If you've followed our journey for any length of time you'll know that we use Instagram as the main artery for pumping out, dare we say 'content.' It's with no shame, nor surprise, that yet again this one involves our old pal James Rafferty. Rather relevantly to this particular story too as he is, excuse the pun, the chief breadwinner at the South West Surf House. One of the Basque regions finer surf-holiday establishments.
When the winter rolls around after a summer of waves rolling in, Raff tends to close his surfboard bag along with the window shutters of the surf-house and bids farewell to the H2O. That would be when the tradition of 'running to the hills' to quench a particular thirst to ride the colder version of H2O would take place. Snow. The call of the French Alps beckon. This year however, like an unwelcome scratch in a record, an equally unwelcome text appears on his phone mid December and mid digging out the snowboard gear. The text read 'I've bought the turkey, you bring the eggnog, get a flight to London ASAP...oh and don't forget your steelies. (steelies not to be confused with steel-wheels, referring here to the steel-toe capped boot variety of; steelies).
The message was from us and while we were delighted to host a few other chums from the Southern Hemisphere who also needed presents, parents and to indulge in the festivities of the giving season, little did they know that much of the giving was about to be from them. The main reason for the call and the consequent invite (along with the need for steelies) was in leu of the physical actioning of a plan that was nearing its inception. We planted the seeds to this particular project a while back, and the timing and need for a few extra hands couldn't have been better.
We can't elaborate too much on the particular one, however we can divulge that S+S is getting very close to moving into its new home.
Once we'd dusted off and retired the sherry back to the drinks cabinet for another year we let onto our predicament and our plan of perhaps needing some some help renovating our newly acquired diggs. An excited Raff declared himself as 'Foreman' and while the title was self appointed we knew (hence the invite) that he could in-fact actually wield a hammer.
We liked the idea of Raff coming purely to help us however, his visit did have hints of self indulgence too. While the idea of a season surrounded by mountains and snow was about to be put on the back burner in favour of a slightly less attractive 'winter in good ol' England' as he referred to it, he was also here to take advantage of our Volkswagen T5 knowledge and hopefully obtain the dream surf bus while he settled down for his stay.
The Atlantic Ocean, being bountifully rich with wave riding opportunity in the Summer shows her crueller side as Winter sets in. Her penchant and thirst for eating older steel her diet. The current fleet of SWSH vans get worked to the bone during the summer, the lack of rain and weather not hurting them too badly. It's when winter tightens her grip and stagnated movements lend to a fate many 'surf-vans' succumb.
As they lie dormant, battered by the winter storms, engulfed by the thick mists the decaying and dissolving sets in, moving fast through the tin.
Rusty and hole ridden may strike a cord with the insider-cool, the visual and practical needs of the surf house's rep along with shifting boards and guests though, deserved the incoming upgrade and as far as upgrades go you couldn't have dreamt up a more fitting wagon.
We're not quite finished, perhaps 'barely started' might be more fitting for what we have in store for this one however, we bid farewell to Raff as he head down to Dover, to board the ferry and follow the road SE towards the Alps for a quick dance with the snow. It wont be long before he and 'Lord Dorrington' do the final side of their triangle, heading West to reopen the shutters for another summer of SWSH.
Our mates over at GoPro threw us a swanky new camera and while the quality of the footage is obviously great the content certainly isn't quite there. If you do find a moment though, perhaps look past the awful Vlogging (we're working on it) and admire the new van in all her majesty.
'Bakers of crusty bread and other good things to eat' Does it really get any better?
]]>Bolting countless sets to our own vans, when we finally got our hands on a caddy it wasn't long 'til we figured out how to get a correct fitting, correctly sized steel under the arches. The wheels, from a Mercedes Vito (would you believe) lent their looks and with some loose 'bodgery and trickery' we got 'em rolling under the arches to confirm... the look was correct. We could then tinker with the ET, offsets and wheel widths 'til we had our minds made up on the perfect spec.
We're thrilled to finally offer these oversized steel wheels made as a direct fit for the Volkswagen caddy to Caddy owners.
We love the purposeful look and the OEM nature of oversized steel, an awesome set of wheels in their own right or a smart and very reasonably priced winter wheel solution. Having had a plethora of aftermarket wheels on our demo vans, these are the best handling, lowest noise rated with a certain insider cool, purposeful OEM charm.
These wheels fit directly onto all variants of the Volkswagen caddy and caddy maxi. The 5 x 112 stud pattern and correct spigot accepting the original bolts, it’s as ‘plug and play’ as it gets.
The wheels on our grey demo van shown in the pictures are identical to the ones you will receive and have not been banded or modified in any way.
We are offering the wheels with or without tyres, please be sure to select your preference when checking out.
Free UK shipping, for orders outside of the UK and Europe, please email before checking out- shipping prices shown are an estimate only!
KIT CONTENTS
Option: Black Oversized Steel Wheels x4
The wheels come individually packaged and as a set of four, they are 17 inches x 6.5, we have had a plethora of aftermarket wheels on our demo van and these are the best handling, lowest noise rated and best looking in our opinion.
Option: With Tyres x4
The wheels come individually packaged and as a set of four, they are 17 inches x 6.5 with 205-45-17 royal performance tyres. The load is 88W XL and is correct for both normal and Maxi variants. This wheel and tyre combination maintain the same rolling radius as the factory fitted wheels eliminating any speedo related issues.
Any queries, give us a shout!
]]>While we continue to hold up our end of the bargain work with Surfers Against Sewage, who are righteously fighting at the forefront of the plastic pollution issue we are thrilled to be phasing out single use plastics at our end, introducing sustainable packaging for all orders that we're shipping out. Single use is no use...
Being included in the first issue of The Rolling home Journal was a big moment for us. It not only showcased our product and brand to the who's who of the van-life community at the time, but also gave us an opportunity to be seen.
When the journal went to press we felt so lucky to be within the beautiful pages, surrounded by such a high calibre of talented and creative individuals was amazing and certainly played a part in getting us to where we are today.
Fast forward two years and we didn't find it too hard formulating a plan to release one of our all time favourite products with these guys, the B1 awning with a few minor tweaks.
We wanted a heavy weight to the cloth, so we sourced a traditional scout tent fabric and blended it with a few more high end features to toughen it up. We spliced on Dyneema guy lines and breathed a Rolling Home colour pallet into it, we also emblazoned their 'Onwards' logo to the front, bringing the collaborative voyage together. Alongside the awning we've also made a Beanie for those wanting a slice of the action but perhaps have one of our awnings already.
This little shindig goes a bit further for us than the products though. I'll let Calum, the guy behind The Rolling Home take it from here.
'We share an ethos with Stitches + Steel. Like us, they built a company based on what it means to adventure in vans; catching ferries, searching for waves and opening (well deserved) beers with friends at the end of the road. They design products with purpose. Things that make life a little easier and van dwelling more enjoyable. Equipment that is simple, rigorously tested and looks bloody great.
