A HEALTHIER approach to Van Life? YOUR best build.

[sting]

I wanted to try van life years ago, but to keep my build simple for several reasons. While “simple” means something different to everyone, continually seeing more beautiful and luxurious builds with extra features made me feel... bad and question myself. If that’s you as well, I made a video for you

 

[user 22017]

I have felt the same way

 

[JDub]

It's easy to feel that way, it's human nature, but don't fall for the hype. Simple, frugal, and austere builds that are reliable, meet your needs, and leave as little of a footprint as possible is all you need. There is true elegance in a well planned, well executed, simple and comfortable design (even in a non permanent build such as I favor) which gives you everything you need without fussy and ostentatious bells and whistles (and high additional cost). Are you on the road to enjoy the experience and live a simple frugal existence which is the ideal behind Nomad life, or for a traveling extension of "keeping up with the Jone's?

Cheers!

 

[sting]

Very well said, JDub! Thanks for your words... and thanks Carla618 for confirming that there are others who identify with what I'm saying.

 

[gizmotron]

Do you really need cabinets and countertops? I like simplicity and modular multi-purpose. It gives me space. I know that I don't like not being able to stretch out. So I have a bed down the hall design where the bed is also a couch right behind the driver seat. That leaves a multi-purpose space opposite the bed/couch. I took 29 inches of van length and created a full bathroom with a toilette and a shower. Beyond that is my mechanical room and outdoor kitchen. All I gave up was a large garage for junk. Just about everyone builds a kitchen & sink at the side cargo door. I built a functional false wall instead. It takes up two inches of floor space and allows me to have a screen door that works when I use a swamp cooler. That cooler rolls around the open space and out of the way. I have a portable work bench and kitchen work space that stashes away behind the false internal wall and the side of the bathroom. It is 16 inches wide when set up. I have six lengths that it can be used as, 3ft, 4ft, 5ft, and 10ft. It's adjustable in height and can hold 250lbs. This serves all I need for a kitchen. I can take it all outside too. I store stuff under the bed in tubs and where the passenger seat once was located. I don't have plans for a floor covering yet. The walls are CDX plywood over R-10 insulation and sound deadening. I consider this perfect for my needs. I don't have plans to make it ornate and opulent. I will not be installing gold fixtures in the bathroom. It's my mancave on wheels. I started the design around the desire for a bathroom and a multi-use open space. The van then designed itself from there.

 

[GoingMobile]

That's a little more minimal than I would be satisfied with, particularly the lack of insulation, but I get the point. You don't have to go so far to get the job done to make it functional, and many of us get carried away and could get by with much less. In art and design we value "economy of means" getting maximum effect with minimal effort. Its an interesting challenge and takes some thought and adaptability.

I've definitely gone over the edge into wretched excess. Insulation, vent fans, compressor fridge, solar electric system, propane system for stove/oven, hot water, and a water system with 32 gallon fresh tank. Cabinets with secret storage spaces, counter top, sink, etc. Essentially a tiny house on wheels. I've had during the pandemic a very low cost place to hide out and teach online but have been able to keep my job and salary, and much of it has gone into my van build. A unique set of circumstances that allowed me to follow a particular build process. Now that I'm almost finished I'm generally happy with it, but I feel I need to take some test journeys to put it all into practice to see where my plans don't match the reality of it. And yes, I could have done it all a lot simpler and cheaper.

But I'm an artist, love a creative challenge and have totally enjoyed the process of designing and building it. All the problem solving and learning new things are things I thrive on. Also when I was 12 years old my father bought a 1971 Dodge Tradesman Maxi Van and we converted it into a family camping vehicle. He worked in aerospace so we had some cool surplus materials such as high tech insulation and aluminum sandwich floorboards from jet liners to work with. I enjoyed working with my dad on that, the family had many great adventures with it, and I learned the value of insulation and to consider condensation when building in a big metal box. We took some camping trips when it was cold and snowing and stayed warm.

There's one person on this forum who built a mock up of his van layout in his bedroom measuring out the space and using furniture and cardboard to build out the space. I think that's useful and I probably would have made some useful adjustments had I gone to the trouble. I think its a good exercise to think of your daily needs, activities, and what else you might desire, what you need in terms of materials, space, and structure for that to work and be able to store what you are not using without having to spend too much time searching for it. It really is like a house, but its good to rethink what is essential and what is extraneous. No limit to the possible variations as to how you meet your needs in your space. I enjoy seeing all of the different builds, but yeah, sometimes its all too much and you need to think it through for yourself, your available time, budget, get it done, use it, make adjustments, etc. Less can certainly be a good way to go. Just what you really need and no more.

 

[DannyB1954]

All depends on the desired comfort level. Some travel the world with a bicycle or just a back pack.
Some also depends on the climate you are in. No heat or insulation may be fine in some places.

 

[LeftTown]

After unexpectedly living in my 30 year old Honda Accord for three months, a minivan with a military cot and a bunch of totes feels like luxury.

