We’re a married couple with 2 dogs who love the outdoors, traveling, camping, biking, hiking…. the hobbies list goes on. We’ve decided it’s time to invest in a do-it-all adventure rig to support our active lifestyle. So like any basic business professional would tell you. Start with setting goals.

Our initial goals are simple.

1. Haul our bikes
2. Haul our dogs
3. Always be ready to travel
4. Off grid camper (4 seasons)
5. Daily driver capable
6. Carry up to 5 people

Breaking Down Our Goals

1. Haul Our Bikes – We are avid cyclists and mountain bikers. Constantly loading and unloading the different bikes from our current hitch rack to the garage and back everyday is annoying. It would be ideal to have all 4 bikes with us at all times with all the gear, clothing, provisions and privacy to change standing up (rather then crunched up in the front seat under a beach towel).
2. Haul Our Dogs – We have 2 dogs. A 60 pound golden retriever/german shepherd mix and a 25 pound ball of energy (mixed breed). We love taking them hiking and camping but the little one has a touch of the car sickness. Cloth seats and carpet do not mix with a sick dog. I’m tired of dealing with rigging up towel hammocks and pet seat covers to try to contain the random sickness. We’re also hoping with with a longer wheelbase and a different vehicle that maybe the car sickness will go away altogether. It would also be ideal to have a place we can secure the dogs with good ventilation (roof fans) for short periods of time while we get in a trail ride or a hike on a dog unfriendly trail.
3. Always Be Ready to Travel – Having a rig that is always loaded with our bikes, camping, hiking, hammocks, ‘you name it’ gear would be awesome. We have a tendency to either super plan ahead with great detail (especially on big trips) or decide at the last moment to hop in the car and visit a far off city or state. Being prepped to handle either scenario with more efficiency and confidence that we’ll most likely have everything we’ll need when the moment arises sounds great.
4. Off grid camper (4 seasons) – Honestly, this is usually a fundamental element of any van build but it’s worth noting. Being able to operate fully off grid, whether in the mountains or a truck stop parking lot is important to us. We live in the midwest where it can be -10° F in the winter or 100°F in the summer. It would be nice for us to be comfortable in any climate but it’s even more important for our dogs who may spend short stints in the van while we’re away.
5. Daily Driver Capable – This rig will be my primary vehicle Monday-Friday. I don’t want to invest a bunch in something that will sit in my drive way over 70% of the time (5 days a week). We need to be able to easily negotiate the grocery store parking lot, tight trail heads, country roads, mountain roads, downtown and fit in my driveway. Good gas mileage and driver comfort will go a long way as well.
6. Carry up to 5 People – We want to be able to carry a few friends or family members time-to-time on our adventures. However, the seats should be removable to give us the extra space when not in use.

Hopefully that gives some insight to what we are looking for in an adventure vehicle.

Picking an Adventure Rig

There are several directions you can go when looking for an adventure vehicle/rig. Truck & travel trailer/truck camper/fifth wheel/ tear drop, motorhome, van or SUV.

RV options are endless. Anything bigger then a Class B becomes difficult and impractical to drive daily for basic commuting (that includes Class A and Class C motorhomes). We’re also just 2 adults and two dogs. We don’t need a ton of space and separate rooms in our rig.

Towable options were on the top of our list for a while. The classic lines of an airstream are quite appealing but the costs are astronomical compared to other towable options (double the cost of a comparable travel trailer from other manufacturers). Trucks are really versatile with decent mpg nowadays so the thought of quickly hitching up and going seemed like an obvious answer. We could store the bikes in the bed with a truck topper for weather protection and security.

However, what type of towable? Tear drops are light and cheap ($10k or less) but you typically can’t stand up and cooking requires having the back hatch up (not so stealthy in urban environments). Pop-up campers are to much setup and not enough security for our liking. Fifth wheels are huge. Luxurious for sure but I have no desire in trying to navigate with it attached and you loose the truck bed for bike storage. Travel trailers seemed the best option. Bumper pull, standing room, cooking indoors and bikes are still secure in the truck bed. Something like an Airstream Basecamp could suit our needs but the entry cost ($35,900+) plus the purchase of a truck adds up. Traveling to urban destinations with a trailer is also not to stealthy nor fun to navigate with.

