We get asked this more than anything else, and the answer is usually shorter than people expect.
The Ovano Switch range is a set of bed and storage systems that fit without cutting or drilling. Each one gives you a proper drawer, and thousands have been sold across the range. Which one you need depends first on your van, and then on a few choices about the drawer and the top. We'll take them in that order.
First, a quick explainer
Two names do most of the work in this post:
- Switch means the whole family of bed systems: the Switch XL, the Switch Narrow and the Switch for the T7 and Transit Custom. All of them have an articulated top, so they give you a drawer, a bulkhead option and a full-size double bed.
- Crew Cab Storage System (we call it the DualDeck) is the one exception. It has the same drawer but a flat top and no bed, and it's built for vans with a factory crew cab bulkhead. It isn't called a Switch, so when we say "all Switch models" below, it isn't included.
Which one fits your van?
- VW Transporter T5 and T6: the Switch XL or the Switch Narrow. See the full T5 & T6 range.
- VW Transporter T7 and Ford Transit Custom (from 2023): the Switch, or the Crew Cab Storage System if your van has a factory crew cab bulkhead. See the full T7 & Transit Custom range.
One thing we get asked a lot: we don't make a Narrow for the newer vans, and we won't. The Narrow isn't compatible with the T7 and Transit Custom's newer fitting and tie-down points, so the full-width drawer is the only option on those platforms. If you're still deciding between the vans themselves, our honest take on the T7 and Transit Custom might help, and so might our post on LWB vs SWB.
What they all have in common
Whichever you choose, you get:
- The OneTouch drawer system. One hand, one movement. We designed it because ordinary drawers on runners are a faff when you use them forty times a day. Here's why we designed it.
- A 180kg drawer load capacity. That's a real working number, so tools and kit are fine in there.
- No drilling and no cutting. It fits without a single hole drilled, and comes out again in about twenty minutes.
- Lease-friendly fitting. Nothing is drilled, so it goes back to how it was when the lease ends.
- High quality materials and a 2-year warranty. We build to be used every day, and we back it.
And on all Switch models (everything except the Crew Cab Storage System), you also get a full-size double bed.
Switch XL vs Switch Narrow (T5 and T6)
The XL is the full-width unit. The Narrow is slimmer and leaves a cubby alongside the drawer. Everything above the drawer is identical. The articulated top works the same on both, so bed size, length and height don't decide it. Bed, bulkhead and mini bulkhead all work on either one.
Why most people buy the XL. Honestly, that's usually fine. Partly it's because it's the one we show first. Partly it's because people see bigger as better. Unless you have a specific job in mind for the cubby on the Narrow, the XL is the obvious choice, and they're probably right.
Why the Narrow still makes a lot of sense. The Narrow isn't the obvious choice, but it's a brilliant one if you've got a use for that cubby. We've never had anyone buy a Narrow and be disappointed. Both are amazingly versatile bits of kit, and this is a case of fit, not good versus bad.
The clearest example is camera and production crews. They run the Narrow with light stands and tripods standing alongside the drawer, Peli cases in the drawer itself, and the top left clear as extra load space, or as a bed when the day runs long. It suits plenty of other long, awkward kit too: surfboards, golf clubs, fishing rods, step ladders, awnings. You can store longer items in the XL as well, it's just less practical. The Narrow's cubby keeps them put away properly, especially if you want them stowed while the bed is laid out.
The other group is the cooks. Pull the drawer out, stand under the tailgate, and you've got a kitchen that's out of the rain.
Seat layout. Both work with any combination of kombi seats, but the Narrow pairs especially well with the 2+1 or the three-singles setup. Take out the single on the passenger side and you've got access to the full length of the van, with the bed platform still out.
Planning to sleep in it? Our Forty Winks mattress is sized for both the XL and the Narrow.
Switch for T7 and Transit Custom
The Switch for T7 and Transit Custom is essentially the Switch XL for the newer platform. It's a full-width drawer, with a few very minor differences such as the fitting kit. There's no Narrow version for the reasons above.
Crew Cab Storage System (T7 and Transit Custom)
The Crew Cab Storage System has the same drawer as the Switch XL and the Switch: same size, capacity and drawer height. The difference is the top. The articulation is removed and you're left with a flat surface, a second tier for carrying larger items.
It's designed for vans with a factory-fitted crew cab bulkhead, which is the bulkhead behind the second row of seats, not behind the driver's seats. Tradespeople use it to get a divide between the front and back while still carrying passengers in the rear. Because that bulkhead limits the length available, a bed would never fit, which is why we've left the articulation out.
If you later remove the bulkhead, the Crew Cab Storage System can be upgraded to a full Switch by adding an extra part, so you get the full versatility back.
So which one should you get?
If you've got a T7 or Transit Custom with a crew cab bulkhead, get the Crew Cab Storage System. If you've got a T7 or Transit Custom without one, get the Switch. On a T5 or T6, if you can't name what would live in the cubby, get the XL and don't think twice. If you can, and it's tripods, rods, boards or a kitchen, the Narrow will serve you better.
Keep the drawer quiet and protected with our rubber drawer mats, and worried about what's in the van overnight? Read our post on how thieves choose a van.
One thing a Switch isn't
If what you really want is a full camper where travelling is the only use, a Switch isn't that. We wrote about why most campervan conversions don't suit real life, and that post is the better place to start. Comparing us with other brands? See Ovano vs Cadco, Bekule and Infinity Customs. And if you're thinking of putting a van through your business, read Kombi vans and business tax.
Quick answers
Do I need to drill or cut anything to fit a Switch?
No. It fits without any drilling or cutting, and comes out in around twenty minutes.
Is the Switch lease-friendly?
Yes. Nothing is drilled, so it can come out and the van goes back as it was.
How much can the drawer hold?
The drawer is rated for 180kg.
Do all Switch models include a bed?
Yes, a full-size double bed on every Switch model. The only product in the range without one is the Crew Cab Storage System.
Is there a Switch Narrow for the T7 or Transit Custom?
No. The Narrow isn't compatible with the newer vans' fitting and tie-down points, and we don't plan to make one.
What's the difference between the Switch and the Crew Cab Storage System?
They share the same drawer. The Switch has the articulated top, so it can make a bed. The Crew Cab Storage System has a flat top and is designed for vans with a factory crew cab bulkhead.
Can I upgrade a Crew Cab Storage System later?
Yes. If you remove the crew cab bulkhead, an extra part turns it into a full Switch.
Where's the crew cab bulkhead?
Behind the second row of seats, not behind the driver's seats.
Can I store longer items in the XL?
Yes, they'll go in, it's just less practical than the Narrow's cubby, especially with the bed laid out.
Is a Switch a full camper conversion?
No. It's built for vans that work and also do the weekend.
Is there a warranty?
Yes, two years.
