Frequently Asked Questions
Are you really building vans or just posting pretty pictures?
Our goal is to eventually build vans. That said, we know we have to start somewhere and that somewhere is a camper van for our own personal use. So building that van using the platform that best fits our needs is where we are going to focus for the time being. If you think our pictures are pretty, just wait until you see the van we build.
What is the Eiger Vans pricing?
For now we have chosen not to sell any Eiger Vans campers. Instead, we are going to focus on building a personal-use prototype using the Eiger-3 Camper design. Once that design is proven and we better understand everything that goes into the build (including manhours), we'll think about trying to sell converted vans. In the meantime, our strawman target is $80-90K for a full-featured Eiger-1 Camper, $120-130K for the Eiger-2 and Eiger-3. This would include the base van and all the standard features shown here for the Eiger-1, here for the Eiger-2 and here for the Eiger-3. Options would be extra and individually priced at our cost plus a reasonable profit (see below).
Which pop-tops do you use?
We will be using the German SCA 152 pop-top for the Eiger-1 which we believe is of superior quality and crash-worthiness to the Reimo product. The SCA 152 includes a very comfortable, spring-supported mattress and three windows, two of which can be fully opened. For the Eiger-2 and Eiger-3 we plan to use the Field Van motorized pop-top which has years of proven use in Sportsmobile and Field Van conversions. We are building our own Eiger-2/Eiger-3 pop-top bed using super lightweight honeycomb panels with a thick laminated foam mattress. We locate USB outlets at the two forward corners. All pop-tops are painted to match the van color.
Do you use 80/20 aluminum extrusions?
No. 80/20 is a hobbyist framing system...some even call it an aluminum "tinker toy". We use a professional-grade, German system designed for industrial applications with patented, hidden connectors. It is lightweight, beautiful, super strong, and does not require brackets, Loctite, or regular bolt tightening. Nothing is going to shake loose. All the furniture will be assembled and installed in modules that can be easily removed from the van. The electrical and plumbing systems can be disconnected at the furniture module junctions.
What is the lead time for a new Eiger Van?
Right now, we are estimating 8-12 months including new van acquisition. This may change after our experience building the prototype.
Do you use the Reimo bench/bed system?
No. While the Reimo bench/bed does include belt restraints, we don't like how much it costs and how uncomfortable it is to sit and sleep on. We are building a very comfortable "rock and roll" bench/bed with 4" Dacron-wrapped, removable cushions that is 79" long (81" for the Eiger-2 and Eiger-3) when fully extended. Our 3/4" bamboo pivot table has two mounting locations and can be pushed out of the way to a locked position above the fridge/freezer. The table top can be detached from the table leg and then be clipped to the back of the bench backrest, then the table leg can be clipped to the floor below the bench seat. Eiger Vans are designed for two-person use and as such don't include rear seat belt restraints, however we do expect to offer this in subsequent models.
What options do you offer?
We plan to give you the flexibility to make your Eiger Van your own. Options would include the following: ARB Touring or Fiamma F45S awning with custom mounting brackets, ARB twin air compressor connected to starter battery, swivel driver’s seat, sliding door operable side window (Eiger-1 only), Kenwood 10” stereo head unit (Eiger-1 only) and speaker replacement, solar panels, porta potti ottoman/garage and Thetford porta potti. The Eiger-3 Camper prototype is getting a complete audio system upgrade including component speakers up front, a 5-channel amp, swivel-mounted pod speakers in back, and a subwoofer hidden in a furniture module.
Is Eiger Vans a Swiss company?
While the Eiger is located in Switzerland, we're located in Seattle. We chose "Eiger" because it reflects the Germanic heritage of our ownership, the platforms we build on, the pop-top we use for the Metris, and our framing system. But also because it is symbolic of the quality of the build we are planning and the adventure we expect our future customers to seek. Eiger climbers don't compromise and neither does Eiger Vans.
Can I convert a Metris, Sprinter, or Transit I already own?
Our plan is to eventually allow this, but the van would need to fit the design. So yes, if your Metris is the 126" wheelbase model and has dual sliding doors, your Sprinter is a low-roof 144" wheelbase model, or your Transit is a mid-roof 148" wheelbase model. Either passenger or cargo model is fine. We would do a van delete on the final cost which should reduce the price by about $50K for the Eiger-1 and about $60-70K for the Eiger-2 and Eiger-3. Converting your own van would significantly reduce the lead time quoted above.