It became clear to us that a Van was the best option. It’s always geared up, no hitching up trailers, meets all of our goals and most importantly we can customize it to our exact needs. From a cost standpoint it could be the same or less than a truck + towable option as well.
[table width =”100%” style=”” responsive =”true”]
[table_head]The Breakdown
[th_column]Rig Option[/th_column]
[th_column]Haul Bikes[/th_column]
[th_column]Haul Dogs[/th_column]
[th_column]Travel Ready[/th_column]
[th_column]Daily Driving[/th_column]
[th_column]Stealthy[/th_column]
[th_column]Cost[/th_column]
[/table_head]
[table_body]
[table_row]
[row_column]Class A[/row_column]
[row_column]❌[/row_column]
[row_column]✔[/row_column]
[row_column]✔[/row_column]
[row_column]❌[/row_column]
[row_column]❌[/row_column]
[row_column]$80k+[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Class B[/row_column]
[row_column]❌[/row_column]
[row_column]✔[/row_column]
[row_column]✔[/row_column]
[row_column]❌[/row_column]
[row_column]❌[/row_column]
[row_column]$60k+[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Class C[/row_column]
[row_column]❌[/row_column]
[row_column]✔[/row_column]
[row_column]✔[/row_column]
[row_column]❌[/row_column]
[row_column]❌[/row_column]
[row_column]$80k+[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Truck + Fifth Wheel[/row_column]
[row_column]✔[/row_column]
[row_column]✔[/row_column]
[row_column]✔[/row_column]
[row_column]✔[/row_column]
[row_column]❌[/row_column]
[row_column]$50k+[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Truck + Travel Trailer[/row_column]
[row_column]✔[/row_column]
[row_column]✔[/row_column]
[row_column]✔[/row_column]
[row_column]✔[/row_column]
[row_column]❌[/row_column]
[row_column]$45k+[/row_column]
[/table_row]

[table_row]
[row_column]Van[/row_column]
[row_column]✔[/row_column]
[row_column]✔[/row_column]
[row_column]✔[/row_column]
[row_column]✔[/row_column]
[row_column]✔[/row_column]
[row_column]$10-50k[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[/table_body]
[/table]

Picking a Van

What model van makes the best camper van for our needs?

There are several new and used vans on the market to choose from. We knew immediately that only vans with standing height were on our list. Below is a breakdown of the vans on the short list and the comparison data.
[table width =”100%” style=”” responsive =”true”]
[table_head]Van Comparison
[th_column]Vehicle[/th_column]
[th_column]Ext. Length[/th_column]
[th_column]Int. Cargo Length[/th_column]
[th_column]Interior Height[/th_column]
[th_column]Powertrain[/th_column]
[th_column]MPG[/th_column]
[th_column]Maintenance[/th_column]
[th_column]Cost[/th_column]
[/table_head]
[table_body]
[table_row]
[row_column]Sprinter 2500 HR 144″[/row_column]
[row_column]233.3″[/row_column]
[row_column]137.4″[/row_column]
[row_column]77.8″[/row_column]
[row_column]188hp/325lb-ft Diesel[/row_column]
[row_column]16 – 19 mpg[/row_column]
[row_column]$$$[/row_column]
[row_column]$42,795+[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Transit T250 HR 148″[/row_column]
[row_column]235.5″[/row_column]
[row_column]143.7″[/row_column]
[row_column]81.5″[/row_column]
[row_column]310hp/400lb-ft Gas[/row_column]
[row_column]14-18 mpg[/row_column]
[row_column]$$$[/row_column]
[row_column]$37,555+[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Promaster 2500 HR 159″[/row_column]
[row_column]236″[/row_column]
[row_column]145.9″[/row_column]
[row_column]76″[/row_column]
[row_column]280hp/260lb-ft Gas[/row_column]
[row_column]14 – 18 mpg[/row_column]
[row_column]$$$[/row_column]
[row_column]$34,295+[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Nissan NV2500[/row_column]
[row_column]240.6″[/row_column]
[row_column]120″[/row_column]
[row_column]76.9″[/row_column]
[row_column]261hp/281lb-ft Gas[/row_column]
[row_column]14 – 15 mpg[/row_column]
[row_column]$$$[/row_column]
[row_column]$30,880+[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[/table_body]
[/table]

What did we pick?

I spent considerable time researching the various models, reading owners forums and comparing the costs of available options. It would be difficult to elaborate on all the details for the various van options out there. I highly suggest doing your own research if you’re in the market as options, prices and drivetrains will change over time.

I eliminated diesel drive train options due to the cost of maintenance and in the case for the Sprinter the lack of service options around the U.S. I also understand how gasoline engines work and can troubleshoot basic issues much easier. From an aesthetics’s stand point I think the Nissan NV is ugly. Just my opinion but no thanks.

It’s probably not a secret by now but we choose a Ford Transit Cargo – High Roof, 148” wheelbase. It met all of our criteria, had the options we wanted and came at an affordable price with the assistance of a Ford employee plan discount.