If you鈥檙e a regular reader of this column or have followed my adventures over the years, you鈥檝e no doubt realized that I have a habit of changing adventure rigs quite often. My wife says I have a problem, but I think it鈥檚 fun to try new camping rigs and, as with most other outdoor gear, constantly tweak and dial them in.

Our latest rig is a camper van. Sarah and I tested a Wayfarer Vans Walt conversion last summer, and we liked van camping and traveling so much that we pulled the trigger on a van of our own late last year. After five months with it, I have a better sense of how a van compares to different types of rigs, and thought I鈥檇 break down why we made the switch.

Watch: Inside a Wayfarer Vans Conversion

Why We Made the Switch

First, some quick background. I spent six weeks last summer riding the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR), and Sarah joined me in the Wayfarer test van for the last two weeks of the trip. While planning the adventure, we began discussing logistics and what vehicle she鈥檇 take. The natural choice, to me, was to take our Tundra and 19-foot Airstream鈥攂ut after talking it through, it became clear that towing the trailer would be too much work and create a lot of unnecessary headaches. I suggested she just camp in the Tune M1 that lives on the back of our Tundra, but we haven鈥檛 built out the inside, and she rightly pointed out that living and working out of it for several weeks wouldn鈥檛 be comfortable.

All of that led to our interest in trying a van. We quickly learned that a van was not only the right rig for that particular trip鈥攚hich involved moving to a new location every day and lots of highway driving鈥攂ut it made more sense for the majority of our trips than the Airstream. Here鈥檚 why:

1. We averaged 20mpg over a couple thousand miles, which is nearly double what our truck gets pulling the trailer.
2. Navigating cities, small towns, and even gas stations was infinitely easier with a van half the length and with a better turning radius. While the Airstream was only 19 feet long, when you add it to the truck鈥檚 length, you鈥檙e piloting a 38-foot rig versus a 19-foot van.
3. We worried significantly less about getting stuck or having to back up for long distances on Forest Service roads. Even though our trailer has a 3-inch lift and all-terrain tires, the whole rig was much more difficult to fit in tight spaces than a self-contained van.
4. The van, despite being front-wheel drive (FWD), proved quite capable and went anywhere we needed to go. The GDMBR is made up of mostly dirt roads, some of which get pretty gnarly鈥攅specially in New Mexico and Montana. There were some particularly rough, rocky, and rut-strewn sections of Forest Service road between Seeley Lake and Whitefish that the van probably had no place being, but Sarah took it slow and made it through without issue.
5. The build was simple, high quality, and offered most of the amenities we were used to with our Airstream, such as running water, lights, a heater, and a fridge鈥攋ust with much less required maintenance.
   

   

Choosing the Van

When we got home from that trip and returned the test van, we were surprised by how much we missed it. We didn鈥檛 just miss camping out of it鈥攚e missed all the little advantages that come with having a campervan, like the passthrough from the cab to the living area and ability to make quick snacks in the kitchen on the road. So, we decided to sell the trailer and look for a van.

We were set on a Wayfarer conversion after spending so much time in one, which limited our van choice to either a Ram Promaster or Ford Transit. I labored over the decision mainly because the Transit is available in all-wheel drive, and I thought that might be necessary for some of the places we go. Ultimately, we decided that a van with all-wheel drive would still be nowhere near as capable off road as the four-wheel-drive Tundra in our driveway. The low clearance, limited suspension travel, overall size, and lack of low range really limits where an AWD van can go compared to a truck, so we decided to skip it. Besides鈥攚e鈥檇 already found the Promaster鈥檚 FWD to be capable of getting to most places we wanted to visit on our trip along the Divide.

Promasters can cost significantly less money than AWD Transits: A brand new, starts just over $50K, while a starts around $57K (though when you dig into it, it鈥檚 very difficult to find a 148鈥� High Roof, AWD Transit for less than $65K). Used Promasters are even less expensive, and when we were shopping it was easy to find a slightly used Promaster with 30,000 to 40,000 miles on it for $30K, which was a big factor in our decision. What really sold me on the Ram was . First of all, Promasters are more square inside and feel much more roomy to me than Transits, which get narrower toward the roof. At their widest points, Promasters are about 7.5 inches wider. A high-roof Promaster has about 6 feet, 2 inches of standing room inside after a Wayfarer conversion, but its exterior height is a full 8 inches shorter than a high-roof Transit (which, despite the tall height, only offers 2 more inches of interior head room). That might not sound like a big deal on paper, but I can assure you it makes a difference in high winds on the highway, low overhangs around town, and low-hanging branches on dirt roads. Heck, a mid-roof Transit, which only offers 5 feet 8 inches of standing height, is only 3 inches shorter than a high-roof Promaster.

There isn鈥檛 really enough of a difference in payload and towing capacity between the two makers to really matter, but Promasters get better fuel , which was important to us (we average around 18 to 20mpg in ours, while the AWD Transits usually average 13 to 15mpg). They also have about two more inches of ground clearance from the factory than the Fords.

There seems to be a consensus on the internet that Transits are more reliable than Promasters. While data from does sort of back that up, the Ram鈥檚 listed annual cost of ownership number is only $200 more, which wasn鈥檛 enough to sway me in the Ford鈥檚 direction given the Transit鈥檚 higher purchase price and lower fuel economy. I also asked the folks at Wayfarer about their experience with both vans, and they said from what they鈥檝e seen and heard from customers, there really isn鈥檛 that much of a difference between the two in terms of reliability. Both vans are sold all over the world, and there are plenty of examples of people traveling extensively out of each van with great success.

Ultimately, we chose to buy a used, 2023 159-inch wheelbase, high-roof Ram Promaster 2500. We opted for a 2023 because that model year came with a new, nine-speed transmission, which helps the van鈥檚 3.5L V-6 on the highway and in the mountains. We really appreciated the amount of space it had inside over the Transit, and were able to save a bunch of money by finding a great deal on a used van. Side note: Wayfarer is one of very few van conversion companies that will actually convert used vans.

The Build Process

Wayfarer Vans is based in Colorado Springs, and they have their conversion process down to a science. They can help you source a van, and once you鈥檝e got one, lead times vary from two to eight weeks for scheduling your install. Installs themselves usually take just two to three days.

Each is based on the van model you bring them, so our high-roof, long-wheelbase Promaster meant we鈥檇 be going with the same Walt conversion we tested. We optioned ours a little differently than the test rig, but it鈥檚 quite similar overall. The biggest-ticket options we wanted were the windows, bug screens, and heater.

Because we were moving from a 19-foot Airstream to a van, we really appreciated the Walt鈥檚 extra storage space for gear and extra seating. The Walt has one extra 鈥淏oot Box鈥� in the back compared to the Transit models and a larger galley cabinet for more storage. We often camp with friends, and being able to easily seat four or five people for dinner or board games inside the van if it鈥檚 nasty outside is awesome. As a side note, you can also spec either van with a if you have kids or travel with more than two people.

You can read a more detailed account of the van鈥檚 interior build in this article I wrote last year, but the moral of the story is that Wayfarer builds simple, high-quality camper vans that are completely modular and allow you to change the layout of the van depending on your needs.

Top Takeaways

We鈥檝e had the van for nearly five months now, and it鈥檚 already gotten more use than our Airstream did in the several years we owned it. That鈥檚 because now, in addition to a sweet camper, we also have a supremely practical vehicle that we use for other things than just camping trips. We鈥檝e hauled appliances and kitchen cabinets, driven to visit family across the country, used it as a production vehicle for my video business, and even used it as a daily driver because it gets better fuel economy and is easier to park than the truck.

I was also used to constantly working on the various systems in our Airstream, given it was 20 years old: I ripped out the black tank and replaced the toilet with a composter, lifted it and added bigger tires, added lithium batteries and a solar system, and more. With the Wayfarer build, we still have running water, a heater, lights, vent fans, solar-powered electricity, and even a portable composting toilet, but it鈥檚 all simpler and everything just works. It has a hand pump that pulls water from a 5-gallon jug, so there’s no winterization required. The electrical 鈥渟ystem鈥� consists of a , which works flawlessly and is simple to replace if it somehow wears out. All of the cabinetry is high-quality, Baltic birch plywood that鈥檚 completely modular and can be easily repaired or replaced if necessary. In practical terms, that means I now spend a lot less time futzing with systems and more time planning trips and actually camping.

We鈥檝e also found that it鈥檚 an infinitely better winter and ski camping rig than the trailer, due to the superior insulation, lack of plumbing to freeze, maneuverability and the fact that we are no longer dealing with trying to tow a trailer on snowy roads. The front wheel drive, paired with the I ran on it this winter, have proven to be totally capable of getting us to our favorite ski hills.

I鈥檝e already mentioned how practical the van is for more mundane tasks like moving furniture, but we鈥檝e also found that it makes for the perfect dog palace at trailheads or when running errands around town. The fans and windows allow us to keep it cool inside if we need to leave the pup in the van for a bit, and he鈥檚 got a comfy bed and a full bowl of water at his disposal. Bonus: The fact that there鈥檚 a always inside means we can keep groceries cool if we鈥檙e in town for the day, or just have cold drinks waiting for us after a mountain bike ride.

Off-Road Capabilities

But what about off-road stuff? You can鈥檛 do that in a Promaster! While the Promaster is an exceptionally practical vehicle, it鈥檚 also true that a huge, front-wheel drive, box on wheels is not an off-roader. But honestly, that鈥檚 part of what I love about it鈥攊t doesn鈥檛 pretend to be one, unlike some other vans out there. Despite that, it will absolutely get you down a gravel or moderate dirt road, which, if we鈥檙e honest, is really what most of us do with our built-out trucks, anyway. I do plan to modify mine just a bit to make it more dirt-road capable, which I鈥檒l cover in an upcoming article.

If I know I鈥檓 going somewhere that the roads will be really rough, I鈥檒l take the truck and sacrifice some camp comfort. I also love that the van also gives me the option to bring my e-bike or tow a four wheeler for further exploration (both of which will get further off road than my truck ever could).