For years we have used a sketchy make shift awning; a blue tarpaulin tied to the wing mirrors of our van and some old tent poles. For the most part it worked, it kept the rain off. Sure, it rubbed against the paint work in high winds and threatened to fly off permanently on many occasions. But it sufficed.
Now I am happy to say the bodged awning has retired and in its place is a rail and canvas awning from Stitches + Steel x The Rolling Home. In our own colourway with the Onwards logo emblazoned on the front. Held up by lightweight carbon fibre poles and a sweet canvas bag to store it all in.
A collaboration with Stitches + Steel was always on the cards, creating rad things with rad people is what life is all about'.
Head on over to our collaborations page to shop the awning, the journals and the beanie.
This is a limited run...Be mindful. Once they're gone, they're gone.
See you on the road, O + T
'The Monthly Mile #1,' this is the introduction. Marking the first in a series where we take time out to converse with the 'movers and shakers' within our industry. We ask what makes them tick, from their must and mustn't do trips along with their insightful tips, titbits and van tricks.
It's a place where we'll talk industry gossip, along with the latest podcasts, what we're listing too or even the variety of books getting handed round the studio. There might be the occasional product review or even a rouge weather forecast, perhaps an event we might host... While we're sure the recipe might need some ingredients adding or removing along the way, we hope you stick around an
This moment, for the last few years has served as an un-prompted slice of reflection for us. To the hour, the date, a year on, we're sat on yet another rusty vessel shipping ourselves back across the channel from mainland Europe. This yearly occurrence, whist not technically being the end of the year, marks the end of the year for us. We return from a lengthy jaunt in our own van. Our own adventure.
We've used this moment in the past to write about why we go, where we go and why you should go too (read more about this pilgrimage in the next issue of VWBUS magazine) however, this body of words isn't about the trip itself, more jumping the gun with what we want to be doing as we move forward into 2019.
The last three days before setting sail were spent sat at the helm of our own van deliberately moving North at a slower pace than we're usually used to. The 'auto route' or toll was traded out in favour of its more pot-hole-ridden, prettier cousin, more specifically known as the A + B roads which meander and twist their way through rural France. Upon tapping the relevant coordinates into the Nav quickly, (followed quickly by turning it off- we like maps) we're told our road trip home will take a mere seven hours. Three full days and nights to indulge in our 'slowing down,' -nothing too strenuous then. With our notebooks open and the windows down the last few days were an exercise in plotting, slowing down and taking it all in. Digesting this year and thinking about the next.
Caen-Portsmouth as a ferry route isn't the usual go-to. Madness for us anyway if it wasn't for the interception we'd got planned. The last part of our trip was to collect some of the rather large boxes that were waiting at the docks. 2019 canvas products to be exact. And on picking them up, just like that it seemed the year had started again.
Sat on the 4th deck of the 'Normadie' amidst the River Solent, as we approached said pallets of stock, I sent myself an email, the subject read 'Monthly Mile #1.' This is the introduction. Marking the first in a series where we take time out to converse with the 'movers and shakers' within our industry. We ask what makes them tick, from their must and mustn't do trips along with their insightful tips, titbits and van tricks. It's a place where we'll talk industry gossip, along with the latest podcasts, what we're listing too or even the variety of books getting handed round the studio. There might be the occasional product review or even a rouge weather forecast, perhaps an event we might host... While we're sure the recipe might need some ingredients adding or removing along the way, we hope you stick around and can perhaps be involved it the THE MILE, as we continue on down this road.
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The project has been deliberately executed utilising skilled labour sourced close to home, with no piece of this puzzle coming further than 100 miles from our studio. As we continue our work on the oceans health and single use plastic, we are incredibly proud to produce this product with a zero petroleum based materials sheet. No plastic. A first for such a product in our industry.
While not necessarily being the most cost effective production method this is something we have deliberately actioned as we become more aware of how we consume, produce and track our carbon footprint. It is our duty to you to stand true to our founding principles. Producing innovative products with a keen eye on our environment. We are proud to have be working within these parameters while producing our take on such a commonly used accessory.
We have designed this product to naturally work in harmony with all our other products, sitting directly over our awning C channels and fitting with our roof bar pads and other roof related accessories. While we have designed this kit and numerous other products around the T5 / T6 platform we do consider this, along with our other products fairly universal. If you don't have a T5 chassis and the roof of your vehicle isn't very 'domed' and has a thread insert for a bolt there is a good chance this kit will fit.
We are excited to get the bars out there and see them on your vans. With that in mind we are letting them go at a fairly looney £100 a set as an introductory offer...
Head on over to the shop to find them, get the detailed specs and to grab yourself a set at the introductory price.
]]>Throwing back to a more carefree time in my life, a rather hazy summer stint happened upon me, by relative accident. Heading North in my noble, yet rather expensive to run, Toyota Hiace (used more oil than diesel) and hot off the back of a trip driving arguably too deep into Africa. My surfboard, minimal supplies and not enough paperwork (another story), I promised I would spend one night when passing the little town on my way back through Europe, one night only.
A fair few months and a shake of the head later I emerge wondering what the hell just happened. Living and working within the fort walls of Lagos, Portugal certainly isn't your average 9-5.
Here we catch up with Dan Bill. A fellow I frequented at one of the more established watering holes within the blurry microclimate of the famed town. His knowledge of said town is matched only by his gumption for hunting waves off the beaten track on this lesser known, yet historical and wave rich Atlantic-facing stretch of coast.
Firstly. Sagres or Super bock?
SAGRES everyday. Super bock is too sweet, more sugar, more hangover!
Who are you, where was home? Where is home? What the hell is going on you van dog?
I’m a 29 year old work dodging over frothing van pig, basically I was raised in a suburb of Brum, it seemed I had a thing with the ocean so as soon as I could, I headed South, but I landed lucky as my parents headed South before me, so I followed. I guess my home is now Praa Sands, South West Cornwall- well my parents home anyway.
My home is a 2003 Renault work horse, born to carry old folk back and forth to hospitals and now reborn as an adventure mobile and home since April.
I met you as a sun-drenched salty surf guide who frequented the bar regularly. I just so happened to work in said establishment which allowed me to indulge my selfish need for waves and scratch the itch for our fair share of hazy nights. Where is this town I speak of and why haven't you really left?
Hahaha yeah, the hazy nights, if I remember rightly you taught me the term ‘turbo c@#ted’ which has sat in my mind since. Lagos is the town you speak of, this town is a vortex, you enter, you never grow old and you just want more of it every time. Me though, I have left, a half hour drive north west of that demonic town, I do occasionally indulge myself in some Lagos mayhem though.
I remember having to get out of Lagos. A genuine health choice. Why does that town, more than any other I've ever been to have the rep of writing myself and others off in that fashion?
Lagos like I said is a vortex, once entered your in for fuckin' roller coaster of emotions, the ups are incredible but the downs, the downs are just as gnarly. If you don’t find a balance in Lagos your in for it. You were a bar seasonal worker, you guys went the hardest, I can gladly hold my hands up and say I couldn’t work a season in the bars, I was lucky I had my escape during the day I guess, you punks were on it 24/7!
