A year and a half ago, I did something I feared might be really stupid. I鈥檝e long been plagued听with an irrational mania for听VW camper vans鈥攕o much so that I鈥檝e owned eight. With a pair of capable rigs sitting in my driveway, I decided to list them on a relatively new website called . The site had been heralded as a sort of Airbnb听or VRBO for campers. Post yours up, and Outdoorsy handles bookings, payouts, and,听importantly, insurance (it听just launched its听own insurance company, Roamly). My 2003 Eurovan听Winnebago, a.k.a. Gretta Van Lefturn, was in solid enough shape that I reckoned she could haul renters from my house in Charleston, South Carolina, to Asheville, North Carolina,听or Disney World without breaking down. With a little work, a beautiful 1991 Westfalia called Rosie, a van I shared with a friend, was rentable, too.

The first problem I saw was my attachment to these inanimate objects. Gretta has taken my family on some wonderful journeys. As听a听freelance听writer, she also functions as a mobile office, kitchen, and motel. After agonizing a bit with my wife, I commiserated with a good buddy who鈥檚 not only a financial planner听but also rents his own听RV on Airbnb听(renters simply stay on his property; they听don鈥檛 drive it). 鈥淪eparate your emotions, and consider the van as听a financial asset,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f you can鈥檛, you鈥檒l be miserable.鈥� Well-sorted听VW campers don鈥檛 grow on trees. If a renter trashed Gretta, or worse, she was totaled, well, I鈥檇 be kicking myself. But at the same time, if I could make a hundred bucks a day听and renters respected my roving snail shell, that听would be听nice pocket change I could put toward听keeping the rig maintained and would let me听earn听a little gig-economy income听and maybe share听some stoke with like-minded adventurers.

After learning about , I studied up on a couple of the site鈥檚 competitors. is a peer-to-peer car-rental website that has been featured twice in 国产吃瓜黑料. In 2017, my buddy Owen Burke rented a VW Westfalia from a Turo owner and roamed the Northwest. More recently, mustachioed 国产吃瓜黑料 contributor Paddy O鈥機onnell听rented Jimmy Chin鈥檚 van and filmed a听video about the experience. So Turo seemed worth a shot.听I also checked out a longer-established website called RVShare. But RVShare wouldn鈥檛 insure an older VW.

Over the past few years, Outdoorsy has become a juggernaut. Company spokesman Mac Mills told me that since founders and camping fanatics flipped the switch in 2015, Outdoorsy has seen more than 200,000 renters who have generated a half-billion dollars in transactions on 50,000 listings. The company now rents Airstreams, Roadtreks, Shastas, Westfalias, and Winnebagos听in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Ireland. With millenials and Gen Xers making up the majority of renters, the most popular vehicles are Class B vans听like the听听and camper vans听like听听or my VW. The company also has thousands of wisdom- and warning-sharing owners in its Facebook group for Outdoorsy owners.

I first test-listed our Westfalia camper and the Eurovan on Outdoorsy and Turo. After three weeks, only one two-day rental came in through Turo. The renters, a group of golfers, left the Westy a mess, even ripping out a power socket鈥攁rguably my fault because I wasn鈥檛 explicit enough with care instructions.听But after my experiences and talking to other potential renters, I got the sense听that folks use Turo to rent a car, while听Outdoorsy is geared more specifically toward camping. With that in mind, I hoped campers would take better care of a camping-specific rental.听Within a couple of days on Outdoorsy, I had my first renter for Gretta. Then another. And another. As far as I can tell, nearly two years in,听.

The verdict: overall, Outdoorsy鈥檚 been a positive experience. So much so听that听I鈥檓 posting听听and a reissued听. In some ways, I think I鈥檓听a quintessential 鈥渧an lord.鈥� I don鈥檛 do much marketing, and like most owners who post on the Outdoorsy Facebook group, I rely on the income more for upkeep rather than as a major source of revenue.听Though if the added campers start renting well, who knows what鈥檚 down the road?听Some renters in very camper-friendly markets like Southern California have scaled way up and are pulling in north of $100,000 per year, according to Outdoorsy.

If you鈥檙e thinking of listing a camper,听a bit of wisdom: First, honestly consider whether you鈥檙e willing to be available at all hours for phone calls when someone has a question. I dig talking to people about campers anyway, so I don鈥檛 mind. Once you鈥檝e passed that hurdle, spend some real time creating your listing. Take听a lot听of good pictures for your ad, and maybe even a video, with its systems deployed in a pretty setting. Add a photo and profile of yourself, too. Renters want to know who you are.

My renters have generally taken care of Gretta, but there have been issues. Once听a renter left a slab of fish in the freezer. After a few summer days with the fridge off, the result was horrific. But broken cup holders, accidentally sprayed fire extinguishers, broken awning arms, or the occasional ding are just the price of doing business. That鈥檚 what insurance and damage deposits are for. That said, give at least an hourlong pre-rental walk-through to go over systems thoroughly and impress upon听the renter that this is your beloved personal property. Create a custom 鈥渧anual鈥� that stays in the vehicle to easily answer common questions, list its quirks, and clearly explain听checkout expectations. Even consider putting how-to听videos on an old iPhone and leaving it in the camper.

As far as gearing up, equip it fully for camping, ready to go with cooking gear and utensils, lighting, rack straps, and cleaning supplies. Exceptions can include linens and sleeping bags, which some renters bring, but have those items in case they don鈥檛. Board games and playing cards are a nice touch, too. If you鈥檙e renting to a family with kids, markers and a drawing pad听help pass the miles and听make for good pickup games of Pictionary.

