If you have spent any time looking at van conversions, you already know the seating problem. A van layout has to do everything a tiny home does — cook, sleep, store gear, carry passengers — except it also has to pass for a vehicle when the road gets serious. The bench that doubles as a bed is one of the most contested pieces of the build, and most builders end up either compromising on safety, comfort, or how cleanly it converts.
The Broad Arrow Seat 2.0 from Wilderness Vans in Lethbridge, Alberta is one of the more interesting answers we have seen to that problem. It is a heavy-duty folding bench-bed system designed specifically for van conversions, RVs, and custom builds, with integrated seat belts, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, and a frame engineered around the transition from seat to bed.
It comes in three widths (500mm, 900mm, and 1200mm) and two fold styles (bi-fold and tri-fold), in black, brown, or Sedona upholstery. Pricing starts around $1,469 CAD, with the configuration driving the final number.
Images courtesy of Wilderness Vans
[continue reading…]
{ }
Most van lifers are trying to squeeze a life into 60 square feet. Waldemar took a different approach entirely. He bought a massive 10-ton MAN commercial delivery truck — originally an airport transport vehicle from Frankfurt, Germany with only 100,000 km on an engine rated for 1.5 million — and spent a year and a half transforming it into a fully off-grid tiny home on wheels. The finished build is just 6 meters long (about 20 feet), fits in a standard parking spot, and yet packs in a motorized elevator bed, a full stone shower, a retractable sky balcony, 800W of solar, and a 220-liter freshwater tank. The total material cost? Around €50,000 ($54,000 USD). This is a DIY truck conversion that makes most professional camper builds look tame by comparison.
Image via @romanexploring on YouTube
[continue reading…]
{ }
Jimmy and Natalie are back with an essential guide on building a DIY elevator bed for your van. After their first version failed, they decided to start from scratch and build a better one using extruded aluminum. This new and improved design offers greater stability and durability, proving that even a failure can lead to a better outcome when you’re willing to iterate.
[continue reading…]
{ }
There’s a reason van life has captured the imagination of millions. It’s not just about the Instagram photos of coffee with mountain views (though those don’t hurt). It’s about freedom—the ability to wake up somewhere new, to carry your home on your back, and to design a life that doesn’t fit in a cubicle.
We’ve featured hundreds of van conversions over the years, and today we’re sharing eleven that stopped us in our tracks. From a couple who built a rooftop van with an office to an 80-year-old woman thriving on the road, these builds prove that van life isn’t just for twenty-somethings with trust funds. It’s for anyone brave enough to reimagine what home can be.
[continue reading…]
{ }
Garrett and Staci met in preschool, dated in high school, got married, got jobs, and got a house. They “had it all” and yet something was missing. After careful consideration, they realized that the ability to travel and explore was precisely what they were seeking.
They built their own camper van. Their DIY ProMaster conversion features a permanent gaming setup and a rooftop deck. These digital nomads have no plans to return to everyday life and have invested in their van to ensure their life on the road runs as smoothly as possible.
Don’t miss other interesting stories like this, join our Free Tiny House Newsletter for more
Couple’s DIY Van Conversion with Special Gaming Setup & Roof-Deck
[continue reading…]
{ }
Patty is an 80-year-old who has been living on the road for 60 years. She’s proof that age is no barrier to van life—and that an expensive build isn’t required either.
Still working as a business consultant and running her own YouTube podcast (the Patty Serrano Podcast), she lives by the Japanese concept of Ikigai: doing what you love, what you’re passionate about, and what you can monetize. She also found love later in life, meeting her partner at a New Year’s Eve campfire in Quartzsite.
Don’t miss other interesting tiny homes like this – join our FREE Tiny House Newsletter for more!
Patty’s $200 Minimalist Van Build
Patty’s current home is a 2004 Cono van. Her approach demonstrates that van life doesn’t require a massive investment—she spent approximately $200 on the interior build.
[continue reading…]
{ }
In the world of overlanding and van life, there are builds, and then there are fortresses. We’ve found one that truly redefines “go-anywhere, do-anything”: a massive, heavy-duty rig built on a military Stewart and Stevenson chassis with a rugged ambulance box conversion added to it.
The owner/builder, Chad, affectionately calls it the ultimate vehicle that can “survive the end times.” But this project is about more than just life on the road; it was a four-year passion that helped him achieve over three years of sobriety.
Chad’s passion project not only showcases incredible engineering but also marked his path to sobriety
Image: Chad Leadbetter/Facebook
[continue reading…]
{ }
Blake converted a Kia Niro EV into a stealth camper car — proving you do not need a van or a truck to live on the road. The fully electric hatchback has a custom sleeping platform, a pull-out kitchen, solar power, a portable toilet setup, and enough storage for full-time travel. He documents the build and his travels on YouTube and Instagram.
[continue reading…]
{ }
This is Chris and Anne’s van mansion, a tiny home on wheels built on a 2003 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 T1N chassis. This conversion is what happens when capable tech people build their own camper van!
They call it their van mansion, and in this post, you’ll see why! Thanks to the Dirtbags On The Road YouTube Channel, you get a firsthand look at Chris and Anne’s incredible custom camper van called the ‘Vansion’ right here. Enjoy!
Tour the Ultimate Feature-Rich Van Mansion by Chris and Anne
Images via Dirtbags on the Road/YouTube
[continue reading…]
{ }
