I Sold My Van to Live in a Truck Camper
As I approach my two year mark of living on the road, I’ve been reflecting on the different rigs that I have converted and traveled in, and how each of them have served a different, specific purpose for me.
In 2021, I sold my car, moved in with family, and set my sights on the elusive white sprinter van. The market had recently taken off with the explosion of #vanlife on social media, and I knew I would have my work cut out for me to find a van that was both reliable and within my budget. That night, I took out a loan for more money than I had ever seen in my entire life, and bought it.
Now, before we get too deep into my own story, let’s take a minute to define what I mean by “Van Life” and “Truck Camping,” because believe me, there is a difference.
Van Life/Camper Vans
It may be surprising to learn this, but van life has been a “thing” for decades - long before the hashtags and trendy pinterest boards existed. And while it has changed and evolved over time, it is generally made up of those seeking detachment from rent, stationary living, and the status-quo.
The van community, like others, spans a range of incomes, demographics, and lifestyles. The nuance typically lies in the type of van that one possesses. For the sake of time, today I will be referring to the rigs that are typically seen on the road - the white cargo, VW Westfalia, or other 2WD van.
Mercedes Sprinter Van. Courtesy of Wikipedia.
VW Westfalia. Courtesy of She Roams Wild on YouTube
Vans typically come in 2WD, stand roughly 8-9’ tall, and have a body length that will fit in a standard parking spot. They are great for studio-esq living, providing a kitchen, seating, and sleeping area all within reach of the driver's seat. They have enough space for 1-2 people + a small pack of furry friends, and can get you most places. From Walmart parking lots to BLM sites in Moab, you’ll likely see dozens of them scattered across the landscape in popular free camping areas.
Pro’s of the Camper Van
Driver Seat is Easily Accessible
Room for Two + Pets
Easily Modified
Can Buy Built or for a DIY Build
Can Accommodate a Range of Budgets
Truck Campers
Similar to van life, people have been camping out of truck beds and campers for a long freaking time. For some time, they were primarily seen on family road trips to Yosemite, or in your neighbors yard, never to see the dust of a trail. But at some point, their image was transformed and they morphed into what is now considered an overlander. More on that later.
As with vans, or any type of rig, they come in all shapes and sizes - from the vintage aluminum-sided camper to the pop-up overlanding beast, popularized by companies like Capri and Four Wheel Campers.
Bigfoot C6.11 - One of the few left from a limited run in Canada, 1994.
Four Wheel Camper Hawk in the Alvord Desert, Oregon.
These campers are placed atop a variety of trucks, depending on the users budget and preference. The sleekest, most modern of the bunch can be seen sporting lightweight awnings, traction boards, and a token shovel - you know, for when your 4x4 fails. Speaking of, this is one of the biggest benefits of the truck camper; you can overhaul your home by simply upgrading your truck.
Pro’s of the Truck Camper
Detachable from Truck if Needed
4x4 is More Common in Trucks
Upgrade Truck/Camper Separately
Able to Reach Lower-Trafficked Areas
Wide Range of Campers to Fit Every Budget
Why I Sold My Van
Considering the above, it’s easy to see how either option could be a good one, depending on your circumstance. But after a year of travel and building out a van, selling it was inevitable. But why?
1. Finances
When I set out to purchase my van, my main criteria was having something reliable. As a solo female on the road, I wanted to minimize the chances of being stranded and having to call for help for both financial and safety reasons. At the time, buying a used van of this sort would have saved me a meager $3,000 in exchange for 70k miles on the engine - making a new van purchase a near obvious choice. After this purchase and a full build-out, I was $65,000 deep into a home that I initially planned to spend no more than $40k on. It would work for a while, but it was not sustainable long-term.
2. Accessibility
Like many others, I had dreams of venturing deep into the mountains, far away from others and the bustle of the city. Upon hitting the road, however, I discovered that this reality was unrealistic as the majority of “wild” spots were anything but. I was surrounded by other campers and severely limited by my van’s 2WD.
3. Space
I purchased my van in January 2021, ten months before adopting my dog. The plan was to get a pup in the future, but not in this rig - rendering my design and build up to the point, useless. The hallway was too narrow and the seating was too tall for her to climb up to - we were crammed, to say the least. We desperately needed more space than the meager 5’ hallway that we were then stuck with.
With the van sold, it was time to try our hand at another rig. I’ll spare you the details, but over the nine months that followed, we tested out two more rigs, a self-converted school bus and a Four Wheel Camper.
[Read more about our rigs, here.]
Now, I’ll admit - living in a truck camper didn’t sound trendy or Instagram-worthy. It wasn’t something that most people would understand, and I knew that more often than not, I would catch flak for living in a rig that I could not immediately get to the driver’s seat in. But I also knew that it was the next best decision I could make.
And so I caught a flight to Minnesota to buy a rare Canadian fiberglass camper by Bigfoot. Yes, really.
Bigfoot’s Maiden Voyage near Ketchum, ID.
While my journey from the Californian van dealership lot to a Minnesotan backyard truck camper was not a linear one, I could not be more confident in my decision. Already, this truck camper has brought us to vast, wide-open spaces in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and California, allowing us to escape the crowds and enjoy nature as it intended. We have scaled mountain roads in sub-freezing temperatures, braved blizzards in the Mountain West, and opened our backdoor to alpine vistas along the coast.
Living in a truck camper has hit on every qualm faced in a van - spending less money, getting to more places, and affording us the living space we need to thrive.
All of this said, a truck camper is what we have found works best for us (and many of our friends), but realistically there is no “perfect” rig. Just an open exploration of what works best for the individual and their lifestyle. We might be Team Truck, but at the end of the day, we are all one big road family.
See you on the road.