When you actually get a rental request, ask where your renter is headed. Maybe it鈥檚 a posse of bachelors on their way to the Georgia-Florida football game, a.k.a. the world鈥檚 largest cocktail party. Are you willing to clean up vomit residue or fix a broken door or clogged toilet? If it鈥檚 a crew making for Burning Man, dust, glitter, and drugs will likely be in the mix. (Outdoorsy just published听听that you might find useful.) People expect to leave a rental car dirty, but a camper is a different equation, and cleaning is a pain in the ass I don鈥檛 have time for. So with the exception of linens, demand that your camper be returned clean by听notifying renters on your listing that you will charge them plenty to do it yourself听if the need arises听(I advertise $75 an hour听but haven鈥檛 needed to charge it yet). And if your rental includes toilet facilities or a Porta-Potty, be very explicit about cleaning expectations or expect janitorial delight.

Give a close read to the 听Outdoorsy lists on its听website and . You鈥檒l find answers to questions you never thought to ask about, things like insurance, cancellations, and user reviews.

If you鈥檙e worried about a breakdown, renting will be miserable听for you听and miserable on the side of the road for your renters. You鈥檙e accelerating wear and tear by renting and not keeping ahead of that will come back to bite you. For that reason, put a good chunk of revenue aside (at least 25 percent) for a maintenance fund. Also, ensure renters sign up for roadside assistance听or have their own. Trip insurance is an Outdoorsy option, too, one that鈥檚 wise for your renters鈥� peace of mind鈥攁nd yours.

The post Read This Before Renting Your Beloved Van to Strangers appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Well, it鈥檚 about damn time.听

Today, Mercedes-Benz has taken the intriguing step of offering a factory-built pop-top camper to the American masses. Thanks to a just-announced partnership with Seattle鈥檚 and Mercedes-Benz Master Solutions partner , you will be able to walk into any U.S. Mercedes-Benz Vans dealership this spring (a firm date has not been announced yet) and order a fully warrantied Weekender model camper with seating for up to five and sleeping for up to four. It鈥檚 the first time a manufacturer has offered a pop-top camper in America since Volkswagen ended its Winnebago-built Eurovan camper program back in 2003.听

Thanks to Harley Sitner, owner of Peace Vans, one of the largest VW camper businesses in North America, I鈥檝e been given a sneak peak of the Weekender model camper, which makes its debut this weekend at the Chicago Auto Show. As someone who鈥檚 owned seven VW Westfalia Vanagons, a 2003 VW Eurovan camper, and driven a Metris (known as a Vito in Europe) all over Scotland, I feel comfortable calling this听rig an heir apparent to VW鈥檚 storied campers.听

What鈥檚 the Deal?

In late 2016, Sitner made a trip to Germany to scout out camper-equipment manufacturers for his business. Though happily restoring, selling, and renting all manner of aging VW campers to eager customers at Peace Vans, Sitner was frustrated that听midsize听pop-top campers like the听 and 听weren鈥檛 available in the States. After intensive discussions with German manufacturers (camper interiors) and (pop tops), Sitner loaded a shipping container with parts from those two companies and worked with his crew to engineer a U.S.-built Metris camper. That camper, which he dubbed the Weekender, quickly sold, and he soon convinced the owner of neighboring听Mercedes-Benz of Seattle to stick a couple of Peace Vans rigs on his听lot. Sitner was soon selling as many of his Weekenders and full-camper models鈥攅quipped with a stove, sink, refrigerator, and furnace鈥攁s his small shop could supply.听

Around a year ago, Sitner was contacted by Mercedes. The team at the Mercedes Vans factory in Charleston, South Carolina, had been paying close attention to the U.S. camper-van market. While there were all manner of RVs available on the larger Sprinter platform, the team agreed with Sitner that the smaller Metris might prove to be the perfect pop-top rig for a much larger fan base.听

Sitner didn鈥檛 have the resources to build a factory, but just up the road from the Charleston plant,听upfitter Driverge had the room and ability to produce Peace Vans campers on a manufacturer鈥檚 scale.

鈥淥ne thing we struggled with was, How do we capture the passion and knowledge these smaller, great upfitters bring to the table?鈥� Mercedes Vans upfit manager Don Maxwell told me. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what we feel like we鈥檝e done partnering with [Sitner]. It鈥檚 the best of both worlds, having [Sitner] and his credibility and design and our trusted partner Driverge, which has invested a lot here in Charleston and can produce with the same material and processes [Sitner] uses听but at a quicker rate.鈥澨�

What You Get

Size-wise, the Metris is in a class of its own. It鈥檚 a bigger vehicle than Dodge鈥檚 ProMaster City, Ford鈥檚听Transit Connect,听and Nissan鈥檚听NV2000, but it鈥檚 not nearly so large as a full-size Sprinter, ProMaster, or Transit. The pop-top-equipped Metris will fit inside a standard seven-foot-high garage and offer听a very tight 36-foot turning circle (which destroys my Eurovan Camper鈥檚 47-foot circle听but is slightly less than the 34.5-foot circle made by听my nimble Vanagon Westfalia). It鈥檚 as maneuverable as a car.听

Pricing isn鈥檛 completely nailed down, but for somewhere between $26,000 and $30,000 above the base Metris鈥檚 sticker price ($31,000) you鈥檒l get the following. (The starting price for an empty 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter cargo van is $34,495.)