What makes Lagos so famous for nights out? What is the history of the place and why are so many travellers from down under?
From what i've been told Lagos has been a party place since the 90's for the Portuguese, then slowly the travellers started to get involved and it’s basically held a reputation as a crazy place since, I would say the Aussies have created that reputation. Other than Australian seasonal workers which seem to come in hordes, the Aussies often do a European tour and Lagos is generally the last stop, so these last stops are happening on a weekly basis- It’s like it’s their last chance of freedom, so they go wild.
Explain Lagos darts please.
If I remember rightly, grab a dart, throw it, drink and repeat.
You used to live within the fort walls. Half hour to the West for daily waves, often less of a drive if its got a bit of south in the swell. Why the need for a van if the rent is so cheap and waves seemingly so accessible?
I wanted to live out west, living in Lagos is great but I want to be able to surf when I want to and not drive 30-40 minutes for a wrong tide, this coastline is fickle you have be on the beach at the right time to catch those good days or good hours.
The waves? Why Portugal, why the Algarve? Why not France? Or Spain? Or Norway?
I think I just like this place, I’m comfy here, I know the waves, love the people and food. The Algarve as a whole feels lawless and free. You can surf alone regular and on those 'good hours' it’s as good as anywhere in the world.
Do you mix it up or are you a full blown van lifer? You got a proper digs too with a roof and a couch?
Haha nahhhhh mate, I’m a full blown van lifer, but a respectful one, too many van lifers down here are getting a bad rep due to a couple of dirty fuckers polluting the area with rubbish! Bastards.
But yeah I shower everyday with my solar shower and do everything as I would in a house just a little customised.
You recently did a stint in the UK converting vans. T5's more specifically. How did cutting your teeth in those trenches lead to your current set up and a bigger van. Any inspiration from others? Where did you find the ideas? Did you convert it yourself?
Yeah man, I worked for Dirty Weekender Van Conversions, I’d go as far as saying they are the best in the business as far as bespoke T5/6 conversions go. I learnt a lot from a lot of experienced van converters, I did have a T5 but it was just too small for my needs. I left the VW world and went French.
As far as my conversion goes I went rustic as I loved the rustic look we did at work. Mine is all built from an old boat that had been dry for years, a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into the build, I still look at it now and feel proud hahaha.
How are you sustaining your life? Wheres the cheddar coming from? Work?
I’m on the surf instructor tools this season, but I’m occasionally helping people convert little parts of vans, building beds, helping with 12v electrics, anything i'm capable of really.
Full time van-lifer is the dream for many. Now that you've got a fair bit of time under your belt in the van is it a dream or is it genuinely sustainable?
It really depends who you are, I’m very much a 'lifestyle over salary' person, so i'm happy with what I have, but vanlife isn’t all rainbows and perfect Instagram shots. It has its downs, breakdowns and is almost a constant mess, it's all part of the journey. I think it’s sustainable for many but not all.
What are the plans for the winter and the next few years for Dan?
Next few years is a big question, but the next couple of months is pretty set in place, me and a few mates are heading North back to Cornwall over a month, hopefully scoring waves all the way up, North Portugal, Spain and France and then I’m doing a Cornish winter. Then...fuck knows. Maybe I’ll have to grow up.
When are you gonna come up here to the Basque and get some waves with me you Portuguese hound?
See you November.
Cheers mate. DAN
'Travel light, with less, and experience more'. It's our slogan and a phrase you'll find littered throughout the website, which is rather contradictory as we're in the business of selling 'kit' to you and into this very sector.
Whilst we do make a bunch of products for your adventures, our emphasis from day one has been to look for contemporary solutions for these modern work horses, looking at things from a different angle and doing our best to take away rather than add, and in doing so, creating products that enhance an adventure rather than clutter it.
You don't have to look too far within S+S to see the 'less is more' mantra being applied. From our van conversions (launching very soon) to our products and even down to our studio. We are big William Morris fans over here, the below quote reverberates around our minds when dreaming up anything that might eventually have an S+S logo sewn on 'Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful'.
The vans we predominantly use (the Volkswagen T5-T6 platform) would be considered small, perhaps tiny in comparison to the motorhome/ caravan generation of yesteryear however, there have been moments when Tor and I have wished for even less than our minimalist T6. With that in mind we devised a plan to source and create a tiny van and make a range of mini products for a truly stripped back van-life, adventure experience.
I've heard the phrase thrown around from a fair few motoring journalists which goes along the lines 'if you don't enjoy the occasional day driving a van you're not a true driver; or terminology of a similar nature. I personally am inclined to agree with the statement however, with the amount of time I spend driving about in vans, it seems maybe the reverse applies to us? After deciding what we wanted from our mini van we narrowed the search criteria to the 1.6 Blue-motion Volkswagen Caddy, barn door, single sliding door, plastic bumpered 'trade spec' version. It also needed to be the LH7J 'Pure Grey' colour code.
It took a lot longer to find the van than originally thought, perhaps the über rare colour hindering our efforts however, since acquiring the little van, Tor and I have been fighting hand over fist over who gets to drive it. For both of us, having been van bound for so long the Caddy scratches a car driving itch that I we didn't realise had been neglected from our lives for so long.
I haven't looked into who designed the geometrics of the VW Caddy and I would be naive to think it wasn't my lack of time in the drivers seat of an actual car over the last few years, but to me it certainly doesn't appear to be too far off perfection. The steering wheel is dainty, small and thin, the shifter throw is short and akin to loading, dare I say it, I can only imagine a german rifle bolt. The pedal box has near perfect spacing and even a bizarre 'gas pedal' style accelerator making double de cluches and heel toeing a absolute necessity on every down shift (still unaware if Tor feels this need). The brakes are savage (in a good sense) and very precise, and the handling, perhaps due to my personal *(read verging on obsessional love affair with Bilstein) make the ride and behaviour of the van a very satisfying experience indeed.
If I may rewind quickly, the first thing we do, or perhaps I insist on whenever we acquire a new vehicle, is give it the Bilstein treatment. It is the single most important thing you can do to your vehicle. Bilstein are OE manufacturers for the majority of the high end suspension components you associate with quality German metal, be it BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, etc. While it seems a little looney to put their rather expensive B16 coilover kit on our little van, for us it was very necessary, the transformation is certainly more comfort and obviously more handling. Some digging and maths led us, rather bizarrely to the Mercedes Vito and the steel wheels which it adorns. Kind offsets, the right sizes, a subtle OEM look and the magical stud pattern ultimately being the reason to us pressing go on the set (keep an eye out for us supplying these new from the factory).
A quick call to our good friends at Thule and after doing some more math we reckoned their new 'Touring S Roof Box' shared the correct proportions and size to suit the Caddy and work with our new Caddy Roof bar system.
