My Van Life Dream Is Already Over? (NEED ADVICE) 

Sounds like an incredible journey!!! Go for it!!!

Whew. So much to consider. As someone who has been going through the same sort of research lately, here are few of the things you might want to consider. There are so many options besides commercial RVs. The upside to vans is that they get the best mileage, they can be stealthy, and they can go a lot of places. I am one person - a larger size old woman -- who knows myself well enough to know that I would be miserable in a van. I prefer something that I can stand up in and walk around without feeling cramped. Some of the options for something with more space might me a box truck, an ambulance or a bus (from humongous school or transit buses to small shuttles the size of a class C RV). Of course, if you get something that wasn't an RV to start with, you will either need to have it built out so that it's livable or need to find one that someone else has already done the work on. One big heads up, though -- make sure that you find insurance coverage before you commit. A lot of people with bus and ambo conversions are having insurance cancelled these days. (That's another plus for choosing a van -- you just call them a van and there is no problem with insurance or registration.) If you need a 4x4 to get to the places you want to go, there are people who have been able to convert their vehicles to 4x4. Bob Wells (cheapRVLiving) did it to his ambulance. Sorry this is so long but there is so much. Good luck.

I have been a part-time van dweller since 2018. I travel solo, or with my wife, or with my adult son. I'm also 6'3". Yes, a van is possible, but I can't say it is right for you. You should test out various options. I would suggest that you rent a Class C for a week (long before your project) to test that out. Additionally, go to camping shows to see how you fit into various rigs, like truck campers or trailers. You will have a much better idea of what works for you. The most important thing to have is a bed that you feel comfortable in. This is especially important when you are traveling with 2 people, as you double your space requirements. What is your budget? Motor homes can be very expensive and many won't go down a rough road, but they are fancy. A truck camper with a 4 wheel drive truck can go many places. A van is a great in between solution as it drives almost like a car and it can go down some dirt roads, but not as well as a 4 wheel drive truck. Are you mechanical or not? If not, do not buy an old van, high mileage truck or vintage camper, which can be constant sources of headaches. I considered a trailer, mini school bus, and a van. I went with a van and had some of the basics installed professionally in 2018. However, I have since greatly modified much of the interior with the help of a friend. I camped in a SUV for a while, and it is possible to do so with very little and a very simple no-build build. In my case I used an air mattress and a sleeping bag. I had a basket with basics like a hiking stove, flashlight, and hiking cook set. It worked, but it wouldn't be great for long periods (at least not for me). People live in everything from compact cars to giant school busses, so it is hard to give you good advice, with the exception of trying options out before you commit. You may find that you like a Jeep with a roof tent, or maybe you will feel that you need a fancy RV. it is also important to realize that you will not only have an adjustment period, but living on the road may initially feel rough as so many of the day to day things that you do are different (like washing dishes or keeping clean). However, if you commit you can adjust and these new things will become routine. As others have said, watch CheapRVlining on RU-vid. Bob Wells is an amazing resource. As far as power is concerned, you need to determine your needs. If you want a fridge, and are using a powerful editing computer, plus recharging many cameras and drones, you will need more. Most van dwellers don't have AC as it uses too much electricity, they use fans and vents which are more energy efficient. Are you going to be in sunny areas? Then consider solar panels. Are you going to be doing a lot of daily driving, perhaps a DC to DC charger can top you house battery off. Are you going to need a generator? (most don't use one). Are you planning to only boon dock, or will you sometimes use a campground? If it is the latter you can use the campground's AC to charge your batteries up. I can charge my house batteries both with solar panels on my roof and from the car's alternator. I have a small generator, but I have never used it. However, if I lived in Canada I it might be needed due to the long low light winters. What about the internet. Will you need it to upload you photos to the cloud? If you do there are videos on the best options. Some use several cell carriers on their phones or their hotspots. Others, are into Starlink (a newer option). Still others, work in coffee shops and public libraries where they can plug in their computers and use free wifi. Again, I would urge you to try before you buy. Some people get by with almost nothing, others need a Vitamix and an espresso machine and a full on shower. Good luck on your adventure.

I live in a 16ft box truck I like what bob wells said, its about freedom vs comfort If you want more freedom, you'll have to sacrifice comfort. If you want more comfort, you'll have to sacrifice freedom. I suppose it would relate to your project and how much you want to be able to park in the city, how easily you want to be able to navigate cities in towns, how stealthy you want to be etc If you're just going to be going on big roads and being in BLM land you could probably get away with having a larger rig, but if you plan on maneuvering in the city or parking in the city having a large rig will not work I think a ram ProMaster a Ford Transit is probably the best combination of both, you can stand up, have a queen size bed with storage underneath, a tv, cooking, sync sink For toilet, most people who decide to do something fancy end up going to the bucket bag method. It's cheap and easy and not really much different from using a regular toilet. Instead of water there is sawdust, instead of flushing there is tying plastic. Gym memberships for the easiest for showering, but if you're going to be out in the wilderness you'll need to decide on a method to stay clean. There's a lot of different options from shower tents to specially designed wet wipes, good old-fashioned sponge baths, or a built-in shower

You don't have to commit to anything. There is no right way or wrong way, just what works for you and what doesn't. I know a guy that lives out of a jeep. Travels and camps out under the stars of in a tent and has been doing it for years. I live in a jeep cherokee, stealth camping or Walmart lot docking.

Id rather do the van . You can customize it to your needs. That way you don't have to drag a second vehicle around

How remote do you guys want to be? I am an astrophotographer, and do a two week cycle in the western deserts at a dark spot when the moon is gone, then two weeks near a town with a Walmart for the two weeks that the moon washes out the sky. I am seriously equipped for living long periods in comfort on BLM land. I converted a new 16 ft cargo trailer to a boondocking machine for myself and my Golden Retriever. I have a ton of solar power and batteries, shower with on demand water heater, a compost toilet, and a 100 gallon fresh water tank in the bed of the truck that hooks up to a water inlet in the nose of the trailer in seconds. I have a big 120 volt home fridge. Your obstacles are going to be electricity, water, and getting your tanks emptied when needed. Without building a boondocking rig, you might want to check out places like the LTVA's near Quartzsite, Arizona. These long term visitor's areas charge I think around $180 for a 7 month permit. This gives you easy access to water and a dump station, but you still have to figure out a source of power. If you have a way to carry several solar panels to mount on the ground at your campsite, that can provide some basic electricity for charging devices, Starlink, etc. I am not a fan of factory built RV's, and think the quality is usually really terrible these days. A brand new rig can instantly become an unusable money pit. I have often seen people buy a new rig only to have it spend months and months in the repair shop, causing them to have to cancel their vacation plans. If you want something built right, you really do have to do it yourself. Nothing has broken on my homebuilt RV in three years, and I have all the comforts of home (microwave, fridge, toaster, coffee maker, deep fryer, etc., no matter how far I am from civilization.

I recommend cheap rv living, carolyns rv life, cat van lady

sounds like tall van in a 4x4 off road style is what you will have best use of

sprinter truck camper for the win tall n lots of options

if you get a van are an rv make the engine is 100% it is the most important, with a trailer you can swap vehicles with a van are rv if that engine go's the whole thing is a bust

Think about a decommissioned ambulance and rebuild it.

Rent different camping vehicles for a weekend, then decide.

i think it should be illegal to drive aimlessly and waste gas and pollute and crowd our parks and natural camping areas. Vacations are great and usually last a couple weeks once or twice a year. not for 6 months.

Sounds like your trying to convince yourself not to do this. Do you.