I never understood why having a bathroom is not a priority in the adventure RV world. Like you spend all this crazy money and still be miserable? I guess it’s not for me. I’d be much happier with a mainstream RV brand that includes a toilet and hot shower.
Im getting real tired of these $200k+ “luxury” overlanding builds. Our household income is in the top 10% for our State, but it’s turning into an activity that only the uber-rich can afford like yachting.
@@Gazziza29they should do something practical and where the household income doesn’t surpass $1,000,000 annually… let’s see an affordable $10k setup… that will communicate to a broad base.
I think a regular van or truck with a slide in truck camper that was able to tow a small trailer with a side by side would be a better way to go financially. When you want to explore and camp remotely you could load up the side by side with tents and provisions and go out into the wild for a couple of days. The rest of the time you have a more traditional set-up in the van or camper including a toilet and indoor shower for much less money. If you damage the side by side at least your main "home" is still safe and functional when you get back to it.
I enjoyed that. Disclosure: I have been a RV guy for over 30 years. Your choice of configuration (i.e. Class "B" van vs integrated camper vs truck and camper) depends entirely on you. As well, brands and design also depend entirely on you. But, I will say this: There is a VAST difference in quality which is reflected in the prices being asked by dealers. Also (this is important!): RV's depreciate rapidly so, very often, getting an used unit and fixing it up is the most economical way to go. What about off-road trailers? They are really popular in Australia where the terrain is wide open; however, they just don't work in the mountains or wilderness of North America (IMO). And diesel vs gas? There are a lot of remote places in North America where you cannot get diesel. And servicing Mercedes Benz? Trust me when I tell you that could be a BIG problem. They are great until they need servicing then you will find that there are dealers only in major cities and, most certainly, no dealers on that great stretch of road to the Arctic Ocean.
@@Queensizemusic We don't have million mile tax mercedes in the U.S. Here mercedes is strictly a luxury brand with sparse dealer network and no parts availability commensurate with that status.
Great video guys! Neat products and innovation! But i agree with other comments...seems like the overland crowds are mostly a bunch of very wealthy yuppies. None of us blue collar guys are gonna spend that kind of dough to go poop in the woods
I've just went onto offroad trails in the Alps and I've seen anything from medium size to full-size offroad camper vans and they were definetly more suitable for the trails than my RAM 1500, especially concerning the size and maneuverability
@@simrantoor85 the trails I drove on had difficulty levels from 2 to 4 out of 5. With steep inclines, scree fields, hairpin turns, narrow stretches without spots where you could pass oncoming vehicles etc. It was primarily a length issue: long overall length and long hood, making it difficult in hairpin turns. Had to reverse more often than other cars or vans on the trails. In fact some of the trails had length restrictions where the RAM was already 20 inch too long. Still drove there and made it. Some also had width restrictions - with mirrors folded in I was only like an inch or two too wide, still made it through all the narrow spots. But both length and width really made it more difficult. I've seen a wide range of vehicles on these trails: from compact cars like the Fiat Panda, to the ordinary offroad cars like Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator, Land Rover Defender and Discovery, Toyota Landcruiser, Mercedes-Benz G-Class, Isuzu D-Max, Ford Ranger and Ineos Grenadier, to vans like the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and VW T6, both compact and full-size versions
Sprinter vans without a low range transfer case are horrible off road. Watch Matts off-road recovery last month with one of these things it pretty much says it all
got to choose the right spec to go offroad. Same issue when you take a normal pickup truck offroad as well: a good chance to get stuck. The Sprinter 4x4 or 6x6 aren't really that bad offroad. They usually don't really need a low range
If you think the AWD vans are bad, you should try owning the older 4x4 version. No shift on the fly, problematic getting in and out of 4x4, noisy and vibration-prone drivetrain...honestly the AWD is a significant improvement.
I’ve looked at 4WD/AWD vans and just don’t trust them durability wise to handle the trails I’d want to take a van on. Maybe I’m underestimating them, but for such an expensive purchase, hard to take that chance. To me, a truck based RV should be more durable. The truck looks like a really good choice!
they're definetly capable to go onto offroad trails. With decent ground clearance, underride guards, 4x4, 6x6 etc you can take the van onto rough trails, through sand, mud etc
I saw y'all on the Switzerland trail heading out to shoot this video! I was in a white TRD Pro 4runner! I was so excited to see yall. I was in town from Louisiana and low and behold I see TFL on the mountain!
I thought I’d be a truck person when it comes to these types of builds, but after the video I can understand why the vans are probably a better option for me personally. Still out of budget on both, but nice to know all about both.
I drive a sprinter at work and own a 6.7 diesel for personal use. The van is more for onroad while a HD diesel truck can carry ANY weight to any mountain top. That said, the sprinter has a better set up in my view. But it all comes down to what you will need it to do!
2023 ford F-350 XL 4x4. no bed/ $50,000. Plus improved suspension $4000 Aluminum flat bed. $4500 Lance 850 camper. $42,000. Used 2022 Add ons.$5,000 Total $105,000. How much is this product again????
