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If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this video is worth 60,000 words per second. So first, let’s get right to it:
We first encountered this screen door on a Pleasure-Way Lexor at an RV show. It closes automatically with magnets each time you pass through it! Our screen door had been known to be finicky on its track, so this was very appealing to us. But this screen door also addresses another issue we’ve had in our van: James forgetting about the screen door and closing the sliding van door on it and breaking it. I’ve actually done that about 6 times, and I’m not proud of it. That won’t ever happen again, or if it does, it won’t be an issue as the new door is entirely made of fabric.
When we saw the door on the Pleasure-Way, we took note of the manufacturer, who you can find here: https://rolef.ca/en/moustiquaire-vr.php
I wanted to order the Pleasure-Way door, but there was an issue. The Lexor screen door wouldn’t work for us, even though it is based on a ProMaster like our Travato. This is because the Lexor is accessed from the front of the sliding door opening, and our Travato G requires access from the back of that opening (due to our water tank/ottoman). I filled out their “Contact Us” form, and waited.
This is the most literal response ever from a “Contact Us” form
It didn’t take long before I was contacted by Roger, the owner. Roger agreed to find a Travato G, develop a pattern, and make a screen door for us. They made not one pattern, but two – one for the sliding door, and another for the rear door. Once they had them complete, they arranged to come to Salt Lake City and install them for us. This was their first attempt at a Travato, and they wanted to be sure to get it right.
The install was actually not that difficult. The door is mainly installed with Velcro.
The Velcro is ingenious, because it allows them to move and adjust the door during installation. This way, they can get the drape and sweep correct, and they can keep tweaking it until it closes perfectly every time (as ours do). Once the position is completely dialed in, they finalize the installation with a few screws.
The rear door is even more impressive than the side one, because it contains an extra tent-flap like piece that allows us to completely visually close off the rear of the van. So when we don’t want the screen, we zip it up and have an opaque wall. It works well enough that I’ve now removed the MCD shades we had previously installed. Two doors, no-see-um netting, nothing to store in a cabinet, no sticking or jumping off the track… perfect. (Plus, Stef says this style of door is more #vanlife.)
If you’d like one, here’s what to do:
First, go to THIS LINK. That will actually take you to rolef.ca, which is them. Now that they have a working pattern for a Travato, they can sell more of them, so fill out the contact form and they’ll get back to you. As I write this, the Travato G doors are not on the website yet, but they can make them. I imagine our screen door would also work for other Class B ProMaster conversions where you need to enter and exit through the rear of the sliding door opening. Beyond the Travato, they make the same style of screen for various Sprinters, Transits, old-school vans, you name it. They seem to have a pretty good library of templates.
Here’s the really cool part. If you can gather enough people who want one in one place (and the number seems to be about 8 or more), they would consider heading out to your location to install them! So if you’re planning a rally, get-together, or meet-up, this is something to consider. I can’t make promises on their behalf, but they did seem very willing to make this happen. And naturally, if you’re in the Montreal area, you could always stop by their place to have them install one of their screens for you.
Roger does make other products which I’m sure we’ll eventually try, but for now, I’ll just bask in the cool breezes from our hassle-free screen doors. Cheers!
Hi James & Stef..
Hoping you can help. We bought a 2019 Form Transit. We are doing our own build. I am looking for screens for the side “pop” open windows. Any idea in all the factory reviews I have seen you do, who makes these? I saw on one brand ( didn’t make notes :() that had the screen that pulled across for during the day and a night shade for privacy.. would love to purchase something like that-or pay to have them made.. been searching but to no avail…Please le t know if you do…
Many thanks
Rosanne
Sorry. I haven’t seen a product like that. You might try a custom awning company locally, if you want to have something made.
On the 59K NPS version you have been testing, does the Rolef screen allow you to use the grab bar for entering/exiting the slider? If others don’t know, there is a bar mounted on the side of the table pedestal that helps getting in and out safely.