We have developed a new awning rail extrusion which sits snugly under the bars accepting the new awnings along with a host of other products designed with the smaller roofline of car derived vans. Rather excitingly we are also developing a miniature version of our conversion for the Caddy which we are excited to share, available for both normal and Maxi variants.
The eventual goal is for us to get the entire fleet of S+S vehicles correctly insured and camper ready so you too can borrow them, getting a feel for what our conversions, along with how traveling light with less can be a liberating way to get about. Be that in the Caddy, the T6 or the Crafter which will also be arriving soon.
Feel free to get in touch for Caddy questions, specs and prices along with anything else you've seen in the blog post.
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Here we take some time out to chat with Daniel Acheson to discuss what it's like being at the helm of his stealthy T6 while mixing it up with time behind the wheel, then the handles brewing coffee for the inherently trendy demographic in the heart of Sydney, Australia.
What's your name?
My name is Daniel Acheson - “Ay-cher-son”.
Dan, where are you from and where do you call home?
I’ve grown up on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. I am currently living where the North Shore meets the Northern beaches with my wife Olivia and our little dude, Moses. He is now 1 and loving the world.
So why Coffee? Why from a van and why BLACK.? What coffee? How snobby? You carry sugar? You mix up your suppliers? 3rd wave? Small batch? So... why B L A C K . ?
Black is mysterious, bold & strong, it looks clean as it’s minimal and of a simple nature. Similar to the brand we want to look good and clean cut but when you search deeper into what we’re about, you’ll find there is a genuine passion for coffee, it’s processes and those drinking it, you. Black connects with people on a deeper level. It’s not just a cafe on wheels, it’s more like a lifestyle that puts people's experience at the top of its list. Whether it be an artist putting substance to their thoughts with their brushes, screen or instrument, maybe its a builder or mechanic hacking away at a job they need to get done, they’re most likely going to have some of the good stuff (coffee) sitting on a bench behind them. We want them to have a memorable moment with each cup whilst they endeavour to conquer the world or think a new idea! The experience is key; a daily ritual that is celebrated through the intricate design and execution of one of the most consumed substances world wide - Coffee.
We are running a Brazilian - Columbian blend called Honey Pot roasted by a local legend, Barrel One. Why his brew? One of the best brews i’ve had had his label on it.
We will start to showcase singles once we have another grinder onboard but all of our short and long black coffee’s are tasting delicious with the blend so there isn’t a massive rush to drop 3.5K on another grinder.
We are also about to fire up the Moccamaster, which means bach brews in hand for all of our thirsty customers that are looking for the perfect winters' morning brew.
Snobby? Yeah sure I won’t drink a coffee that I feel hasn’t had the time and care put into it. But taste is a tough one to measure whether it is good. My palette is always growing, the coffee I enjoy now I didn’t enjoy a couple of years ago as it was “too fruity”. It’s about consistency, innovation, sustainability and heart.
That said, if I’m road tripping and my V60 is buried in my travel bag I have no qualms in smashing a long black from Maccas or 711. It’s weird but I cant explain why I don’t mind it.
Why a T6? Why did you make it look like it does? What's the setup and what have you had to do to make it look like it does? The setup to make it work as a coffee van, whats the situation with that?
Why T6? I wanted a bad-ass boxy van as black as I could get. But all the Chevy G series I looked at were super expensive to import from the states and run on the roads here in Oz. I couldn't get passed the T6 and it’s new front grill and the way the lights were shaped on the back, all without compromising the “boxy” look.
I’ve had veedubs for the last 10 years and there is something about them. The way they drive, their innovation as a company and their logo is epic.
The Setup...I’ve been making coffee for almost 10 years and am loving the way it is growing and expanding. The way it is beginning to honour the guys and gals on the other side of the world picking and growing the beans get’s me excited for the future as I see a real potential for ethical development and support for struggling third world countries. But also the average drinker is beginning to understand what it takes to make a good cup of Jo.
This all brings us to the whys of the van fit out. Lets just say 100K will get you a new T6 w some of the best gear a barista could dream of on the road. A Lamarzocco PB linea and the mythos 1 grinder make for all time consistency. It all makes for a seamless coffee designing process for the barista.
Warm lighting, matte black and the Australian oak theme makes for the aesthetic. Simple and minimal is what drives the look and feel of the van.
Daily routine, same route daily? Same cutomers? Or do you mix it up? Who are the main crowd that get what you're about, the brand and appreciate good coffee? Is it the surfers? Ha.
The day starts dark, like 445-5am dark. I turn the van on and load it with sambos (sandwhiches), muffins and beans for the day. I dial the machine in, get the coffee dropping like a dream and then I’m off.
I arrive to my first job at around 620 and work my way around the suburb of Mona Vale and Newport until about 1230. I usually check the waves and consequently surf for the next 1-2 hours most days and then head home to pack up.
Pack up takes around an hour and then I hit my socials; photo editing, website updating etc. So I’m done by around 4pm each day.
My Daily routine consists of about 35+ clients in which I serve around 3kgs of coffee. The goal is to grow and pack it out a bit more but we are pretty stoked to have cracked a pretty large market this early on. Mechanics and surf board shapers are probably my most common customer but we serve creatives, brewers and other blue collar workers. Loving the variety and the 10-15 min stop time allows for great conversation. Cut the fat kind of conversation.
One risk we took was we started using 6oz cups instead of the usual 8oz for small coffees. Some are still getting used to it but the majority are loving the smaller size. We have called the double shot small a “shotgun” and they bloody love it.
SHOTGUN! Awesome. I want one. Most inspirational regulars you serve too?
Big question man. I love talking to people and hearing about their lives so i'm inspired by a lot of the conversations I have. Whether it be the sacrifice for their families or they’re new to business and are pouring all they have into it, it often goes unnoticed and it’s time to give these guys and gals a wrap for the work they pour into their day to day lives.
What do you get up to in your free time? Do you use the van for hitting the road or is it purely for biz?
I have a lot of hobbies but my all times are playing music, surfing and riding the bush trails on my WR450. Mostly anything out doors and dangerous. That said, I love coming home to my little family at the end of each day and sharing a glass of red wine with my wife.
The coffee van hasn’t had its first road trip but I plan to hit a few festivals up north so I’ll make the most of it then.
Sometimes we just throw BLACK. parties somewhere by the beach and invite our mates to come down and share in the love. This is all time and probably our main weekend past time.
What do you make of this trending word 'van-life'? Why are people jumping in cool contemporary vans and going on adventures?
What does the future look like for BLACK.? You stoaked on the mobility + added bonuses of a van in the coffee industry or are bricks and mortar on the cards?
We are pumped to expand our fleet and push the boundaries as to what coffee equipment you can carry onboard. We want to be at the forefront of the coffee industry why should being mobile prevent that.
What's next?
BLACK. needs a home, somewhere the vans can start their day from. We are looking at a warehouse that doubles as a cafe, studio, event space, work space etc. And the rest… well, you will have to stay tuned, I cant imagine it will be too far away with the momentum and traction we have so far. Make sure you keep in contact via the gram and facebook.