Gear Hauling and Practicality

One other point in the win column for the Promaster is its gear hauling ability. Our van can not only tow more than 6,000 pounds, but has a payload capacity of 3,994 pounds. After the lightweight Wayfarer build, that means we still have plenty of payload leftover for toys and never have to worry about overloading the rig, which is something we鈥檙e constantly mindful of with our truck. If you鈥檙e an overpacker like me, a 戮-ton Promaster is a great option and can usually be found for significantly less money than an equivalent 戮-ton pickup truck.

If I鈥檝e learned one thing in all the years of testing rigs, it鈥檚 that no adventure vehicle is perfect. I always shied away from vans mainly because I assumed you needed at least $150K to buy one. Downsizing from a 19-foot travel trailer to a Promaster and Wayfarer conversion taught me otherwise. It鈥檚 also teaching me that, as with most things in life, simple is better.

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I went to my first show for 国产吃瓜黑料 in 2015. At that time, Overland Expo East was held in Asheville, North Carolina, and I begged my editors to let me fly out and cover the event. No one in the office had really heard of the event back then, and a few were skeptical that 鈥渙verlanding鈥� was something the 国产吃瓜黑料 Online audience would care about.

Turns out, people did care. A video tour I shot of an Earth Cruiser ended up being one of the site鈥檚 most popular videos for years, and a decade later, overlanding is more popular than ever.

This year鈥檚 Overland Expo drew more than 28,000 people, and there were 423 registered exhibitors showing off the latest and greatest stuff the industry has to offer. As we鈥檝e done for the last 10 years, we scoured the show for the best gear and most innovative rigs. These are the four new campers that impressed me most at this year’s expo.

(from $39,995)

Durango-based Outpost Campers launched their 6.5 slide-in truck camper last Summer, but this was their first time at Overland Expo West. This company is actually the same team behind 鈥攖hey re-branded and put a pause on van builds due to the demand they were getting for truck campers. After taking a look at Expo, it鈥檚 easy to see why given the impeccable craftsmanship, open floorplan, and the great value they pack into that $39K price tag.

Watch: Inside the Outpost 6.5听

Made from composite panels, the Outpost 6.5 is a true four-season camper with a very high insulation value. For 2025, the company started using a different composite panel that鈥檚 more durable and lighter than previous models, giving the camper a dry weight of 1,475 pounds. To me, what really sets this camper apart is what you get for the base price: a 5k Wh Ecoflow lithium battery and power station that includes a 3000 watt inverter, 60 Amp DC-DC charger and dual solar charge controllers, 250 watts of solar, a 20 gallon fresh water tank, aluminum cabinetry with bamboo countertops, an 86-liter fridge, an induction cooktop, a Maxxair fan, and more.

I built my own composite truck camper a few years ago, and can tell you that if Outpost had been around then, I probably would have saved myself the DIY trouble. I鈥檓 planning to take an Outpost 6.5 out for a proper test this summer, so stay tuned for a full review.

(from $56,879)

Cube Series launched their pop-up, a few years ago, but this was the first time I鈥檝e seen their new trailer in person. It鈥檚 one of very few on the market, and a super compelling option for anyone who needs their trailer to fit in a garage or just wants an easier towing experience.

Composite and aluminum construction keep the weight down to just 2,730 pounds, so it鈥檚 easily towable behind smaller SUVs and pickups. It comes with 25-gallon fresh and grey water tanks, an 18,000BTU furnace, and a DC-DC charger for charging the battery off your tow rig. Electric actuators lift the roof once you get to camp and give you over 7 feet of headroom inside. I’m hoping to spend some time testing this trailer later this year.

(from $21,449)

This one was a first for me at the show鈥攁 camper trailer specifically designed to be pulled by a UTV or side by side. The founders of spent a lot of time camping around the North Rim of the Grand Canyon out of their side by sides, and grew tired of trying to cram all their gear into the limited cargo space. Their solution was to create a trailer light enough to pull behind their rigs, yet big enough to haul gear and offer a more comfortable place to sleep.

At just 1,100 pounds, these trailers can be pulled behind most UTVs, and the company鈥檚 鈥渨alking beam suspension鈥� allows the little trailers to traverse some seriously gnarly terrain with ease. High Country Unlimited offers , including one with a rooftop tent and one with a Kodiak canvas tent made for a truck bed built in. You can add options like a diesel heater, portable shower system, and more to turn these little trailers into full-on campers capable of going anywhere your side by side will tow them.

(from $109,500)

The Pebble Flow was one of two fully electric travel trailers we saw at Expo this year that were specifically designed to be towed behind an electric vehicle. The Pebble Flow was originally announced back in 2023, and this was the first time we laid eyes (and hands) on one in person. Color us impressed.

The Pebble Flow is a 25-foot travel trailer with a dry weight of 5,800 pounds鈥攚ell within the 11,000-pound towing capacity of a . It differs from its main competitor, the Lightship AE.1 Cosmos, in that it doesn鈥檛 collapse down for driving and has some nifty, automated features like 鈥淩emote Control鈥�, 鈥淢agic Hitch,鈥� and 鈥淚nstaCamp” built in. We didn鈥檛 get to see these in action, but Pebble claims that the trailer will automatically hitch itself to your vehicle and decouple once in camp, can be maneuvered into a campsite via a remote control (without a tow rig attached), and deploy the stairs, stabilizers, and levelers with the push of a button.

There are, of course, built into this thing, like dual motors at the wheels that make towing easier and extend the range of the tow vehicle, regenerative braking, and a high-efficiency heat pump. While we鈥檙e still in the early days of high-tech, electric trailers, I’m excited to see these concept rigs like the Pebble Flow start shipping production units to customers this year.

(not yet available)

Ok, so technically you can鈥檛 buy this rig yet, but it鈥檚 too cool not to be included on this list. At first glance, I assumed this was just a run-of-the-mill Jeep Wrangler with a rooftop tent, but it鈥檚 not. Jeep Performance Parts calls this their 鈥淎RTT鈥� concept. It is a collaboration with Dometic, and is actually an integrated rooftop tent and 270-degree awning housed in an aerodynamic, carbon fiber shell that attaches directly to the roof of the Wrangler without the need for a rack. That saves a ton of weight, and it allows you to access the tent from the inside of the vehicle via the Jeep鈥檚 removable 鈥渇reedom panels.鈥� It鈥檚 pretty cool, and basically turns a Wrangler into a little mini camper without adding tons of weight and ruining the way it drives.

(from $138,000)

This one turned a lot of heads at the show, and it was our first time seeing a Bowlus in person. The Bowlus Rivet is a 25-foot, luxury travel trailer that weighs just 2,800 pounds dry. The company has a pretty interesting history鈥擧awley Bowlus made the first riveted aluminum travel trailer in 1934, which looked a lot like what you see here, but his company went out of business after Walley Byum created a very similar riveted aluminum trailer鈥攖he Airstream.

These days, Bowlus is widely known for building one of the highest quality trailers on the market, and it really shows when you get inside. The base model comes with 4k Wh of battery power (and can be optioned with up to 8k Wh), and 660 watts of solar, so you can literally camp off grid indefinitely without running out of juice. The trailer also features a hydronic heating system with five silent radiators to evenly distribute heat throughout the trailer. We also particularly liked the placement of the door, which allows you to easily load bikes, kayaks and other long, bulky gear into the trailer.

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Overlanders are arguably the most intense gearheads in the outdoor community. They鈥檙e willing to spend months (if not years) and thousands (if not tens of thousands) of dollars dialing in their perfect setup. As such, the overland product market is usually a rich place to find new and innovative gear. Some of it is way too specific and not much use to the general public, but a handful of items have a much broader appeal, and that鈥檚 what we鈥檝e rounded up below. Over three days, we scoured dozens of booths at Overland Expo West to find the gear that will help recreational campers enjoy summer camping trips that much more.

Watch: Our Favorite Rig at Overland Expo West

($269)

Air conditioning and adventure rigs have never really gone hand in hand. Usually, the AC units you see sitting atop travel trailers and RVs require a lot of electricity to run, meaning your rig needs to be plugged into a standard, household 120v outlet (or 鈥渟hore power鈥�). Twelve-volt AC units, like the or portable , are capable of running off your rig鈥檚 house battery, but they鈥檙e very expensive and run times are usually limited to a few hours without a massive battery bank. The Transcool E3, on the other hand, can run for up to 157 hours on a 100ah battery. It鈥檚 an Australian-made, portable evaporative cooler that holds a half gallon of water and only weighs 4.2 pounds. While it won鈥檛 cool down an entire rig or room the way a true air conditioner will, it could be the perfect solution for anyone looking to add a little cool air to their rig鈥攅specially since it costs just a fraction of a 12V AC unit.

($3,299)

, which until recently was called , makes these nifty little camper boxes that are meant to be mounted in a truck bed or on a flatbed trailer. At 180 to 190 pounds depending on the size you choose, they’re lightweight and designed to be easily removed from your truck or trailer when not in use. They鈥檙e also very well insulated鈥攖he two-inch, rigid foam walls have an R12-15 rating, which is incredibly high for a camper and means it won鈥檛 take much to heat or cool this thing. You can pick from either a truck mounting or during purchase, or you can simply strap the box down via ratchet straps.

($175)

Camping lanterns have been around forever, but Devos is changing the market with their LightRanger series of lights. The LightRanger 1200 is a USB-C rechargeable LED lantern that puts out 1200 lumens and comes with an adjustable light stand capable of telescoping the lantern up to 9 feet in the air. Raising the lantern that far overhead means it’s capable of lighting up a 60-foot area, and it鈥檒l keep the bugs up above you rather than buzzing around your camp table. It can run for up to 80 hours on its lowest setting (60 lumens), and nearly four hours on max.

(From $30)

We love it when someone finds a problem with an existing product and decides to make it better. Case in point, the Rollercam L Track Kit. The founder of Rollercam got sick of using traditional cam straps on river trips, which become difficult to tighten when friction builds between the cam and webbing. He designed a strap with a brass roller (hence the name Rollercam) integrated into it, which alleviates the friction problem problem and makes it easier to tighten the straps securely. Rollercam鈥檚 latest innovation is the L Track kit, which lets you pair different-length straps that come with L-Track fittings attached to the ends. As a result, you easily secure all sorts of gear to L-track systems commonly used in van builds, trailers, truck beds, and more.

