#vanlife and they don’t even mention climbing

Unfortunately dirt bagging is over. While article about vanlife and they don’t even mention climbing. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/03/technology/the-vanlife-business-is-booming.html

Although the comparison to homeless people is pretty funny. Also they “you know you could get a Winnebago for half the price but I guess that doesn’t count” is gold 

Unfortunately dirt bagging is over.

For you maybe.

Math Bertwrote:Also they “you know you could get a Winnebago for half the price but I guess that doesn’t count” is gold

I have been dropping this line on the van life posers for a while now. The generic response is something along the lines of “we don’t have to pay RV rates at camp sites.” Funny, when buying a 60k+ van that their cost concerns come from the extra $15 a night they would have to spend if they had an RV. 

Why on earth does everyone think that every van costs 60k+?

I got in 6 years ago and Felt like a poser....

My van looks like a dumpster on wheels compared to what I am seeing out there.  

It’s all good though.  It’s just a trend.  This to will pass.

There are an awful lot of people out there looking for places to spend their money. Want some? Open up a business to let them hand it off in return for things they'll never do for themselves. Let 'em have their fancy vans. I'll be just fine living in mine that's old enough to vote, for a good long time. They're not hurting me, they're just trying to feel cool. 

Dan Cookseywrote: It’s all good though.  It’s just a trend.  This to will pass.

I don't know if it's trendy as in, "fashionable", but people want to travel, and they can't afford both a place to live and a car, so they just get a car they can live in. 'rona isn't going away for a while. People are building out literally whatever it is they have.

Math Bertwrote: . Also they “you know you could get a Winnebago for half the price but I guess that doesn’t count” is gold

I’m glad they pointed this out. It’s pretty hilarious actually, because a van decked out like people have them is literally just a fricking camper. That’s fine, but let’s call it like it is.... #winnebagolife
You can rebrand it all you want, but grandpa and gran dma were doing this in the 50’s, so it ain’t new or original.

Dan Cookseywrote: I got in 6 years ago and Felt like a poser....

My van looks like a dumpster on wheels compared to what I am seeing out there.  

It’s all good though.  It’s just a trend.  This to will pass.

The wife and I joke that in a few years we'll be able to get our van once the market gets flooded with all the used sprinters people will put up for sale.

J. Alberswrote: I’m glad they pointed this out. It’s pretty hilarious actually, because a van decked out like people have them is literally just a fricking camper. That’s fine, but let’s call it like it is.... #winnebagolife
You can rebrand it all you want, but grandpa and gran dma were doing this in the 50’s, so it ain’t new or original.

Indeed this. Nothing dirtbaggy about it if you’ve got a toilet and a shower. My mother in law spent her childhood driving with her family from The Netherlands to Saudi Arabia and eventually Afghanistan and back in a tin top VW Bus. Real dirtbagging there, two adults and three kids and thousands of kilometers over years.

Wonder how many Instagram followers they would have had...

Luke Robertswrote:

 $15 a night they would have to spend if they had an RV. 

LOL

Most RV spots are like $30-50 a night

Having a van doesn't equal "#vanlife."

A Winnebago is prohibitively expensive compared to getting a van and converting it yourself. But let's also define what "Winnebago" we're talking about here, since it's an upfitter not a model. But maybe folks just mean "RV" when they say Winnie.
Yes you could certainly go cheaper with buying an '85 Winnebago Chieftain, but that's not counting the amount of annual repairs it will need. But more importantly it wouldn't work as a daily driver like a van does (a 136" WB PM is shorter than some big SUVs).

Winnebago outfits the ProMaster (more accurately the Fiat Duccato) and they can go for 150K+ used. Insane! Maybe if I you have money to burn.
You can also buy a brand new PM for 30K and do a fancy DIY build for less than 8K. Assuming all vans are 60K ventures is so inaccurate it's comical. If you buy a top dollar rig from a boutique/custom outfitter, yes you're going to pay well over 60K. But comparing RVs/Winnebagos to a DIY van build means you've seen too many instagram couples flaunting their shabby-chic Sprinter chateau on wheels. The DIY world ain't actually like that: they put a bed in, some plywood cabinets and hit the road. "Winnebago for half the price," absolutely not.

Stephen Lwrote: Having a van doesn't equal "#vanlife."

A Winnebago is prohibitively expensive compared to getting a van and converting it yourself. But let's also define what "Winnebago" we're talking about here, since it's an upfitter not a model. But maybe folks just mean "RV" when they say Winnie.
Yes you could certainly go cheaper with buying an '85 Winnebago Chieftain, but that's not counting the amount of annual repairs it will need. But more importantly it wouldn't work as a daily driver like a van does (a 136" WB PM is shorter than some big SUVs).

Winnebago outfits the ProMaster (more accurately the Fiat Duccato) and they can go for 150K+ used. Insane! Maybe if I you have money to burn.
You can also buy a brand new PM for 30K and do a fancy DIY build for less than 8K. Assuming all vans are 60K ventures is so inaccurate it's comical. If you buy a top dollar rig from a boutique/custom outfitter, yes you're going to pay well over 60K. But comparing RVs/Winnebagos to a DIY van build means you've seen too many instagram couples flaunting their shabby-chic Sprinter chateau on wheels. The DIY world ain't actually like that: they put a bed in, some plywood cabinets and hit the road. "Winnebago for half the price," absolutely not.

It's just too easy to rip on #vanlifers as there are many out there that are rolling around "living their best lives" in 60-200k vans with every add on imaginable. Shit.....there are 125k Outside vans on every street in Hood River, Bend, and Leavenworth that are used for nothing other than day trips for mtn biking or kite surfing!!

My fully appointed long and tall Sprinter was about 25k after I did the build out. Granted its an 06'.....but the 60K entry fee is only for fools that have too much money to burn  

Michael Bradywrote:

LOL

Most RV spots are like $30-50 a night

That’s why the word “extra” preceded $15

Short Fall Seanwrote: Why on earth does everyone think that every van costs 60k+?

The article literally starts off talking about a guy who’s business it is to make $100k - $300k vans. We aren’t talking about the DIY dirtbag. 

We bought a used campervan for $13000, used it for holiday trips for about 5 years, drove to Alaska and back, had a great time, sold it for $14000.  

We stayed in RV parks when we had too.  What was truly amazing was the $3,000,000 RV (I looked it up) near us in the RV park.  If I had 3 million I would not want to be next to the hicks in the RV park.  

I would much rather rip on the RVers than the vanlifers.  

 So much hate . so little time. 06,  Bought it for 9K  spent 4k on the build.  super cool tiny house on wheels that's getting  23mpg.    

The tragedy - an article stole vanlife. Nothing is scared anymore!

Ryan Bondwrote:

The wife and I joke that in a few years we'll be able to get our van once the market gets flooded with all the used sprinters people will put up for sale.

I will DM you when I sell 

Nick Goldsmithwrote: So much hate . so little time. 06, Bought it for 9K spent 4k on the build. super cool tiny house on wheels that's getting 23mpg.  

Nice work!

Michael Bradywrote:

It's just too easy to rip on #vanlifers as there are many out there that are rolling around "living their best lives" in 60-200k vans with every add on imaginable. Shit.....there are 125k Outside vans on every street in Hood River, Bend, and Leavenworth that are used for nothing other than day trips for mtn biking or kite surfing!!

My fully appointed long and tall Sprinter was about 25k after I did the build out. Granted its an 06'.....but the 60K entry fee is only for fools that have too much money to burn  

 You hit the proverbial nail on the head.