22 ms·

How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

• pvsukale3 10y ago
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-F-q-LDMmw&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-F-q-LDMmw&feature=youtu.be
• CPLX 10y ago
  That was pretty awesome, I enjoyed reading all the way to the end. I wonder how long it'll take him to regret the fact that his bed only fits one person in it.
  • throwanem 10y ago
    You might surprised how spacious half a queen bed can be, and he looks to be fit and trim overall. I don't think he's likely to have much trouble.
    • sliverstorm 10y ago
      Half a queen is 25% smaller than a twin. It's 30" wide. Your shoulders are probably around 15" wide, wider if you are muscular/fit. Workable, sure, but with a companion it's hard to imagine describing that as spacious. I shared a 20" wide camping mattress in a pinch. We are both very slender. Spooning was mandatory.
      • throwanem 10y ago
        > Spooning was mandatory. Oh. Well. Yeah, I can see how that's a real problem. (Actually, I spent almost a decade married, so, gentle sarcasm aside, I can see how that might be a problem. On the other hand, I get the impression the cases aren't really parallel. I mean, if it were me and I had someone moving in, it'd be a good occasion for a rebuild to meet current needs, I think.)
    • krivx 10y ago
      If you need a fan to keep cool in that small space then a second body will make things a lot more uncomfortable.
  • vxNsr 10y ago
    I don't think he plans on company, because really how much creepier can you get than: "Do you wanna check out my van?" or "Come back to my van with me" Even though I know his whole backstory, I still wouldn't come right away and I'm a 25 year old dude...
    • onion2k 10y ago
      You may think that'll keep you safe, but creepy people can live in houses.
• kzisme 10y ago
  I ended up reading the whole post - awesome story! Not something I could see myself doing, but damn does he look happy.
• overcast 10y ago
  My school loans are paid off in less than a year, and the thought of this has certainly crossed my mind. I've got the house, and I'm sick of all the shit in it.
• grecy 10y ago
  I did something similar. I wanted a vehicle I could explore the world with, so I turned my Jeep into a house on wheels with fridge, drinking water and filtration, solar and dual batteries, interior cabinets and a custom modified pop-up roof so I can stand up and walk around in the Jeep. I joked about applying for a home owners grant :) The full pictures and story are in this album - http://imgur.com/a/OLK3o http://imgur.com/a/OLK3o I'm driving it around Africa now. EDIT: I'm a Software Engineer too, and I decided there is more to life than sitting at a desk - a few years back I drove Alaska->Argentina, now it's around Africa for 2 years. EDIT2: I've hit my posting limit. Yes, I'm still alive! Follow along if you want to see if I stay that way! Facebook: https://facebook.com/theroadchoseme https://facebook.com/theroadchoseme Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theroadchoseme https://www.instagram.com/theroadchoseme Twitter: https://twitter.com/dangrec https://twitter.com/dangrec YouTube: http://youtube.com/c/theroadchoseme http://youtube.com/c/theroadchoseme And my website: http://theroadchoseme.com http://theroadchoseme.com
  • rokhayakebe 10y ago
    You Are The Truth, Sir!
  • asimuvPR 10y ago
    I read your story on reddit a little while ago. Its a really interesting choice and I applaud your sense of adventure. What I don't get was the swap to a Mercedes diesel. Your argument for it made sense, but why not a toyota diesel, for example? :)
    • grecy 10y ago
      At the time I thought it made sense... of course hindsight is great. If I wanted a Toyota diesel, I would have just bought a Toyota, but I didn't want that. The reason for the merc is that the engine I chose (the OM606) is the most sophisticated non-computer controlled diesel possible - actually it came from the factory with a computer, but by using the injection pump from the earlier OM603 it can be made fully mechanical. This is a boon for repairs, simplicity, and the ability to burn basically anything like kerosene. It also means it's powerful and efficient, and mileage was my number 1 goal. Also, that Merc engine happens to come from the factory in many cars with exactly the same gearbox as in my Jeep (the NSG370), so things made sense there. Jeep have also used Merc diesels in the past (not in the Wrangler), so that made sense too. It was an ambitious plan, and I'm glad that I tried, even though it didn't work out in the end. That aside, I'm in west Africa now, having the time of my life :)
• Qantourisc 10y ago
  The fact that one (in a lot of countries) has to do this in a van, because of regulations, is kind of tyranny: Either you get in-prisoned in debt/rent, or you get to live in a van or on the streets.
  • sliverstorm 10y ago
    I don't think you really have to do it in a van. If you're going to work remote and don't mind being lonely, you can buy a house just about anywhere in the country, which means you can find a house for $50k instead of $500k. If you check out his list of things he likes about van living, most have more to do with working for himself rather than all the traveling. He doesn't come across as one of the wanderlust folks.
    • Qantourisc 10y ago
      I think you mean in the world, not all countries are that big.
      • sliverstorm 10y ago
        Sure, although that might be a more complicated work relationship if you aren't working for yourself.
    • jandrese 10y ago
      All of the work to make this van livable could have just as easily been done to a shack in the woods. The biggest hurdle these days is reliable internet if you want that. You would need a better bathroom situation than "the nearest McDonalds" too, but well water is often an option. The one question he didn't answer is how he bathed. It's very easy when you're living as a lonely bachelor to slowly morph into Grizzly Adams because there's nobody in a thousand miles who cares about you or how you smell.
      • artimaeis 10y ago
        He mentions showering at the gym a few times through the piece. Also that he exercises daily - so I'd assume a membership at a nation-wide gym? It'd be a bit much for me personally but I can fighting said Grizzly-ness with his method.
• andreasklinger 10y ago
  Similar but less extreme version: "Just" a "mobile office" http://davidmckinney.com/blog/2013/12/29/redesigning-the-office http://davidmckinney.com/blog/2013/12/29/redesigning-the-off... By mr david awesome mckinney :)
  • erichocean 10y ago
    I've contemplated something similar, thanks for the link! It's that, or get an actual office, but I think I'd prefer to be able to drive somewhere interesting and work from there.
• aresant 10y ago
  His "Can I live without my precious possessions?" answer is the most engineering LOL thing I've read all day: "Pile up my crap. Anytime I need something in the pile, take it out of the pile and save it for later. Monitor usage." Thank you for posting this.
  • zyxley 10y ago
    This but slightly more organized is pretty much the standard answer for anti-hoarding: put all your stuff away, keep track of what you actually use over the next week/month/year, and get rid of anything that hasn't been touched.
    • sliverstorm 10y ago
      I think it deserves to be slightly more nuanced than that. There is a category of things that are small, used rarely, but very necessary. Medicine & tools always come to mind. For me, if I don't use my screwdrivers for a year that doesn't mean I should get rid of my screwdrivers.
      • dublinben 10y ago
        Arguably, it means just that. If you only use a tool once a year, you should just borrow/rent them when you actually do need them. Our lives are cluttered with occasionally used 'just in case' items that we really don't need.
        • et-al 10y ago
          That's minimalism taken to an extreme, which is just as thoughtless as hoarding. A screwdriver costs less than $5 and takes a minimal amount of space to store. Yes, the slippery slope is when you have a thousand tools falling out of your closet, but again, thought and moderation. The "if I haven't used it in the past year" rule is a great idea overall, but it's not appropriate for this example. Now if we're talking about a ball-bearing extractor, yeah rent/borrow that unless your livelihood depends on it.
• jdpigeon 10y ago
  This would have appealed to me about two years ago, but not that much anymore, and I'm still close to a decade away from paying off my student debt. I'm more interested in 'settling down' and 'getting to work' these days, realizing that my sense of personal success is mostly dependent on quality relationships, productivity, and a sense of community belonging. Now, I've done my fair share of living life on the road, and I always enjoyed the experience, but just like the comedown from a psychedelic drug high I was always grateful at the end to be back home squared away in my "real world." My issue is not with the self-determinism or the low-impact tiny house living, just with the transience of it. Is he certain that he'll be able to be productive working out of the back of a van or in random cafes around the country? What about stimulating interactions with colleagues? Girlfriend??
  • icantdrive55 10y ago
    Girlfriend? I don't know--maybe it gives off the right advertising. Meaning, if you don't want all the trappings of a conventional lifestyle; I'm that guy. A great opening line, "Do you want to avoid hiring a lawyer in the future to fight over assets? Do you want to avoid sitting in a cubicle the rest of your life? Do you want to never have this thought, "Would I be with him if we didn't have that house, and kids?" If you don't want to have a gaggle of kids because you were kinda pressed into having them by family, friends, coworker, societal pressures, etc., I'm your guy. (Yes, I know having kids is a wonderful experience. If I was this guy in this article, I would get a vasectomy, and freeze sperm. I don't know if you could live like this with a child, especially in an overprotective, fear for the worse, jump to the wrong conclusions, country like the USA.) My parents fought over the house seemingly continually. The only time they didn't fight was when they left it on weekends. My father wanted to do what this guy is doing now, but died before completing his van. I think this is an untapped way of living, but society/cops seem to discourage it by ticketing excessively. That is my main concern. Towns, and cities have much made it illegial to park pretty much anywhere overnight, unless you pay a fee.
