Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Yes, I know these kinds of articles can be annoying to dedicated campers and those who live that lifestyle, because they choose people who have zero experience with it. But the way I look at it, these articles do serve a purpose in exposing the realities of that world to city slickers who have romanticized views of quitting their jobs (or those who lost their jobs) and hitting the open road. And if you're not prepared for all the potential problems both big and small, it's not fun.
I would guess that had they chosen someone who actually lives that lifestyle, that luxury camper would have seemed like a luxury resort compared to the rickety dump they currently have. I think it's sweet the van actually has a small toilet (compost style or not). One thing I've always wondered about watching all these van life videos.
I rented a camper van for a weekend to take a small road trip to Philadelphia and see how I like van life.
The heat in the van broke, the electricity ran out, and the bathroom was too small.
I learned I could never live in a camper van full time because they're not real homes with working systems.
In the past few years I've caught myself fantasizing about quitting my job, breaking my lease, and embarking on an aimless and endless road trip in a camper van.
In my daydreams, I could picture myself traveling along the coasts, parking next to the sea, and opening the back doors onto picturesque landscapes. I dreamed of seeing the world and doing it in a van, just as a record number of people have done since the start of the pandemic.
To see if van life was really for me, I found a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter that was turned into a luxury camper van on Outdoorsy, a site that's like Airbnb for RVs. I decided to rent the van for a weekend in January, for $1,770, and to take a small road trip to get a taste of van life.
By the end of the weekend, I was surprised to learn that I was eager to get home and excited to never step foot in another camper van.
I really had to laugh about the remark that because the toilet space was too small for the author, he'd never use a compost toilet again. As if the type of toilet has anything to do with the mount of space.
I also have to laugh at Suburban Guy's remark that "...luxury camper would have seemed like a luxury resort compared to the rickety dump they currently have". Actually, as a person who travels in a cargo van (i.e., rickety dump), I'd avoid these "luxury vans" like the plague. That is one thing the article's author got right.
I read this article also and I agree...sounds like the guy didn't have very realistic expectations. He did, however, have a legit beef with the owner of the van who didn't have things set up properly. He should get a partial refund for not having any heat considering how much he paid to rent the van for the weekend.
I read this story AND another one linked in the story about living for 24 hours in the world's smallest house. Both were fun reads. I personally am a "spoiled American", I like my heat, my space, my privacy and my comfort.
Lol — a grown man has to be told over the phone (and then gets angry about it) that he can use the stove top to warm the van. This can’t be real, how can two adults be that ignorant?
Well the heat thing is sort of unfair to blame on vanlife. If the heater in your house breaks down, you don’t then complain that living in houses is a crappy lifestyle.
The guy did have too high a set of expectations though, IMHO. I drove trucks for five years and even truckers often had unrealistic expectations, as evidenced by the whining they constantly engaged in on apps like TruckerPath.
The whole camper van or tiny house idea always grated on me. The other vapid saying I find boorish is “camping: spending lots of money to live like a homeless person.” Absolutely absurd.
Now, the nomadic lifestyle does have some appeal. However, it is a mindset more than anything. I like home. I like being at home. I like my things.
I also like my adventures, trips to the mountains and exploring. So, that is my camping philosophy. I have a decent 5th wheel with the luxuries of running water, heat and mobility.
How is a bathroom too small? My daughter has a doll house with a bathroom with a little toilet and sink, etc. Now that would be too small a bathroom, because my fist would not even fit in that "room."
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