But I did treat myself to a couple of the cute totes in pastel Easter colours that the big boxes are hawking this time of year.

Since I like Easter, I may grab a couple more just for fun when they hit the dollar discount bin at the thrift stores next May.

Please keep making more videos, OP.

 

[Calypso]

I wanted to try van life years ago, but to keep my build simple for several reasons. While “simple” means something different to everyone, continually seeing more beautiful and luxurious builds with extra features made me feel... bad and question myself. If that’s you as well, I made a video for you

As someone who is just starting this … THANK YOU. I was just talking to my kids about this… and I felt I was getting sucked back into the societal expectations and pressure and being “good enough”.

I guess I fall somewhere in the middle. Do I really need 4’ of kitchen space.. meh maybe not but that’s what I want. And I may find out it’s too much down the line, but that’s me to find out. On the other hand, do I really need the fancy kitchen faucet that is basically a hose or what’s needed for big pasta pots… no, I don’t feel like that’s a requirement of a good build.

I really appreciate how you aren’t bagging on anyone, but being totally inclusive. Because I do want some “nicer” things … that doesn’t make me a sell out or a millennium lemming, or any less of a “insert whatever label here”. Just because they aren’t important to you, maybe they are to me … and that’s okay and doesn’t make me any less dedicated. I’m not out to prove to myself or others how tough I am by being able to do this with the least.

It is each of our experiences, and to me, pooping in a hole isn’t an experience I need to repeat (I did it enough as a kid camping). I will enjoy life a bit more to have a toilet. To me, that makes my experience better, I enjoy it more. Doesn’t make me a premadonna, but it’s also okay not to have the Natures Head toilet.

Roughing it .. idk some see that as a badge or some sort, some see having a beautiful decor centerfold sprinter van as a badge. Who needs badges? I think that’s the exact thing I’m trying to get away from. A society of badges, labels, status and rankings, expectations and judgements and comparisons.

There is an algorithm that keeps bringing up the same type videos and it’s frustrating. I’d probably not of seen this one if it hadn’t been for this forum…
so THANK YOU.

 

[BelgianPup]

Viewers of the elaborate van videos should keep in mind that many of those people aren't full-timers. They use it for summer vacations and weekends, but you know that's about it.

They have poured a bunch of money into it, and they will likely NEVER get out of it what they put into it.

 

[LargeMarge]

... to keep my build simple... “simple” means something different...

.
War-gaming around the campfire with our caravan chums:
* we contemplated a tent inside a 1970s or 80s one-ton 4x4 cargo van, those 'computer-free' years of our care-free youth.
* we considered a hundred variations of ways to simplify...
.. including our usual Plan A -- a passel of mules trudging the back-country.
.
Each of us eventually came to a similar conclusion:
* we simply do not need much.
The usual food, shelter, companions.
Security... however you define this for you.
.
.
PS:
I define my security as one of our caravan chums, plus my individual or our group ability to produce a controlled series of astonishingly-loud noises in multiple directions simultaneously.
Some may see us during security rehearsals, and think we are having too much fun.
Nay nay!
Our rehearsal time is quite serious.
.
The fun comes as we practice our restraint on unsuspecting trespassers -- usually during their care-free youth -- looking for an easy score from a bunch of flabby semi-nekkid hippies...
...singing lusty sea-chanties, but not lusty enough so we tend to change the lyrics to describe up-coming 'events'...
... pillaging and burning!
YeeHaw!
.
An aside:
The order seems to be more important than we realized during our early adventures in rambunctiousness:
* Pillage first, then Burn.
.
.
What was the q?
It appears I got carried away again...
... spilling the family secrets again...

 

[user 22017]

Funny stuff!

 

[Tony's Dream]

I like the simple build, in fact it's even more simple than yours Sting. Everything in my van can be removed in about 15 minutes, except for the cupboard mounted on the wall (see the picture on my profile). I had a nice pull behind A frame camper with a lot of little gadgets......AC, TV, gas stove, fridge, sink, ect. Hooking it up, taking it down, and pulling it everywhere I went was a pain to me. I was never very good at backing it up either. My van has a bed, yeti cooler, 5 gallon water bottle, and butane portable stove. It has been my experience that the more gadgets I have, the more issues I may have with them. Campers are like boats, they look pretty in the beginning but soon become money pits......with things going wrong all the time. If I had the money, I too might go for a fancy full conversion because I would also have the money to have someone repair it when things go wrong.

 

[dhuff]

Viewers of the elaborate van videos should keep in mind that many of those people aren't full-timers. They use it for summer vacations and weekends, but you know that's about it.

They have poured a bunch of money into it, and they will likely NEVER get out of it what they put into it.

I have to shake my head when I see one of these "Instagram rigs" up for sale on Facebook or wherever. They try pricing it to "get out of it what they put into it" and it rivals the cost of some new or lightly used Class B RVs from a decent mfg. For a well-used, sometimes amateurish van conversion with way fewer, practical features (YMMV on what's "practical" of course).