    • sliverstorm 10y ago
      I think this is an untapped way of living, but society/cops seem to discourage it by ticketing excessively. It gets to be a mess when too many people try it. Sometimes it's totally unrelated to vandwellers- in college, the town was only twice the population of the school, so there was a massive shortage of parking.
• jonah 10y ago
  My officemate is a cyclist and photographer and built out a Sprinter van as a mobile production/adventure mobile. It's got a couch that converts to a bed, fold-out tables, water tank, sink, electric chest fridge, PV panel and battery, inverter, and roof platform. Super functional. All hand built and I can't imagine he spent more than a couple grand outfitting it.
• binarray2000 10y ago
  Great writeup! Very enjoyable read but, at least for me, the last part "Thoughts on the Van Life" was the best. All the best!
• deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
• Jemaclus 10y ago
  I love this idea in theory, but my wife would never go for it. Ah well... Maybe get an RV for longer camping trips...
  • protomyth 10y ago
    Something in the Coachmen Prism range is not that much more expensive and has a shower. You can find some interesting deals on them because people tended to buy and realize RVs aren't for them. I guess you could also buy an RV chassis as one heck of a do-it-yourself project.
    • sanswork 10y ago
      >You can find some interesting deals on them because people tended to buy and realize RVs aren't for them. Which is highly likely this this case too. I'd suggest renting for a month and living in it the whole time before buying. It can be a great life but it can have its hardships too.
• mcone 10y ago
  I love the idea of doing something like this, but I'm wondering about how to get dependable, high-speed internet access. Anybody have any ideas?
  • grecy 10y ago
    Tether to your phone. I'm doing it now in west Africa and it's super fast, 3G is everywhere (especially in the US or Europe)
  • ioddly 10y ago
    It depends on where you go. On BLM land in the United States, if you are willing to hunt for a while for good dispersed campsites, you can often score the combination of good cell signal + nobody else around.
  • Fiahil 10y ago
    yes, your 4G connected phone. 50GB of data for 19.99, isn't that great?
    • monknomo 10y ago
      Who's your carrier?
  • pilom 10y ago
    Subscribe to www.rvmobileinternet.com. That site will answer every single question you could ever possibly have about how to make it happen. I work full time with a grandfathered Unlimited Verizon plan and a Cricket Wireless cell phone (on AT&T's towers) and I use a cell booster when needed (http://amzn.to/2c52cSG http://amzn.to/2c52cSG). In the past 4 months I've only needed to move twice for lack of coverage.
• cylinder 10y ago
  Did you consider buying a camper van? They are quite common as a lifestyle traveling around Australia, in the US people use giant RVs but these are not practical at all and not a conscientious selection.
  • et-al 10y ago
    #vanlife was on the fringe about 5 years ago, but it's starting to gain wider acceptance in the US. I would hope that within five years Volkswagen will finally bring the California T6 to the States. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_California https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_California
    • hx87 10y ago
      Sprinters, Ducatos, Transits, and NVs (not to mention old school Expresses/Savannas) are already available here, so I'm not sure what a VW California T6 would offer that the others wouldn't.
      • et-al 10y ago
        Couple of reasons: - the T6 is smaller than the Sprinter. - OEM. You'd need to go aftermarker for a pop-top. And as as awesome as it is to DIY, not everyone has the time/skills for a conversion. - Volkswagen cult appeal. You can't deny there's a demand for older T2/T3s and Westies. They released the Beetle for nostalgia, they can do the same for the T6.
    • mikestew 10y ago
      At least here in the Pacific Northwest, old VW Westfalias seem to be the hot item right now (I know of at least two Westy-specific repair shops in just Seattle). But I have no idea what it would take for VW to import them. Getting rid of the "chicken tax" would be a start, as that's going to add 25% to the price right off the bat.
  • jdavis703 10y ago
    This will cause undue attention from meddlesome neighbors and cops.
• marknutter 10y ago
  So why didn't he just buy an RV? Not to take away from his accomplishment, but isn't this just the most engineery thing to do? Instead of leaning on another industry that has spent decades perfecting exactly what he is trying to build, he spent all the time he could have used actually exploring the world building what is certainly an inferior solution in every regard.
  • grecy 10y ago
    One word: Stealth. He can park this van on virtually any street in the world and sleep for free, and nobody will be the wiser. Try that in an RV and many places the police will be called on you in 30 minutes.
    • gnarcoregrizz 10y ago
      Stealth camping is nerve racking, and its never that stealth, you can always tell when someone is sleeping in their van.
    • protomyth 10y ago
      I would think parking a commercial van on any old street might get some reactions. Plus, he's pretty much in the US, so there are many box stores that allow RVs along with quite a lot of rest areas.
    • kxyvr 10y ago
      Absolutely this. And, it can't be emphasized enough if you want to keep your expenses down. As a preference, I think that this guy being able to make van living work is awesome. That being said, it's not necessarily cheaper than regular living unless you're willing to adhere to a certain kind of lifestyle. Awhile back, I looked at van living and there's an amazing community on YouTube of all places that chronicle the practicalities of van living and they talk about everything like expenses, sex life, etc. As one example on the expenses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXA8_YeMvAA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXA8_YeMvAA Anyway, as much as everyone thinks that you can just park at Walmart every night, that's not necessarily the case or desirable. Not every Walmart allows it. After awhile, you don't want to live there. That leads people to guerrilla camp, which there's an art to. Industrial areas aren't always safe as there's no one around in case something happens. If you park in front of someone's house, they probably will call the police because it's weird. As such, the best guerrilla camping spots are in mixed commercial/residential areas where you can park on the commercial side of the street and still be near people for safety. As long as you move the van before the business opens, no one really cares. However, that moving around increases living costs. Loaded vans get terrible gas mileage. Gas isn't always cheap. Alright, so we can just park in National Parks, right? Not always. Many, if not most, National Parks require camping fees per night, but it depends. Also, with budget cuts in Congress and not everything being fixed since sequestration, many parks have shut down their camping spots between Labor Day and Memorial Day, so there are fewer places to go. BLM land can be a bit more forgiving, but, really, because BLM doesn't have the money to patrol the amount of land they have and this only works in areas of the country with huge BLM controlled areas. Alright, so say you do want to do it legally. What's the cost? If you ever want to shower, the cheapest place is a Planet Fitness membership at $10/month and there are many around the country. As far as rent, trailer parks vary in price, but in smallish cities I see them going for $300-$350/month. As far as food, since there's little storage place and refrigeration, expect to eat out quite a bit more or buy in smaller quantities, so more money. As an aside, cooking is sort of a pain in the ass because cooking in the van will vaporize the fats in the food. That will, in turn, get it all over your stuff, which sucks and is a pain to clean. I wish I could find a link to it, but there was a video from one guy who did a beautiful build out of a van where he created an isolated kitchen in the side door of the van. In that way, all of the cooking problems were isolated from the living area with the consequence of having to go outside the van to cook, which made it more difficult to guerrilla camp. As another aside, if you're unwilling to guerrilla camp, I came to the conclusion that it's better to just have a trailer that's towed. It tends to be more comfortable. When your vehicle breaks down, and it will break down, you still have a place to live while doing repairs unlike a van or RV. Also, the startup cost is much cheaper. I was at a maker fair this last weekend and this guy was there showing off a trailer: http://camperplans.com/ http://camperplans.com/ $4500 for a full build out and all he started with was an axle. The result seemed pretty good, but I'm not an expert. I believe he sells plans for it as well. Certainly, trailers require a vehicle to pull them, but a small trailer like this can get away with something like a Tacoma and a used one can be had for a few thousand dollars. Anyway, I think mobile living is amazing and workable. However, I wouldn't necessarily call it cheap. You pay for freedom, but it's a workable amount of money.
• dominotw 10y ago
  >, I have a pee bottle and a 5 gallon jug. Line the jug with two trash bags, and cover the poop with kitty litter. Then toss it in a dumpster. 1.is this legal to dump trash in somone else's dumpster without owners permission? 2. Is it ok in the US to dump poop in dumpsters? I know nursing homes incinerate poop but not sure if there is a law specifically against dumping human waste.
  • cnvogel 10y ago
    2.) Baby diapers?
  • ksenzee 10y ago
    In our municipality it has to be double-bagged but it can go in with the regular trash.
  • gnarcoregrizz 10y ago
    There are lots of sewers for human waste at truck stops, some gas stations, and parks that he could dump it down, I would rather do that than throw it in a dumpster.
