I BUILT MY FIRST VAN WRONG.
TWICE.
In 2021, I spent $14,000 on a Ford Transit build that had condensation running down the walls by November. I'd watched 60+ YouTube videos and read every blog I could find. Everything was either wrong, outdated, or quietly funded by the brands being recommended.
I tore it down to the metal and rebuilt it. That second build worked. vanlife is everything I wish had existed before build number one.
Today I've been living full-time in vans and (one brief skoolie experiment) for 4 years, covered 87,000 miles, and tested more gear than I care to admit. None of the brands mentioned on this site have paid me anything. If that ever changes, I'll say so clearly.
THE vanlife PRINCIPLES
No Sponsored Content
We don't accept money from brands to promote their products. Every recommendation on this site is based on personal use or vetted community experience.
Show the Mistakes
Every guide includes what went wrong and what we'd do differently. The $340 spray foam disaster is documented in detail so you don't repeat it.
Real Numbers Only
Every budget, cost estimate, and performance metric comes from real builds with real receipts — not estimates designed to make a product look good.
Community First
Build logs from real community members are the heart of this site. Your experience and knowledge is more valuable than anything I can write alone.
BUILT SOMETHING? WE WANT TO SEE IT.
Submit your build with photos and a cost breakdown. If it's honest and complete, we'll feature it on the builds page — no editorial gatekeeping, no minimum budget requirement.
Submit Via Facebook Group →