While Koni has a long history in the automotive world, the brand is still somewhat unknown in the overland space. This was Koni鈥檚 first year at Overland Expo West, and they were showing off their current line of shocks along with the new , which is the company鈥檚 first overland-specific shock. The Explorer is a 2-inch aluminum, monotube design that features the brand鈥檚 ACTIVE FSD, or Frequency Selective Damping, technology. Basically, it uses mechanical components to automatically switch between low and high damping forces depending on whether you鈥檙e driving on the highway or off pavement. In other words, these shocks will likely be perfect for the vast majority of overlanders out there.

($549)

It can be a little spooky to drive your overland rig out into the middle of nowhere, set up camp, and just hope that nothing goes wrong. Some people bring firearms for protection, but if that makes you uncomfortable, the Byrna is a great alternative. The device, which looks exactly like a traditional gun, fires less-lethal projectiles that are powered by a CO2 canister. Those projectiles, which are round and not designed to penetrate, come out at 400 feet per-second and will deter most humans and many animals within a 60-foot range. If you want added protection, you can also load the Byrna with rounds that are full of a chemical irritant that sprays out when the projectile makes impact. The CL is not classified as a firearm so you don鈥檛 need a permit or background check, but you do have to be 18 years old to buy one.

($122)

When we first walked up to the Kama booth, we were confused by the product on display but drawn in by the beautiful colors and designs. Owner and founder Rachel Dobronyi explained that what we were looking at were high-quality mats made from a 1000-denier nylon shell and lined with marine-grade foam. These mats spreadsout quickly but also pack up into a tight and easy-to-transport bundle. When we asked about their intended use, she gave us a laundry list. She said people use them as changing mats during ski, surf, and bike days, put them outside their vans as a place to hold their shoes, and even drape them over the back of their truck tailgate so they can transport mountain bikes without scratching any paint. We photographed the medium-sized offering but there鈥檚 also a larger mat that would be great for gatherings in the park, and a smaller version that people can use as a place to sit when backpacking or hunting.

($100)

When you head out camping, there鈥檚 always a question about how to transport and store the little stuff. We鈥檙e talking headlamps, walkie talkies, extra cords, flashlights, etc. The best place, based on lots of experience, is in a headrest bag like this one from Onwrd. With two big storage pockets, it will hold a family鈥檚 worth of headlamps, help you keep your cords organized and tangle-free, and also comes with a padded sunglasses pocket so you have a safe space to store your sunnies overnight. There are other companies out there that make headrest bags, but we think Onwrd’s design is the best because it slips over any headrest on the market via elastic bands and then can be tightened down with straps so it doesn鈥檛 rattle around on rough roads.

($699)

We鈥檝e been going to Overland Expos for a decade now and noticed that there鈥檚 a new trend in the market. Some people still want big campers and plush rooftop tents, but lots of other folks want to keep their camping setup as simple as possible. Enter sleeping platforms like the Hideaway, which slides into the back of your SUV or truck and creates a comfortable but ultra-simple way to sleep in your car when you鈥檙e adventuring off the grid. Similar to an extra-large cot designed for vehicles, the Hideaway come in three sizes (single, double, and XL) and is made in the U.S. from durable materials, including 500-denier cordura fabric for the cover and anodized aluminum for the legs. The legs are also adjustable so you get storage underneath, and when not in use, the Hideaway packs away and roll up into a similarly-sized package as a ground tent.

($400)

The Bugout is a wildly popular model from Benchmade because it鈥檚 the perfect size for everyday carry. At just 4.22 inches when folded up, it fits nicely in your pocket and never interferes when you need to grab your phone or keys. But at a respectable 7.46 inches when open, it鈥檚 enough knife for any everyday task鈥攃utting salami at the campsite, gutting a fish, opening a box, etc. This version of the Bugout recently launched and ups the ante by using a higher quality blade (CPM-S90V stainless steel) and by including the red richlite material on the handle that鈥檚 designed to come away with its own unique patina over time. The Bugout is not the knife you want for a hunting trip, or a survival outing, but you鈥檇 be hard pressed to find a nicer knife for everyday use.

($1,719)

Well-known as the premier bike rack company on the market, 1Up just expanded its offerings with a rack specifically designed for motorcycles. The Moto Rack borrows a similar design from the company鈥檚 original bike racks with two arms that clamp down on the wheels but don鈥檛 rub any of the frame compartments. It also comes with included wheel chocks that fit in the trays and sit snugly against the tires to cut down on wobble. If you want even more security, the rack has a mechanism to hold and tighten down ratchet straps that go over the arms (or any part of the bike) to create one more layer of assurance. Rated to carry motos up to 500 pounds with tires up to seven inches wide, the Moto Rack is not designed for big road motorcycles but instead for dirt and enduro bikes or other smaller, two-wheel motorized devices. An included ramp that pulls out of the tray makes loading and unloading a cinch.

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I love gawking at cool 4x4s and campers, and I also love a good deal. I have a buddy who suffers from the same affliction, and we have a text thread going back several years that鈥檚 filled mainly with Craigslist links to cool vehicles we鈥檝e found online. This affinity for adventure rig classifieds is how I ended up with a 2006 Power Wagon a few years ago and how he scored a killer deal on an even rarer truck and camper. Mostly, though, surfing the web for adventure mobiles is just a fun way to pass the time when we鈥檙e bored.

So, in an attempt to do something useful with this goofy habit and put all that time spent scrolling to good work, I鈥檓 going to start highlighting some of the coolest rigs and best deals I鈥檝e found recently in an installment I鈥檓 calling 鈥淐raigslist Finds.鈥�

Keep in mind that these things sell like hotcakes, so these exact listings may no longer be available by the time you鈥檙e reading this. The hope here is to provide some insight on what to look for and how to find a good deal on a rig.

Don’t miss: The Best Trailers, Campers, and Van Conversions of 2025

There are all sorts of amazing rigs sold around the world that we never got in the United States, like the Mitsubishi Delica, 70-Series Landcruiser, and a whole host of JDM, or Japanese Domestic Market, campers sold only in Japan. Case in point, this 1998 Toyota Camroad 4WD.

The Camroad was based on a Toyota Toyoace truck chassis and sold by different Japanese manufacturers in the 鈥�90s. This one, a Champ model, has a fiberglass camper affixed to the back of it and is about 16-feet-long and 6.5-feet-wide鈥攆or perspective, that鈥檚 shorter than many full-sized trucks and Sprinter vans on the market today. Japanese campers are renowned for their efficient use of space and excellent build quality, and this one certainly looks like it lives up to that.

It has a pass-through cab, meaning you can access the camper portion of the vehicle without needing to go outside, and looks like it sleeps at least four (two above the cab and two on a convertible dinette). The seller鈥檚 description isn鈥檛 the most detailed, but from the looks of things, it鈥檚 very well-equipped with a shower and cassette toilet inside, a 20-gallon water tank, a microwave, and more.

Like all JDM vehicles, this one is right-hand drive, which may take a bit of getting used to but is legal to drive in the U.S. This rig has an automatic transmission, which makes things a bit easier, and is powered by Toyota鈥檚 legendary 3-liter diesel engine. It even has push-button four-wheel-drive.

Because it鈥檚 nearly 30 years old and was never sold in the U.S., it鈥檒l take the right kind of buyer to fully appreciate and enjoy this rig. But, if you鈥檙e into well-made, quirky adventure vehicles with four-wheel-drive capability and Toyota reliability, this could be a really cool choice.

A Sportsmobile has always been an absolute dream rig in my mind. If you鈥檙e not familiar, the company has been making some of the most . The ones I鈥檝e always been most taken with are those built on the Ford E-Series platform鈥攖hey鈥檙e the old-school, boxy Ford van that was the predecessor to the modern-day Transit. Its truck-like, body-on-frame construction made it more suitable for off-road travel and all the modifications and accessories that go along with that, like suspension lifts, larger tires, steel bumpers, and winches.

These vans were never sold with four-wheel-drive from the factory, but a few companies, including Sportsmobile, , , and , converted them to four wheel drive, turning them into true adventure rigs. Sportsmobile is perhaps best known for their pop-top conversions, which allow for a ton of standing room and extra sleeping space when parked, but retain all the benefits of a low roof van on the highway.

While cool, Sportsmobiles don鈥檛 come cheap鈥擣ord stopped selling E-Series cargo vans in 2014, so even and hold their value. You can sort of still buy from Field Van (formerly Sportsmobile West), who has created their own custom fiberglass body that fits on an E-Series cutaway chassis, but it鈥檒l cost you north of $200K.

All that to say, this particular Sportsmobile is actually a pretty good deal. It鈥檚 a 2013 (so one of the last years of the E-350) with a Quigley 4WD conversion, and it has the sought-after 6.8L, V-10 engine with only 40K original miles. Lots of folks think the diesel engines are the way to go in these vans, but the V-10 is nearly as powerful and costs significantly less to maintain鈥攜ou鈥檒l just be buying a lot of gas because the engine is not known for being efficient.

The seller says the van鈥檚 interior was updated in 2018 by Field Van (formerly Sportsmobile West) and now has a quartz countertop with an induction cooktop. There鈥檚 also 200 watts of solar panels on the roof and four AGM batteries. Should those run out, it also comes with a Yamaha generator.

It鈥檚 loaded with extras like an onboard air compressor, front and rear, heavy-duty bumpers, an outdoor shower, and one of the cleanest interiors I鈥檝e seen in a long time. I鈥檓 a big fan of the floorplan on this one, too, which gives you more seating in the back and space to walk though to the back of the van. All in all, it鈥檚 about as drool-worthy as it gets.

This one is the most turnkey of the three vehicles, and a killer option for anyone looking for a true go-anywhere, haul-anything adventure rig. The Ford F-250 is a very popular truck for hauling a camper and doing serious work, and this particular one has two of the best options available for the model: the . The 7.3L V-8 puts out 430 horsepower and 475-pound-feet of torque and is a great alternative to a diesel engine, both for the lower maintenance costs associated with it and because regular unleaded is easier to find while traveling internationally. It鈥檚 also designed to be an exceptionally long-lived engine, so 76,000 miles shouldn鈥檛 scare anyone off.

The means the truck gets a slight lift, a locking rear differential, Ford鈥檚 Trail Control drive mode selector, a special rock crawling mode, and 35-inch tires. The seller also installed an onboard air compressor for quickly airing up those big tires.

