How can I be a good van-life climber?

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.  

I didn't realize I was going to get more out of this thread but the additional comments got me thinking.

Some of these (legitimate) gripes are not about the van, specifically, but about anyone (in a van or otherwise) who has the time to monopolize all the good spots. Van folk are entitled to beautiful views as much as tent folk, but people that live in the van full time have the potential to just never leave (there's a 2 week rule, but another full timer can jump right in). 

So, I'm absolutely going to (sometimes) take the good spots because I want to enjoy them too, but I'm going to try to spend most of my time in out of the way areas that are not in demand, maybe off old service roads, or yeah, in the back somewhere away from the view.

An aside, I absolutely hate noise, so I appreciate the TV comments. Headphones will be important. One thing I'm looking forward to is never hearing another leaf blower.

Adam Rwrote:

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.  

Not at all, I do notice plenty of washboards immediately prior to tight turns where I see almost universal braking occur. I used downhill only to imply the washboards were generally on the uphill side of the turn. Do you encounter many washboards on downhill mountain bike trails aside from areas where heavy braking occur?

I have a 17' casita trailer that i tow with my tacoma and it is a great combo. The trailer is sturdenough to take it on some pretty bumpy roads and get a bit further away from people. We park it  and can drive to a trail head or old jeep road to ride our bikes, injuries have sidelined the climbing.Not having to pack up camp every time you want to go somewhere is a big plus. Also a shower and heater is very nice and no sleeping on the ground.I will never have a cassete toilet because of the mess of dumping it. A dump station at a campground or gas station is pretty easy.

Daniel Shivelywrote:

Not at all, I do notice plenty of washboards immediately prior to tight turns where I see almost universal braking occur. I used downhill only to imply the washboards were generally on the uphill side of the turn. Do you encounter many washboards on downhill mountain bike trails aside from areas where heavy braking occur?

I haven't done much downhill but to answer your original question braking causes negative acceleration, so if it is indeed the case that washboards are from acceleration, that's why you'd be seeing them where heavy braking occurs. 

ETA another vanlife tip. Anything that catches your poop can be used as a wag bag and will likely be cheaper and more readily available, dog poop bag, pizza box etc 

So just because I am in a van I can't park in a nice spot... 

Jared Ewrote:

... it’s not hard to break into a well-paying, mobile career with lots of time off. Really, you can do it in under 5 years at your local community college 

Please expand on this.  What is well paying, and are u getting there in 2 years or after 5 of doing the bs?  Assuming u were referring to travel nurse, other options in the field?  

Frazerwrote:

Please expand on this.  What is well paying, and are u getting there in 2 years or after 5 of doing the bs?  Assuming u were referring to travel nurse, other options in the field?  

I don't have a degree or community college and now work in IT. I just spent 7 years in the military. If I didn't have a family when I got out, I could have done van life. True, I wasn't 'well paid' until I was in my mid-30s, but I supported a family of 5 before then.

Adam Rwrote:

I haven't done much downhill but to answer your original question braking causes negative acceleration, so if it is indeed the case that washboards are from acceleration, that's why you'd be seeing them where heavy braking occurs. 

ETA another vanlife tip. Anything that catches your poop can be used as a wag bag and will likely be cheaper and more readily available, dog poop bag, pizza box etc 

My original reply was an example to illustrate agreement with Stiles post about washboards. Most drivers, riders who travel on dirt surfaces realize that washboards are created by several co factors, notably acceleration and deceleration and or negative acceleration. The comments about how washboards are formed are all a rebuttal of the poster who claim washboards are from “people trying to floor it on dirt roads”. I suppose he could have meant flooring the gas and brake pedal, but Stiles and myself assumed Jared E was referring to the gas pedal, which leaves out the contributing factor of braking, deceleration, and as you pointed out negative acceleration. 

Park your van anywhere you want. Just don’t park it in my preferred spot.

In general, camping rigs (certainly not just vans) are becoming more common at trailheads.  The purpose of a trailhead parking lot is not the same a dispersed site and there is a point when shared access becomes an issue.  Please avoid camping at busy trailheads.

so if I want to recreate from a trail head I can't park there because you don't like the type of vehicle I own..