    • sanswork 10y ago
      I think people are misunderstanding your comment and thinking you mean dump it in the drain. For those people, there are actual sewage dump stations at a lot of those places. Look for a sign with a vehicle with an arrow or pipe out the bottom next time you're near a truck stop or state park.
      • dominotw 10y ago
        Then you are just living the RV lifestyle, different from what OP is trying to do?
        • sanswork 10y ago
          Unless his purpose is to pollute other peoples trash bins with human waste than it has no impact on what he is trying to do it is just a safer way to dispose of his waste.
• jordanlev 10y ago
  I absolutely loved reading this. I liked how he went into it cautiously, testing out whether he could get by with a small fridge, small bed, less possessions, etc. And I also appreciate the web page design itself -- one long vertically-scrolling piece, very easy to read through! One thing I find ironic though is the attitude towards other people who make a different decision about the worth of a home and the mortgage. Does he not realize that his van was only possible because his parents owned a home, raised him there, and let him park the van in their carport for 40 days while building it out?
  • deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
  • beefield 10y ago
    I think it is a bit of a stretch to say that it was _possible_ only due to his parents home. Easier and cheaper sure.
  • Joof 10y ago
    He could have done it at a friend's or his own home after another short stint of saving.
    • Domenic_S 10y ago
      His dad's woodshop (& expertise) was critical to the build - note that dad did all the cuts into the body of the van. There's nothing wrong with it, just a reminder that we never really do anything alone. Personally, I'd rather have the shop than the van ;)
      • sliverstorm 10y ago
        I noticed that too. Not to be too critical, but reminds me of a woman I know who pitches how great & easy & wonderful it is to buy complete fixer-upper cars and houses and make something great out of them. But if you read her posts on the subject, you realize her father is a contractor, her husband is a mechanic, and they do most of the work.
• Dowwie 10y ago
  Come on, voidqk. We all know your dad built this camper van while you took the selfies. His work shop says it all.
• rubicon33 10y ago
  I am having a hard time with this article. On the one hand, it resonates with me DEEPLY. "Sure, it's cliché, but it's cliché for a reason -- this subconscious drive for freedom is hard-wired in our DNA. No modern comfort or toy can take the place of true autonomy." On the other hand, I can't deny certain life comforts. Relationships come to mind when considering a life like this. Sure, living frugally on the road while coding your own project sounds exhilarating. But I wonder how I'd feel without my significant other? I guess what I want more than a life in a van, is economic freedom with a home.
  • deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
  • secabeen 10y ago
    Agreed. It gets even harder with tiny dependents.
    • eggy 10y ago
      It calls for making unorthodox decisions, and trying something different. I live in the rice fields of East Java on about $3 per day with my 1.5 year old baby girl and wife. I grew up in Brooklyn, NYC and spent most of my time in urban areas. I also have two older children whom I raised during their youth with my ex-wife in rural NJ when we decided to leave Manhattan. They grew up with a fresh water lake, no motorboats, with bears, deer and raccoons among other wildlife. My new baby girl is growing up with fresh bananas, mangoes, papaya, and of course, rice right outside our door, and beautiful sunsets and sunrises over the rice fields. There are chickens, goats, geckos, cobras, beetles that look like gold, and colorful birds, and we live in the shadow of a dormant volcano. We live very minimal. Most of the floors in the village are just packed dirt with a bamboo mat pulled out to use. My home is tiled - had to have that! Funny thing is my internet is spotty at times, but much cheaper, and it goes with me and my phone wherever I am. I get 500 KB/s at times, with an average of 175 KB/s. This allows me to Skype my Dad and older children several times a week with video and share my world. I love my freedom, health and the world of wonder I am learning about. I have been in SE Asia for over 7 years, and in the village for almost a full year now. I might grow tired of it, and move on, but it will be to the next different thing, like a sail boat with short jaunts to other islands. Am I rich? No! You'd be amazed at how much you can accomplish if you set your mind to it, and have some passion about it. People live in fear. Not the terrifying type of fear you might experience in an immediate life or death situation, but in a sort of self-imposed fear of change or anything different. I like to imagine our world takes place in an imaginery little bubble around us, and if we don't kick and push its walls, stretch them, exercise them, they close in, and we become imprisoned in this gnawing, subtle fear. It goes hand in hand with the quote attributed to Einstein. Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. People know why they're unhappy; they just don't listen well to themselves, or are paralyzed by this subtle fear that drives their whole life.
• gambiting 10y ago
  I'm genuinely curious - why did he do all the repairs in his house before selling it? Was the market for housing that bad that he couldn't sell it as-is for the new owner to do repairs?
  • modoc 10y ago
    For some stuff the repair/improvement more than pays for itself in either increased sale price, or reduced time on the market.
• lesdeuxmagots 10y ago
  I did exactly this! Bought a used NV2500, went to town. Took 7 months to build. Have closets, cabinets, cooktop, sink, wood floors, butcher block counters, fridge, electricity via solar, bed, etc. etc. I knew nothing about insulation, wiring, woodwork, power tools, etc. and learned everything as I built it. Was not cheap, because I didn't want to give up any luxuries, so breakeven is in a matter of years, not months. However, its been treating me well. I have spots that I prefer in South Bay and in San Francisco depending where I'm working out of.
  • vocatus_gate 10y ago
    Link?? Photos???? You can't just mention this and not provide pictures!
• kazinator 10y ago
  In the 1970's TV series Trapper John, M.D. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trapper_John,_M.D. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trapper_John,_M.D.) one of the characters, "Gonzo", is a doctor working alongside Trapper John, while living in a motoro home ("The Titanic") in the hospital's parking lot. Man, think of all the money you can save if you have a good income, and live in a motor home virtually for free. Gonzo legitimized the whole concept. :)
• sofaofthedamned 10y ago
  I would love to do this. Last year after getting made redundant from Cisco I was looking for work but there was nothing for 4 months as a Devops guy near where I live but there was plenty in London. I was actually considering either getting a van to sleep in, or a narrowboat, and working in London with London rates, then coming home at the weekend. I'd love to know a cheap way of converting something liveable, bearing in mind most offices have showers so I don't need that, just to provide for my family.
  • PaulRobinson 10y ago
    Canal boats in London are not much cheaper than apartments. Nor is anything else. I used to work Monday-Friday in London and head home (Manchester) for the weekend for about six months. During the week I'd stay in the cheapest hotels I could find (£50/night average). It was horrible, and after six months I ended up doing super cheap Air BNB just so I could cook some food once in a while. Still not great. Eventually we just moved here. It's fine if you look for beyond zone 1, ideally near where you're working, and get paid London rates.
    • senorjazz 10y ago
      A friend bought a narrow boat and lives around hackney and some rivers north of the city. Was definitely cheaper than an apartment
• serge2k 10y ago
  > Does anyone actually enjoy being in a cubicle, all day No. But trading it for a van doesn't sound more pleasant.
• ErikAugust 10y ago
  I did something similar a couple years back - but much simpler. I just bought a cap for my truck and stuck my sleeper futon mattress in it: https://www.instagram.com/p/tLu_9wAR4p/ https://www.instagram.com/p/tLu_9wAR4p/
  • delbel 10y ago
    yeah that's what I did, then I upgraded to a cab over camper.
• gnarcoregrizz 10y ago
  This resonated with me: "Life is easy. Humans are fucking badass -- we absolutely dominate our environment and are so smart and powerful." I really understood that in the desert in Utah, where I got the feeling that I wasn't supposed to be there, far away from any semblance of civilization, but there I was surviving just fine with the help of our machinations. I bought my RV for what you did, and its a perfectly comfortable home... a home that goes 80mph! I've been to almost every state now, and lived on hilltops with "million dollar" views, been in the desert under the stars, worked from deep in the rainforest in the pacific northwest, all for less money than rent for my apartment was. We can live comfortably for about a week completely off the grid. I would have bought a smaller, more offroad capable van, but I live in it with my fiance, so that was untenable. I don't know how long you've been doing it, but there are definitely stressors and downsides that accompany the lifestyle. My RV was broken into once and I had everything stolen, and since then I've been constantly on edge when being away from my vehicle, so I often wish it looked beat to shit to deter people from messing with it. Also, staying in parking lots sucks and is sad if you're doing it for any extended period of time. I definitely have a missing sense of community and permanence, but its been a great journey!
  • prawn 10y ago
    Points for the great attitude and anything involving Utah's deserts, but kudos to so many other species surviving harder with less also. Life is badass! Watched a documentary in which lizards hatched in a scalding caldera and had to scramble over the rim while birds were trying to pick them off. That's in their first few seconds of life.