A Pop Top听

The tough, crash-tested, elevating听fiberglass roof features a听water-resistant heavy-duty tent and has a sleeping area for two. The upper bed is very comfy, with an integrated spring system, a two-inch memory-foam mattress, three windows, and added USB ports for lights and charging. Two of the three zip-open windows are outfitted with fine-mesh screens, while the third zips down to reveal a clear plastic window鈥攁 terrific option for seeing outside when it鈥檚 cold or rainy. Another thing I really dig is that both the top and the bed are gas shocked/spring loaded, so they go up with an easy push. Unlike the Eurovan or Vanagon, the Metris top pops up around 19 inches鈥攈igh enough in back that you can sleep with your head toward听the rear. (At the front edge of the mattress, that height increases to 38 inches.)

Unlike with a Eurovan or Vanagon pop-top, you can鈥檛 really leave your sleeping gear up top after the bed is folded away, but there鈥檚 plenty of room for that behind the rear seat.听

Curtains

Hand-sewn by Peace Vans, the Weekender has privacy curtains all around, including a big one that covers the front听driver听and passenger windshields, just like in an old-school Westy.听

Rear Bed/Seat

The Reimo seat has three shoulder belts and attachments for two child seats. The seat doesn鈥檛 come out听but slides forward on rails into four different positions鈥攊ncluding flush up against the front seats鈥攁llowing the van to function as a cargo rig should you need it. It folds down into a double-size听bed, and the seat itself pops open to reveal a huge storage area. There鈥檚 a swing-out leg that allows for the mounting of a sturdy table inside (or even outside)听the van. The table, which mounts to the back of the seat, also has freestanding legs. Because it鈥檚 Reimo, and a standard design, the seat tracks should accommodate all manner of for gear. This versatility allows you to make quick changes to your living area while you鈥檙e on the road.

Rotating Front Seats听

The comfortable and firm stock Mercedes seats rotate 180 degrees with the flip of a lever, making it easy to lounge in the van鈥檚 interior.听

A Coach Battery听

Key for any camper van, the second auxiliary battery will keep an running without draining the starter battery听and will power lights, a small inverter, or other accessories.听

A Rear Receiver Hitch听

The rear听features a standard receiver, wired with a trailer brake and solar connector for portable panels, to provide additional power to the coach battery. The Metris features a solid 5,000-pound tow capacity. Pull a tow-behind trailer and you have two bedrooms.

On the Road

It鈥檚 important to note that Mercedes has a higher safety standard for this camper than essentially any other vanlife camping rig on the road. RVs aren鈥檛 subject to the same crashworthiness requirements鈥攖hat鈥檚 why so many have rear lap belts instead of shoulder belts and no rear airbags. But if a vehicle is sold through a dealer, stricter rules apply. The Weekender maintains the Metris鈥檚 stock rear airbags and collision prevention, and it includes its excellent , plus a rearview camera.

I had the opportunity to drive a turbo-diesel Vito鈥攖he European version of the Metris鈥攁ll over Scotland. I was amazed at the van鈥檚 stability, power, and collision prevention, and I fell in love with its steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, which were a boon on long Highlands downhills.

For a bit more information on an actual Peace Vans build, I reached out to a Weekender owner named Scott Erickson. Erickson lives in Ojai, California, with his wife and two young kids. He bought a Weekender last year, and the family calls it Scout.

Like me, Erickson has had a decades-long love affair with VW vans. After owning everything from microbuses to a Eurovan Weekender camper, he said he and his wife were looking for the safety and reliability of a new vehicle. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have time to worry about working on a van when you have two kids,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ur van had to be a daily driver. When we saw the Peace Vans Metris, I was like, Holy shit, this is it.鈥�

Erickson said he looked at a couple of other Metris upfits, but none had the Peace Vans fit and finish听or what he called the van鈥檚 鈥渕agical鈥� sliding seat. 鈥淧lus, the dual swivel seats provide a tremendous amount of room,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n the summer, we take her down the beach when I get off work and play and swim for an hour and then share a pizza right in the van as the sun sets with our dog at our feet. It鈥檚 a beautiful thing.鈥澨�

He described the 2.0-liter, 208-horsepower turbocharged motor as plenty powerful for effortlessly propelling Scout through the High Sierra听at 80 miles per hour. Equipped with Peace Vans鈥� 1.5-inch lift, and shorn with all-terrain tires, the rear-wheel-drive van has camped everywhere he鈥檚 wanted to go with little drama. In economy mode, which shuts the motor at stoplights, he鈥檚 seen 25 miles per gallon. By contrast, my 201-horsepower 2003 Eurovan camper averages around 18 miles per gallon wherever I go.

Mostly, he said, the family just piles into the camper and goes, without a care in the world. 鈥淲e get stopped by people all the time. Getting gas, people run across the street鈥斺�楬ey man, can I check it out?鈥欌��

鈥淸Sitner] built a modern version of what we wanted from Volkswagen,鈥� Erickson said.

