Very cool. Now I know where to go when I we ditch the travel trailer and move to a single platform. I hate to give up the Tacoma and Rpod, but a time will come. Thanks!
You mean this was just a one part series?!? lol. Thanks for the great tour! And it's good to finally meet your lovely wife, maybe one day in person. The van looks just right for getting to those tough locations. Love the lithium and solar system. That's top notch right there. Thanks!
The only thing the internet needs fewer of than 1-part van tours is multi-part van tours. 😆 However, I do binge several of them daily so I'm part of the problem. I can report that time spent traipsing around in the van are some of my favorite times.
Love the video Sean and really appreciate the mention as well! You both did a great job with all the additional upgrades - the van looks awesome. See ya in Acadia!
Pretty cool van, The wife is pretty darn funny. I imagine someone building one of them could squeeze in a shower if they wanted to. Good luck with it & safe travels.
Oh, I'm so glad you finally put this video together! It was fun taking the tour and I can see you are already taking advantage of your new wheels. It is inspiring to see what you have done and the thought you have put into it. I'm very impressed!
You both look happy, healthy and in love. All the rest is philosophy… I wouldn’t like that much to travel this way but that’s me, so keep on having fun the way you both feel. Big hugs from France.
That was an exact my kind of video. When I see those DIY van videos I always felt "seriously" ... I can't build it myself. I am a photographer but not at all a handyman 😬.. I know what to do now LOL. It's a pleasure to watch ur videos Sean, always !! So many things I have learnt from you about TK panel and they were game changer in my workflow.
Best van tour!! The question of how to get out and about with flexibility is on the forefront of many. I for one are getting tired of sleeping in the truck and towing around a large 5th wheel.
I'm glad I did my sleeping in the truck back when I was young, flexible and dumb(er). Trailers provide great comfort, but they would rule me out of the majority of roads and campsites I go to for sure.
Very cool, Sean. Our adventure rigs have also evolved from sleeping in the bed of our truck to our current platform utilizing a flatbed FWC camper on a Ford F250. It's been an incredible rig for us. Dig your van and am stoked that you guys found a rad solution for you. Thanks for sharing with us!
I've studied the stuff you have shared on your flatbed FWC closely, Bret. It's sweet! I almost pulled the trigger on putting a flatbed on the Tacoma and getting that camper a few years ago. In the end I chickened out because of all the work that would have been involved. Glad I did because the van is better suited for Jennifer, and I certainly don't mind the added comfort. I can't go everywhere the truck could go...but close. I think I have even seen Sprinters completing the White Rim.
Cool stuff Sean. This is exactly the type of rig my wife and I will be looking for shortly so this was very helpful. I hope to see you out there sometime, thanks!
Great no-nonsense van video Sean - and hi Jennifer and welcome to the other side of the camera 😀. This is how a van should be - functional, easy to take places and just works. I'd look forward to some 'vanlife photography adventures' if you're thinking of doing some for the channel. We just picked up our off-road pod trailer here in Sydney so some videos coming soon on that one too, along with some off-road Australian photography trips 😉 All the best from downunder 👍
Thanks for the van tour. I am an amateur photography who recently retired and have been thinking it would be great to get a sprinter van for photography. I also want to be able to put my bike inside in the back, so enjoyed seeing that setup! I took notes on a bunch of things you mentioned to factor into my planning.
Love it! I've been toying with the idea of doing this for awhile now and this makes the idea even more attractive. I think I'd be on the Mark Denney train of finding a utility van and building it myself... seems like it would be a blast. Tough time to find a used vehicle right now though! Hopefully you got it before things got so crazy.
My brother (who has some skills) just did an amazing build in a ford box van like this: jingletruck.com/img/2010-ford-econoline-cutaway-series-service-box-van-5-4l-v8-runs-smooth192786829693-0.jpg. I think he did the entire thing for about $35K. We saw the writing on the wall last year and pushed up our timeline on getting the van. Glad we did.
Thanks, Adam. It's been fun watching you overhaul your Delica. Now if we could just get that border open so we could circle the wagons. Actually, I think we can go to CA now maybe?
As a dedicated subscriber to both channels, I’d love to see an episode or two (OK…maybe three episodes) with you all and your adventure vans, and outdoor photography! 👍😀
Sean, great video! It seems we are on a somewhat parallel track. My wife and I also purchased a 2017 converted sprinter van about a year ago, 45 nights of camping so far. Ours is a modified by Sportsmobile but very similar to yours. I've also climbed a lot of mountains and kayaked a lot of oceans over the last 50 years taking photographs along the way. I've become a lot more serious photographer over the last few years since retiring from the mountaineering shop that I owned for 42 years. I enjoy your videos and courses very much, keep them coming.