• ocdtrekkie 10y ago
  I am "happy" in my mortgage-limited slave life, but I've always wanted to extend my vehicle a bit. My car is essentially like a little piece of my home I take with me from place to place. I feel as comfortable in my car as I feel at home. I've been looking into a second battery and solar setup just for the main goal of running a computer in my crossover. But I'll admit, that job does take up a lot of time I might otherwise use for doing it.
• cko 10y ago
  I'm a full-time pharmacist working 50 hours a week, with several investment rental properties. Since April of this year I've been sleeping in my 2002 Toyota 4Runner in the parking lot at work. Shower at the gym, infrequent laundry runs, hang out all day at the library with all the other strange people. Pros: feeling of simplicity and freedom; enough said. Cons: a mid-sized SUV is too small and not private enough. I want privacy when I first wake up and put on my contacts and get dressed. I want to wake up, sit up and meditate for 30 minutes without anyone seeing me. I'm getting a Ford E-150 van for $1500 next week. Going to put in hardwood flooring, maybe insulation and plywood on the walls. Excited.
  • vtocco 10y ago
    Nice job! Has anyone at the complex given you grief for sleeping there? You can get blackout curtains and put them up before sleeping, pretty cheap..
  • tedmiston 10y ago
    This lifestyle sounds interesting. Is it inspired by choice or necessity?
    • cko 10y ago
      Choice. Most of my coworkers can't understand why I am doing it. I love the feeling of lightness. And the earthy smell of the outdoors when I wake up in the middle of the night.
  • justonepost 10y ago
    Yep, I'm in a similar situation, except I have a house, mortgage, etc. Honestly, I prefer the minivan. The house, stuff, and 10K sq feet of maintenance nightmare is such a PITA. I will say though, shell out a little bit more :) 1500 is a bit tooo cheap and undermines your stealth.
    • cko 10y ago
      I'd like talk to you about your setup and experiences. My email is in my profile.
• anoplus 10y ago
  Beautiful and inspiring read about exploring one's individual freedom. May society find it's freedom by collaboration and sense of community. We as a society have the resources and technology to achieve much more freedom. Freedom enables the creation of even more freedom.
• jameslk 10y ago
  I've been curious about living out of a camper or RV in the Bay Area just to arbitrage the higher salaries that are needed to offset the cost of housing. I've heard of some Google employees doing this for a couple years to save up enough to buy a house. The hard part is finding a place to park the camper. Anyone have any experience or knowledge about doing this in the Bay Area?
  • e15ctr0n 10y ago
    I would imagine that you could park your camper / RV in the company parking lot day or night. Most residential neighborhoods ban camper / RV parking so you'll have to look for where it is legal road side. In the south bay, there is a long stretch of El Camino Real in Palo Alto that borders the Stanford playground - lots of campers there, parked nose to tail. Another stretch is on Ferguson Drive in Mountain View. Walmart offers free overnight parking. On weekends, take advantage of the beautiful weather and drive your camper / RV to nearby beaches or mountains. Google employee lives in a truck in the company's parking lot https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10422976 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10422976 Google Employees Secretly Live on Campus to Avoid Paying Rent https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8289577 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8289577
  • timmaah 10y ago
    Without stealth (normal looking van) and a full time job you are looking at a ton of stress trying to do it without living at an RV park. I know a couple that commuted from Half Moon Bay. Another couple also lives just south in a tight tight RV park.
• virtuexru 10y ago
  What about getting laid?
  • erikpukinskis 10y ago
    Plenty of people have no problem hanging out in a van, especially if it comes attached to a nice camping/road trip with a fun person.
• ars 10y ago
  He needs a diode between the two batteries in parallel. Otherwise slight differences in voltage between them causes them to cyclically charge and discharge each other, wearing them out and wasting energy.
  • snowwindwaves 10y ago
    there would be a 0.7 V drop across the diode so then the system voltage would be 12-9.8V instead of 12.7 to 10.5 (taking 10.5 as the voltage at which your batteries are well and truly dead) I've used diodes [0] to isolate redundant power supplies, but we turn up the voltage on the power supply to compensate. However other than redundant applications I've never isolated batteries. I've just googled this and mostly found posts recommending not to use diodes and one that didn't comment on whether or not cross-discharging was actually a problem, but said not to use a diode but to use a mosfet[1]. It generally doesn't appear to be a problem for most people. The most interesting part of the blog post for me was the eye opener for the author; 200 W of solar and 250 Ah of battery isn't enough to run a computer day in and day out. I would have gone for something like 1200 A-h of battery but not lead-acid, as well as added an AC powered battery charger so I could plug in. 0: https://www.phoenixcontact.com/online/portal/ca?uri=pxc-oc-itemdetail:pid=2907719&library=caen&pcck=P-22-02-02-01&tab=1#drawings https://www.phoenixcontact.com/online/portal/ca?uri=pxc-oc-i... 1: http://www.homemade-circuits.com/2013/08/connecting-batteries-in-parallel.html http://www.homemade-circuits.com/2013/08/connecting-batterie...
  • SigmundA 10y ago
    No one uses diodes on their battery banks, lead acid can tolerate some overcharge which is how they are equalized and lithium use a BMS for balancing cells. The only diodes I have seen are used for Chassis/House bank isolation but usually its a relay system instead. Remember a 12v lead acid battery is 6 cells in a single package no different than two 6v batteries in series (which is what my RV has).
  • coryrc 10y ago
    That's incorrect. At no point or state of charge can you connect two lead battery packs in parallel and have them oscillate charging/discharging no matter how long connected. Either one will charge the other or they will sit without changing.
• nickhalfasleep 10y ago
  I think this is the cusp of a big change in America. As the physical industrial base evaporates, in return, many people may not buy into the classic "buy property" plan for their lives. This is good for them. This may not be so great for all the people who bought property and expect it to always increase in value as there may not be as great a demand for it.
  • maxerickson 10y ago
    Why do you think the industrial base is evaporating? If you look at something like iron production, the US share of global production has declined quite a lot, but US production has stayed pretty consistent while global production has exploded. A lot of the jobs are gone because of bigger machines and automation, but the production still exists.
• estrabd 10y ago
  1. sell house 2. buy van 3. get someone to customize your van 4. ??? 5. profit
• cassidyclawson 10y ago
  Awesome build! I am a product designer working in tech in San Francisco. I also live in a stealth camper van, mostly by the Whole Foods in Potrero. I ride a folding bike to work downtown. Life is very good and I wouldn't trade this setup for anything. Here is my build out: http://wonderbywonder.tumblr.com/tagged/chrono/chrono http://wonderbywonder.tumblr.com/tagged/chrono/chrono And here I am: http://i.imgur.com/s4ZpdaO.jpg http://i.imgur.com/s4ZpdaO.jpg
• mudil 10y ago
  I send my son emails with links to different interesting projects. He is ten. Too bad I can't send this one out. Why do people use foul language everywhere and in between? It's like a disease.
  • post_break 10y ago
    There are plugins for browsers to replace foul words, you could scrub it with one then print to pdf.
    • mudil 10y ago
      Another example of this is The Martian book. Well written, great story, and so full of foul language. What for?!
      • kirrent 10y ago
        Because it's hilarious. He's also trapped alone on a planet and pretty sure he's going to die for most of the book. I'd swear as well.
  • lb1lf 10y ago
    Now, personally, I am of the firm opinion that one should be able to make one's point without resorting to cursing. (Those who suggest otherwise are fing ids!!!) That being said, the conviction that kids should be protected from cursing puzzles me. When I was a kid, a sure-fire way to get me interested in something was for my parents to say don't go there; forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest, etc. Now, I'd appreciate it if my kids didn't run around cursing all the time, but I think it would be much more effective to explain to them that yes, some people curse; it is a manner of speech, often a way of stressing a point. I don't find it necessary, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't, either. Chances are kids will be exposed to the f word and others on a daily basis, anyway. The occasional fking this, fking that in this blog does hardly make it less interesting or suitable for a kid. IMHO, of course.
• oxryly1 10y ago
  I love stories like this. Well documented, well thought out, and with a 6 month update... excellent. Now I'd love to read one about someone who's done this with a family...
  • senorjazz 10y ago
    Did a 2 year trip with wife and daughter (2-4yr) from UK to Malaysia to California to south America. Met a few other families (usually German, swiss) along the way. Craziest being English family with 3 daughters 11,9,7 in a VW t3 / vanagon. The trip was great but couldn't do it permantly.
    • oxryly1 10y ago
      What kind of vehicle/RV were you in? How did you transport it across oceans?