Optional Upgrades

The options list for this van are expected to rapidly expand as production ramps up. But the current rundown is as follows:

• Solar panels, which can be mounted to the pop top, an off-grid charger, and a plug-in outlet for charging at campsites.听
• A Kenwood touchscreen head unit with navigation and Android/Apple听interface to replace the stock model.
• 3M body wrap with a choice of over 200 colors. This actually makes a good bit of sense if you鈥檙e going to be traveling off the grid and want to protect your paint.听
• An eight-foot Fiamma F-45 awning鈥攁n industry standard with an integrated gutter to keep rain from running down into the hatch.
• Mosquito/bug screens for the rear hatch and sliding doors. This would be key for places like my home in buggy Charleston, where the van is upfitted.听
• A rear tent that quickly attaches to the back lift gate to add听space and privacy.听
• Swing-out rear doors. The van comes standard with a lifting hatch, which is better in most instances because it blocks sun and rain. But if you want to attach something to the rear doors like a bike rack, or cut out a hole for a window air-conditioning听unit, optional swing-out doors can make sense.听
• Roof racks for hauling surfboards, cargo boxes, or skis.
• A pullout rear kitchen custom-designed by .
• A 1.5-inch lift,听 if you purchase a van directly through Peace Vans. Before Mercedes offers this option on dealer-purchased vans, it will have to go through additional testing.

Possible Upgrades

• A middle seat.听It will have to undergo additional testing, but a removable middle seat is on the horizon, according to Sitner.听
• A full camper. If you want one of Peace Vans鈥� amazing, European-sourced interior , you鈥檒l have to purchase it directly from them for at least the next six months. After more testing and certification, Maxwell said, Mercedes hopes to build full Peace Vans campers as well.听

The post We’re Dying to Get Mercedes-Benz’s Metris Weekender Van appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Perched at the bottom of a muddy, off-camber, and leaf-slicked North Carolina fire road, I鈥檓 mildly unnerved by Chris Bienert鈥檚 confidence. 鈥淛ust ease off the brakes,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檒l climb right up.鈥�

With a small tap on the accelerator, Bienert鈥檚 $130,000 pride and joy鈥攁 brand-new, four-wheel-drive听鈥攂egins a slow, steady, and remarkably sure-footed ascent up a road very few factory-built American RVs would have any business attempting. After a half-mile of climbing, Bienert, the guy who designed the camping upfits for this Winnebago-modified Mercedes Sprinter van, instructs me to set the cruise control at around three miles an hour. With Mercedes鈥檚 downhill-assist control engaged, we begin an equally and eerily stable descent.

I鈥檝e been particularly interested in the Revel since Winnebago revealed its first . My favorite toy as a six-year-old was a burly . I鈥檝e owned seven VW campers, including two Syncros and my current rig, a , modified for light off-roading鈥攁 van, ironically, designed by Chris Bienert. I鈥檝e also overseen build-outs of a Syncro and a pair of veggie-oil-powered, four-wheel-drive . I鈥檓 a geek for this stuff.

I took the wheel of this Revel in November at Overland Expo East, an annual gathering outside Asheville, North Carolina. Ogled at by a stream of gawkers, dreamers, and buyers ready to pull out their checkbooks, the sleek, mud-splattered camper looked right at home amid听the Tacomas, Land Cruisers, Sportsmobiles, and half-million-dollar EarthRoamers. Starting at the rear doors, Bienert, a longtime product designer for Winnebago, began a detailed tour. 鈥淭he basic philosophy behind the van is:听it鈥檚 not about the van,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about getting into the outdoors.鈥�

The Specs

The Revel begins life at Winnebago鈥檚 factory in Lake Mills, Iowa,听as an empty and unmodified Sprinter cargo van equipped with Mercedes鈥檚 factory four-wheel-drive system. Winnebago adds the camper interior and copious electronic life support.

Though he鈥檚 supremely confident in the capabilities of Winnebago鈥檚 #vanlife fetish object, Bienert admits that he was terribly nervous when Winnebago began selling the Revel last year. It鈥檚 easy to understand why. This is the first full-on adventure rig that Winnebago has ever built. It鈥檚 also the first mass-produced, four-wheel-drive camper to be sold in the U.S. since the last VW Syncro Vanagon Westfalia was built, in 1992.

Taking a detailed tour, I found a lot to like. At ground level, the Revel is shorn with tires mounted to a burly set of black aluminum rims. Highly capable thanks to its stiffness, legendary all-terrain tread, and a quiet highway ride, this tire is perfect for the backcountry or motoring along at 80 miles per hour. The 19.4-foot-long Revel rides on a stock Sprinter鈥檚 short-wheelbase chassis. Coming in at around 7,200 pounds laden with a galley, bathroom, rear bed, plumbing, furnace, and solid wooden cabinetry, it can carry an additional 1,360 pounds of people and gear while offering around eight inches of ground clearance. This isn鈥檛 Ford Sportsmobile high, but with a short 144-inch wheelbase, it鈥檒l cross rutted fire roads and low berms without bottoming out. Powered by a torquey (325 foot-pound, 188-horsepower), three-liter turbodiesel engine that delivers 15 to 18 miles per gallon, the Revel will tow a remarkable 5,000 pounds鈥攅nough for a good-sized boat.

Four-wheel drive is on demand, activated via a switch on the dash. It features a low gear range to aid with steep hill climbs and descents听and slippage detection, which directs torque away from free-spinning wheels in favor of those still planted on terra firma. The system delivers 35 percent of engine power to the front wheels and 65 percent to the rear, sufficient to pull the van through the kind of听off-road conditions most of us will encounter. Enabling this tall van to resist buffeting winds and reduce roll in turns is Mercedes鈥檚 stability assist, which subtly adjusts the braking and torque to certain wheels. On a curvy, wind-blasted Asheville road, the Revel felt glued to the pavement.

