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We're Van Compass

Based in North Idaho, we build what we’ve spent years testing and refining—on and off the trail. Every Van Compass product starts as a need—born in the field, not the boardroom, and gets engineered with purpose by a team that lives this life.

 

We don’t guess; we test. Every design is proven across thousands of off-road miles before it earns the Van Compass name. Our process blends hands-on experience with relentless precision to deliver gear that performs where it matters most.

 

Built by off-roaders. Refined by engineers. 

Trusted by those who refuse to turn around.

 

Van Compass exists to take you farther—to the places you dream about, 

where the pavement ends & adventure begins.

The O.G. Adventure Van Innovators

 

In 2015, two college friends and engineers, Mark Hesser and Rob Peterson, looked at their vans and saw a gap they couldn’t ignore. Both obsessed with off-road exploration and armed with fabrication know-how, they set out to build what 

didn’t exist: parts that worked in the dirt, not just on paper.

 

Mark bought a 2004 Sprinter as a weekend van, started upgrading it for trails, and turned to Rob with a what-if: “Could we build our own suspension, armor, and components for this thing?” What began as midnight wrench sessions and shop experiments grew into Van Compass — first as a side hustle, 

eventually earning full-time devotion.

 

They spent years refining, rebuilding, and testing — in deserts, mountains, and everywhere a road wouldn't reach. Along the way, the company moved north, to Rathdrum, Idaho, added passionate makers, and scaled from niche lift kits 

to industry-leading suspension, armor, and essentials for Sprinter, Transit, and Promaster.

Engineered to Perform

We don’t just build gear — we build the stuff that lets us do what we love most. Weekends, long hauls, and late nights in the shop all blur together on the road to building the perfect part. Our vans are test rigs, our commutes are proving grounds, and every new idea starts with a “what if” 

and a wrench.

 

Around here, engineering isn’t a job — it’s how we tell stories. Those stories start as sketches, turn into prototypes, and end as successful runs down a rugged forest road — each one adding to the knowledge we pour back into our parts. It’s real-world experience, measured in miles 

and memories.

 

We know what it’s like to stare down a washed-out trail or a snow-packed pass and think, yeah, let’s go. That moment — that confidence... 

is what Van Compass is built for.

Stories From the Road

May 2015
VC Starts
From garage grit to category leader.
Sep 2015
First Sprinter Kit
Launches the platform focus.
Nov 2016
First 4x4 Lift
Trail-ready stance for Sprinter.
Apr 2020
Topo Kit
Signature geometry + ride quality.
Sep 2020
Falcon Shocks Launch
VC-tuned, on-the-fly adjustability.
Nov 2022
Rathdrum Factory
Scale up manufacturing and QA.
Jan 2023
Opti-Rate Springs
Load-matched spring rates.
Oct 2023
Inverted Rally Struts
Strength + serviceability, rally-style.
Oct 2023
Laser Cutter + Brake
In-house precision & speed.
Apr 2024
Acquired by RANDYS
Fuel to accelerate R&D and scale.

Hit the Road & Keep in Touch

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