• kylixz 10y ago
  I am about to embark on a similar journey. I started off buying a 1993 33' Diesel pusher motorhome with the intent to travel the US fulltime while working remotely. It was awesome fixing it up and making it livable, modern, beautiful, and adding solar. Working with my hands was extremely rewarding! That said I soon learned that 33' is a huge vehicle which I did not feel comfortable driving regularly over mountains and severely hindered locations I could camp at. Now that big rig is for sale... instead I've founded a really cool travel trailer with loads of solar ready to go! I plan to pull that behind my 4runner equiped for overland adventures and cannot wait to get started! Great article and I hope others can try this lifestyle. I hope to share some of my experiences with others as well.
  • timmaah 10y ago
    Come join in the slack chat of a bunch of younger like minded folks: http://wanderslack.com/ http://wanderslack.com/
    • kylixz 10y ago
      Thanks! Just joined... what a great resource!
• patcheudor 10y ago
  A couple comments for your own safety and the safety of the vehicle: 1) Those batteries should be in battery boxes. You can find them at any marine supply store. Note that for boats where batteries are commonly stored like you have them there, it's the law. For RV's it's a good practice and may be required by some insurers and in some states. 2) H2S also known as hydrogen sulfide. It's explosive and it's possible for even the best sealed batteries to have a problem whereby H2S is released. If those batteries have vent ports, you need to ensure they are connected to a vent tube and run out of the vehicle. If they don't have vent tubes, don't assume they won't vent. I run sealed batteries in my boat and it came with a H2S detector connected bilge ventilator. If the H2S detector senses a build-up of the gas it sets off an audible alarm and kicks the ventilator on. I've seen the aftermath of battery compartment explosions. Trust me, it's not something you want to experience. The cheapest option here is to get batteries which allow for the connection of a vent tube. UPDATE: here's a decent article on the issue with a picture of a vented battery box (I didn't know those were a thing - cool!): http://blog.rvshare.com/6-things-need-know-rv-battery-box/ http://blog.rvshare.com/6-things-need-know-rv-battery-box/ UPDATE #2: just went out and looked at my boat. This is what's in the battery compartment attached to the bilge fan: https://www.zoro.com/macurco-fixed-gas-detector-h2s-4-12inhx4inw-tx-12-hs/i/G0461548/?gclid=CjwKEAjwuo--BRDDws3x65LL7h8SJABEDuFRDL7zashd8oAO0Ju2_t5C5wiOXsETw4sJiBAYJKeXLBoCOuPw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds https://www.zoro.com/macurco-fixed-gas-detector-h2s-4-12inhx...
  • scotty79 10y ago
    I read somewhere that higher H2S in the environment is correlated with higher suicide rates in those locations so sharing air with a bunch of h2s leaking batteries might affect you.
  • mchannon 10y ago
    H2S is insidious, but it's not the primary reason for venting lead acid batteries. H2 gas itself is. Particularly when overcharged, batteries will build up a pressure of H2, which specially designed vents within the battery will let out. H2 actually needs a pretty high concentration to flash, but if your RV is airtight, you can reach those conditions.
  • 10y ago
• Yhippa 10y ago
  This is my favorite thing I've read on HN so far this year. I loved his pictures (especially of the plains) and the descriptions. I probably enjoyed those pictures more than highly edited photos taken on a full-frame DSLR. I hope it works out for him. The main thing I would miss would be having a companion and pets. Not sure I could do without those right now. He's in an excellent time and place for this.
• nxzero 10y ago
  >> "I thought the idea was genius. Not for me, I said, but genius." Always find it interesting when people say this to me. I mean you can see the awe in their eyes, the longing to "just do it" - and then, reality settles back in and the resign to living the same life over and over until the end of time.
• kqr2 10y ago
  One of my favorite conversions is this two-story camper built by Japanese students: http://www1.ttcn.ne.jp/~gyo/English/index.htm http://www1.ttcn.ne.jp/~gyo/English/index.htm
• puppetmaster3 10y ago
  why not get a rv - pre made thing?
  • OJFord 10y ago
    That suits some, obviously. Personally I would have loved building this van, but I couldn't live in it.
• misterbishop 10y ago
  I like this guy's spirit an ingenuity, but his attitude is not much different from the Infowars bunker people. There's no room in his van for society. You can tell because he only built a bed for 1. I'd rather live on a hippie commune than this.
• Paul_S 10y ago
  This is a heart-warming story but he is definitely conflating 2 separate issues. If you want to have a gap year and drive around the country then do that and it's clearly what he wanted. If you want to cut down on expenses there are far better ways of doing it without buying a van. It makes as much sense as saying the only way to cross a river is to build a giant sling (fun - yes, but mundane options are available).
  • darzu 10y ago
    Can you give examples of better ways to cut down your expenses?
    • oxryly1 10y ago
      Move to a small apartment in a downtown area, ideally where you don't need a car. Get a roommate, cancel netflix, etc etc. Pretty mundane stuff...
      • 4ad 10y ago
        Downtown is expensive, roommate is annoying, especially in small apartment. Plus, we're talking here about reducing costs in general, for for 20 year olds. We're talking about people with family, kids, jobs, etc. If you live in downtown so you don't need a car, you'll find out your groceries suddenly become much more expensive.
    • Paul_S 10y ago
      Don't want to spend your salary on your mortgage? Houseshare. Has the added benefit of still living in a house. Cook for yourself. Don't own a car. Live outside the city (obviously some are mutually exclusive). Stop buying useless crap (that includes a gym membership, netflix, prime). You can drive down your expenses to quarter rent and food. You can live frugally without an RV. Running and maintaining an RV costs money (aside from building it).
      • justonepost 10y ago
• dexterdog 10y ago
  I'm actually curious about the insurance situation. If you are living in your van I would expect the insurance to either be a lot more or worse, to decide not to cover you because you didn't get a special policy. Then there's the issue of what happens if you are in an accident because now your wheels and your bed are in the shop, a shop which is not going to be able to restore your situation properly.
  • wrong_variable 10y ago
    Easy : Airbnb Hopefully you are also not broke.
• jws 10y ago
  Great article, small technical issue: First, cut all the 0 AWG wire. Why 0 AWG? Because I had a 1500 watt inverter, which meant I could be pulling 150 amps (1500 watts output / 120 volts output × 12 volts input = 150 amps input). That's nearly the right answer, but "watts / volts × volts" is not going to end in "amps" as an answer. I'd suggest: 1500 watts / 12 volts = 125 amps. I also whole heartedly agree with him with statements like "By far the most beautiful place I've driven through has been the drive from Butte, MT to Idaho Falls, ID.". I drive mostly across the country twice a year. I avoid interstate highways. The evening routine is to look at satellite imagery for interesting terrain, look at something like Panoramio to see where people take pictures and of what, then piece together some travel for the next day. Pull over and take a mini-hike if anything looks interesting.
  • Hydraulix989 10y ago
    I was wondering about that as well given that the dimensional analysis didn't work out, thanks.
• fixxer 10y ago
  This is an awesome idea assuming one does not want kids or expect to have sex with anything too discerning.
• ryandrake 10y ago
  I always read these stories with a sense of awe and wonder. "I took 2 years off of my totally boring office job to X" where X is something that is 1. expensive and/or 2. not generating income or not nearly as much income as Boring Office Job. How the hell does one live without their salary for 2 years without going into debt or depleting savings? Don't you people have student loans to pay off, medical bill payments, or other financial obligations that can't be delayed? I don't think I could last much more than 3 months, and I'm quite proud of my meager emergency savings. What the hell do you people do for a living that you can save such a vast amount of money (and presumably blow it during said 2 year activity)? I'm not criticizing--just very curious. Most of the time when this kind of question is asked, the response is a vague and coy, "Well I got a little savings..." Awesome--how on earth?
  • tedmiston 10y ago
    Pretty simple — reduce their living expenses to the bare minimum. And I do think most people in this position are depleting their savings to cover said living expenses, at least until they have a profitable side project and/or part-time gig.
  • billmalarky 10y ago
    He explained that he was able to do all this once he was debt free. Presumably equity built up while paying off his mortgage paid for a lot of the costs. This would not be possible if you had dependents of course, but now was the time for him to do it.
  • systemtest 10y ago
    Live on half your income. For every year you work, you can have one year of play.
  • vocatus_gate 10y ago
    This guy "Nomadic Matt" has a great explanation of how people do it. It's much cheaper than I would have thought. http://www.nomadicmatt.com/ http://www.nomadicmatt.com/
• scotty79 10y ago
  Or you could just move to Poland. $33,750 could buy you studio in any medium town in Poland, even in sub-million population cities. You'd get: no mortgage, apartment with a toilet, clean running water, wifi and all the electricity that you'll ever need. 5-10 times more area for your stuff. Monthly cost of utilities, tax and fee towards building maintenance of about $150 in total, access to a lot of young, English speaking people you could hire for cheap to help you with your projects.
  • ggregoire 10y ago
    Or south america, asia, etc.