Power, Storage, and Bedding

国产吃瓜黑料, Bienert showed off a neat detachable rear ladder that can be hung from the roof rack and all along the driver鈥檚 side for roof access. In addition to a standard RV gray-water-tank purge and shore-power input, there are multiple electric outlets and even a socket that allows you to plug in your own external solar panels. Up top, the Revel bears a full Summit roof-rack system and two 100-watt solar panels. You can add more solar, but 200 watts is sufficient鈥攁nd it leaves room for surfboards or kayaks. You鈥檒l also find LED lighting at the rear, side, and running boards and a powered, lighted ten-foot side awning that automatically retracts if its built-in sensors detect too much wind. To keep the bugs out, Winnebago offers zippered, snap-in rear and side-door screens. These are adequate, but a better option would be a sliding system like the one offered听on the Travato camper.

Inside the rear doors lays a pull-out outdoor hot-water shower, tie-down anchors for bikes and gear, and 110-volt, 12-volt, and USB outlets. The 140-cubic-foot rear bedroom/garage is also well lit. The Revel makes wide use of for holding electronics, additional lights, and other accessories. The tough wood-grain vinyl flooring sloughed off gobs of mud tracked in by expo attendees.

The four-foot-wide rear double bed is trick. It ascends to the ceiling via a motorized lift, creating a five-foot-tall room (regular standing height elsewhere is six feet听three inches). Winnebago created bed extrusions where the rear side windows would go, expanding the horizontal sleeping width to around six feet听seven inches. With the bed raised, you can fill the room with chairs, storage bins, mountain bikes, whatever.

Be aware, though, that when the Revel鈥檚 rear bed is fully lowered (and unless you鈥檙e pretty short, you鈥檒l need it fully lowered for sleeping), you only have around 26 inches for gear from the floor to the bottom of the bed. You鈥檒l have to lay bikes sideways. The video below breaks down the vehicle鈥檚 exact measurements.

On the driver鈥檚 side, you鈥檒l find the bathroom/closet. The layout seems strange, but there is a logic to it. Any small camper has to make trade-offs between storage and living space. Here听you鈥檒l either have a small bathroom and shower with a European-style cassette toilet, or a big closet with easily removable bamboo shelves听and, importantly, .

Cooking and Climate Control

Across from the water closet is the Revel鈥檚 galley. It鈥檚 Westfalia-ish听in its function, with a nice stainless-steel sink and a vertical pantry with adjustable shelves. The single-burner induction cooking stove is very efficient听but useless with aluminum cookware, since it generates heat via by creating an iron-and-steel-friendly magnetic field. There鈥檚 also a nice foldout galley table and another extension that creates a great outside table. For cooling,听the Revel relies on an efficient, compressor-powered, 2.5-cubic-foot fridge. It will basically run forever as long as the Revel鈥檚 coach batteries can be charged by the sun.

There鈥檚 no propane canister for heat or cooking, and thus听no flames inside the coach at all. The heating system is a diesel-fed Espar hydronic system that not only heats cabin air and water听but, because听it鈥檚 snaked into the the Revel鈥檚 extensive insulation system, protects basically every spot where a pipe or freshwater听or wastewater tanks could be exposed to the elements and freeze. This means happy camping even in subzero conditions鈥攔isky in most RVs. It鈥檚 ingenious. Coupled with European-style insulated and screened acrylic glass windows that open from the top to keep out rain, you鈥檙e remarkably protected from the elements. Slide-down shades on the acrylic windows and insulated panels that cover the front, side, and rear windows offer privacy.

For air-conditioning while camping, Winnebago opted for an RV-standard 120-volt rooftop A/C. You鈥檇 either run this via shore power or . For boondocking in hot weather, this is not as outwardly ideal as the newer lithium system found in Winnebago鈥檚 Travato or . On those on-road campers, an听engine generator and lithium batteries beneath the hood power the roof A/C, and an hour of idling recharges the system for several more hours. The Revel鈥檚 coach is powered by three traditional AGM lead-acid batteries, which are heavier and don鈥檛 store as much electricity as lithiums. But there鈥檚, again, logic at work for an off-road RV. AGMs are less expensive, can be replaced at auto-parts shops, and are less sensitive to temperature and impacts. Additionally, you鈥檙e not supposed to idle a diesel for much more than a half-hour at a time. If you鈥檙e off the grid and it鈥檚 only marginally hot, the Max fan that also comes standard in the roof will cool just fine.

Seating

Up front, the Revel is essentially stock Sprinter, aside from its comfortable and supportive front seats, which rotate 180 degrees, creating a dining room or office when coupled with the nifty fold-down table at the rear seat. But this brings me to my major gripes: for all that鈥檚 great, Revel鈥檚 rear seat reveals three glaring shortcomings. First, it鈥檚 tight for two passengers. Second, and听more importantly, it features lap-only seat belts. For parents of kids now out of car seats, the lack of a shoulder belt system makes the Revel a nonstarter. Third, Revel鈥檚 rear seat only converts into a single bed, most suitable for one kid. Even my smaller 2003 Eurovan Winnebago has shoulder belts for a rear seat that still manages to fold down to a near double-width bed, which, combined with听the pop top, allows my van to sleep four. Winnebago did copious research before building the Revel, but I wish it had听spoken to more outdoorsy parents. It鈥檚 tough to believe听that there aren鈥檛 at least a few thousand more families like mine who would consider this camper were it better set up for four people.