The model鈥檚 max payload is 4,210 pounds, which means it likely doesn鈥檛 even know that camper is in the bed. As for the camper, this Four Wheel Campers Hawk looks to be a fully loaded, front-dinette model. It sleeps four, and the seller says it has every option available, including an 85L Isotherm fridge, a Thetford cassette toilet, inside and outside showers, 230 watts of solar on top, and Victron charging components, among other things.

If I were looking for a slightly used three-quarter-ton truck and slide-in camper combo, this rig has just about everything I鈥檇 be looking for. You鈥檙e getting a lot of value here, too, considering a new F-250 Tremor and a new, would be north of $40K.

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There was a time when you had to choose between comfort and off-roading chops when it came to pulling your adventure home along with you. You could spend a week in a luxury trailer as far as the pavement would take you, or sleep off-kilter in a Jeep pop-up camper deep in the wild. Now, whether you chase your motor-powered thrills at a gravel campground or 500 miles from the nearest interstate, your options are better than ever.

Our favorite slide-in, pop-up, and tow-behind equipment of the year keeps your storage space usable, maximizes sprawl鈥攜es, there’s a short-bed camper that fits a king-sized mattress鈥攁nd promises as much off-road prowess as you can dream of.

Updated April, 2025: We added a new pick鈥攖he Wayfarer Vans Walt Conversion鈥攖o this list, and updated other pricing and product info throughout.听

At a Glance

• Best Van Conversion:
• Best Minimalist Camper:
• Best Off-Road Trailer:
• Best Luxury Rig:
• How to Choose a Trailer or Camper
• How We Test
• Meet Our Lead Testers

Best Van Conversion

Wayfarer Vans Walt Conversion

Type: Van Conversion
Material: Laminated composite wall and ceiling panel; Havelock wool insulation; 9-ply solid-core baltic birch plywood

Pros and Cons
鈯� Simple, high-quality build
鈯� Modular layouts
鈯� Will convert used vans
鈯� 2-3 day install time
鈯� Conversions only available for Ram Promaster and Ford Transit
鈯� No custom work

Watch: Inside Look at the Wayfarer Walt Van Conversion

Van conversion companies are a dime a dozen these days. The vast majority offer expensive, fully custom buildouts loaded with complicated electrical and plumbing systems that can easily cost six figures鈥攕ometimes even without factoring in the price of the van itself鈥攁nd take weeks, if not months, to build.

That鈥檚 not the case with Colorado Springs-based Wayfarer Vans: their largest conversion, built on a 159鈥� High Roof Ram Promaster cargo van platform, starts at $25K. While that price can climb to around $55K if you add every optional accessory possible, like a 12V air conditioner, bug screens, 400 watts of solar, and a Propex Heater, it鈥檚 still an incredible value in today鈥檚 campervan marketplace. Wayfarer also completes the installation in just 2-3 days.

The value is what originally caught our attention, but what stood out during a multi-week test last summer was the quality and functionality. There鈥檚 tons of storage space for gear throughout, and the Baltic Birch cabinets and furniture felt solid and didn’t rattle loose鈥攅ven after we drove on miles of washboard roads in Montana. A simple hand pump and removable, five-gallon fresh and grey water containers meant we didn’t worry about built-in tanks leaking or accidentally leaving the water pump on while out fishing for the day.

An over-bed shelf with bungees kept things like extra layers and blankets out of the way without adding the additional weight of more cabinets. The built-in, insulated partition that separates the cab and living area made for a great privacy screen while changing at trailheads, and quickly rolled up and out of the way during travel.

We also loved the modular interior: all the furniture simply bolts into cargo track on the floor, which meant we could move things around to accommodate multiple bikes and other bulky items. Most other vans with modular interiors we鈥檝e tested feel more like camping in a mobile erector set, whereas the Walt felt like a cozy, minimalist cabin with the added benefit of modularity. It鈥檚 the perfect blend of #vanlife and practical work van functionality.

Despite the reasonable price point, the brand still uses proven, premium materials throughout, like Havelock Wool insulation, 9-ply solid-core Baltic Birch plywood, and laminated composite wall and ceiling panels. Translation? They鈥檙e built for the long haul, and you鈥檇 be hard-pressed to find a better-built, more adaptable, and well-thought-out campervan for the money.

Best Minimalist Camper

Tune Outdoor Tune M1

Type: Canopy-style popup truck camper
Weight: From 387 lbs (short-bed Tacoma)
Material: Aluminum/Composite

Pros and Cons
鈯� Incredible space-to-weight ratio
鈯� Sleek
鈯� Retains bed utility
鈯� Heavier than some wedge campers
鈯� Expensive

Watch: Tour of the Tune M1 Truck Camper

True innovation has been tough to come by in the lightweight, shell-style truck camper market lately, but that changed when Denver-based Tune Outdoors launched its Tune M1 in 2023.

Instead of releasing just another wedge camper or traditional slide-in, Tune combined some of the best existing features on the market, like building with aluminum extrusions and honeycomb composite panels, and added its own twist: The Tune M1 rests on a truck鈥檚 bed rails, but the side walls flare out at the bottom to provide far more interior living space than anything else out there. That extra width also provides more standard sleeping space鈥攊n fact, an optional bed extension platform accommodates a nearly king-sized mattress on a short-bed Tacoma.

The Tune M1鈥檚 starting price includes features that cost extra at many other brands, like built-in lighting, a 4-inch memory foam mattress, and 440-plus feet of T-Track. All that T-Track means you can bolt nearly anything to the camper, and easily build out the interior if you wish.

Bonus: Side awning panels fully open for gear access. Our favorite option is the tempered glass side panels, which not only look fantastic, but also let more light inside and allow for panoramic views. 鈥淭he packed-down silhouette is so tight that we never held back on even the burliest roads,鈥� says Aaron Gulley, a longtime 国产吃瓜黑料 contributor and gear tester. 鈥淏ut it has so much popup space that the truck bed felt roomy for two people even with coolers, a generator, and requisite camping gear.鈥�

The perfect cross between a fully featured slide-in and a wedge camper, the Tune M1 is ideal for families who need more space, or anyone who wants a truck camper but also wants to continue using their truck bed for truck things.

Best Off-Road Trailer

Boreas Campers EOS-12

Type: 4-Season off-road travel trailer
Material: Composite and metal construction
Weight: 3,750 lbs (dry weight)

Pros and Cons
鈯� Incredibly capable off road
鈯� No-wood construction (no mold, rot, etc.)
鈯� 50-gallon fresh water capacity
鈯� Expensive
鈯� No indoor sink/cooking option

Watch: Inside the Boreas EOS-12 Trailer

We鈥檝e followed Pueblo, Colorado-based Boreas Campers closely since it debuted its AT and XT models, both class-leading off-road teardrops, a few years ago. The EOS-12 builds on the solid foundation of those campers and takes everything to a new level鈥攍iterally.

The EOS-12 is a 20-foot, overland-style pop-up travel trailer built to go anywhere and keep you comfortable off-grid for extended periods of time in any weather conditions. Composite panel construction keeps the rig well insulated and light on its feet with a dry weight of 3,750 pounds.

The trailer features a slim canvas pop top that keeps it aerodynamic, a well-appointed outdoor kitchen, and a full indoor wet bath. With one queen-sized main bed and a dinette that folds out to about a twin sized bed, we found it could sleep three adults comfortably, and appreciated the copious amounts of storage inside.

The EOS-12 really shines when it comes to its mechanical and electrical features. It rides on a Cruisemaster XT鈥攁n independent trailing arm suspension with airbags and auto-level, capable of handling much rougher terrain than you鈥檙e likely to experience鈥�540 amp hours of Battleborn lithium batteries, Victron electrical components, and 400 watts of solar panels.

Everything on this camper, from the exterior rock lights to the air compressor and the furnace, are operated by a portable Garmin O.N.E. tablet, which, despite our initial hesitation, performed flawlessly.

鈥淲e loved using the EOS-12 on a 5-day mule deer hunt,鈥� says Eric Ladd, a mountain biker, hunter, skier, and all-around adventure seeking ER doc based in Santa Fe, NM. 鈥淲e never worried about where we were towing it, it didn鈥檛 come close to running out of power or water, and we ate like kings thanks to the amazing outdoor kitchen鈥攄espite being off grid the entire time.鈥�

Best Luxury Rig

Airstream Trade Wind

Type: Travel Trailer
Material: Aluminum
Weight: 6200 lbs (dry weight)
Length: 25鈥� 2鈥�

Pros and Cons
鈯� Fully off-grid power system
鈯� Gorgeous interior design
鈯� Roomy floor plan
鈯� Expensive
鈯� Not as off-road-capable as others

Watch: Tour the Airstream Trade Wind Trailer

The reintroduction of the Trade Wind model shows that Airstream is listening to consumers. While the Basecamp models have been marketed towards younger generations looking to get a little further off the beaten path, the Trade Wind is the first of the company鈥檚 iconic, silver bullet-shaped travel trailers to come off the factory floor with everything a boondocker needs鈥攁nd, as it turns out, everything our testers have added to their personal Airstreams.

It comes with a robust solar system, Battleborn lithium batteries, a 3-inch lift kit and all-terrain Goodyear Wrangler Workforce Tires. When you combine the system upgrades with a stellar floor plan that sleeps up to five, gorgeous interior design, and other smart features like a recirculating water heater, optional composting toilet, and an optional rear hatch that lets you easily load bulky gear, it all adds up to an incredible, luxurious, off-grid basecamp.

鈥淲e have owned an Airstream for nearly a decade and modified it for heavy, backcountry, boondocking use. The new Trade Wind is everything we always wanted ours to be鈥攁nd much more,鈥� said Gulley. 鈥淭his is a rig built to go anywhere and do everything, and to do it in classic Airstream style. We definitely see an upgrade in our near future.鈥�

How to Choose a Camper or Trailer

Buying a camper of any kind is a big investment, so it鈥檚 best if you can try one out or at least see one in-person before pulling the trigger. Visiting a dealer is great, but a lot of today鈥檚 best rigs are sold direct-to-consumer, which means that events like Overland Expo are a great way to see a camper up close.

Even better, try renting the type of rig that interests you on to get a real feel for it. Even if they don鈥檛 have the specific model you鈥檙e looking for, you鈥檒l get an idea of whether you鈥檙e a van, trailer, or truck camper person.