Way overpriced and both don't even have a bathroom. That must be a joke. You can find 4x4 Sprinter Vans with bathroom for about US-$130.000 out here in europe and that includes 19% sales taxes.
Regarding the advert for beating cancer, the simple fact is that every living organism has the cancer gene and it cannot be stopped. It is possible however to delay the virus for sometimes decades but you can never beat it. My younger sister died because of cancer and it wasn’t because of the drugs that she got to combat it but rather because of the way her body was during the medication and the way she was after the meds, the uncontrolled bowel movements, the constant sickness and embarrassment of having me clean her up and helping her get clean clothes on and generally being the victim of her husband vitriol and sometimes nasty words was something I couldn’t wish on most people,( with the exception of frank watt and James McRae, if you’re time hasn’t already come it will soon).
The sprinter should be a hybrid. It would give you more power (200 HP is really on the low end of what you want), let you regain some of the energy in traffic/going down, it will add weight but lower the center of gravity, and give you power in the camping site to power your stuff without running the engine. I say about 10-15 Kwh should do it.
I don't really know if that qualifies as a "truck" anymore. It has no bed, even if you removed the camper it still isn't on a flatbed. It more closely resembles a 4WD class C in terms of form and function. You can't haul anything in it except for passengers. Now a truck with a slide in camper is a different story. A slide in camper can be removed and used as a "truck".
Honestly, those look cool and fancy and sure I would like one but I’m also happy with an off-roader and a tent. At this point you’re just showing off or retired if you bought one of these lol
Between the two, I would definitely choose the truck. A Chevy, Ford, or Ram, I can get parts and repair work done anywhere in the country when something inevitably breaks. A Mercedes, not so much. Maybe if it were Ford Transit based the van would be more appealing. That said, without a bathroom, you're really not likely to have any female companionship...
we run both the Sprinter and the Transit at work. The Transit is only used for the less urgent and easier jobs as it just would be suitable for a twice as heavy layout with a large box on frame; Too little space in the cab, too weak engine, horrible driving performance ... I'd never choose the Transit as private vehicle e.g. for a camper
@@gregkelly2145 Mercedes is the brand with THE largest lineup of vehicles, well ahead of any other brand. You kind of have dealerships and service support everywhere ... no matter if you're in Europe, the US or Australia
I always wonder why everyobe needs so much space for coocking 🤔 I drive my Van-Camper for 3 Years now and haven't once coocked something. But I use the washroom all the time and wouldn't want to use my livingroom for that and if I'm stealth camping the people around me are glad to 😉
How daft a comment. I see them EVERYWHERE out here in California and all over the western states. Families have sold their homes, bought these types of vehicles and are touring the world in them.
This is a rabbit hole that is too expensive for most people and sucks up waaaayyyyy too much RU-vid energy!! Take the rear seats out of your 4Runner, put in a good mattress and some minimal supplies - you can have a much better camping/overlanding experience for a long weekend🏕🚘👍😎!! Feel the urge to go out for 2+ weeks at a time and spend a lot of money - then jump down the rabbit hole - just skip all the BS and get an EarthRoamer!!
Been down that road with a van been down that road with the travel trailer my pickup truck with my slide in camper is the best way to go in my view I have plenty of room and decide to take a break and go home I can find the camper out and still use my pickup for things when I'm camping out and I want to pick up and move somewhere else I have everything contained I don't have to worry about unloading and setting up and doing this everything is here and I didn't pay no $200,000 for I got about fifty thousand in the pickup and the camper it is four-wheel drive I have air-conditioning have a bathroom fully self-contained Northern light 610 camper a modernized it fit my needs and I can go anywhere anybody else wants to go
not really. Just have to choose the right spec, just like on a pickup truck. There are vans with higher ground clearance, underride guards, 4x4, 6x6, diff locks and everything you'd wish ...