  • 20yrs_no_equity 10y ago
    I travelled around the world for 6 years and the number one impediment to staying in any country was the visa situation. If you are staying there longer than a tourist visa, and especially if you want any kind of employment (or are in a situation where you are visibly employed) the red tape in the vast majority of countries is very tough. The only exceptions I know about are Chile (which gives one year visas that are relatively easy to renew) and Panama (which will give you residency if you start a business there, it can be a small one.)
    • scotty79 10y ago
      Poland does not require visas for US citizens (even though US requires visas for polish citizens). As for working you could just incorporate. It costs maybe 30$ and most hacker-type polish friends can help you with that. Later it costs $250 per month to own a company (mostly social security fees and health insurance, not sure if this is obligatory for foreigners but probably yes, plus service to help you deal with paperwork).
      • jlangenauer 10y ago
        No, US citizens can enter Poland (or more correctly the Schengen area), and stay there for 90 days in any 180 day period. This does not give you the right to work there.
• tdobson 10y ago
  I do something similar in the UK. Stealth Digital Nomad Sysadmin/Sales Engineer in a converted Mercedes Sprinter LWB http://instagram.com/tdobsonnet http://instagram.com/tdobsonnet If you're interested in this kind of thing, /r/vandwellers is the place to be! Happy to answer any questions. :)
  • knocte 10y ago
    I like the stealth style but most people that go this way don't embed toilet/shower (because must be hard to do and harder to have space for it), which in my view must be a horrible downside, no? What do you think? What did you do?
• musesum 10y ago
  Inspiring! Have been wondering when I can tweak a Tesla Van: https://electrek.co/2016/07/31/tesla-all-electric-cargo-van-pickup-truck-chassis-elon-musk/ https://electrek.co/2016/07/31/tesla-all-electric-cargo-van-...
• ggregoire 10y ago
  Nice writeup and awesome build! On the other hand, I can't follow you on your motivations. I mean, living in car in my opinion is the opposite of freedom. And you did it because of the crazy housing prices in your country. What about just moving in another country where the cost of living is cheap? As you said, you are developer, you can work from anywhere and you like travelling.
• toomanybeersies 10y ago
  Speaking of minimal living, I've just recently moved to a new city for work, and I've shacked myself up in a backpackers, and plan on staying at the backpackers probably until the end of the year. It has a lot going for it. It's cheaper than rent (by a significant amount), and it's literally 3 minutes from work. I also get to meet lots of interesting people. I have my backpack and a laundry bag of kit, and that's it. It's about as minimal as you can get, which has been an interesting experience for me as I usually have stacks and stacks of stuff. It does have some disadvantages, such as being rather noisy, and the fact that you have to carry all your valuables around with you wherever you go, since things tend to go missing.
  • Trill-I-Am 10y ago
    You've shacked up in a backpackers what?
    • toomanybeersies 10y ago
      Backpacker's? backpackers'? Unless you're confused about the term backpackers itself, in which I mean a hostel.
      • Trill-I-Am 10y ago
        I've never seen the plural word backpackers used as a singular synonym for hostel.
        • toomanybeersies 10y ago
          It appears to be a Australian/New Zealand English term, I guess it's abbreviated from backpackers' hostel. Somewhere along the line the apostrophe was lost, so now it's backpackers.
• codecamper 10y ago
  "use the public facilities" Yeah, right. That's the plan for the first little while & then you'll be just pooping in the woods. You see, we're in europe in a motorhome. Every time we see a little camper we know two things are going to happen. They are going to start sliding doors at all hours of the day. And they are going to go poop in the woods. And there are hundreds of them. So be sure to get yourself a proper porta potty. Nobody wants to see your toilet paper.
• johngalt 10y ago
  I guess what I don't understand is why not use one of the ready made builds already out there? Something like a class B RV, or truck camper?
  • eosrei 10y ago
    Common reason is those are generally too obvious.
• scarecrowbob 10y ago
  As cool as this, like a lot of folks here I don't see how a pickup and a gooseneck wouldn't be a better (probably cheaper) option, even if you had to renovate / shop around for the gooseneck. I know a whole lot of folks who live this way, mostly itinerant musicians. While this is a much nicer build-- I think it's quite beautiful-- it is a lot closer to a custom conversion van most folks I know have much different, less successful experiences with DIY RVs. To the folks who cite "stealth" as a rationale here, there are a lot of reasons why you might get kicked off a patch of ground... one persons "hack" is another person's criminal trespass. There are a lot of great places that you can camp out without getting hassled and without relying on other folks footing the bill for your plumbing and pavement. To the folks citing mobility, I still don't see how that kind of van is more mobile than a pickup. So while I think that it's really cool-- I gotta say that I think it would have to be cheaper / easier / more reliable to buy a pickup and 5th wheel or similar.
  • dougmany 10y ago
    I am a big fan of the pop-up campers that go in the bed of the truck. I loved mine. I took three months off and traveled around the west coast in it. Had some great adventures. But calculating it all out, a Miata and motel would have been a lot cheaper. My Diesel F250 with the camper got about 8 miles to the gallon. 300 miles a day was over $100.
    • 20yrs_no_equity 10y ago
      This is all about the ratio of travel days to productive or fun days I talk about a bit in my longer comment below. And sure, do the math- if you would be happier in a hotel anyway- and a lot of people would be- then it makes sense to get hotel rooms. But if you're parking the truck on BLM land for a week at a time, then that's happier and cheaper. Hell, you could go with a Miata and a camping tent, and just control the ratio of BLM land time vs hotel time. I think one viable strategy is 5off 2on. EG: Stay in a Hotel on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (lower cost than weekends) and then camp on BLM land (or other cheap places) the other 5 days. State parks are 12-$25, while Motel 6 is $40-$60.
• 20yrs_no_equity 10y ago
  I've spent 11 of the past 20 years "homeless" by choice following various practices from living on a boat, to living in a truck camper, to traveling the world living in AirBnBs, to occasionally renting apartments but never really living there. But I'll come back to that. I want to address several peoples concerns about this guys lifestyle and the presumed limitations: 0. First off Loved that he was using Soylent. That solves a big problem of needing dried food but not liking freeze dried food. If I were to go back to vehicle living I would use a combo of Soylent and Sous Vide. Sous Vide cookers like the Anova are very small, and you can do it just with boiled water, zip lock bags and a thermometer if you want. The results are really fantasic. 30 seconds searing steaks on the grill then 40 minutes in the bath and you have better steaks than you can get at any restaurant for less than $50-- and you can do that on top of am mountain if you wanted! So the food situation is much better than the days of crates of raman. 1. Sex. Sex is totally possible, and it's not creepy at all. When you get on the road and you're traveling you will run into people who are going the same route multiple times. In this way there's a virtual community. This varies regionally of course, travel by train in europe or in alaska for the summer and it becomes pretty tight nit. The women and men you meet there are not exactly going to turn their nose up at your van because that's how they are traveling to. There's a whole vagabond subculture in the USA that ranges from kids hoping trains to techies in vans like this guy to Oldsters in RVs. And there's nothing sexier than a guy who will break with convention and go do interesting things. FTR, my partner and I picked up a woman in the UK who then travelled with us and lived with us for a couple years in poly triad. IT only lasted three years but I don't think the definition of a successful relationship should only be ones that end in death! 2. Cost- you really can save a lot of money. IT's amazing that you can live around the world traveling full time for less than the cost of living in a major west coast city. If you're doing a startup, that's really nice- be in berlin, then go to london, etc. We ran a three person startup (the triad above) going form england to Romania to Chile. While we didn't live as cheaply as we should have or could have (it's a skill) we didn't live more expensively than we would have if we stayed in Seattle (and we never would have met the woman in the UK). When it costs less or doesn't cost more but you have a better experience, isn't that a much better value? 3. The major factor is movement. When you're still- say at a campground or an AirBnB, or anchored at a dock, you save your movement energy, and thus cost, and you spend time working and enjoying. When you're underway- sailing requires attention as does driving, taking trains and planes costs money, boats and cars take gas. The ideal situation is one where you can stay places for a period of time (we used to stay in a country 90 days- the visa limit) to maximize your productivity on the road. This is a lifestyle, not a vacation from life. You earn money when you go, but you earn less money on tavel days. 4. Settling in- another part of the cost of travel is the settling in time. I need to have a good work chair and in each country we would spend the first week or so getting our spot set up to be productive on our startup. 5. The best thing about traveling is meeting the locals- especially outside the USA. This is the reason for the 90 day visa too. You can build real relationships. 4 countries in a year is much better than 9 countries in 4 days! And it's cheaper per-day, because you can be working during the day, and thus it's sustainable. 6. There are many ways to do it. I like the boat the best- it was only 30 feet but it was center cockpit and huge. If I had the balls of a blue water sailor I never would have left and would be traveling around the world in it. But it takes a rare breed to cross an ocean in a 30 foot cruiser! This van is very much like my experience in the Truck Camper. The truck camper cost me $5,500 all in- an old Toyota Pickup and a $3,500 SKAMPER. You have to crank it to raise the roof. I travelled all the way to Prudhoe Bay in that truck- spending a couple weeks north of the arctic circle. You can never forget an experience like that! 7. Eventually I vowed to never stop. I decided this was a philosophy and whatever methodology it doesn't really matter. Am I still traveling full time? I'm on a lease, so many of you would say no, but I think I am. You could be too. What's the difference in lifestyle between crashing in a French student's flat in Romania for 3 months and being on a lease in the USA for 6? In romania 90 days is the max visa and maximizing productive time was ideal. a 6 month lease in the USA isn't that different from the 6 months we lived in the UK (they have a longer visa for US residents). I now think in terms of the GPWR - Gross Personal Weight Rating. That is the total weight of me and all my possessions. When I was on the boat it was around 13,000 pounds - most of it boat. For the truck it was about 7,000 pounds, most of it truck. When we were backpacking it was all in the pack- about 60 pounds. Now I am staying in apartments but restrict myself to only what can fit in my car (so I can move across country at a moments notice if I want.) I don't live in the car so it's a tradeoff, I have to rent a sleeping space. But I'm still mobile. I don't have a bed frame, for instance, I bought a bunch of Akro Mils plastic crates. Turn them upside down and they make a really damn solid bed frame (best one I've ever had, actually) The mattress fits in the back of my car with the seats folded down. I have a mid sized SUV and camping is easy- just put the mattress in the car. Better than a tent (stays warmer). But when I need to move, I can turn the crates right side up and all my possessions go into them. So, where should I live next? Once my lease is up, I'm going. (and knowing that also puts the kibosh on silly buying.) Start thinking of every possession as weight added to your GPWR. Do you want to live in backpack? Pare down. Do you want to live in a van? You don't have to be as careful but you should think about how many TVs you buy.