What Kind of Camper Should I Buy?

The short answer is, it depends. In general, we think most folks are better served by buying a tow-behind they can pull with their current vehicle. Trailers have more space than a van or truck camper could ever provide, and they don鈥檛 have engines, transmissions, and other expensive parts to maintain.

How Much Should I Expect to Spend?

For a new rig, you should budget anywhere from $100-250K for a van, $10-30K for a truck camper (sans truck), and $30-130K for a trailer, depending on your tastes and needs.

How Much Solar Do I Need?

It all depends on how much luxury you want off grid. For most weekenders, around 200-300 watts of solar and 100-200 amp hours of lithium batteries will be more than enough.

How We Test

• Number of testers: 6
• Nights Spent Camping: Over 20
• Number of campers/trailers tested: 7
• Longest Stint Spent Off-Grid: 7 days
• Most Challenging Test Drive: 23 miles of rugged, New Mexico washboard

Between attending overland expo shows to tour the latest rigs and testing demo trailers on extended trips, category manager Bryan Rogala spends over 30 nights camping in everything from rooftop tents to Airstreams every year.

Because evaluating adventure rigs isn鈥檛 as simple as testing a pair of running shoes, our testing criteria looks a bit different. We look at build quality, standard features and components, pricing, and availability, as well as details like trailer suspension and camper wall construction methods, in an effort to find a broad array of what we think are the most well-made and value-driven rigs on the market.

Meet Our Lead Testers

Bryan Rogala is a longtime contributor to 国产吃瓜黑料 and has been reviewing trailers and campers since 2018. He covers overlanding gear and rigs in his regular column, and his 101 video series for 国产吃瓜黑料 Online. As a hunter, mountain biker and skier, he鈥檚 in a constant search for the perfect adventure rig.

Aaron Gulley and Jen Judge, both former 国产吃瓜黑料 contributors and gear testers, spent 3.5 years living full-time in their 2014 Airstream Flying Cloud 23FB. Their travels as cyclists, hikers and hunters have taken them and their Airstream all around the U.S., and provided serious insight into the world of travel trailers.

Corey Leavitt is a filmmaker, truck nerd, and adventure rig enthusiast. He鈥檚 filmed and helped produce all of Rogala鈥檚 101 videos, rehabbed a truck camper, and spends more time on Craigslist seeking the next rig than anyone should.

Eric Ladd is a mountain biker, hunter, skier, and all-around adventure seeking ER Doc. He鈥檚 modified his own travel trailer for off road and off grid use, and takes his young family of four camping all over the Western U.S.

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Overlanding seems to have become all about creating the most ultra-luxurious or ultra-accessorized rig possible. If I鈥檝e learned one thing in all the camper and trailer testing I鈥檝e done, it鈥檚 simpler is better. Less stuff to break means more time having fun outside.

People spend stupid amounts of money building adventure rigs, and pour tons of their own time and energy into creating luxurious mobile dwellings for themselves. They鈥檙e effectively creating an AirBnB on wheels, and I fear they鈥檙e missing the point of why they got into it in the first place鈥攜ou know, to go camping.

Attend an Overland Expo show these days, or arrive at a popular dispersed camping area like Moab, Utah or Fruita, Colorado, and you鈥檒l see what I鈥檓 talking about. In a capitalist society that values consumption, and at a time where we鈥檙e constantly fed a barrage of content designed to make us want to buy things, it鈥檚 easy to get sucked into the whirlpool of wanting more.

The point of overlanding, to me at least, is to use a vehicle to better enable human-powered adventures and make camping a little easier and more comfortable. We鈥檝e now gotten to a point where ease and comfort have morphed into luxury and excess, and it鈥檚 time to take a hard look at that.

“The Most Advanced Systems and Premium Components Money Can Buy”

Before I go any further, I want to make clear that I鈥檓 guilty of this too鈥攈ell, I write about campers and trailers for a living. My wife and I ended up with our most recent adventure rig, a 19-foot Airstream trailer, because we kept seeking out more and more amenities in a camper. Like a lot of folks, we wanted something that would make boondocking more comfortable during longer trips鈥攁nd the Airstream had all the bells and whistles, like a three-burner stove, an oven, a toilet and shower with hot water, A/C, and more.

Watch: Bryan Rogala’s DIY Truck Camper

This weekend, my wife and I went camping with friends at a gorgeous, off the beaten path state park near White Sands National Park. The campground is pretty standard, consisting of a couple of paved loops with a few tent sites and some with water and electric hookups. Our neighbors were some folks camped in a built on an industrial, military truck chassis with huge, mud-terrain tires that was clearly purpose-built for off-road exploration.

There鈥檚 an abundance of awesome dispersed camping in the area, and we couldn鈥檛 help but wonder why anybody who owned a nearly half-million-dollar expedition rig designed to stay off the grid for extended periods of time鈥攃omplete with its own water-filtration system鈥攚ould stay on a paved campground loop in a state park, or use the campground bathroom when I can guarantee you the one inside that vehicle was nicer. But hey, at least they rode their dirt bikes to the bathroom each morning.

When I see rigs like selling for over $530,000 fully kitted out with features like heated floors and a full bathroom, a 14KW lithium battery system, 70 gallons of water capacity, and 鈥渢he most advanced systems and premium components money can buy or skilled hands can craft,鈥� I can鈥檛 help but wonder what happens when one of those systems fails on the road.

I鈥檝e witnessed water tanks leaking and pumps failing in fancy Sprinter conversions, and stood in the booth of a major overland trailer manufacturer at Overland Expo West as customer after customer came up to complain about cabinets falling off the walls, tank sensors failing, suspension components breaking, and more.

Is There No Middle Ground?

Rather than make campers and trailers that are as high tech and comfortable as possible, I want to see more manufacturers focus on simplicity and durability鈥攁fter all, we already have the RV industry if we want cheaply-built 鈥渓uxurious鈥� rigs. It鈥檚 as if there鈥檚 no middle ground in the camper and trailer space these days鈥攜ou either have to spend huge sums of money in the overland space to get something that鈥檚 truly well-built and won鈥檛 rattle apart on you, or you have to buy a cheap RV and cross your fingers.

To me, 鈥渙verlanding鈥� has always been more akin to car camping than extended, off-road journeys. It鈥檚 about having a rig capable enough to reach remote campsites without worry, and one that provides at least a bit more comfort during your stay than a traditional tent setup (especially in bad weather). That way, you can stay longer, sleep and eat better, and have more fun doing the other activities鈥攍ike biking, hunting, fishing, etc.鈥攜ou鈥檝e traveled for in the first place.

The Skyloft Van is obviously an extreme example, but if you take a walk around an show, it feels like the whole industry is shifting towards luxury and complication and away from its sleeping-in-the-back-of-a-Land-Cruiser roots. Even traditional RV brands like have gotten into the overland game in recent years with the series of trailers.

While I fully support the notion of an RV being built for off-pavement use, I sometimes wonder what the point is of spending $120K on a trailer with features like a pass-thru slide out kitchen, on-demand hot water, ducted heating, and a tablet that remotely controls every system on the trailer. When you zoom out a bit, the whole point of a trailer, especially an 鈥渙verland鈥� trailer, is to go camping and spend time outside.

While all those luxuries will make you more comfortable, I鈥檇 bet a lot of money you still won鈥檛 be as comfortable as you would in a nice Airbnb or fancy hotel room somewhere.

Let鈥檚 say . You could book 480 nights in an Airbnb for the price of that $120K camper. If you camp a lot, say 50 nights a year, it鈥檇 take you 9.6 years of Airbnb stays to break even. That鈥檚 a lot of vacations.

Keep It Simple (and Functional)

My point isn鈥檛 to chastise anyone for having a lot of money to spend on a camper, or to suggest we should all just toughen up and sleep in a bivvy; it鈥檚 to remind folks, and the overland industry at large, that the goal of this hobby is to get outside and go camping, and that oftentimes unnecessary luxuries can get in the way of that. You can make camping extremely comfortable while still keeping things simple, after all.

Rather than overcomplicated rigs with fancy systems and every amenity under the sun, I鈥檇 like to see the overland industry and camper manufacturers focus on building simple, durable rigs with an emphasis on reliability and quality.

Give me an insulated box鈥攚ith some lights, a heater, a basic hand-pump sink, and a Goal Zero for charging things鈥攖hat鈥檚 able to withstand washboard roads and light off-roading than a luxury apartment on wheels with leather-wrapped dinette cushions and a washer and dryer (seriously). After all, nobody will care how warm the in-floor hydronic radiant heat system keeps their feet in the morning if it quits working after a year or needs constant maintenance to keep running.

I鈥檇 rather have a rig that鈥檚 easy to deal with, requires minimal maintenance, and enables my other hobbies and passions versus an overcomplicated Airbnb on wheels that in itself becomes an all-consuming hobby to maintain.

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Truck campers are some of the most popular rigs for outdoorsy folks, for good reason. They鈥檙e designed to slide into or sit on top of just about any truck bed, are relatively simple, and can go anywhere a pickup can haul them.

So far this year we鈥檝e seen the release of three new truck camper models from established manufacturers that have us even more excited about the category than usual. Those include the new series from Four Wheel Campers, Scout Campers鈥� , and Supertramp Campers鈥� new . While we haven鈥檛 had a chance to test these new campers just yet, here鈥檚 a quick breakdown of each.

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(from $25,995)

The CampOut is the first new model from Four Wheel Campers since they launched the in 2019. Instead of preset interiors, the CampOut is completely modular, allowing customers to take an 脿 la carte approach to designing their own interior and only adding 鈥渕odules鈥� they think they鈥檒l need, rather than being stuck with things they don鈥檛 want.

Taking a cue from some of the newer camper companies on the market, like and , Four Wheels has also updated the look of the interiors: all the cabinetry is now made from extruded aluminum framing with black composite paneling and has bamboo countertops. It鈥檚 much more overlandy and modern feeling than their old interiors.

Standard features include a power module with one lithium battery, a modern 12v power system with USB outlets, a DC port for a Starlink Mini, lighting throughout, a queen-sized bed, exterior L track, a utility module with internal and external storage, and more. That gives you a great starting point that鈥檒l work right out of the gate, but you then have the option of adding additional accessories, like a Truma furnace or portable two-burner stove, and additional modules to outfit the camper to your liking.