I brought this concern up to Bienert. He replied that while the lap belts in the Revel do meet Department of Transportation standards, 鈥淲e have heard the message.鈥�

The Takeaway

Winnebago has built a winner with its first real overlanding camper. The Revel is a terrific rig for two people that, with a little tweaking, could become a great overlanding camper for a small family. Coupled with the fact that you can finance an RV like this for 20 years, an average human can get one with manageable monthly payments. I鈥檓 looking for a car just like this to replace my old Eurovan, use as a remote office, and travel the highways, back roads, and beaches of North America with my small tribe. Add in those shoulder belts and I鈥檓 in.

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In addition to the drool-inducing rigs we saw earlier this month at Overland Expo East in Asheville, North Carolina,听there was a bevy of new gear to make living the four-wheel life even more luxurious.

Blue Ridge Expedition Trailers BRX-1 Uwharrie Package ($19,750; above)

We liked the heavy-duty steel frame, tough aluminum skin, and high听20-inch clearance suspension of this 鈥溾�� (as BRX calls it). Hand built in Lewisville, North Carolina, the camper features an instant propane hot-water shower, a compressor fridge, a full galley, and inputs for solar panels and other electronics. Inside听you鈥檒l find beautifully crafted hardwood cabinetry and a queen-size memory-foam mattress.

E-Z Over Grill ($279)

There鈥檚 a lot to like about this , invented by Pennsylvania outdoorsman, stonemason, and foodie Doug Buffenmeyer. It hangs from a tripod and can be easily raised and lowered above the included coal basin鈥攙ia an adjustable steel cable鈥攆or precise heating. The grate clamps down on your burgers, brats, and buns while cooking. With the clamp secured, simply rotate the entire grill to flip your food.

Kovea Dream Gas BBQ Grill ($210)

Korean brand Kovea builds a variety of tricked-out camping gear. Our favorite, though, is the butane-fueled . Heat is evenly distributed with a U-shaped burner, and the grill comes with three different cooking surfaces: a broad cooking pan, a grill for burgers and kabobs, and a grid assembly for pots and pans. A drip plate catches greasy runoff, and the whole package assembles and disassembles in seconds.

Topper EZ Lift Weekender ($1,995)

Pop-up campers have been with us for a while, but Topper has raised the bar by turning your existing pickup truck camper top into a pop-up. Using a system of four electric jacks set at each corner and mounted to the bed and the roof of your camper, the EZ securely lifts essentially any camper back, making it possible to jam a full load of building supplies and wood into your truck bed without taking off the camper. And with the 鈥檚 insulated and cozy tent setup (with no-see-um-rated screening to keep bugs out), you can live out your wildest Westfalia fantasies without all the breakdowns.

Flexopower Lithium 444 Power Pack ($412) and Baja 105W Solar Kit ($399)

Deploy this Flexopower combo in full sunlight and you鈥檒l have enough power to juice everything from a laptop to a portable fridge. The includes a 12-volt solar controller to regulate the output. Hook it up to the , a remarkably compact lithium battery system with a built-in 400-watt pure sine inverter, meaning it can run even the most sensitive electronics without frying them.

Blue Ridge Chair Works XL Deck Chair ($290)

The is built in North Carolina with beautiful kiln-dried ash that鈥檒l spruce up any overland setup, and the back and seat are made of burly polyester for durability. Comfortable, adjustable shoulder straps make the chair easy to tote.

Blue Ridge Overland Gear Molle Seat Back Panel ($59)

We love the handmade packs and organizers from Blue Ridge Overland. The attaches to the front seat headrest and serves as a sort of docking station for Blue Ridge Overland鈥檚 myriad Molle-compatible bags and attachments鈥攆rom bottle holders to tool pouches.

Opus Camper Air Opus Tent ($19,000)

How do you create a truly palatial popup camper without a ton of weight? If you鈥檙e Opus, you make all the supports inflatable. The is not much bigger than many overlanding tow-behind rigs, but when you open it up and flip on the integrated 鈥渁ir pole鈥� compressor system, you have a full-fledged eight-foot-high, 20-foot-wide backcountry palace within about 90 seconds. It鈥檒l sleep up to six, and the annex attachment provides space for a kitchen. No cranks or rigid poles are necessary, yet it鈥檚 still strong and watertight enough to .

Dometic PLB 40 Power Bank ($641)

顿辞尘别迟颈肠鈥檚 (available in January) is designed to provide a portable replacement for any camper鈥檚 coach battery. The PLB40 uses a new lithium iron sulfate technology, which delivers a steady 12.8 volts of power until it鈥檚 almost fully depleted. What this means for sophisticated electronics and power-sipping fridges like ($622) is that it delivers essentially as much useable power as a much larger battery. You鈥檒l likely get more than two听days of charge for your fridge via this little beast and it鈥檒l take a reviving charge via USB, solar, or 12- or 120-volt inputs, too.听

ARB Jack ($812)

ARB had a steady stream of curious onlookers during its demos of its听.听Compared with an industry standard workhorse like the (32 pounds, 7,000-pound capacity), ARB鈥檚 jack (28 pounds, 4,409-pound capacity) is indeed pricey. But it鈥檚 also more compact and, with its simple design, is incredibly easy to deploy, raise, and lower. We were also impressed with a blow-off valve that keeps the Jack from exceeding its recommended capacity, and a lifting handle which is much, much shorter than the extended jawbreaker on the Hi-Lift (no accidental听concussion-inducing releases). The Jack will lift your Land Rover to an impressive 48 inches.

