How can I be a good van-life climber?

Jared Ewrote:

(FYI, the people trying to floor it on dirt roads are the reason those washboards developed in the first place)

Prove it

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

You can have a TV if you want. I don't. And no it's not a free country. Just try chilling in your van or being brown... 

What happens next?

Oh no, we’ve passed the line! FROTH ALERT!

Dirtbag Betawrote:

Prove it

Source: me

wasboards are a direct result of folks breaking traction usually in 2wd

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

wasboards are a direct result of folks breaking traction usually in 2wd

Prove it

Vote to keep public lands public. Van life and all other forms of “dirt bagging” are much more difficult when everything is privately owned. We have it good here in the West, let’s keep it that way. 

We’re driving back from Great Basin, when my buddy points to a Mercedes dually Class- whatever and says, “holy shit, that’s my boss!” Blew my mind when he laid out the math. “This car cost me $2500, and that rig runs $250,000. So that vehicle is 100 TIMES more and yet we’re both cruising along Interstate 70.”
Anyhoo, I never understood the Sprinter thing. Maybe it’s because I backpack a lot that my Ford Econoline with a bed feels luxurious.
Also, when my wife and I are on a road trip and someone mentions our van, I immediately make it crystal clear that we are NOT van-lifers, LOL. 

Bale I have an old sprinter pre def 5 cylinder diesel. averages 26mpg. The best tank I had was this fall at 31.9mpg. worst I ever got was 23mpg so its quite a bit of a difference between an ecnoline or a Savanaha etc.  the extra room is really cool. After many decades of sleeping in the dirt I really enjoy Glamping. at my age I have earned it.  Having a fridge is amazing! and my rig cost 9 grand... 

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

Bale I have an old sprinter pre def 5 cylinder diesel. averages 26mpg. The best tank I had was this fall at 31.9mpg. worst I ever got was 23mpg so its quite a bit of a difference between an ecnoline or a Savanaha etc.  the extra room is really cool. After many decades of sleeping in the dirt I really enjoy Glamping. at my age I have earned it.  Having a fridge is amazing! and my rig cost 9 grand... 

Nick, you make a strong case! My E-350 really guzzles gas. 

Balewrote:

We’re driving back from Great Basin, when my buddy points to a Mercedes dually Class- whatever and says, “holy shit, that’s my boss!” Blew my mind when he laid out the math. “This car cost me $2500, and that rig runs $250,000. So that vehicle is 100 TIMES more and yet we’re both cruising along Interstate 70.”
Anyhoo, I never understood the Sprinter thing. Maybe it’s because I backpack a lot that my Ford Econoline with a bed feels luxurious. 

Trends are fairly common with humans, spending shit tons of money on stuff makes us feel alive and successful . For me having a deluxe sleeping pad and a quality sleeping bag is pure luxury, I don't often wish I had brought the house with me. I will say that the 7 years I spent climbing around NY/CT/MA having the Astro van with dark windows and a bed was priceless.  Of course I'm lucky in that my partners and family appreciate sleeping on the dirt too, some folks have to have an RV to go "camping". 

The old built out vans from the 1970s are truly making a comeback, similar to big ass trucks. The funny thing about the big ass truck trends is that they almost all have tiny midget beds on them, seeing a camper shell on a truck nowadays is rare. Seeing tools or dirt in the big ass truck beds is equally as rare...

We’ve rented vans the last three times we went overseas. They certainly are luxurious, and I have been eyeballing off-road van builds. We did come to the conclusion that having a bathroom in a van is a complete waste of space, but having a kitchen and a fridge is awesome. We use a pop-up truck camper on a Tacoma here stateside, which is not nearly as nice. However, I do enjoy having the off-road capability. It is too bad that nobody makes a true four-wheel-drive van with low range and skid plates.

Nick might be overstating the wonders of older Sprinters.  They do get good mileage, but they have their own quirks and annoyances.  Also $9k for a road worthy Sprinter is a very good deal.  With a build-out…highly unlikely.

That said, I love mine and it’s very affordable.  Not all Sprinters cost over $100K.  