We are Black Specialty Coffee.
Love.
We live in a vain world, an unfortunate yet factual statement.
While botox and plastic surgery might help your modelling career the same is to be said for giving your van similar treatment. After the surprising traction off the back of the last facelift film we felt obliged to get the camera out for an encore.
Seeing as our beloved pick up truck was going under the knife, the difference being this time skipping the T5.1 step altogether and going straight from T5 to T6.
If you're interested in facelifting your van or simply ready for another, relatively un factual shit-show of a film, head on over to our blog where you will find the film.
Bad audio, terrible filming and potty mouth language. It has it all. Unfortunately.
Enjoy.
Surfers against sewage made a big push this April for the #bigspringbeachclean, one of the largest volunteer beach cleaning projects within the UK. So, it seemed only right that we rallied the troops and joined in with the other 500+ cleans going on this weekend, all in a bid to clean our shores for the summer.
For Stitches + Steel, and many of the other businesses surrounding us, Mersea Island is home. Working alongside familiar faces is always fun especially for such good cause, and so, on Sunday we were excited to get together and do our bit for our coastline. The turn out was impressive. A lot more than we expected, running out of bin bags, litter picks, bin hoops and a queue at the tea station.
We reminded locals along with the blow-ins, that the island is 12 miles in circumference and encouraged them to roam freely in a bid to collect litter.
Two hours later and another round of coffees sank, we were still far from done. We'll never be finished with the never ending task however, the collection of bin bags was a testament to the effort put in by our crack team of litter collectors.
From TVs to car parts, nappies to toilet seats, we saw it all. A huge thank you goes out to those who helped with this round of picking, we quite honestly couldn't have collected what we did without you. For future beach cleans and SAS news stay tuned... Oli + Tor
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J dawg is a Margret River boy, For those that in the know, more relevantly, the surf savvy among us will feel rage and envy of untold levels. The South Western tip of Australia is very much hallowed ground for surfers. The Indian ocean throwing beautiful (usually chunky) lumps of ocean onto a short but varied stretch of coastline, reefs, sand, points, outer bombies if thats you're thing, it truly has it all.
The offshore trade winds that hold these lumps of groomed water in such perfect form is also the same wind that breathes through the famed vines to create some worlds best vino too as I'm sure the wine heads among us will be able to testify. A damn good place to cut your teeth and while we sit here staring at the baltic and grey North sea the question of who has it right is very much on our minds daily.
Jeff, unfortunately for us, has had to bail and head back home as his time on our shores was was up.
Gutting for us for load of reasons, our workload especially hates it as we haven't even been bothered looking for a replacement as his 'multitool' status has rendered the search fruitless. Photographer one day, conversion installer the next, awning rail machinist and pro packer extrodinare (p.s, if you're a Jeff, hit us up). While he well and truly squeezed the juice out of his two year woking holiday visa we certainly didn't have the cheddar to sponsor him (not that he wanted to hang around here much longer anyway) nor the government consider us worthy of granting such things.
Jeff leaving has been a kick in the nuts for us but good news for you folk down under as, before he left, we hastily thew together the inner workings of an AU distribution setup in the form of Jeff handling and managing S+S AU. We've been approached more times than we care to admit about individuals wanting the rights to bring S+S into Australia, for us the main concern has been the inner workings. The way we do things. We're kinda particular verging on OCD crazed. The way we attempt to conduct ourselves, deal with complaints, returns, sticker packs, box taping, folding, photo taking. It goes on... And on. And while we're the first to admit that we are not perfect it was this stuff that we feel is truly important and is the very fabric and backbone of our brand. Certain things can't be got across on a Skype chat and others are so hard to get across at all. Jeff not only knows better than anyone, his keen eye for detail and the way things should be done goes above and beyond us mere mortals. That sits well with us here and in that, there is no one more qualified for the role in our eyes. We also convicted him to get a T5 too. Full postman spec. Awesome. Laura reckons she's about to start mobile Pilates classes in it.
For now, you Aussies will still have to go thought this site and buy from us and our UK warehouse (sorry). However for the exact dates, the price difference, events, products and all other AU and southern hemisphere questions feel free to give him a shout over on jeff@stitchesandsteel.com
We are truly excited to be putting these steps into action after so much work behind the scenes and are delighted to have Jeff onboard.
Welcome to the shit-show mate.
Forth goes the road!
]]>Bilstein, being OE manufacturers for the majority of German car brands more expensive and luxury models. BMW 3 series and up, the majority of Mercedes and Porsche. The brand, its product and history doesn't need much introduction.
The B14 coilover is an adjustable setup which doesn't deteriorate with the height you choose to adjust them too. The setup can be wound low for a more purposeful stance while maintaining everyday usability like our demo van in the photos.
The setup is superior is so many ways compared to standard shocks, air ride or budget coilovers.
The B14 fits all variants of the T5, T5.1 and T6. t26 through to t32.
Fitting is relatively simple too.
We've always been on the hunt for the ultimate van roof box and as we're on the verge of launching our own roof bar setup we reached out and worked with the leaders in their field Thule who need no introduction.
The Thule Ocean 600 we reckon, as far as the size, features, shape and affordability make it superior to every other top box out there. Especially for our purposes.
We have searched high and low to find the best fitting, most durable, smartest and best priced box specifically for the VW T5 + T6 platform.
The boxes fit perfectly onto our own S+S roof bar set up which has been designed for an awning rail to be fitted underneath too. The beauty of the boxes is they provide vast storage yet also allow for kayaks, Surfboards, Sup boards, bikes etc to be mounted too if fastened in the asymmetric setup we have in the photos of our demo van suiting van life perfectly while also being able to access the box from the sliding door step.
We have installed one of our conversions featuring the insulated '+' panels, the carbon bunk, the kombi conversion, and all the other canvas upgrades from floor mats to seat covers.
The van has the blue-motion drive chain, 6 speed manual, cruise control and many other luxuries were not very used too all making it a rather nice place to be for extended periods of time and proper road trips.
In the mean time, as spring doesn't appear to be showing up its probably for the best we take this thing for a test drive to the alps in an attempt to walk to the same beat as this never ending winter. We've packed it full of products and supplies, filled up the tank and drawn a X on the map somewhere near the snow fringed mountains of the Alps. Forth goes the road!
We keep our eye on the charts more than most folk out our way but nothing prepared us for the severity of this storm and how it’s effected our usual calm and tranquil shore. We’ve truly copped this storm on the head being the first landfall its hit. I’m sat here acquiring cabin fever, at home for the second day in a row due to the chest high spin drift gathered on the road outside. Incredible really.
Sifting through the dropbox trying to find a few photos for a project lead me eventually to a folder named ‘Scotland’ today.
It seems only fitting to reflect and look back at that folder as the timing of the trip was literally this week, three years ago. The climate and content hitting sensory nerves enough to share that folder here.
That trip was born out of needing imagery for the first run of S+S products. Most still in production in some from or another today.