Kinsmen Hardware 270-Degree Awning ($1,499)

Tough as they come, this freestanding bolts securely to the roof of your van, car, or camper and deploys in about 30 seconds to give an amazing swath of protection from the elements. We were impressed with its thick and solidly stitched marine-grade fabric, which is attached to a tubular-steel frame via durable brass and stainless-steel fittings. Kinsmen鈥檚 inventors say it will hold up under a few inches of snow or 35-mile-per-hour winds.

Ural Gear Up Sidecar Motorcycle ($16,500)

Want to know what handled really well in the calf-deep mud pit that was Reeb Ranch during Overland Expo East? A two-wheel-drive motorcycle. The 鈥檚 drive-shaft-powered sidecar wheel engages on the fly to give this mini overland machine gobs of traction. We love the sidecar鈥檚 spacious trunk, and the Gear Up鈥檚 low-maintenance, fuel-injected, air-cooled motor is basically a Russian version of BMW鈥檚 venerable boxer engine. It鈥檚 not cheap, but it鈥檒l carry you and a friend from Siberia clear to Calais.

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This year鈥檚 听took place November 9 to 11 at the beautiful just outside听Asheville, North Carolina. Thanks to a day and a half of relentless听chilly rain, off-road tires plowed the sodden grounds into the consistency of a Louisiana mud bog. Here are eight of our favorite overland camping machines, as described by their owners, that managed to navigate the calf-deep muck.

2008 Jeep Wrangler and 1967 U.S. Marine Corps Surplus M416 Trailer

Matt Gessner, veterinarian

鈥淭he Jeep has a three-inch lift, steel bumpers, an old , and a听 on top with a . I have a , but it鈥檚 220 pounds鈥攁nd you could feel it on the top of the Jeep. The top of the trailer had an aluminum lid that worked great, but it couldn鈥檛 support anything. So I had in Greensboro, North Carolina, build a steel lid. This summer, my family and I did two days on the Mid-Atlantic Backcountry Discovery Route starting in Damascus, Virginia, and getting off around Roanoke. The setup was just awesome. It pulled like a dream. Just being out there in the mountains with the family and the mountains and those views, that was the pinnacle thus far.鈥�

2005 Mitsubishi Fuso 140

Dan Carr, retired military aircraft maintenance engineer

鈥淚 found the truck on Craigslist in Connecticut. It was built for a ferrier, a guy who shoed horses. He had walls inside the back and bars for hanging the horseshoes. I tore all of that out and opened it up. I鈥檓 going to build out a kitchen, but right now I just have a cot that fits perfectly and an Ikea wooden platform with a piece of foam and about 15 layers of blankets. Last night I was comfortable as could be. I鈥檓 taking it to Alaska next year. Other than needing to soften up the suspension a bit, I love the way it drives and handles. And because Fusos were sold in North America, you can get parts for it here. It鈥檚 a really nice setup.鈥�

1979 Mercedes Unimog

Mike Ladden, restaurant owner and real estate executive

鈥淚鈥檓 a Land Rover guy. But I was always fascinated with Unimogs. I imported this one from Switzerland. It was a Swiss Mountain Police vehicle with an inline six-cylinder diesel engine. I added a turbo and faster axles because it was naturally a bit slow. It鈥檒l go 65 now. It鈥檚 been pretty much all over the U.S. I鈥檝e had it in Moab, and I did a trans鈥揕abrador Newfoundland trip. A couple of weeks ago, I went to Vermont Overland and took it on a Class IV road. I have no idea how that was ever actually a road. But the truck just does fantastically. I鈥檝e never gotten it stuck. But it does have a 22,500-pound winch on back, which I鈥檝e used to get other vehicles unstuck and pull trees out of the yard.

On back is an old U.S. military Humvee trailer. I built the rest of the living structure. It has a bed setup that will sleep two people. It鈥檒l soon have a little office space with a swing-out desk, because I work remotely. It has front and back roll-up fire-engine doors, so that in nice weather you can open it all up. And the bathroom was a priority. It has a cassette toilet and a full-size shower with a propane hot-water heater. It鈥檒l suck water from听jerricans or even right out of a stream and give you hot water in five seconds.鈥�

1983 Land Cruiser Turbo Diesel Camper

Marc Joinville, semi-retired truck driver

鈥淢y wife and I did an ATV trip in 2007 and 2008, taking a small trailer from Canada all the way to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Backroads, fire roads, forest service roads. Ten months of living outdoors. After that, my wife really wanted a place to get indoors. For me that had to be a Land Cruiser. I鈥檝e had four of them. But finding a rig with camper space was quite a challenge. So when I stumbled on this on eBay, I said, 鈥楾his is it. We鈥檙e never gonna both find a vehicle we love like this.鈥� The camper was hand-built by a guy in Australia. The 35-year-old canvas is still watertight. This Land Cruiser鈥檚 got two 35-liter water tanks and an extra fuel tank. It had a propane RV fridge, and I took that out and put in a 12-volt fridge with 145 watts of solar for two auxiliary batteries. It鈥檚 got LED lighting and an exhaust fan. I also added a sink. When I got it there was no place to sit. It was just countertops all the way around, and you鈥檇 put planks across to sleep. I took all that out. The outside shell is pretty much the way I bought it, but the inside is all me.鈥�

1995 Mitsubishi Delica 4×4 Turbo Diesel Van

Vincent Bouchard, retiree and van dweller

鈥淎 few months ago, I decided to live on the road. This isn鈥檛 my first overlanding vehicle. I started a few years ago with a Jeep with a rooftop tent. Then a trailer with the Jeep, then a Ford Raptor with the trailer. I found out about these vans because someone mentioned the greatness of Delicas in the comments on a Jalopnik article.

