Is Converting a Van to a Camper Worth It for Frequent Travelers?

“Worth it” implies value. So it would depend on how much you travel and spend on accommodation. Then there is the cost of the make-over. Before my health got too bad, I was a hill walker, which means I went on lots of day hikes in hilly areas like the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, or Peak District.

Travel Accommodation Costs

Prices for a night could be between ￡50 and ￡100 a night. Just 10 nights out and you’re looking at ￡500 to ￡1000. That's enough to buy a mattress and a few things to spend a night in a van. Multiply by 'every weekend,' and we are into thousands of ￡s.

Pros of Van Life

Other pros to van life are it doesn't matter if places are booked up. You can go on a whim. Etc. So my conclusion would be that it IS 'worth it.' If you’re going to keep it for a long time and can do the conversion so the total cost is similar or less, yes do it.

Conversion Considerations

Be careful of exceeding weight limits or doing trade work which you're not skilled at. If you have special needs, it may be simpler to do it yourself or have a company convert it rather than buy a standard unit. I think so … consider watching “Ame in a Van” on YouTube. She has done this “living in the van” for almost 2 years now.

Customization and Convenience

Converting a van into a camper can be worth it for frequent travelers. It offers customization to meet your specific needs and can save money compared to buying a pre-built camper. You'll have the freedom to design your ideal living space tailored to your preferences and travel requirements.

Cost Analysis

However, it's essential to weigh the costs, time, and effort involved in the conversion against the convenience of a ready-made camper if you're not inclined toward DIY projects. I'm going through this analysis now. I have a teardrop camper which has a queen mattress in the cabin and a galley in the rear. It’s really nice for road-trips since it’s so lightweight plus we can park it at a campground while we tour around the area in our tow vehicle. I’ve used it for a basecamp when hunting for a similar reason to take the truck and leave the camper. The benefit of separating the tow vehicle from the trailer cannot be overstated.

Suitable for Various Activities

I have camped near older women who tour the US using something like a Subaru Outback and towing a teardrop. A 70-year-old lady easily pushing a trailer into place by hand is very encouraging. “You go girl!” Similarly, my daughters and wife have gone camping on their own since they can easily handle the teardrop trailer. Also, we’re not really RV people, and the teardrop isn’t really an RV so we’re still camping but in a bit more comfort. It’s also nice to have the teardrop cleaned up and loaded to go in just a couple of hours so it's ready to hitch and go for the next time. At some point, as we get older, we will probably need something with a toilet and shower, but we’re good for now.

Comparison with Other Camping Options

I see a lot of “man vans” and pickups with slide-in campers at the ski resort parking lot. People drive up the night before and sleep in their rig and are then ready to hit the first lift in the morning. At noon, they congregate at their rig over lunch then get back to skiing. The problem with the pickup and teardrop trailer at a ski resort parking lot is that they occupy two parking spaces where these man vans and slide-in campers eat up one. It looks pretty darned attractive. Thus we’ve kicked around the idea of modifying a cargo van into “Vanna White” or “Van Helsing” or “Vampire” for a mobile camping and ski base but it’s still kicking around.

So this gets down to how you plan on using the van. Think about the ease of setup, separation, etc. If you’re just touring through, then a van is great, but if your wanting to explore an area, do you really want to tear down everything so you can drive the tow vehicle?

Overall, converting a van to a camper can be a worthwhile investment for someone who frequently travels and values flexibility and customization. Proper planning and consideration of the conversion costs will determine if the benefits outweigh the expenses.