• SwellJoe 10y ago
  I've spent 6 of the past 7 years living in an RV (motorhome first, now an old Avion travel trailer with a big old truck to tow it). I recommend it for anyone who is unencumbered enough of other people and responsibilities to do so (i.e., it may not be the right thing for a family with kids, though I know some families with kids who do it and seem happy). The freedom to travel is magnificent. It precludes many kinds of opportunities, but if you can work remotely, why not do it at the beach or in the mountains or in the desert or wherever you like? It's not dramatically less expensive than living in fixed housing (though that depends on where you were living in the house and where you're parking your RV; when I first started I moved out of a tiny rental house in Mountain View, CA, which cost $2145/month, so I'm not spending anywhere near that now), or at least it hasn't been for me, but there are many benefits outside of cost.
  • gnopgnip 10y ago
    Would you live in a motorhome without a toilet?
    • SwellJoe 10y ago
      I wouldn't, but I know a number of people who do. Or, people who have a toilet, but don't use it because they park off-the-grid for long periods of time. It's do-able. When I've wanted to live in cities without a nearby RV park, I have been known to use a gym for shower/toilet (when I was moving around a lot more often than I do now, I had an all-club membership at 24 Hour Fitness; Planet Fitness is a better deal now, but they have a lot fewer clubs), so I could extend my time between driving to a dump station.
• mavdi 10y ago
  I can really relate to him throwing most of his precious stuff out. My life turned upside down a few months ago. Now all I have is a backpack with a laptop and some essentials and Airbnb life as it comes. I've never been happier. Owning things obeys something similar to Newton's 3rd law. They also end up owning you. They need constant care, attention and maintenance. I'm not saying this the right way to live, but do give it a try if you've been thinking about it.
• markbao 10y ago
  For another absolutely stunning van build, check out this one: https://imgur.com/a/RijZM https://imgur.com/a/RijZM If you see only one photo, it should be this one: https://i.imgur.com/kTtWZ3f.jpg https://i.imgur.com/kTtWZ3f.jpg
  • erichocean 10y ago
    Wow, that's tight!
• WhitneyLand 10y ago
  How do you date, have a relationship, significant ot ther? The bed doesn't look big enough for two...
  • parasanti 10y ago
    room on top...
  • amelius 10y ago
    You could use your date's bed :)
• wallace_f 10y ago
  These are amazing, and incrdedibly underrated In the US these are not as seen as romantic and adventurous as they are in Australia, New Zealand and Europe One thing I'll say: a pop up conversion can be done while maintaining the possibility of incognito mode, and it is really lovely when you are in proper campgrounds to have the pop up! So happy to see this post on HN, but also kind of sad because if this because a thing it will no longer be as unique, and they will start drawing more attention. Also, people in these campers are the coolest, nicest, most down to earth, happiest, most respectful, adventurous, amazing people (in my experience), and if this becomes 'cool,' then we'll start having the cool kids driving around in these.
• gameofdrones 10y ago
  While the website is down, these are also neat: Hank bought a bus: http://hankboughtabus.com/ http://hankboughtabus.com/ Castle truck: http://www.doityourselfrv.com/house-truck-castle/ http://www.doityourselfrv.com/house-truck-castle/
• factotum 10y ago
  Kudos to this guy. I'm in my early 30s. My wife and I sold our house almost 2 years ago, bought an RV, and we've been traveling debt-free ever since. Feels good, man. But it's not without its drawbacks. Loneliness can be a constant battle when you're away from family, friends and coworkers. It took about a year to get comfortable with the travel routine. And then there's the maintenance. If I knew all of this ahead of time, I'd still do it.
• Hondor 10y ago
  Having a campervan without a toilet might bite you in some places. New Zealand used to be a great place for this but a couple of years ago they made it illegal to sleep in such a vehicle just about everywhere except designated pay-per-night campgrounds and certain districts each with their own special rules. Even then you're usually not allowed to linger more than a few days at a time in one place. I doubt America will go that way with so many independent states and so much wilderness though. I'm amazed he can sleep in Wal-mart's carpark.
  • danielvf 10y ago
    Wal-marts in the US almost aways have an RV or camper van tucked away somewhere in the parking lot over night. It is very normal to spend the night there if you don't have a campground. Wal-mart never seems to have a problem with it.
  • ArkyBeagle 10y ago
    I've pulled into a Wal-Mart parking to just sleep in a car for a few hours when I got sleepy on the road. It's perfectly acceptable; obviously don't leave a lot of trash or anything. Not sure DOT regs allow for this if you're traveling for work, but it's not uncommon for truck drivers to have a small bed explicitly for this.
• shitgoose 10y ago
  thank you.
• kowdermeister 10y ago
  Nice story, I could relate with a beach bamboo tent, but there's a level up :) Action Mobil “Desert Challenger” motor home https://www.quora.com/If-a-plague-wiped-out-most-people-on-the-Earth-what-car-should-I-steal-to-look-for-survivors/answer/Red-Subijano https://www.quora.com/If-a-plague-wiped-out-most-people-on-t... https://www.google.hu/search?q=Action+Mobil+%E2%80%9CDesert+Challenger%E2%80%9D+motor+home&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjypLXggejOAhUBmBQKHUYUBxQQ_AUICCgB&biw=1366&bih=643 https://www.google.hu/search?q=Action+Mobil+%E2%80%9CDesert+...
• prawn 10y ago
  I remember reading of someone else doing something like this. They went to huge amounts of effort with a custom timber interior, fan, lighting, cooktop, water pump, etc. In the end, they said it probably would've been better to just have a blank-slate truck with portable cooking and water.
• jordache 10y ago
  meh.. his dad is skilled for sure, but the insides looks like the stale interior of a house. Not a fan of the build
  • Jaruzel 10y ago
    I have to agree with this. The concept is sound for sure, but all.. that.. wood... He's adding so much extra weight (and thus lowering his average mpg etc.), when a type of plastic (the slightly bendy stuff that cooking/food storage tubs are made of) would have been good enough, and also much lighter. The drawers under the bed especially - those in my opinion should be either wireframe and canvas, or based around prebuilt plastic storage. I also think he wasted space above the bed - there could be wall nets for smaller items, or even a drop down surface for cooking or day work. Finally, he's assumed that the wiring will never fail or need updating - it's all now trapped behind the (many layers of) flooring or the wall panels. One fried cable, and he'll have to rip out all that 'nice' cabinet work. I love the idea of kitting out a van and going mobile, but that interior is NOT how I'd do it.
    • jordache 10y ago
      uh.. it looks like a ghetto attempt at a typical RV interior... rather than something like a Westfalia or Sports Mobile.. I guess that's the difference between a company with more resources with a DIY job with supplies from HD.