I make mistakes at least 1% of the time and I may go in and out the slider more than 100 times per trip, so … I make a point to always use the grab bar when I embark or disembark. Is it possible to reach around the Rolef screen and grab the bar?
Is the old style sliding screen still an option? I love that screen, even though it’s slightly balky. The old screen doesn’t interfere with the grab bar if you open it sufficiently.
The grab bar is most definitely *inside* the screen.
You could lift or move the screen to grab it for ingress, if you were so inclined.
Are you still happy with your upgraded screen doors?
Ab-so-freaking-lutely!!
The link http://rvcustomscreen.com. is dead.
Thanks for letting me know. Fixing it now.
You two did too good of a job! The screen door tension mechanism on our 70B Era broke today. I remembered this video and reached out and tried to make a purchase. Received an email after a few hours saying they were not taking any additional orders until the end of the year! So it seems like a great product. Going to try to make one ourselves and see if it’s good enough to get us through the rest of the summer.
Things have certainly picked up for Roger since we made that first video.
Hopefully, he’s working himself out from under the backlog and will be taking orders again soon!
Hi I left a message yesterday and the only reason I am leaving another message is that we are leaving for a month long trip in late aug of this yr and would like to know if you have screens that would fit our 2010 Roadtrek sprinter for the side sliding door and the back door…could you please let me know if this is possible to get screens for our campervan. Thank you
Hi Judy –
We don’t sell the screens. We just like them!
Suggest you follow the link in the article to go to the Rolef site and ask them personally.
The link is right under the heading “If you’d like one, here’s what to do.”
I do know they make Sprinter products, so I suspect they can get you fixed up.
Now that you have had the door installed for over a year, are you still pleased with it and happy you made the change?
Oh absolutely. It’s on our list of “must-do” mods for any future camper van.
$800 bucks is a lot of money!! Can you suggest one that you like for about $500
Haven’t seen a different one that works as well or that I like.
If I had to do this, and couldn’t buy this one for some reason… I’d make something myself.
James – can you think of any reason why this wouldn’t work on the K (just as yours is configued)? Seems to be the issue is they don’t have access to a K to make a pattern.
I believe they have a pattern for a K now. I saw them installing one at GNR!
Contact them via their web site and they can give you the latest.
Scat mat is the answer, and they make a long thin one-
PetSafe ScatMat Indoor Pet Training Strip, 46″ L X 3″ W
It is battery powered and one can be very creative in its use, like placing on the bottom of this RVcustomscreen.
I’ve used Scatmats for years with dogs and cats. It is just as ingenious as this screen door is.
My question is if they have a pattern for our Promaster 1500 high roof (with no obstructions in the sliding door area), can I purchase, they ship and I install?
Or do I have to drive to Canada or do they have to come to me ???/
We use scat mats all the time in the house AND in the RV. Haven’t considred using one in that area, but it’s not a bad idea. By now, Mel just avoids stepping on any plastic altogether, so we could probably use something else even…
Regarding their patterns, I don’t know if they have one for a door with no obstructions. You’d have to contact them and ask. They have, I believe, shipped for self-install on occasion. But I think they honestly prefer to install them. Pride in their product I think… they don’t want to see their product installed incorrectly.
OK, I’ve written. We’ll see what they say. We did a self-build and after
the electrical this screen install looks cake.
Back to ScatMat, For others who might read this (James I’m sure you know already), that after a mild shock the ScatMat can be subbed out with a ‘fake’ scat mat and the animals will leave it alone……well for a while anyway 🙂
I tried to install it and it keeps coming out of the door seal. I live in SLC can you show me how to install this were it does not keep slipping out of the door frame
Unfortunately, we’re not around right now. (And I’m not an official ROLEF support tech anyway!)
I’d suggest contacting them directly for support. Roger installed ours – he’s the one with the real knowledge.
Went to the site and did not see an option for a pleasure way lexor. I gathered from your post that this company already made for that model but I only saw options for pleasure way on the sprinter chassis. Am I missing something?