What鈥檚 cool about this approach is that you can mix and match different modules and layouts, creating what鈥檚 close to a custom camper. Already have a stove and a fridge? No problem, just use the ones you鈥檝e got. Need more floorspace? Keep the open layout of the standard model.

My take: Four Wheel Campers is a legendary truck camper manufacturer whose products have stood the test of time, but the propels them into the modern era and will appeal to a lot of younger buyers. If I were buying a model from Four Wheel Campers, this is the one I鈥檇 buy, probably opting to keep it as simple and lightweight as possible.

(from $29,990)

In many ways, the CampOut is an answer to Scout鈥檚 Pop Up series of campers, the first of which launched last summer. Originally known for their very popular, made from composite panels, Scout entered the pop-up game last year with their Yoho Pop-Up, and just launched its bigger brother, the Olympic Pop Up, on February 19.

Scout carried over the modular mindset of their hard-sided campers for the popup versions and kept the focus on simplicity and usability. The Olympic Pop Up is designed to fit full-sized trucks, like the Ford F-150 or Toyota Tundra, with a 5.5-foot-plus, and will very likely be their most popular model based on the number of those trucks on the road.

Given their history with hard-sided campers, they chose to team up with the pop-up experts at when it came to designing the tent walls. They came up with their own, patent-pending lift mechanism for the pop-top, as well, which looks to be located on the sides of the camper versus the front and back like most other pop-ups. I鈥檒l be curious to see how this works in practice.

The interior looks gorgeous, with panoramic windows, multiple color schemes available, bamboo countertops, and resin-reinforced, recycled paper cabinetry. Notable standard features include two solar panels and a 127-amp hour lithium battery, USB charge ports throughout, a dinette that converts to a bed for sleeping up to four people, and more.

My take: Scout has infused all of the simplicity and quality people love about their hard-sided campers into these pop-up versions. Buy a hard-sided version if you want to save a bit of money or plan to camp in bad (or cold) weather often. Buy the pop-up if you value fuel efficiency and maneuverability, want to park in a garage, or prefer the look.

(from $65,975)

The latest launch comes from Golden, Colorado-based . Their Flagship LT (Lift Top), introduced in 2021, has long been one of my favorite slide-ins for its roomy interior, gorgeous design, high-end components, and durable composite construction. The new Flagship HT (Hard Top) takes everything people love about the LT and replaces the soft-sided pop-top with a hard-top.

The base of the camper is the same as the LT, but adding hard sides means the HT is better insulated since the 2-inch thick composite walls now extend all the way to the ceiling. Those walls also allowed Supertramp to add more storage to the HT, including cabinets and a Molle gear wall that give the camper a total of 38 cubic feet of storage. There鈥檚 also a storage compartment under the queen-sized bed, which is an incredibly rare feature in a hard-sided camper.

It鈥檒l fit in any full-sized truck with a 6.5-foot or 8-foot bed, and surprisingly, the HT only weighs 50 pounds more than the pop-up LT. It has a dry weight of 1,400 pounds to 1,750 pounds depending on options, which is all thanks to the camper鈥檚 vacuum-infused, one-piece composite construction. That makes for a lightweight, yet extremely durable rig. I鈥檓 a big fan of composite campers for the aforementioned benefits, and the fact that there鈥檚 no wood to rot over time.

I really like that Supertramp kept the interior as open and airy as possible by including six large windows. You still get 360-degree views when you want them, and with 6鈥�6鈥� of interior standing height, it looks a lot brighter and more open than other hard-sided campers on the market.

My take: makes a premium product that comes with a premium price tag. In my book, their Flagship LT has been one of the best pop-up truck campers available since its launch, and I have no doubt the Flagship HT will be a big hit for anyone who wants the benefits of hard walls.

I’m excited about each of these new campers and hope to spend some time in them later this year for proper testing.

The post Scout, Four Wheel, and Supertramp Campers Release New Rigs that Set the Bar for Truck Campers appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

It鈥檚 that time of year, when we all become obsessed with bettering ourselves. Rather than a health-focused resolution this year, one of mine involved getting a handle on organizing my garage full of outdoor gear and simplifying the process of packing for trips.

Before diving into what I did, let me give you a little background. I鈥檝e always been a generalist when it comes to outdoor pursuits and dabble in a lot of different sports and hobbies. From bowhunting to mountain biking and backcountry skiing, they鈥檙e all pretty gear-intensive, which means I鈥檝e got a lot of equipment.

Watch: Bryan’s First Attempt at Gear Organization

Since I test gear for work, too, all that stuff tends to accumulate rather quickly, outpacing my attempts to keep things organized and leaving me with piles of stuff on shelves and in corners of my garage. I鈥檝e even documented some of my attempts at gear organization in the past, at one point creating a full pegboard wall to house gear.

Ultimately, none of the previous storage systems worked great for us and we wanted a more practical way to stay organized and simplify our lives. When my wife, Sarah, and I freed up some space in our barn last fall, we ended up with an empty room large enough to house our outdoor gear and decided to a new system.

Practical vs. Pinterest Gear Storage

I often get bogged down by wanting my gear room or garage to 鈥搇ike a climbing rack beautifully displayed on a pegboard, backpacks hanging on a wall, and each hobby having its own, well-organized corner of a space that looks more like an REI display than an actual human being鈥檚 home.

What I鈥檝e found over the years is that this method works great if you have one main hobby. But, if you鈥檙e like me and have a lot of different hobbies where the gear crosses over (think sleeping bags you use for every activity, or walkie talkies you use while backcountry skiing and hunting), it can actually make packing for trips more complicated.

Sarah鈥檚 idea was to not only get some new bins and organizational tools, but to change the way we were organizing gear. Rather than grouping things like backpacks, electronics, layers, hunting optics, camp stoves, and cutlery separately, she came up with an 鈥淎-team and B-team鈥� bin approach to each sport.

For instance, rather than having a bin labeled 鈥渟kiing鈥� that鈥檚 chock-full of both of our layers, googles, helmets and everything associated with the sport, we now have bins labeled 鈥淏ryan Ski,鈥� 鈥淪arah Ski,鈥� and 鈥淏ackup Skiing.鈥� Everything I always end up taking with me for a day of skiing, including my helmet, goggles, and outerwear, lives in one bin, and any extra items we keep on hand for when friends and family visit lives in the backup bin. This means that instead of rifling through an overstuffed bin full of every pair of gloves and goggles we own just to pack them into another bag every time we want to go skiing, we can just grab our 鈥淎-team鈥� bins and toss them in the truck.

That last point is one worth reiterating: keeping our bins stocked with exactly what we need simplifies the packing process immensely. Recently, for instance, we headed to Taos Ski Valley after work for a weekend of skiing. We tossed our skis, boots, and two bins in the van and were out the door in minutes鈥攁 process that has taken us significantly longer in the past.

Dos and Don’ts for Gear Storage

• Don鈥檛 waste your time making things look beautiful and laying out gear on a pegboard wall. Your garage isn鈥檛 an REI.
• Think hard before investing time in building your own 鈥渂in rack鈥� or other DIY setup that will take too much time.
• Keep gear organized by sport but also deploy the A- and B-team system. Put the stuff you almost always use in the A-team bin and the backup/extra things in the B-team bin.
• Pony up for nice bins.
• Don鈥檛 use see-thru bins.
• Don鈥檛 hang packs on a wall鈥攊t takes up too much space.
• Keep your bike(s) where you can access them easily.
• Pair down, but don鈥檛 Marie Kondo yourself into tossing things you鈥檒l miss one day, even if you rarely use it.
• Use whatever space you have wisely.

The Tools We Used

The Project Source Commander 27 Gallon Tote

In the past I鈥檝e used whatever bins, milk crates, and shelves I鈥檝e had on hand to organize my gear. That meant a hodgepodge of cheap, clear plastic bins that often broke or were missing lids, so this time around we invested in a new set of high-quality bins that will hopefully last.

We bought 20 of these (they鈥檙e pretty much identical to the you can find at Home Depot), which get great reviews and are, in my opinion, the perfect size. They seem tough enough to toss in the back of a truck without worry, are stackable, have very secure lids, and are large enough to house things like backpacks without getting overstuffed.

I also wanted bins that were not see through for aesthetic reasons鈥攊t鈥檚 just looks less cluttered than bins that show their contents (plus, we know what鈥檚 in each bin and don鈥檛 need to see inside).

5-Tier Industrial Duty Steel Freestanding Garage Storage Shelving Unit

We toyed with the idea of building a like the ones that have been all the rage on TikTok and Pinterest in the last few years but ultimately went with this from Home Depot. Each shelf supports 1,800 pounds and fits four of the 27-gallon bins perfectly. It was about $100 more expensive than the materials needed to build our own, but I guarantee it鈥檚 sturdier, and it took only 15 minutes to put together versus the several hours of time it would鈥檝e taken us to build one.

It might not be as Pinterest-worthy, but it鈥檚 a hell of a lot more practical鈥攖he way those bin racks are built means you can only pull the bin straight in and out to access its contents, which can make things challenging in tight spaces. But these shelves are a little wider, which makes it easier to maneuver the bins on them. We also re-used a smaller, wire-rack shelf we already had for bulky items鈥攍ike our coolers, camp chairs, and archery targets鈥攖hat wouldn鈥檛 fit in the bins.

Rubbermaid FastTrack Garage Hang Rails

To store bikes, skis and add a bit more shelving off the ground, we installed by TK. We鈥檝e used this system before, and are big fans of its versatility and sturdiness. I installed a few rails along one wall of the room and hung our bikes using the . I鈥檓 a fan of those hooks in particular because they鈥檙e rated for 50lbs, which is higher than other brands like Kobalt or Craftsman you can find at the hardware store and means you can hang e-bikes from them if you want. I also installed a couple of metal shelves for fly rods, and a that sits high off the ground for ski boots and sleeping bags. (We had issues with mice nesting in our boots when we kept them on the ground in the past.)

Half Size Sidio Crate

In addition to the big, 27-gallon totes, I also used three Sidio Crates to house small items that didn’t fit into the A/B system. I have one for 鈥済ear repair鈥� items, one for headlamps and walkie talkies, and one for various chargers and cables.

