Year: 2023

All you need to know about the most common materials for camper van walls, how to finish them, how to install them, and other considerations.

Your Guide to Van Life Matresses We absolutely LOVE the technical and more complex parts of van builds.  However, we also acknowledge that there are so many additional smaller decisions that need to be made for a complete van life ready rig.  One of these decisions is what mattress to choose.  In this guide we address: Why camper van mattress needs are unique RoamRest Mattress Foam  Sizing DIY-ing Your Camper Van Mattress Camper Van Mattress Considerations One thing we have learned throughout our DIY van builds is that typically the best option for a drop in component is one that is made specifically for van life.  Why? Because camper vans have specific considerations that do not arise with house life. This is specifically the case for things like toilets, fridges, and mattresses! For camper van mattresses, there is the need for odd shapes and higher quality in less height.  Standard “rectangle” shapes will not fit in a camper van due to the curvature and beams. A standard mattress is around 10″.  This is way too high for use in a camper van.  RoamRest mattresses are 5″ but provide the same comfort as a standard 10″ mattress due to their higher quality multi-layer foam. In this guide, we share why we chose a RoamRest Custom Mattress, but also provide DIY options if a professional option is out of budget.  Our Camper Van Mattress Journey Over our 2+ years of van life, we have had 3 different mattresses: The first was a hand cut and sewn mattress by yours truly (see “Other Options“ for details) The second was a “pre-cut to Transit specs” 1 layer foam mattress The third is our RoamRest custom 4 layer foam mattress. We had the “pre-cut to Transit spec” 1 layer foam mattress in our second camper van conversion and about 6 months in chose to replace it with the custom mattress for the following reasons: After a few months, we could feel our plywood bed platform when we were on the mattress, and you could even see indents from where we typically slept. (Hey! You might like our lightweight 80/20 bed system design guide) We were experiencing back pain similar to when we went backpacking. Our camper van is our home, we should not have to compromise on sleep! After DIY-ing one mattress, I refused to do it again, those curves and specific shapes are HARD. Time is money. But at the same time, I have massive respect and full support for you if this is up your alley. RoamRest Camper Van Mattress Options RoamRest is a camper van specific sub division of North America Mattress Corp. This means they know their stuff when it comes to foam, fabric, and mattress construction. They are a small team based in Oregon that hand crafts and sews each mattress.  RoamRest’s first mattress was the Ultimate Tri Fold which was built to be as comfortable as a home mattress, but could also be folded and stored compactly when not in use.  Since

What 12V Fridge is Best for Van Life? There are many options to choose from for your 12V fridge for van life, not a 120V or AC fridge.  Choosing the right one might feel overwhelming. However, we are here to simplify that for you so you can focus on other major pieces of your camper van conversion.  There are only two questions that you need to answer to narrow down which 12V fridge is best for you.  Those questions are:  What style fridge do you prefer: upright, or chest style? What size fridge do you need for your eating and grocery shopping style? This guide walks you through both of those questions and then provides various options to fit your answers. 12V vs 120V Fridges for Van Life? It is important to get a 12V fridge for van life for power efficiency reasons.  A 120V fridge, or a typical “mini fridge” would require your inverter to be on at all times which is generally not a good practice.  Additionally, 120V “mini fridges” or “dorm room style” fridges are much less efficient at keeping your food cool which is a double whammy.  With an appliance like a fridge that runs 24/7, you want to make sure it is not a concern for drawing your battery bank too low.   Choosing Between Upright and Chest Style Fridges Let’s talk about fridge styles.  This decision tends to mostly be swayed by preference but can also be swayed by budget! Below you can see what each style looks like for camper vans and then we proceed with a comparision. Upright Fridges Resemble traditional refrigerators with a front-opening door and shelves Are permanently installed under a galley and do not require additional space besides the ability to open the door Tend to be higher cost  Come with, or without, freezer compartments Provide easy access to food in an organized manner Chest Fridges Opens from the top, similar to a cooler Accessing food is harder because food is stacked on top of each other Often built on heavy duty drawer slides.  This takes up more space, but can also be repurposed as a bench Generally keep food more insulated as they lose less cold air when opened Tend to be cheaper cost Offer options with larger freezer compartments, or multiple zones Generally, we recommend upright fridges for those who love to cook and have easy access to their food.  And we recommend chest style fridges to van lifers who prioritize space, and energy efficiency over cooking and food access. Sizing your 12V Fridge for Van Life Properly The second decision you need to make is what size fridge is best for your van life!  We estimate that van lifers need about 10-13 liters of space, per person, per day.  “Days” is defined by how many days you want to go without having to go to the grocery store. To choose your perfect fridge size, use the following formula: FridgeUpright = 13 L * (days) * (people) Fridge Chest = 10 L * (days) * (people) For reference, we