Continental Tyres has partnered with the Keenaghan family otherwise known as the ‘Vantastic Family’ who share their adventures in their own lovingly converted camper van on social media (@ourvantasticfamily on Instagram). Parents Lisa and Oliver with their children Chloe (9), Charlotte (6), and Frankie (5) are the proud owners of Mack, their VW Crafter camper van that they converted themselves, doing all of the design and fit out work. The Keenaghans are part of a growing community of ‘van life’ adventurers who chart their travels across Ireland and further afield across Europe for a burgeoning audience online.
Tom Dennigan of Continental Tyres Ireland said: “Lisa, Oliver and family have truly answered the call of the open road and it is very interesting to follow their adventures on their social media. We are delighted to partner with them and provide a set of our Vanco Contact All Season tyres to ensure Mack is well prepared for clocking up the kilometres. The All Season mention in the name of these tyres means that they are ideal for the climate that we face in Ireland, never too hot and never too cold, they have been specially developed to provide the best performance on wet or dry roads in a temperate climate where rain is never too far away.”
Lisa Keenaghan from the Vantastic Family said: “We are thrilled with the partnership with Continental. Our top priority before hitting the road with the family for an adventure in Mack is always safety and in particular for a vehicle such as our converted VW Crafter, with the extra weight from the fit out, good tyres with the right spec are an absolute ‘must have’ as they are the vehicle’s only contact point with the road. We clock up more than 10,000kms travelling each year, on all types of roads and in all weathers, so you need to be sure that the vehicle is fitted with the correct tyres that guarantee that you can safely stop when you need to.”
The best advice is to always consult with a trained expert at a reputable tyre retailer such as Best Drive which is owned by German premium tyre manufacturer, Continental. The whole family were involved in the design and fit out of Mack with functionality and comfort at the forefront of their plans. Mack has a kitchen area and a fixed double bed for Mam and Dad as well as dual purpose beds for the children and for the family pet dog, Indi. Mack also boasts a compact bathroom and ample storage space.
Lisa and Oliver purchased the VW Crafter second-hand, a standard working van, in February of this year and they immediately set about the task of converting it to their dream home on wheels. In all it took them just over three months to complete the project and they were quickly on the road in their luxury home away from home.
The Keenaghans are seasoned ‘van lifers’ as they previously had a converted Renault camper van. They have given lots of advice to other families interested in getting onto the road in their own conversions. According to Oliver: “That is one thing that is great about the van life community, we are all very interested in helping each other out, so anyone thinking about getting on the road in their own camper only has to ask and they will get oodles of very good advice from people who have gone through it all before them. We all follow each other’s adventures and if you were to bump into another ‘van lifer’ on the road, it goes without saying that you would get the grand tour of the ‘bus.’”
The Keenaghans are just as happy heading off around Ireland or driving onto the ferry for a UK or European trip. Their best trip to date according to Lisa was last year when they took Mack to France and went all the way to Lake Annecy, on the Swiss border. “It was such a beautiful location and we enjoyed relaxing beside the lake while the kids splashed about in the perfect blue waters and all with the stunning backdrop of the Alps towering above us.”
Here’s to many more kilometres of safe driving for the Keenaghans and Mack!