All vehicles are a long list of compromises, the hard part is figuring out what you really need and what you don鈥檛. I knew I wanted a living space that was all-in-one. I like the outdoors but I also like cities. With a big Fuso or a Sprinter, you can go explore Portland, but you can鈥檛 park it in the city. I wanted to be as stealthy as possible. That鈥檚 why this has no roof racks, no awning, and no rear jerrican or tire carrier. I went with smaller tires so the spare could fit under the van. I did install the snorkel, though.

The ride is really comfy. It doesn鈥檛 feel like a four-wheel-drive vehicle. It鈥檚 civilized. The sound system and climate control are great, and it鈥檚 quiet.鈥�

2008 Land Rover LR3

Tre Cash, medic and search and rescue specialist

鈥淚 started camping with a Nissan truck. Then my wife and I had kids and we needed a little more space. For me, this LR3 is just perfect. I have a sleeping platform inside for traveling by myself, and then听if the family goes somewhere, we use the Oz tent on the roof. Then the wraps around to the , so that everything鈥檚 covered but the front of the truck. I put aluminum drawers in back to keep everything organized and store food in an . I added bigger tires and kept the stock air suspension. It鈥檚 got a factory snorkel and the factory roof, which I鈥檝e modified like crazy. I added a cell booster, a Wi-Fi hot spot, an air compressor, and听power inverter. With my search and rescue work, I do 24-to-36-hour shifts. And a lot of the time, I鈥檒l just use my own truck.鈥�

Custom 1986 Volkswagen Vanagon Syncro Camper with North American High Tops Roof

Leslie and Jeff Hogue, owners of

Jeff: 鈥淭his is my 14th personal van, and I鈥檝e built lots of vans for other people. This one came to me as a rolled-over Syncro Weekender model. Now it has a TDI engine from an 鈥�06 Jetta. It gets 30 miles per gallon if I keep my foot out of it, and it cruises at 65 miles per hour no problem. With the high top, it鈥檚 so nice to be able to stand up inside. We insulated it and put in plastic ABS panels to cover the walls. It鈥檚 also got a Propex furnace, 20-liter onboard water capacity, and a 40-quart . We also have an ARB awning with extra zip-in room. And the pantry trays slide out, which helps with storage. Plus we have a dedicated coffee drawer.鈥�

Leslie: 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to go too big. This thing is just so convenient. It can fit in any regular parking spot so long as it鈥檚 not in a low-clearance parking garage. I think of it like a house. The bigger it is, the more stuff you put in it, but how much stuff do you really need?鈥�

1967 VW Beetle Overlander

Jamie Wiseman, mechanic and owner of TVR Automotive Repair

鈥淚 live off-road. I rode dirt bikes and drove RC cars. But my wife bought an old Beetle a couple of years ago, and that got me hooked. This was a regular 鈥�67 I found on . I was going to flip it, but my wife and I wanted to go to Colorado with a unique off-road vehicle. So I thought, OK, I鈥檓 going to build an overland Bug. I lengthened the suspension to give it a wider track with custom lift spindles and added a six-inch lift. I also put in a coating of spray-on for noise reduction and sound-deadening asphalt material. It rides perfectly. I also installed extra gears, a complete roll cage, custom rack, roof lights, an air conditioner I built myself, and a kerosene heater.

We drove it from Alabama to Colorado this summer. At one point, a guy in a Jeep saw us running up the hill over boulders the size of bowling balls and said, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a Volkswagen!鈥� We made it where the Jeeps go. I thought we might break down but it never missed a beat. We call it our Burro, our pack mule.鈥�

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In 2009, Mike Sandone and his soon-to-be wife, Sofie, took an epic road trip across the mountains, beaches, and salt flats of Sonora, Mexico, in an old Jeep Wrangler.

They wanted to be highly mobile, so most nights they slept in the cramped car. Sandone kept a checklist of what he鈥檇 want in his ideal overlanding vehicle: a higher payload capacity to avoid stressing the driveline, Lego-like interchangeable components, and a simple turbo diesel engine that wouldn鈥檛 require dealer software to fix. 鈥淎nd we wanted more room,鈥� he says. 鈥淣o rooftop tents or anything鈥攋ust enough to be able to comfortably sleep in the back.鈥�

He found all these features in the Land Rover Defender 110 series. Problem was, only around 500 were ever imported into the U.S., all of them in 1993. But 110鈥檚 are common in much of the rest world, and vehicles 25 years or older can be brought over without much hassle.

After buying one in England and restoring it, Sandone, who had been making his living refurbishing vintage cars, founded , a business dedicated to old Rovers that he runs out of his 18th-century farmhouse in rural Connecticut.

Sandone offers left-to-right-hand drive conversion and installs stock British turbo-diesels, but he urges his customers to skip aesthetic 鈥渦pgrades鈥� such as oversize tires and lift kits that can tax the vehicle and be difficult to repair in the field.

鈥淧eople don鈥檛 realize how capable these already are,鈥� he says.

The Land Rover Defender 110 series was so named for the length, in inches, of the wheelbase.

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