How It’s Working So Far听

I鈥檓 sure we鈥檒l make some tweaks to this whole setup the longer we use it, but so far, we鈥檙e in love. Our new bin system is keeping us vastly more organized than before, and it has also dramatically simplified packing for trips.

The unintended benefit of all this is that it freed up a lot of room in our garage, and made it a听 much nicer space, too. I used to keep everything鈥攆rom outdoor gear to homebrewing equipment to automotive tools to yard cleaning tools鈥攊n the garage, utilizing every inch of available space. That created an area that was often pretty overwhelming to even stand in, let alone try to find the gear I was looking for.

By dedicating a space specifically to our outdoor gear, we can now even park a car in the garage鈥攜ou know, what a garage is actually for. You don鈥檛 need a big house with tons of rooms or, in my case, a barn to make this idea work. My friend turned a spare closet into his gear room, and a simple backyard shed can also work great for this.

The biggest takeaway: If you鈥檝e got a lot of equipment and your life revolves around getting outside, create a dedicated space for it, and consider mixing up how you organize all your gear.

The post How to Organize Your Gear Shed the Practical Way appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Despite being the of vehicles in the U.S., crossovers like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CRV get , especially in the off road and overland communities. They鈥檙e regarded as a poor compromise between a sedan and an SUV that tend to do nothing particularly well, and are often ridiculed for without actually possessing that capability.

Here鈥檚 the thing, though: crossovers are popular for good reason. They meet the needs of most people incredibly well, are fuel efficient and comfortable, and with modern all-wheel-drive systems and traction control, I鈥檇 argue they鈥檙e able to get most of us pretty much anywhere we actually want to go.

My wife and I own a 2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, which happens to be the in the U.S. and is one of the best-selling vehicles in the country year after year. It has been a phenomenal car for us, but we wanted to make it perform a bit better off-road, so we made some modifications.

How 鈥淥ff-Road鈥� Are You Really Getting?

Before I dive into what we did to our RAV4, let鈥檚 take a second to talk about what 鈥渙ff-road鈥� and 鈥渙ff-road capability鈥� really mean. For some folks, off-road capability might mean their vehicle needs to come equipped with large tires, front and rear locking differentials, a winch, and the ability to safely navigate a .

If that鈥檚 what you need out of a vehicle, then yeah, a crossover isn鈥檛 for you.

The thing about those types of trails is that you have to seek them out鈥攖here are not many of them, and most folks are not running trails in Moab very often. To most people, 鈥渙ff-road鈥� really just means driving off pavement, usually to get to a trailhead or campsite鈥攁nd for that, a crossover is more than enough, especially with a few simple modifications.

What Not to Do

There鈥檚 been a trend of people similarly to how one might modify a four-wheel-drive truck or SUV like a 4Runner: adding big, knobby tires, lift kits, rock sliders, heavy duty front bumpers, winches, and more.

Bolting all that stuff to your car might make it look cool, but it also affects the ride and your fuel economy. Here鈥檚 what I did to modify my crossover to make it more capable without ruining the way it drives.

Tires

The number one thing I recommend to anyone looking to give their crossover more capability is upgrading the tires. The first thing we did to our RAV4 when we bought it was swap the stock tires with a set of 听They鈥檙e an all-terrain tire specifically designed for lighter duty vehicles like crossovers. So, unlike fitting a traditional all-terrain tire designed for a truck or heavier SUV, these won鈥檛 ruin a crossover鈥檚 fuel economy or create an unnecessarily harsh ride.

What they will do is give your rig a lot more traction on dirt roads and slippery surfaces, like mud and snow, than the highway tires that are stock on crossovers, thanks to a more aggressive tread pattern. They鈥檙e also severe-snow rated, and while not as good as a true winter tire, we鈥檝e found them to work very well in the snow. We just put another set on the RAV4 after over 50,000 trouble-free miles on the first set. We鈥檝e taken the RAV4 on many adventures along dirt roads and haven鈥檛 had a flat yet.

If you want to use your crossover to get to a remote trailhead or gain some confidence in slippery terrain, I highly recommend investing in aftermarket all-terrain tires specifically designed for crossovers.

Recovery Points and Gear

Next, we added a receiver hitch. We don鈥檛 plan to do any towing with the RAV4, but we do want to be able to use a hitch-mounted bike rack and, more importantly, add a proper recovery point in case we get stuck.

You might think that requires a trip to the dealership, but if you鈥檙e even mildly handy, you can easily add an aftermarket hitch yourself with听a socket set. I went with a because it鈥檚 one of the lowest profile hitches on the market for crossovers, but still uses a 2-inch receiver (it also costs hundreds less than the ).

Most trucks and SUVs use a 2-inch receiver, so in our case, the bike rack and cargo rack we use on our Tundra fits the RAV4 without issue or adapters. Torklift is also a brand I鈥檝e used in the past for things like truck camper tie-downs, hitches for travel trailers, and more, and I鈥檝e always been impressed with the quality of their products.

The Ecohitch doesn鈥檛 require drilling, and, it took me about an hour to mount it. As for the actual recovery point, we carry a ($47) and a ($75) in our car. The shackle receiver slots into the RAV4鈥檚 hitch and provides a secure attachment point for the recovery rope.

We also got another, dedicated set of ($180) for the RAV4. Rather than mounting a set of the larger MaxTrax to the roof of the car like we do on the truck, we opted for the Minis and a carry bag. They鈥檙e a better size for the RAV4, and the carry bag lets us toss them in the back if we know we might be in a situation where we鈥檒l need them, like a camping trip or heading up to the ski area for the day.

厂耻蝉辫别苍蝉颈辞苍听

One of our only complaints about the RAV4 has been the ride on rougher dirt roads. Ours is a Hybrid XLE model, so presumably Toyota meant for this thing to spend the majority of its time on pavement, and they specced the shocks accordingly. It rides nicely on the highway, but it鈥檚 uncomfortably stiff on dirt roads, and any sort of pothole or larger dip feels like听you鈥檙e riding a pogo stick. Some online research revealed this as a common complaint, and I noticed Toyota specs different shocks on its Woodlands and TRD Off Road RAV4 models.

When I looked for a suitable upgrade, everything I came across was part of a and specifically designed to give the vehicle more clearance. I wasn鈥檛 interested in lifting the RAV4 since there are a lot of vehicle with independent suspension and limited suspension travel. We鈥檝e also found the RAV4 to have ample clearance for what we do.

That鈥檚 when I found . I came across the brand while researching suspension options for our new camper van (more on that in an upcoming article), and realized they make . Koni is based in Holland, and while they鈥檙e somewhat of a new name in the U.S. overland market, they made a name for themselves in the heavy truck off-road racing world long ago.

Their line of Special Active shocks features what Koni calls 鈥淔SD鈥� or Frequency Selective Damping. In a nutshell, the shocks use low damping forces when the vehicle is traveling in a high frequency environment, like on long stretches of smooth road, but use high damping forces when traveling in a low frequency area like a road with a lot of bumps or sharp corners. It鈥檚 a simple design that doesn鈥檛 require any adjustment on the part of the driver, but works wonders to smooth out the ride on rougher roads.

These shocks have made a massive difference in how the car handles on rougher dirt roads. Washboard is significantly more comfortable, as are larger bumps and potholes on pavement. On-road driving feels about the same, with perhaps less body roll than before鈥攐ur RAV4 hasn鈥檛 turned into a desert racing machine, but getting to the trailhead is now a lot more pleasant.

Less Is More听

The list of modifications we made isn鈥檛 long, and it might not seem like much of an adventure rig 鈥渂uild,鈥� but that鈥檚 the point. As the old saying goes鈥攊f it ain鈥檛 broke, don鈥檛 fix it. A crossover like our RAV4 is already great at doing a lot of things, like daily driving duties, light dirt road touring, road trips, and more.

The only other modification I鈥檓 considering is adding a front skid plate from for more protection from rocks and other obstacles you鈥檙e likely to encounter off-road. I think adding skid plates is a much better idea than adding a lift for more clearance, and LP 国产吃瓜黑料 is a great source for things like skid plates, bumper guards, wheels, and tires for crossovers.

The improved ride, along with better tires and a dedicated recovery point in the form of a hitch, have significantly improved the capability of our little RAV4. It鈥檚 not鈥攁nd never will be鈥攁 Jeep Wrangler or a Toyota Tacoma, but for 90 percent of the driving we do, it works just fine.

The post 3 Easy Fixes to Make Your Crossover Vehicle More Off-Road Capable appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

A very cold and wet camping experience a few weeks ago reminded me of the importance of a good heater in your rig. Upon arriving at camp, I discovered that one of my water jugs had leaked about two gallons of water onto the truck bed鈥檚 . Shortly after that, it started raining, which turned to snow a few hours later. The precipitation didn鈥檛 let up for two days. It was the first winter storm of the season, and the humidity and cold temperatures made it impossible to dry out the moisture in the BedRug, not to mention all my wet clothing and gear. Like an idiot, I鈥檇 left my portable diesel heater at home, thinking it wouldn’t be cold enough over the weekend to need it. I was seriously mistaken.

In my view, the whole point of a built-out adventure rig of any kind鈥攂e it a van, travel trailer, or truck camper鈥攊s to keep you more comfortable than a simple ground tent would. A huge part of that is providing a warm and dry space to be during inclement weather, which is where heat comes into play.

Sure, a good sleeping bag is really all you need to stay warm and survive cold nights, but we aren鈥檛 talking about survival here. We鈥檙e talking about thriving, and extending your camping season well past what you鈥檇 likely suffer through in a tent. I鈥檝e been testing various budget-friendly heaters in my truck camper over the last year in an attempt to find a safe, reliable solution that鈥檒l keep me warm all winter long.

There are a few main types of heaters: electric, propane, and diesel or gasoline. (You can read more about the pros and cons of each one below, if you’re interested.) To determine the best options, I tried four of the most popular models on the market. The electric heater鈥攁 small Honeywell-brand space heater called the Heat Bud鈥攊sn’t reviewed here because it simply didn’t heat my camper effectively. It also pulled too many watts from my to make the meager heat worth it. All in all, I wouldn’t recommend a small electric heater for your van or truck camper. The propane and diesel heaters I tested, however, are certainly worth considering. Here’s how the rest of the test shook out.