Their web site is incomplete. I know they do offer something for the Lexor.
If you can’t get hold of Roger, perhaps you could order it from Pleasure-Way directly as a replacement part?
can you provide a number to call for those that live in the US, I cannot find a number to cal the at, I have emailed a dozen ties but no response ,does anyone have a number for them if you liven the US. there is no us number on their website..
The number I have for them is 514-943-8284.
It’s on their website under “Nous Contacter”.
If these guys come to GNR, I bet they sell out.
I know, right?
Is there a phone number I can call?
I have a
Dodge Pro master 3500
Travato 59g
Year 2015
Couldn’t find any place to ask them any questions
Thanks
They should be able to make screens for your rig no problem.
There is a “contact us” page on their website. You can find that here:
http://rolef.ca/nous-contacter/
Just remember that Roger’s first language is French, so expect that if you call. (They speak English just fine.) They are also very busy, so email may be the better way. That is how I got in touch with them initially.
Saw these at the 2016 Hershey show. I though they were the best thing at the show. Best execution of a magnetic screen door yet. Unfortunately our Class B is neither a Sprinter or a ProMaster.
How easy was the install, i have heard it can be tricky. I want one ! But I suspect I may be on my own with the install. In Boston, MA area and have a 2016 PW Lexor which is also built on the Ram ProMaster.
It didn’t seem that difficult (but of course, I had the owners/designers there doing it for me).
The Velcro really helps out in this regard, because once the velcro is up, you can keep moving/adjusting the material until it hangs just right.
James, I saw this on a PW at a rally and had to have it. Like you I marvelled at the design but also at the quality of the product. This is great workmanship! Roger with partner came out and installed ours on the west coast and I I was happy to meet this talented duo. I tried to make my own and have had others comment on cost, but for what we got this was a must have for our rving and worth every penny. I also can’t believe how Roger has designed a screen for pretty well every make given the openings aren’t a simple flat square. Enjoy because we have.
Ron
Glad to hear that our experience with them isn’t unique!
Their library of patterns is pretty impressive.
How do you open the sliding door from the inside when the screen is in place?
You’d have to either unzip the screen or slide your hand around somehow.
Typically, when inside with the slider closed, you’d roll it up. At least, that’s our plan.
Interesting product. I would be concerned about how vermin proof this is though. I reckon a determined snake could get in pretty easily (we have had more than a few Eastern Brown snakes – the second most deadly land snake in the world – slip around our screens.) as well as mice.
Also, couldn’t a pet inside the rv, like a dog or cat, or even a small child (not technically a pet) easily push the screen open from the inside and escape?
Uhhh…
I think they mainly intend this screen for insects. They probably haven’t tested it against mice, snakes, bears, etc. This screen is open at the bottom – just as our previous screen was. So at least we have not made things any more vulnerable.
And as far as pets, they did tell me that pets can eventually figure out the screen. Our cat, Mel, would just go underneath our last one, so we’d have the same issue here.
My SIL has a door like this on her house just so the dog can go in and out. Wouldn’t be good on an RV with dog or cat that you don’t want to escape. We don’t have pets (or small children), so not a problem for us. I like the idea.
Well done, sir!
Hats off to the good folks at http://rvcustomscreen.com/
Nice ! James, tell us, how enthusiastic are you about this, really 🙂 ?
I like the solution for the back especially. Now we need to get rvcustomscreens to add this to their list of supported vehicles !
Lol. 😉
I must have tried to defeat the screens about a hundred times now!
I live in Canada and I’ve had this screen on the sliding door opening of my Lexor TS (ProMaster) for two years and its been excellent. It’s exactly as James has described and same for the excellent service from Roger and his team! I’ve also bought their custom fit front window cover and screens for the driver side and passenger side door windows – also excellent.
Glad to hear that our experience with Roger and his team is not unique. Super nice people and a great product!