to the hype, we decided to change the way we shop for our van: we stopped buying “sight unseen.”

In September 2023, on a transformative road trip through Alberta, Canada. We visited Backland Expedition Gear to see their products in-person and it changed our perspective entirely. Seeing their precision work firsthand sparked a realization: the van community needs a better way to vet gear.

That was the birth of Calico Van. We are Amy and Mike, four-season Sprinter explorers on a mission to bridge the gap between marketing and reality. We rigorously vet the industry’s highest-quality products so you can purchase with confidence, save time, and get back to what matters—the journey.