Yes, four blokes sleeping in that van for seven nights straight in figures well below zero.
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We hit the ground running getting the containers in, organised and level as our relatively short summer retreated quickly last year. After painting them black we've been actively using them as storage and a workshop and that's about it. The brutal winter climate keeping us at bay. Progressing the project into the full blown setup we had in mind has been on the back burner. . . until recently that is.
Since we launched our new 'contemporary moving space' programme on the 1st day of 2018 the need for our own van-sized workshop has grown significantly. We should have seen it coming really. Over the years, during our life on the timber yard, we've always managed to lean on the boys to borrow one of their out buildings, to prototype for a few days, or develop a product etc. But it's become evident it's time for us to get something more permanent and that's actually ours.
I must stress, we are not builders. We are creatives who are handy enough to wield spanners and tools. Design lead problem solvers perhaps? Certainly not trade spec hardened concrete slab laying blokes…. (until now apparently.)
I will admit the idea of laying out, measuring, levelling and creating a foundation for the workshop excited me. I am a self proclaimed 3rd generation small shed builder extraordinaire and love building anything. A product, a surfboard, a boat, a van conversion, a small shed or a big shed I love the process of hunting for the right materials, putting them together in the right way and executing a finished item/ project in a particular style.
After visiting the church of youtube and being armed with a bit of math we reckoned we had it pretty figured out. We chose the cheapest ready mix quote we could find for two cubic meters and accepted the rather narrow delivery time slot that left us three hours to create a level frame box and get prepped for the imminent delivery. Yep, unnecessarily stressful. Apart from the two cubic meters being not as much as we hoped (my maths being out) and the infinite jabs from the old boys who frequent the joinery factory watching and waiting for us to slip up at every stage, things went surprisingly smoothly. We had their attention all day...
'You checked the weather?'
'Yea, its not gonna rain'
'No, I mean freeze, if its freezes tonight you know you've fucked it right?'
'Of course I have checked, yes it's fine. It's warming up'.
I obviously hadn't checked, I had no idea about that. I had also neglected to check if it was going to rain too.
After giving it two days I can now confirm that after all the scrutiny, all is surprisingly well. Praise the lord for it actually warming up and not raining.
We've actually managed to lay 'quite a good slab, shame that corner is down hill' being the best accolade yet.
Now we've got the momentum, actually more the fact that Jeff leaves us for his home town of Margaret River, Australia for good next week (Sad times), construction will re commence tomorrow.
New digs phase 3 available imminently. *(S+S have no connection with the author and his unrealistic time frames.)
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I must clear up the fact that this hasn't arrived off the back of a fruitful winter selling product that's for sure. Or the fact that we were tired of our old one. More the fact that we'd be foolish to pass up an opportunity such as this one.
The opportunity came about from a tip off from an old friend in the Skate/Surf/Snow industry. We actually missed out on this very opportunity two years ago however, this time around we were slightly more prepped and much more hasty.
Said company have a fleet of Volkswagen vans which they clear out every two years. The very thoughtful gent at the helm of this company would rather they went back into the industry after their two year ownership instead of back to Volkswagen. Quite simple, very thoughtful and something we were quite keen to take him up on.
When offered the opportunity we didn't know much about the van. We knew it was black, LWB, a Bluemotion and not to piss him about. All suited us well however, after we bought it blind, it was only seeing it on collection day that we realised quite what we had bought.
The van was in fact a Kombi, kinda cool we thought, the fun bus... Awesome. What we hadn't appreciated is that the van was also in fact a 'Highline'. The top spec baller model! Alloy wheels, satnav, electric folding mirrors, heated windscreen, air-con, captain chairs with armrests, digital radio, handsfree, cruise control, leather steering wheel… The list goes on.
So, after rapidly advertising and selling both of our other vans to fund the purchase we are now left with a rather nice wagon. Far too nice for us, and still somewhat of a shock to the system.
We have installed one of our shiny new conversions in a rather stealthy matt black and apart from that we are too scared to do anything else to it. Luxury adventure wagon indeed.
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First of all, if you haven't heard of Stitches + Steel I suggest you head over to Instagram and have a scroll through their photos. Whether you’re up to date with what Oli and Tor have created or not, let's look at where it all began... Oli starts us off, "I've been into Volkswagens from a very, very early age. My dad used to own a few Volkswagen and Audi dealerships when I was younger, consequently that meant I was lucky enough to be carted around in all things German, from as early as I can remember. I recall very clearly when Dad collected my brother and I from school once in what was then, a brand-new Mulberry paint, on Mulberry leather Corrado VR6 demonstrator vehicle. He then proceeded to take us to a certain local hump back bridge so we could do 'airs' in it, as it was quick enough to deal with the short, but windy 'run in' to the jump... So, very much a fan of the Volkswagen brand, the entire VAG group and the community that goes with it. Being obsessed with Volkswagens from an early age I've had more than my fair share. As much as I love the vans I also like the really early water-cooled cars, more specifically, MK1 Golfs. I've had five of them over a ten-year span, each one older than the previous one. There was a point last year when I had the two oldest MK1s in the UK. I found one in Norway, then not long after that, an even earlier one in France. I've got a minor obsession for what's known as the MK1 Golf 'Swallowtail'. Only the very earliest cars got the Swallowtail rear panel, from 74-76 and consequently there are only a handful left in the UK. It's hunting for the really old rare stuff that excites me. Getting off of eBay and other UK based websites and hunting foreign ones is good fun, when you eventually find that über rare slice of German metal and finally get it home, ownership is that much sweeter. I just wish I could keep them all!" The Stitches + Steel story already steeped in more VW history than I had originally anticipated. Oli again, "Vans are the best though. Once you've owned one it's damn hard to not have one in your life. The Transporters are amazing. They look good, are economical, reliable, cheap to run, fun to drive, easy to mess about with, which makes them a great base for camper as well as an ideal work horse. I couldn't imagine owning anything else as a daily – such a versatile thing. We needed a demo van and also a measuring buck for all the S+S products we were about to produce. It had to be a 1.9 and not in white. We got it from the auctions on a whim, as it was black and had armrests. It was horrible. It used to be an old Rockstar Energy Drinks van, who knows what they got up to in the back, but it was savage! When we bought it from the auction house, it stank and there was lots of hay and beer in the back… Now though, this van is the very essence of bespoke, being the test bed for all our products. Especially the setup in the back. We are trying to use the word 'conversion' less, as we see our take on it as more of a contemporary moving space, loosing anything that’s not crucial. Less being more. We've worked with structural engineers, furniture designers, interior designers, CAD technicians and boat builders to realise our idea of the ultimate use of the space for the back of a van. The brief, and the most important thing for us was the van had to be adaptable. It had to haul boxes to the postman, or tools to work and be filled with surfboards etc. Then be able to turn into a campervan in a heartbeat, to go chase after a storm that would be producing waves at the weekend. A universal, yet well thought out solution, that actually worked. Valuing the experiences that life on the road delivers in spades, rather than the things that got us there. Simple living being the ethos. If it wasn’t imperative it had to go”.