    • lb1lf 10y ago
      -As one who has toyed enough with the idea (not to live in permanently, but for overlanding) to start kitting out a Land Cruiser 78 to make it liveable, I'd agree with most of your points - though presumably, if he mostly sticks to highways or at the very least properly paved roads, mpg shouldn't suffer too much from a couple of hundred pounds of additional weight. My one MAJOR gripe with his build, is the water jerry can directly behind the driver's seat - in the event of a crash, he is -quite literally- trusting his life to the straps securing the can. I wouldn't do that. Definitely at the very least have a proper base for the can to sit in, rather than relying on straps. Edit: Oh, and I hope there's proper ventilation from the cupboard where he stores the cooking gas. One leaky can and you're in for a potentially very nasty surprise. (I solved this the lazy way - by using a kerosene stove...) /edit Hopefully, the sink and countertop are secured well enough to the van not to come flying forward, too. That aside, I have nothing but admiration for people with the chutzpah to actually go ahead and DO what they dream of. I wish him many a happy year on the road.
• jordache 10y ago
  meh.. his dad is skilled for sure, but the insides looks like the stale interior of a house. Not a fan of the build
• syntex 10y ago
  I am really jealous, it's my not fulfilled dream. But right now is kind of difficult with wife and little kid to carry such life.. offtopic The guy would like to write games. Then the first 6 months he spent to write his own programming language, then some time to write own scripting language "sink" ( why not LUA ). I would love to hear from the author what are the motives to write all these tools.
• andyidsinga 10y ago
  wow - dad is really good with the angle grinder. I would have used a jigsaw. Cheers to those skills!
• KeatonDunsford 10y ago
  This is amazing. Instead of getting an apartment with my cofounder and office space for our engineers, I'm just going to have us get a fleet of these things. Would be so dope. Be anywhere -- SF, South Bay, Berkeley, LA, New York. Live the dream now.
• donmb 10y ago
  Super cool. I have a VW T3 and would love to have your talent. Travelled 8 weeks through Scandinavia with it. Now I got inspired to build more stuff in it. Q: Is it allowed in the US to park and sleep where you want? Heard different stories.
  • RankingMember 10y ago
    Everywhere? No. But Walmarts are practically everywhere, and you can generally crash in their lots as long as you ask. http://www.walmartlocator.com/rv-parking-at-walmart/ http://www.walmartlocator.com/rv-parking-at-walmart/
• matt_wulfeck 10y ago
  > If you work 40 hours, 9-5, then Monday and Tuesday are dedicated to paying for your house. Every week. If your housing was paid off, your weekend would be longer than your work week. Isn't this only true if you don't have a fixed rate mortgage? If you bought a house in the 90s then I'm almost sure you're paying less than the average of rent your house might fetch. I've never amortized the cost over the lifetime of the house though.
  • roel_v 10y ago
    Yes, the OP's economic analysis is amateurish at best. Also, only the interest part of mortgage payments are a 'cost' at all.
• justin_vanw 10y ago
  Awesome story, loved the pictures of building out the van. One concern I have is that if you are idling the engine and have the fantastic fan on, wouldn't you be sucking exhaust fumes into the vehicle? Or is the hole at the back meant for exhaust with the fan pushing air in?
  • ars 10y ago
    The air comes in on top, and out the back. Keep reading, he shows the fan.
• KennyCason 10y ago
  I have always been so tempted to do this, the one thing stopping me has always been that I lovvveee my living space. I think I just need an RV to "detach" once in a while! Awesome post, and incredible detail!
• dschiptsov 10y ago
  I prefer a motorcycle and sleeping homestays in Himalayas. Just finished my first 10,000 km ride from Sikkim to Kathmandu to Uttarakhand, Himachal, Kashmir, Zanskar, Ladakh, etc. It is cheaper, but sometimes a bit tough, when you have to cross a cold stream a half of meter deep..)
• hobo_mark 10y ago
  I've wanted to do this for a long time, but I need a shower (and a toilet!). With a lot of care one could install them in the same place (and shower sitting, Japanese style, with the toilet shut close of course), and with even more care, one could try to filter and recover some of the water, but I have not found anyone trying to do this, is that just too much work?
• bronz 10y ago
  wow, what a treat. love the writing and layout of this blog post. van life is basically not viable right now. people dont like taking their shits in mcdonalds. vans get super cold and moisture can be a huge problem. showers have to be in gyms unless you want to carry tons of water with you. most areas are very hostile to van dwellers from what i can tell. but there are interesting solutions to these problems. - van dwellers are not received well in most places. you have to park on the side of the street somewhere a lot of the time. so the obvious solution is to create some kind of business that does lot rentals. you can pay a very low fee and have a nice place to park for the night. this could be really great -- images of all kinds of different people meeting and connecting come to mind. but there is the problem that these businesses would be overrun by poor people for lack of a better word. they would become ghettos and attract a lot of crime. so perhaps a better solution is to create an app where anyone can rent out their driveway and vet each van dweller on their own based on their social media, past reviews and other information provided on the app. also vans are physically dispersed and criminals dont have a one stop shop for vulnerable vans. - taking shits in gas stations, taking showers in gyms and moisture and cold can all be solved by the same thing: making vans from the ground up that are meant for living. i think in the end, if you want a van that is nice to live in then you need to put down real money just like any other dwelling. the van meant for living would look like this: has EV drive train and a huge battery. in the near future this will be complemented by a sophisticated generator (with huge fuel reserve) that can operate at low wattage when demand is low or operate at high wattage when demand is high such as when driving with a low battery. in the far future batteries alone will be enough. solar should be included but only to prevent the battery from losing charge completely when sitting around for a long time. showering is done with recycled water. water is stored in the floor pan and passed through a filter between showers. ozone is easily generated and mixed with the shower water regularly to kill bacteria. the filter used could be very sophisticated if hundreds of showers without refilling were desired. the toilet would need to be a revolution in toilets. there has been a lot of work by the likes of the gates foundation to create toilets that are less resource intensive and clean for use in the third world. the best products of these efforts are desiccation toilets that essentially desiccate the feces though various means. one version drys the feces and burns it to dry more and also drive water purification. the toilet in the van would do something similar. the toilet would disinfect thoroughly with chlorine or ozone and then desiccate. the water left over would be put back into the top chamber of the toilet so to speak and used for the next flush. the desiccated feces could then be stored in much less volume than non desiccated feces and with less hassle. disposing of it would be pretty easy. other issues such as temperature and moister could be taken care of with heavy duty insulation, de-humidification and other things that are built into the van by design rather than added in as an after-thought if added at all. anyway, overall what you have is an extremely sophisticated, several hundred thousand dollar vehicle. thats what it would take to make van life a viable option for more than a year or two imo.
• thatwebdude 10y ago
  Kudos to him for wanting to be "free". Whatever that means. Although my main take-away from it: if you're going to live in a van you should learn to fix a van. Having his dad do all the heavy lifting here really pusses this article out.
• clarry 10y ago
  Nice to see someone live my dream. Wish I could afford it.
• balabaster 10y ago
  This is an awesome write up. Very inspiring. But my favourite bit is the closing to the blog how as smart as we are we spend our time fighting futile battles with nature for naught.
• luckydude 10y ago
  I liked the 6 month writeup, I've seen a ton of these builds but always wondered how things went when reality set in. He did an honest job of stating the pros and cons (I've lived out of a van myself, 2 in fact, mostly in Sun's parking lot). Hey van dude, if you read this and you get to the Bay Area I've got a guest house attached to a shop like your dads. Be fun to chat and we can fix up whatever needs fixing.
• mherrmann 10y ago
  Great writeup and awesome use of "lean" principles to verify his ideas. I don't know why he didn't apply it to his game programming though: > My focus for the first 6 months was creating a programming language, which I call Kong Why on earth would you do that - especially as a sole developer in a niche as hard as indie game development?
• Noos 10y ago
  This life really isn't sustainable as he gets older, and he's very vulnerable to risk, accident, or loss. Oh, it seems romantic as hell, but the first time the flu hits you, you suddenly realize you've chosen to stick yourself into a tiny box with no indoor plumbing, no quiet, and that has to move every few days or the police will start rapping on your windows. Or when the van breaks down, and you have zero choice but to fix it right away, and you have to pray to god you budgeted enough to cover it. Plus the van itself wears out much faster than a vehicle most people use because it has to move so much. RV lifestyle in general is far more expensive than people realize, and provides zero equity. If he ever wishes to expand his game business, he's going to have a rough time. It's romantic, but it's very much a young person's game and he'll probably discover the joys of home ownership when he's 35 and trying to sleep in his van in 90 degree weather.
• ismyrnow 10y ago
  I love his reflection at the bottom: > Life is easy. Humans are fucking badass -- we absolutely dominate our environment and are so smart and powerful. But for some strange reason, we take those millions years of evolution encoded in our DNA and throw it out the door. We live in ways that are so counter to the flow of nature.