It was totally badass! David Bowie style s3.amazonaws.com/more-wordpress-qa-uploads/wp-content/uploads/migrated/ss14_David_Bowe_Celebs_With_Mullets.jpg
Great build and video! In the process of beginning one of my own and I like that the front third of the bed folds down. I didn't see it listed in the build list, do you happen to know which brand it is? Or was it custom made? Thanks and all the best!
The bed is a custom build by the original owner. He built it because he said at the time there weren't any on the market, but some have come available since. I don't know by who, however. Good luck with your build!
Ahhh, her name is “Jennifer”!! All this time, I thought her birth name was “JBkickinthepants”!?!? 🤔🤣🤣 Nice to meet her by name!! I was starting to wonder how her parents came up with that name! 🤷🏻♂️😊
Great video. Anything you can share (e.g. favorite apps, etc.) for finding/reserving camp sites? Or do you just pull over while off road and set up camp?
Hi Jim...yes, we don't often stay in actual campgrounds because for us they can be crowded, noisy, require reservations and are usually far from photo locations. For the most part, I find remote pullouts, side roads and trailhead parking on public land where overnight parking is allowed (like the one in the video). I often arrive after dark and pull out before sunrise. I also do quite a bit of my travel in the off-seasons so if I do need to go to a campground I don't need a reservation. I know there are some good apps out there, but I haven't used any.
Sean, thanks much for posting this video. I was curious about the van when I saw it last year with your video with your son. I was curious what does a top landscape photographer travel in? This video answered my question. It also explained why you transferred to a van from your pop top camper, which I was curious about! I was wondering if you ever considered a hard-sided camper on a truck (like what Gavin Hardcastle uses); wouldn't this be cheaper (but have the same, if not more amenities)? (Note: amenities = inside shower + toilet).
Hi Greg...everyone should look closely at their budget, needs and expectations and get a vehicle that fits. I'm not sure that a setup like Gavin's would be that much of a savings. I don't know what his cost was, but a new 1-ton GMC goes for about $65K and a used 2005 Bigfoot camper is about $25K. That is in range with my Sprinter. However, there are some other things about the van that were important to us in addition to cost. Weight and off-road capability (those campers weigh about 4,000 pounds wet in addition to the weight of the truck), wheelbase for rollover clearance and tight maneuvering (van=144" GMC=160"), total width (van-80" camper=96"), cockpit accessible from the living space (in a sketchy camping situation my wife did not want to have to go out in the dark to get in the driver's seat), indoor storage for bikes and skis, gas mileage (diesel van=18 mpg 1 ton truck with camper=12-ish mpg), roof rack/deck (I'm an Ansel wannabe), all water lines inside the insulated/heated space so freezing isn't an issue, big sliding side door to open up the living space when the weather is good, and some others. Not having a shower or toilet has never been an issue for me (Jennifer might argue that one). They take up space and are notoriously problematic in RVs. Whew...that's quite a list, but you asked. haha. Anyway, the van wouldn't be the best choice for a lot of people, but it works great for us.
Sean, thanks much for your excellent response to my questions, as I found them very informative. It really gives me more food for thought. I am in the next year or so will want to get my own "photo adventure vehicle" and I dont want waste my hard earned money on the wrong vehicle! Thanks Sean for the info!😄👍
Sean, I just re-read your original reply, and another question came up. You mentioned that a rig like Gavin's is very heavy. That begs the question: how much does your 144" Sprinter van weigh?
@@infrequentgamer_greg I'm totally just pulling numbers from the internet, so take them for what they are worth. 144 sprinter hightop weight = 5379lbs + whatever extras/payload I have, so maybe 6500-7500lbs total? GMC 2500 = 6900lbs. Loaded camper = 4000lbs so the total is nearly 11,000lbs?
Thanks Sean. I'll try to verify your numbers (thanks for taking the time to look it up though). If your numbers are true, the truck camper, is way too heavy to be tip-toeing on 4WD roads. More to factor into the decision on which to buy!😳 I hope you are taking advantage of the fall colors, and are making some memorable photos, wherever you are these days!
I've always wondered why more people don't have a "basic" setup like you in stead of putting so many hours and so much money in a more elaborate build that adds very little extra to what you actually can use the van for. One question though, isn't it wide enough to sleep sideways? That would reduce the space needed for the bed.
My guess is that some people like a more homey feel and some live in them full time so they don’t have the expense of a house? Sprinters are not wide enough to sleep crossways unless you install aftermarket side flares.