We’ve got a 2020 Sprinter 2500 Crew 4x4. We built it out with a galley kitchen, and platform bed, upgraded seats, air conditioner, fridge, diesel heater, etc. It’s basically got the essentials we needed to be comfortable, but we didn’t put in a shower or toilet.
Ours is the last year of the 6 cylinder 4x4, and we upgraded the suspension and put on a cargo rack and a few other external mods.
You’ll spend a fortune on batteries that would give you the ability to run AC. Shore power is not an issue (obviously), but you’ll need a generator with a soft start if you want AC when boondocking.
I’ve used our van for a base camp for hunting for several years, and it’s been great. Switching into 4 wheel drive and low, will get me most everywhere I can go in my 3/4 pickup, but I’m pretty cautious and don’t push my luck.
It’s pretty nice to sleep on a queen sized mattress with the diesel heater keeping the van a constant 65 degrees (or warmer if you want) in cold weather, and being able to cook inside with running water and do whatever else you need to do is really nice. I still backpack hunt quite a few days, but being able to get back to the van and really be comfortable is awesome.
There is a TON of cargo space in our van due to how it’s configured, and I can put practically as many coolers or anything else under the elevated platform as I want. I would skip the roof rack next time because it’s expensive and we never use it for additional gear because there’s so much space inside. However, the rack sits a few inches off the roof and has a perforated aluminum floor supported by cross bars. Throwing elk quarters up there is kind of a hassle, so I climb up the ladder/spare tire carrier mounted on the rear of the van with my loaded pack and will dump the quarters out up there. The rack allows for plenty of air to circulate around the quarters and keeps them clean and cool while I’m making multiple trips.
I could write a pretty long post about what’s great about the van, and it’s got a few annoying things too, but the pros far outweigh the cons. The only real thing I can’t stand is being lumped into the “van life” subculture just because we own this thing.
Ours is the last year of the 6 cylinder 4x4, and we upgraded the suspension and put on a cargo rack and a few other external mods.
You’ll spend a fortune on batteries that would give you the ability to run AC. Shore power is not an issue (obviously), but you’ll need a generator with a soft start if you want AC when boondocking.
I’ve used our van for a base camp for hunting for several years, and it’s been great. Switching into 4 wheel drive and low, will get me most everywhere I can go in my 3/4 pickup, but I’m pretty cautious and don’t push my luck.
It’s pretty nice to sleep on a queen sized mattress with the diesel heater keeping the van a constant 65 degrees (or warmer if you want) in cold weather, and being able to cook inside with running water and do whatever else you need to do is really nice. I still backpack hunt quite a few days, but being able to get back to the van and really be comfortable is awesome.
There is a TON of cargo space in our van due to how it’s configured, and I can put practically as many coolers or anything else under the elevated platform as I want. I would skip the roof rack next time because it’s expensive and we never use it for additional gear because there’s so much space inside. However, the rack sits a few inches off the roof and has a perforated aluminum floor supported by cross bars. Throwing elk quarters up there is kind of a hassle, so I climb up the ladder/spare tire carrier mounted on the rear of the van with my loaded pack and will dump the quarters out up there. The rack allows for plenty of air to circulate around the quarters and keeps them clean and cool while I’m making multiple trips.
I could write a pretty long post about what’s great about the van, and it’s got a few annoying things too, but the pros far outweigh the cons. The only real thing I can’t stand is being lumped into the “van life” subculture just because we own this thing.