Bale, I’m in your world.  Having a reasonable bed and a place to hide from the rain is all I need out of a van.  The whole point is to hit the road quickly, be fresh to climb and be in the outdoors.  No matter how much money you throw at a van interior, it’s not where I want to live.

Calib. thats what I could afford. I got the price because it was  2019 before covid and it needed a lot of body work because its a north east van.  I did about half the body work myself and had some of the trickier stuff done at a body shop. Bought a brand new hood and had it painted professionally, etc,  did all the build myself mostly with dumpster dived lumber from work. I suspect I have less than 5 grand in the build but spread over several years.  Absolutely not a dirtbag rig but still very on the cheap as far as vehicles go. the porta potty is the kind that flushes and it lives in a spot under the bed that is completely practical and not a waste of space. Isa Loves it. Think wall mart parking lot and a woman has to pee. choices are make a mess trying to get it in a bottle, wake up and walk all the way across the parking lot, go inside with the bright lights, walk all the way back to the van. make noise with the door and wake me up and then try to get back to sleep.  Or sit on your own private toilet 5 ft from your bed.  its really a game changer for her. especially boon docking up in Quebec where the mosquitos and deer flies are other worldly...  We have never used it for #2 but its comforting to know that in a real emergency we could.

Frank Steinwrote:

We did come to the conclusion that having a bathroom in a van is a complete waste of space, but having a kitchen and a fridge is awesome. 

I'm the opposite of a van lifer, but I have owned RVs for 20 years, the last 4 years my travels are in a fairly luxurious van.  And I can say that as a woman who travels alone for road trips all the time, and finds my personal hygiene essential, that the absolutely best part of my van is the inside toilet.

To the OP: You don't say how you plan to outfit your van.  If you don't have a way to dispose of your black waste (black tank or black cassette), and you plan on camping in the national forest, please think about where all that waste is going to go. It's also unclear if you are a senior or not. Once you get your life pass, you can stay at many BLM campgrounds with a water supply and a pit toilet for as little as $5 per night.

phylp phylpwrote:

To the OP: You don't say how you plan to outfit your van.  If you don't have a way to dispose of your black waste (black tank or black cassette), and you plan on camping in the national forest, please think about where all that waste is going to go. It's also unclear if you are a senior or not. Once you get your life pass, you can stay at many BLM campgrounds with a water supply and a pit toilet for as little as $5 per night

I'm putting in a compost toilet, no black water. I'll be bagging and trashing it (legally) when I get back to civilization. I'm not a senior, but will definitely be using the campgrounds occasionally to fill up on water.

This will be my only residence, so I'm definitely trying to make it fairly comfortable, though small: 66 gallons of fresh water, fold out shower, fold out bed for family if they visit.

Regarding waste management…bucket and chuck-it.  
Worked well on my sailboat, van life and overall Pikey living. 

Dirtbag Betawrote:

Prove it

"Washboarding forms at travel over 5mph on loose, dry surfaces from an irregularity in the surface which causes a tire hop or from acceleration, deceleration, and turning."

"According to MythBusters and their field test, with a 1970 Cutlass Supreme, driving at 5mph and then at 70 mph, they found that yes, indeed, at 70mph, it is a smoother ride and the “high-speed camera footage revealed that the faster-moving wheels literally move across bumps in the road” (MythBusters, “Bumpy Ride“)."

Travel be the same as climbing! Go fast and take chances, or go slow and get out of the way.  

Yep, if washboards were only from acceleration, how do they form on downhill only mountain bike trails? My Tacoma rolls smooth over washboards at 55mph too. Share the roads. 

Daniel Shivelywrote:

Yep, if washboards were only from acceleration, how do they form on downhill only mountain bike trails? My Tacoma rolls smooth over washboards at 55mph too. Share the roads. 

Are you meaning to imply that no acceleration occurs on downhill only mountain bike trails? 

Here's a vanlife tip, when you're living in a beach parking lot take the spots furthest from the beach and not the ones with good views. Extrapolate accordingly for wherever you're living.