So how does this “Contemporary moving space” work? Like all good designs it is deceptively simple. There is a raised floor throughout most of the rear. A space has been left by the sliding door for better access and to allow some extra seating space. Beneath the raised floor are two cavernous draws accessed from the rear and a selection of doors some with pull up storage (see pictures). Suspended above the floor is a fullwidth bed, this can be raised, for extra load space, or lowered, for sleeping purposes. The neat trick is easily performed with the use of all manner of high tech kit mixed with old school know how. I’ll let Oli explain, “We utilise a lot of Carbon Fibre. Our blend is more commonly associated with the aviation industry, the entire bed frame is 100% pre-preg carbon. The canvas is Dacron sailcloth with brass rivets. The ropes and rope rigging for the bed is our own, a classic hemp cover on a Dyneema core, the same as climbing life lines, classic style yet technical and strong. The cleats and blocks for the rigging are Kohlross Loop and Harken. Known throughout the world as the best sailing hardware in the industry. All the hardware and fittings are A6 marine grade stainless. The drawer runners are load rated to 250kg fully extended and are identical to ones the fire service use on their appliancesfor their cutting gear and hoses. The carcass for the false floor will be offered in two materials this version is a material we import from Switzerland. It’s light weight, eco-friendly, strong and most importantly waterproof. We use the term 'Marine Grade' regularly when describing our products. Where the land meets the sea can be a gruelling place, we figured if we built our products for a life at sea, they should be able to sustain the everyday rigors of a life on land." I was surprised with the wheel choice on the van for the photoshoot and asked Oli about them, "We usually have a set of our Stitches + Steel 18x7.5 steel wheels on for daily use, these are amazing and suit the trade spec van perfectly. However, being a bit of a wheel weirdo, these centre locks had to go on for this shoot! Being a MK1 fan usually comes with being a bit of a wheel whore. The truth is, I'm a self-confessed wheel
nerd. I have a collection of rare magnesium period race car split rims and was always on the hunt for something race inspired and special that would work on a T5. After narrowing my hunt down to BMW searches (due to that illusive 5x120 stud pattern) The old BMW race cars being the same as the T5 I figured it would eventually yield something interesting. It was a drop everything and go affair when I finally found this set of six Image, face mounted, three-piece centre lock wheels originally from an old E30 M3 touring car. Two wheels were 17x7 the other four being 17x8. I did my math and figured out the offsets, then worked out how to make them fit. It wasn't a walk in the park, but I now have a van with race car wheels on. Just what you always needed right? The only
van in the world with centre lock wheels probably? I was keen to avoid anything too stretched, but also had the issue of filling a lot of arch as 17s are fairly small in the T5 arches. Not wanting something too balloon like I thought the idea of race tyres would be cool and suit the racey' wheel, whilst also helping to fill the gaps. Some maths and some hunting ended with a set of Renault Clio Cup Dunlop wet race tyres." This is typical of the pair; no stone is left unturned in the pursuit of excellence. Immediately after the shoot Oli and Tor were heading to France for the Quick Pro surf event. The weather was still great and the waves started to do their thing, apparently “the town fills up with great people and has a good vibe”. Look out for a shop tour of Stiches + Steel in a forthcoming issue
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2017 was one hell of a year for us, as we’ve continued to forge our path the support from all who’ve been on this journey with us has been nothing short of overwhelming.
Originally, this year in review mail was going to be the usual download from us about or key moments in 2017 and what excited us about 2018 however we are in-fact going to finally introduce you to our conversion. As that has been our last year. Last few years actually and will also a big part of our 2018.
Less of a conversion, more of a 'contemporary moving space'. Our interpretation of what can achieved with such a small space is certainly a new angle, it has been our labour of love and has lead us down an incredible two year long path. The people we’ve met on this journey and worked alongside on this project have been truly inspirational we are also excited to meet many new ones through our innovative tester program. For all who have been waiting on the conversion tester program or if you simply want to have a look into a new chapter of contemporary van life please follow this link where you will find the film and be able to order the free tester conversion look book pack.
STITCHES + STEEL ‘CONTEMPORARY MOVING SPACE' from S T I T C H E S + S T E E L on Vimeo.
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With a feed clogged full off snow, hopefully this once-every-few-year phenomenon provides a welcome break from the infinite white scroll.
Every once in a while the planets align, quite literally and the wave starved shores of East Anglia light up and do an uncanny impression of a slater wave-pool crossed with a mini Namibia style left hand wave.
Bad coffee and yesterdays croissants, a two fingers up as you leave France, au revoir! Or a terrible welcome depending on which way you’re traveling. Every variety of perfume ever made is on board though, duty free too. Awesome.
Excuse my negativity, us crossing the the channel marks the end of our month long Euro jaunt and that makes me sad. The sensory things the Basque country offers cleanses the soul, and to know they will now have to wait till our next visit is painful.
Cider poured from great heights into deep glasses in narrow streets, cheap wine and cheaper beer, oh and the Tapas! A region so rich in culture obviously has an equally varied coastline to match. The corse grained, famed sand of Southern France on which the Atlantic ocean unloads with such vigour, home to the best sand bottom waves in the world. Heading South the sand eventually becomes rocky peninsular’s smothered in timber framed houses, the timber always painted Blue, Green or burgundy, the traditional basque colours.
Food and culture are the spice every good trip needs, rather selfishly every surfer also needs the ocean to cooperate in producing good waves to match. This October has been nothing short of unbelievable in that sense. As good as it gets in-fact.
Everyday sunny skies have breathed light wind into the faces of incoming lumps from thousands of miles away grooming them to perfection. Any size too. Small and gentle, huge and hollow, point breaks or beaches. If you had the knowledge you could find it. The freak temperature of the air and water didn't hurt either. The Indian summer as locals called it.
This wasn’t our first visit to this sacred elbow in the the Bay of Biscay. We actually make the pilgrimage every year. The same date. The same time. Every year and you should too. Surfboard under your arm or not.
Some things we believe should be kept analogue. Your watch, your note book and also the year planner you keep on the wall. Every year, January 1st (maybe the 2nd or 3rd) the very first thing that gets penned on it is 'Outta here dudes' on the side panel of a badly drawn van vaguely resembling our own, it also has fire behind it giving an indication of how fast we’re hoonin’ South. This art masterclass is scaled to fit perfectly in the box under the date that reads ‘October 1st’. Why The 1st of October? Let me explain.
The first reason being the Camper-van / Van Life Biz is incredibly seasonal. While our customers are off having adventures, making memories and indulging in the
relatively short European summer we are manning the fort and making hay while the sun shines, packing, shipping, trade showing etc. When October rolls around things at S+S HQ are quietening down which gives us a little window to escape and hopefully catch the last glimpse of summer as it retreats south. It's also the perfect opportunity to test next years prototypes and make final adjustments, while shooting photos and getting the required imagery. The holy month of October also usually coincides with the Atlantic ocean waking up from it’s summer slumber which, more often than not, unloads perfect waves onto the shores of Southern Europe luring many a traveling surfer- us included.
