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Have you considered a 4 wheel drive pickup truck with a slide in truck camper? The high clearance and 4x4 comes in handy while exploring back roads and out of the way places to park. You can also take the truck camper off and drop it somewhere if the vehicle ever needs servicing, vs having a van that needs service would require you to find other living arrangements while it's in the shop. For going used you could possibly get a lower mileage, more reliable, easier to work on truck than a class B.
Class B's and vans are nice but nothing beats a 4x4 truck camper for exploring national forest service roads out west. Except if you can find a 4x4 van and convert it yourself .....
Just a thought.
I have researched those a bit, and yes, would consider that option, too. I like the idea of the high clearance and 4x4, as you mentioned, especially since I like to go out to remote and mountainous places. This is just the kind of suggestion that kind of rekindles a former thought, thanks!
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Originally Posted by EastwardBound
I have researched those a bit, and yes, would consider that option, too. I like the idea of the high clearance and 4x4, as you mentioned, especially since I like to go out to remote and mountainous places. This is just the kind of suggestion that kind of rekindles a former thought, thanks!
good while you are still young and nimble.
Get a good one with HEAT!!! (and winter protection)
I have had a few friends who really liked their "Alaskan" crank-ups slide in campers
(Buy used if you can find one)
Also several with Lance Campers (More traditional, but nice)
Get a good one with HEAT!!! (and winter protection)
I have had a few friends who really liked their "Alaskan" crank-ups slide in campers
(Buy used if you can find one)
Also several with Lance Campers (More traditional, but nice)
As I research these more, a truck plus one of these looks like more than I want to spend. I'm probably looking at around $20,000 for the vehicle. Yes, a slide in would come with a lot more amenities, which would be nice, but I'm not sure I would need all that, really!
As I research these more, a truck plus one of these looks like more than I want to spend. I'm probably looking at around $20,000 for the vehicle. Yes, a slide in would come with a lot more amenities, which would be nice, but I'm not sure I would need all that, really!
I think you'll find that your original intent of long time independent travel with a communications center is at odds with what you'll find in a slide-in camper.
Even an Alaskan, one of the better winterized campers ... is really a very short term independence. You have very limited boondocking capacity for water, electricity, storage space, etc. What you're buying here with a 4x4 truck combo is the ability to explore remote sites, but the "travel" experience is more like a sheltered campsite than a home/office on the road.
I think you need to figure out what your priorities are here.
If "back country" camping exploration is your goal, then the camper/4x4 can be an excellent way to do so for short time periods.
But if independent months on the road with the ability to boondock from time to time and continue your communications/teaching is the primary goal, your needs will be far better met with a Class C or a Class B RV.
Especially if you plan on your SO joining you for the trips, you need to consider the living/storage space per person for those extended times on the road. For most people, the dynamics are quite different between a weekend camping in a remote site vs extended time/travel away from home.
It's like the difference between having a wonderful long weekend on your boat vs. setting out to sail to Hawaii, for example. You need ample room for stores/water/fuel/space for each person on the journey over an extended time frame. The truck camper will tie you to more frequent paid campsites (bathrooms/showers) and trips to the store for supplies to achieve those moments of remote site independence.
PS: with your budget, you have the ability to buy a used RV that will meet your needs. Financially, you'll have a much better chance at recouping your investment with a professionally manufactured RV than to "buy a Van and outfit it with a bed" and the other amenities that you'll require for independent travel/office/communications/living space.
Unless you've got the time, tools, and skills to finish out your own camper with support systems/furnace/insulation ... you will not be able to reasonably accomplish your travel/teaching goals with a cobbled together minimalist approach. You might get by for an adventure trip or two, but in the longer term you'll need the amenities of a better equipped RV. Even if you now view so much of the "stuff" on-board most RV's as being excessive compared to your minimalist needs when car camping now, you'll find out why the RV's that are manufactured and sold are equipped as they are for the marketplace. What you've proposed to do is a far cry from glorified backpacking; you will need the support systems and travel environment to accomplish the long term living, travel, and working environment you desire to have.
I think you'll find that your original intent of long time independent travel with a communications center is at odds with what you'll find in a slide-in camper.
Even an Alaskan, one of the better winterized campers ... is really a very short term independence. You have very limited boondocking capacity for water, electricity, storage space, etc. What you're buying here with a 4x4 truck combo is the ability to explore remote sites, but the "travel" experience is more like a sheltered campsite than a home/office on the road.
I think you need to figure out what your priorities are here.
If "back country" camping exploration is your goal, then the camper/4x4 can be an excellent way to do so for short time periods.
But if independent months on the road with the ability to boondock from time to time and continue your communications/teaching is the primary goal, your needs will be far better met with a Class C or a Class B RV.
Especially if you plan on your SO joining you for the trips, you need to consider the living/storage space per person for those extended times on the road. For most people, the dynamics are quite different between a weekend camping in a remote site vs extended time/travel away from home.
It's like the difference between having a wonderful long weekend on your boat vs. setting out to sail to Hawaii, for example. You need ample room for stores/water/fuel/space for each person on the journey over an extended time frame. The truck camper will tie you to more frequent paid campsites (bathrooms/showers) and trips to the store for supplies to achieve those moments of remote site independence.
PS: with your budget, you have the ability to buy a used RV that will meet your needs. Financially, you'll have a much better chance at recouping your investment with a professionally manufactured RV than to "buy a Van and outfit it with a bed" and the other amenities that you'll require for independent travel/office/communications/living space.
Unless you've got the time, tools, and skills to finish out your own camper with support systems/furnace/insulation ... you will not be able to reasonably accomplish your travel/teaching goals with a cobbled together minimalist approach. You might get by for an adventure trip or two, but in the longer term you'll need the amenities of a better equipped RV. Even if you now view so much of the "stuff" on-board most RV's as being excessive compared to your minimalist needs when car camping now, you'll find out why the RV's that are manufactured and sold are equipped as they are for the marketplace. What you've proposed to do is a far cry from glorified backpacking; you will need the support systems and travel environment to accomplish the long term living, travel, and working environment you desire to have.
Thank you! Also, a very informative post. You're right, I need to center in on my priorities before making any purchase.
Consider the ideas above for USED Class C (or A). (wide range of prices and options)
Van / Camper / compact travel will get very old if more than ONE are in the vehicle. (Van is OK for weekend and up to a week, but NOT a month!)
My rule of thumb... you need an EXIT for each person. (within the camper)... escape flying frying pans / books / food...
If (2) are traveling, tow an econo car or Jeep (type), so one of you can escape for a few hours or days.
Haha! I know what you mean on the flying frying pans, and yes, very good advice. Much of our travel, in fact, almost all, involved nature. We are hiking nuts, and could spend lots of time alone in away from each other in that way I think, but you're absolutely correct that I should weigh that in my choice.
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