Why We Love Our Sprinter Van

Tom mulled over many alternative ways of living before choosing to buy a Sprinter Van. He weighed the pros and cons of purchasing an RV, trailer, bus, and other types of vans before ultimately deciding that the Sprinter Van was the best option for his needs. Here are some of the reasons we love living out of our Sprinter Van:

1. Free Rent

Van Life allows us to go anywhere- resort, city, beach, you name it- without paying the fees associated with getting a good night’s sleep. Over the last two months, Tom and I have travelled all around Colorado and we have yet to pay a campground or hotel fee. Ultimately, the van pays for itself!

2. Discretion

The Sprinter takes us where ever we need to go, and sometimes those places aren’t so camper friendly. In many towns, sleeping in a vehicle is not encouraged, so we have learned to be secretive about our home on wheels. Tom installed a curtain that runs across the front of the van, just behind the front seats, and we have a metallic window cover for the side window. At night, we close the curtains and put up the window cover, and voila, the van’s purpose becomes a mystery. We are able to make dinner with the lights on, watch movies, etc, without anyone knowing we are inside.

While in Keystone, CO, a security guard swept the parking lot for campers. A fellow mountain biker was asked to move along when the guard noticed his cell phone light inside his truck. When the guard flashed his light into our van, all he could see was black (Thank you curtain). We call this “stealth mode.”

3. Minimalistic

Downsizing to Van Life was extremely cleansing. It was a great reminder that we really don’t need very much to enjoy day to day life. Living out of the Sprinter encourages us to live with the bare essentials- clothes, shower supplies, kitchen supplies, and outdoor gear (pretty essential to van life). We aren’t living in a van, but are living out of it.

Don’t get me wrong- we have a lot of stuff in the Sprinter, and we are so happy that it all fits! At one point, our garage space toted five mountain bikes and a dirt bike. Organization is key to traveling in a van. The best part is that the Sprinter still fits in a regular sized parking spot!

In comparison to the other vehicle options, we are happy that we are able to travel where ever our heart desires with out being hassled by a consumer-oriented society. It seems that this way of life is growing though, and we would be happy to answer any questions and offer any advice that we can!

Why do you love your Sprinter Van, or other vehicle?