New products shot, friends caught up with, too many baguettes and fromage consumed and its time for us to return.
We’ve got a lot of exciting things to work on as well as older projects and products finally arriving and coming to fruition. Our new workshop and office is coming together and we are also very excited about finally offering our take on a contemporary moving space to the public over the coming months.
Good times had, Exciting times coming.
Forth goes the road!
]]>Containers and container living has always intrigued us here, I believe shipping containers share a common thread in more ways than one with vans and van life. Containers being modular and being built to a commercial grade. They are robust structures with no foundations, customisable and purposeful in the sheer nature of application.
The idea for a staggered and teared mini container structure suited STITCHES + STEEL and fitted the brands DNA whilst being affordable and expandable to some extent.
Mersea Island played host to our first beach clean under the surfers against sewage banner. We were overwhelmed with the turn out and the amount of helpers on hand for the day, we were also overwhelmed by the sheer amount of plastic gathered in such a short time on a very familiar and clean looking stretch of sand, the amount of bin bags shocked us personally and other locals who use this stretch of coast so often.
While we hosted the beach clean our good friends over at hosted their annual SUP race which, even due to the Roaring South Easterly winds provided great viewing.
While we're familiar with picking up litter on the way back to the van after a surf, working with SAS, organising this clean and spending more time around the plastic pollution issue has highlighted the severity of whats at hand. While we haven't got the same sized stage to preach these issues, our friends over at SAS have. Give em a follow and dig deep if you can. They have put together a great team who genuinely make sure your money goes as far as it possibly can.
We will be organising another clean shortly.
Shouts go out to all who donned gloves and grabbed a bin bag on the day, massive thanks to all who helped organise such a killer event.
Cheers.
O+T
Deciding to start our own business was a massive move. Having the gumption and putting it all on the line is a dicey affair, realistically we might have one proper go at in our lifetime and the results of failure are huge! Going back to what you did before with your tail between your legs? Letting down the folk who might have invested in you? A failure in certain peoples eyes... A scary prospect, which brings me to why the ECO brand mentality is such a hard one to peddle when setting up shop.
Recycled paper certainly isn't the cheapest. Hardy, eco friendly, affordable packaging is a challenge in itself to find, let alone affordable and that’s before we've thought about the effects of physically transporting stock from A to B or our manufacturing process altogether. These decisions are tough, saving the dolphins or skipping the rent? Combing through the balance sheet lays the problem. Looking after every penny and giving yourself the best possible chance of survival, having a heavier carbon footprint, bigger margins and probably the best chance of making it work or walking the eco path, increasing the RRPs decreasing the margin and crossing our fingers hoping that our clients are all cut from the same environmentally friendly cloth. We've found its not quite that black and white. We have certainly felt the pressure of having eco options and maybe not having the funds to pursue those methods straight away, even though our hearts want too.
As S+S steadily grows, our supply chain gets steadily greener too which puts us in a position where we can not just think greener but also put a bit aside to give to causes which we believe in. You won't have to look far within our brand and marketing to see that being in, on and close to the ocean is something we hold closely at our hearts here at Stitches + Steel, so this year we’re excited to say that we’ve became part of the ‘Surfers against Sewage 250 Club,’ a powerful collective working together to conserve our coastlines. The time and money we donate monthly to SAS goes into education, volunteering, conservation projects and campaigns to protect our precious oceans, waves and beaches.
Being a start up business while being eco friendly is a tough tightrope to walk. We feel very fortunate to be able to give SAS a little bit of our time and money to use their stage, to preach their messages, which we whole-heartedly believe in and are delighted to be part of. Which brings us quite aptly to a SAS beach clean that we are running in collaboration with our good friends over at Island races.
On the 3rd of September Island races are running their Round The Island, Stand Up Paddle Board endurance race. A twelve mile circumnavigation of the most Easterly inhabited island in the UK (also our home town). An amazing event in its own right but also the perfect time to host an SAS beach clean. The island, which can also be circumnavigated by foot, offers the perfect grandstand to spectate whilst also collecting any plastic waste found watching the event. Starboard will also be donating 25 'Ocean Picks' for all who want to enter the subdivision for the 'Save Our Seas' prizes, for most litter plucked from the Ocean on the way round. Prizes being donated by us, SAS and Island races.
For all who want to enter the event entry forms can be found by following this link. Please check it out too if you want or need anymore information regarding the day which promises to be an awesome day out. We will be there all day with bin bags, sign on sheets and all the relevant paraphernalia to help with the beach clean. Give us a shout if you need anymore information. There's sure to be a few beers after too.
]]>Hauling oversized cargo isn't usually an issue for us van dwellers however a good set of roof racks are a must for when the time does eventually arise.
We've worked hard to find our idea of the perfect setup. Low slung, low key, aerodynamic, light weight and universal. They also come with a pair of our large roof rack pads and a set of our tie down straps too.
They will be with us in the next few days and can be ordered from the online store.
#theroadlesstraveled .
Made from corrosion free anodised aluminium
Lightweight but very strong - each bar can carry up to 55kg
89% less drag & 70% quieter than other van roof bars
Fits to the Volkswagen roof fixture points in gutter
Crash tested to ECE Reg 17 to 20g of force
Designed and manufactured in the UK.
Bar Profile (mm): 60mm x 30mm
ULTI Bar Length (mm): 1495mm
Complete Weight: 6kg
Weight Capacity: 55kg per bar distributed evenly
The roof racks fit both LWB and SWB variants and have all the necessary hardware to bolt straight on, no drilling required.
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Zoe has been busy converting the van with her Dad for the last little while with the intention to take it on some pretty serious missions.
We feel lucky to have such interesting creatives part of our community. When Zoe stopped by to pick up her order we discussed life on the road, alternative living and future road trips.
If you're ever in the area, drop us a message and we can put the kettle on. Its always inspiring to meet like minded van-lifers.
If you find yourself in London check out Zoe's beautiful little shop in Hackney. Also give her a follow on instagram @ZMjewellery. She's got some cool trips lined up, the one to the Faeroe Islands sounding particularly wild.
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One of our biggest wants for our conversion project was for all the components to be cut using our CNC machine. The benefits once we had plotted all the shapes are huge however plotting the original shapes isn't a piece of cake. We have decided to use the Volkswagen T5 + 6 platform for the conversion but there are a fair few different variants of the T5 chassis, Our black van covered the Short Wheel Base, Barn door Model variety but we needed to get the required shapes for all Long Wheel base vans and also plot a Tailgate version.
We were given the heads up about the Irish electricity board using LWB tailgate T5s, not only were they panel vans but also 4 motion! The hunt was on.
We finally found and imported this monster that's affectionately been know as "the wasp" since the day it arrived.
It's the last day in its current guise which is a little sad as we've slightly fallen for the empty, tatty wasp. Plus is goes like hell.