The Results听

• Best Value: ($65)
• Best Propane: ($360)
• Best Diesel: ($116)
• Types of Heaters
• A Note on Safety
• Takeaways

Mr. Heater Little Buddy

听

People have been using Mr. Heater鈥檚 Little Buddy (and its more common, bigger brother, the ) portable heater to heat tents, campers and more for decades. They run on one-pound propane cylinders, are simple to use, and put out a good amount of heat for their size. The Little Buddy puts out 3800 BTUs. (For comparison鈥檚 sake, the electric heater I tested鈥攖he 鈥攑uts out just 853 BTUs.) It can run for 5.6 hours on a one-pound propane cylinder and heats up to 95 square feet. The larger Buddy puts out up to 9000 BTUs鈥攎ore than twice as much heat鈥攁nd will heat up to 225 square feet. The Buddy chews through fuel, though: it will burn for just 2.4 hours on a one-pound cylinder of propane when running on high.

While Mr. Heater says these are safe for indoor use, I personally have never felt comfortable running them overnight. Such propane heaters don’t have any way to vent exhaust, so all the byproducts of combustion, including carbon monoxide (CO), fill up the space they鈥檙e heating. That means you have to open windows to ensure your rig is properly ventilated鈥攏ot ideal if it鈥檚 frigid outside and you鈥檙e trying to keep heat in. These heaters have built-in Oxygen Depletion Sensors, so in theory they鈥檙e supposed to shut off if there鈥檚 not enough oxygen in the space. They also have an exposed flame, so you have to be careful to make sure there are no flammable materials nearby (although they do have built-in tip-over protection that shuts down the heater if it tips over).

In my experience, the Little Buddy did not put out enough heat to warm the camper sufficiently in temperatures below 40 degrees, and was better suited to keeping me warm while I was sitting around before hopping into bed. The Buddy鈥檚 9000-BTU output was a better match for the Tune M1鈥檚 size, but the safety concerns and the 2.4-hour runtime meant I only ever used it while putting clothes on in the morning or just before bed. To me, that鈥檚 not sufficient, especially if you鈥檒l spend hours inside your camper, either riding out bad weather or just killing time before bed. Winter nights are long, after all. I also found that these heaters do, in fact, add a lot of moisture to the air; I wound up with condensation on the walls of the camper after using both.

CAMCO Olympian Wave-3 Catalytic Safety Heater

听

The Wave-3 sounded like a nice compromise between the Heat Bud and Buddy heater: it ran on propane, but could allegedly be run safely for long periods of time. While this heater is not a forced-air furnace with an exhaust vent, it鈥檚 supposed to be much safer to use indoors than say, a Buddy (although it does still require ventilation in the space). That鈥檚 thanks to a chemical coating on the heating element that supposedly retains harmful gasses. It鈥檚 particularly interesting because it can be hard-mounted in a camper or used as a portable heater with the .

It puts out up to 3000 BTUs, is rated to heat up to 130 square feet, has a safety shut-off valve, doesn鈥檛 require electricity since there鈥檚 no fan, and uses very little propane. I loved that it was totally silent, and I was also able to hook it up to a rather than rely on the disposable one-pound bottles. Doing that, I was able to run the heater on high for around 30 hours before running out of fuel.

I still never felt totally comfortable leaving it running overnight while I slept since the exhaust isn鈥檛 vented to the outside, but I have run it for six hours while riding out a storm in the camper. I found that it can create condensation on the walls of the camper, but it was less noticeable than with the Buddy.

The biggest downside to the Wave-3 is that because it is a radiant heater rather than a forced-air furnace with a fan, it warms the surfaces (or people) it鈥檚 pointed at rather than heating the air itself. While that might sound great, I found that in practice it doesn鈥檛 always work鈥攜ou can feel the warmth from the heater when sitting next to it or getting dressed, but climb up into bed away from where the heater is pointed and it鈥檒l be quite chilly. If you just want to use a heater to take the edge off while hanging out inside your camper, the Wave-3 (or larger , depending on how big your rig is) is a great choice, and hard to beat from a price, efficiency, and size perspective. If, however, you want to heat the entire space in your rig and be able to hang out inside without a jacket on, keep reading.

Vevor 12V 5KW Integrated Diesel Heater

Diesel heaters have become tremendously popular for winter camping over the last five years or so. Brands like Webasto and Espar have been popular in van builds for some time, and I first used a to heat a teardrop trailer I owned several years ago. I had great luck with that heater, and it was a little too powerful鈥攊t could cook us out of the tiny teardrop.

Chinese-made versions of Espar- and Planar-style heaters available on Amazon used to be riddled with problems, and people complained about them breaking all the time. However, they鈥檝e gotten significantly better over the last few years and you can find them for much cheaper than the name brands. I decided to try a Vevor 5KW model, which seems to be the most well-regarded one of the bunch.

The Vevor is an integrated heater, meaning the fuel tank, heater, and all the components are housed together in a box. It came mostly assembled, and all I had to do was crimp two wires to , connect an exhaust and an air intake hose to the unit, fill it with diesel, and turn it on.

The beauty of this being a portable unit is that you don鈥檛 have to do a complicated installation inside your rig鈥攋ust plug it into your 12v power source, set it outside the camper, run the hose in and you鈥檝e got heat. That鈥檚 particularly nice because you don鈥檛 have to worry about exhaust leaking inside the camper, or the noise of the fuel pump or fan.

I first used this heater on a late-season Barbary Sheep hunt last January. Temps were in the teens overnight, and a buddy and I stayed warm in the Tune despite having to jerry-rig an entry port for the heat hose to enter and not having the camper鈥檚 insulation pack (basically an insulated cover that helps seal in heat)听installed at that time. From that first use, I鈥檝e been sold. I鈥檝e found that when running on high, it鈥檒l easily keep the Tune 40 degrees warmer than the ambient temperature. On a recent night that dropped into the 30鈥檚 here in Santa Fe, I let the heater run all night on high and it kept the inside above 80 degrees. None of the other heaters I tested could come close to maintaining those temperatures.

The Vevor packs enough punch for the coldest nights I鈥檝e camped in. It’s also incredibly efficient. It uses about a gallon of fuel per night, and only pulls 40 amps once it鈥檚 running, so my Goal Zero Yeti 1500x can power it for about 40 hours. That leaves plenty of battery left to run other things in the camper like lights, the fridge, and a vent fan.

The biggest downside to a diesel heater is the fact that, unless you drive a diesel rig, you need to carry an additional fuel source with you. I don鈥檛 mind, and the dry heat this thing puts out is worth the extra hassle there鈥擨 haven鈥檛 experienced any condensation inside the camper when using this heater. One thing you have to watch out for is the cap on the fuel tank鈥攊t鈥檚 vented, so if you fill the tank and then the heater is rocking around in the back of your truck, some fuel will spill out. I typically fix the issue by putting a piece of tape over the hole or a latex glove under the cap until it鈥檚 time to run.

I haven鈥檛 had any issues with the Vevor heater over the six months I鈥檝e been using it. Some folks claim Vevors need to be cleaned more frequently than the more expensive units, and that some of the parts like small gaskets and fuel lines aren鈥檛 particularly durable. At $116, though, you could buy 12 of these units for the price of , so I鈥檒l take my chances.

Types of Heaters

First, a quick primer on heaters. The types most commonly found in campers and RVs run off one of three fuel sources: propane, diesel or gasoline, and electricity.

Propane

Propane furnaces have been a mainstay in the RV industry for years. Recently, however, propane-fueled heat has gotten a bad reputation for producing a lot of condensation, but that鈥檚 only true of non-vented propane heaters (more on that below). Most quality propane furnaces installed in travel trailers or vans have an exhaust pipe that vents all the byproducts of combustion鈥攊ncluding moisture (and carbon monoxide)鈥攁way from the living space. All that to say, a quality, vented propane furnace like a Propex or Truma does not produce 鈥渨et heat,” and is a great solution for anyone who already uses propane for other camping needs, like cooking. I鈥檝e also found that they work well at high elevations, which can鈥檛 always be said for diesel heaters.

Diesel

Diesel heaters have become incredibly popular in recent years due to their size, low cost, ease of use, and in some cases, portability. They鈥檙e known for being incredibly efficient, and for producing a ton of 鈥渄ry heat.鈥� Gasoline-powered versions of these heaters also exist, which mean you can tap into your vehicle鈥檚 fuel tank whether you drive a vehicle with a gas or diesel-powered engine. If you don鈥檛 drive a diesel-powered vehicle, choosing a diesel heater means you鈥檒l need an auxiliary fuel tank and will be forced to carry around an additional fuel with you. Some diesel heaters also struggle at high altitudes.

Electric

Electric heaters, like space heaters you鈥檇 use in your home or office, or heating modes found on many RV AC units, are common. I鈥檝e found these only work for taking the chill off of a cold morning, and don鈥檛 provide enough heat to stay comfortable in really cold conditions. Unsurprisingly, they also require a lot of electricity to run, which means you have to be connected to shore power, run a generator, or have a massive, expensive battery bank in your rig.

A Note on Safety

First, it should be noted that each of these solutions could work for your rig depending on how well insulated it is. I鈥檝e been testing these in my Tune M1, which has very little insulation, but if you鈥檝e got a composite camper with a crazy high R-Value, you could likely get away with a less powerful heater.

It should also be noted that anytime you鈥檙e using a heater of any kind in a camper, you should have a working carbon monoxide (CO) detector鈥攁nd a propane detector if you鈥檙e using a propane heater鈥攁s well as a fire extinguisher. Both these detectors will alert you if gas levels get too high inside your rig, and could save your life if something goes wrong. You can鈥檛 be too careful with this stuff.

Anytime I鈥檓 winter camping, I also always bring a zero-degree sleeping bag as a backup in case the heater fails.

Takeaways

If you plan to use your rig to chase snow this winter, have a late-season hunt coming up, or just want to extend your camping season, you鈥檙e going to want a good heater. If you鈥檝e got a power source and don鈥檛 mind bringing along some diesel fuel with you, I highly recommend the . If you want something totally silent that doesn鈥檛 require power and are ok with the additional ventilation requirements, the is a big step up over a Buddy-style ceramic heater and, in my view, worth the extra money.

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