I’ll take the truck all day everyday. BUT my rig must have a toilet… cassette is my preference. Also I live in southern commiefornia. I need ac. No issues running a generator and or adding solar both. Those are my two deal breakers if I’m paying these insane prices these companies charge for these builds. I wouldn’t feel comfortable though having my truck with a automated housing portion to rise and fall… I wouldn’t trust the reliability and longevity
Nahhhh. I have a Thor Sprinter 4x4 & it’s a nice layout! There’s no room in these vans regardless. Adding crap to the roof is an issue as they really are top heavy,, why add MORE weight to the roof?? I am waiting on a F150 SuperCab XLT Dually to arrive at my friend’s dealership. He actually ordered 2. One is basically fully loaded for a XLT and has a 7.3 gas motor, the other is a XLT PowerStroke high output, same options. I already have an Arctic Fox Truck camper with a slide out, dry bath (meaning there’s a shower where the toilet doesn’t get wet), generator option, but both trucks have Pro-Power Onboard so you don’t really need a generator. We tried my buddy’s 2.0 kw set up on his F150 and the Air Conditioner in the camper worked fine. I still have 350 watts solar and a 12v 400ah battery with a 3500 watt pure sine wave inverter to power things when we will drop the camper and travel around. If one of us stay at the camper we are still comfortable. The insulation keeps everything from freezing to colder than -25 F. It also works well keeping the camper from heating up as well! I will add an aftermarket air bag system for greater ride control. The trucks don’t need it, but it should be nice. I just have to decide Gas or Diesel and red or blue for the colour!! 😂😂. The diesel is about $12,500 more Canadian than the gas 7.3 The separate units allow you to still use them individually. The camper has been accommodations for a few guests this year! It’s set up in the trees with its own firepit etc so they can visit with us, but also have some time to themselves. They have all enjoyed it. We set it on 3 steel benches we welded up. Then we have ground ties for each tie down point on the camper to keep it rock solid. Doesn’t move. The Sprinter van we have now I’d very convenient and nicer when we go out to the BC coast and cross on the ferries, but we have to have a trailer for an e-trike I need (balance is an issue for me) an e-bike for my wife, inflatable boat, gas & electric motors, fishing gear etc. this trailer also has 525 watts of solar and 800 ah of batteries. It’s overkill, but when a group of us go out fishing, many lakes are electric motors only, or we just prefer trout fishing with electric motors. The system can be used to charge up to 4 100 ah batteries overnight and be ready for the next day. It also supplies 120 V power through another 3500 watt inverter for the guys’ other stuff. I don’t travel light unless I want to. I keep all my options open. I will sell the van once I have the truck for the camper. I can then camp all year round in Canada!! The van can’t handle much colder than -15 and that’s challenging. I like ice fishing. Set up on shore, drag the gear out on the ice with the e-trike with custom studded tires and enjoy! We had a similar set up with a 1/2 ton and lighter 3 season camper. It was not enough room or convenience as far as accommodation went and it wasn’t great for ice fishing, couldn’t use the water functions at all.
Other than not sharing the same pair of glasses & wearing matching outfits you might consider reviewing one rig then the other. I am attempting to watch this in background while working & was hoping to be able to pick up highlights a lot easier. As of now i am stopping to try to fig out which truck/van’s horn your tootin because at a glance I see the same dude, same out fit, sharing the same shades & the need to seek back & forth to fig out which one your talking about. Unfortunately all I have really retained is that i can configure these in a ton of different ways and the truck is a truck and bigger less top heavy with the cool roof but i have a feeling u might of covered more…👯♀️😎😎👨💻🧐🛻🚐🤷♂️💨🫢🫧😤☺️🌬️😶🌫️🤢🫣🌬️😮💨💨🤮🌬️🤭💨🌊😳💩
@@is6566 quite frankly I disagree. You can get a van with higher ground clearance, underride guards, 4x4, 6x6, diff locks etc as well... Literally every (!) spec available on a pickup truck is available on a van as well
@@mattlimberg5763 a van has the very same capability. Both with a trailer hitch and 5th wheel. Also concerning offroad capability you can get a van with igher ground clearance, underride guards, 4x4, 6x6, diff locks etc as well... I've just hit offroad trails in the mountains with my RAM 1500 ... it had quite a few disadvantages compared to all the vans I've seen
Id rather have a trailer and a smaller tow rig. Give me a Colorado ZR2 and a decently capable trailer. Then I can park the trailer and setup, and not have to tear down anytime I want to go anywhere. Also, 99% of the vans I come across are not anywhere I cannot drag my 24' Jayco travel trailer. Difference is I can dump my trailer and then go wheeling or mountain biking or hiking or whatever without having to bring the campsite with me.
Between those, it doesn’t matter. Now throw in a Gladiator on 37s with an AluCab and you are talking a very different expeditionary vehicle that will get you far away from common areas
You're going to either poop outside or use a porta potty with something like this. There just isn't space for much else and nowhere to dump a black tank in the places these are intended to go.
99% of people cant afford these and will buy a tow trailer so they don't have to have a dedicated vehicle you can't use day to day. It's quite ridiculous how much these things cost.
Got to keep in mind: EVERY spec you can choose on a pickup truck is available on a van as well. In fact even a few more than on a pickup truck. Thus you can basically build the very same layout on a van
Pointless. Either buy a proper 4wd or get an RV. These setups are over-priced and not very capable in a true 4wd situation. So buy an RV and pull a Jeep behind it....done!
Or use a 4x4 pickup even a mid-sized, and tow a small RV trailer. Same idea but in reverse (from an RV towing a Jeep). Either way you have a vehicle to go explore in along with a place to "live" for a short time indoors.
So essentially the van is a glorified work van with cabinets and the truck is a camper bed on an actual truck there doesnt even seem to be a comparison here one is capable offroad the other isnt one is an actual camper the other is a van that someone put some countertops and a pull out bed in
not a problem at all. In emergency services we run the 190 hp Sprinter, twice as heavy as my RAM 1500 )with more than twice as much power) is, and it still accelerates great, handles inclines pretty well etc
Who the f has money for this??? Y’all need to do the Everyman camping videos, like something blue collar people can afford… it pisses me off even watching this… pop up bed campers for 10k= million views
