This All-Season, Fully Loaded Camper Van Offers All the Comforts of a Conventional Home

Even though I write articles about camper vans daily, I still have moments sometimes when I'm blown away by how far the RV and camper van industry has come. Today's technologies allow us to create the same conditions as a conventional home in mobile abodes. You only need deep enough pockets to fit all these cool features.

Anyway, let's get back to the rig I'm checking out, which I feel has everything an adventurer needs to live full-time on the road. Of course, wants and needs differ from person to person, but this rig packs all I'd need to ditch my apartment and start living on the road.

Meet Kage and Ellie, the owners and converters of this 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 van with a 170" wheelbase, an AWD drivetrain, and duallies in the rear. It's designed as a four-season-ready mobile home that can take the couple (almost) anywhere they want to go.

As usual, I'll start the tour with the exterior. As soon as you lay eyes on this van, you'll notice its mean and imposing look, mainly given by the body's Gunmetal Grey Plasti Dip and the many exterior upgrades. Moreover, its rocker panels are coated with Raptor liner protective coating.

The fact that the van is an AWD already makes it capable of going off-road. However, Kage and Ellie wanted to enjoy worry-free off-road adventures, so they beefed up the suspension with rear Sumo Springs and installed a larger 47-gallon (178-liter) fuel tank.

The couple installed a roof rack on top of the vehicle, which holds a 360-degree camera system, a 360-degree light system perfect for camping, a Wi-Fi antenna, and a large 455 W solar panel that charges a 400 Ah battery bank. Moreover, they fitted a large window on the driver's side toward the rear.

The interior theme couldn't be further from the exterior's rugged theme. Kage and Ellie opted for a bright and modern aesthetic with white walls and ceiling paired with dark grey/blue-ish cabinetry and various black accents, such as the upper cabinets' frame. You'll also notice the interior has an open layout, meaning the driver's cabin isn't separated from the living space.

The couple skipped on the most typical camper van layout, which has a fixed bedroom at the rear. Instead, they decided on a more uncommon layout that best suits their needs.

Specifically, they devised a couch/bed dead ahead of the entrance. To transform the couch into a bed, all you must do is slide out its bottom panel, rearrange the cushions, and lay out the bedding.

There's also a massive drawer integrated into the couch, which holds a huge Dometic chest-style fridge/freezer. Furthermore, the two front seats can also become part of the seating area if you swivel them to face the interior.

Next, we have the custom-built kitchen located on the driver's side of the interior. It features a four-burner stove, an overhead microwave, more than enough prep space on the 8-foot-long (2.4-meter-long) countertop, and an enormous stainless steel sink.

For storage, you can use numerous drawers integrated into the kitchen counter. What's more, you'll notice a long overhead shelf. And when I say long, I mean it – this thing spans across the entire passenger side of the interior. It has an 80/20 aluminum frame for extra sturdiness and holds books, decorations, and baskets that allow them to organize their stuff neatly.

You'll discover the rig's bathroom opposite the rear part of the kitchen, just by the rear doors. I love its "unfinished" industrial aesthetic, with what looks like micro concrete walls.

The bathroom boasts a Nature's Head composting toilet and a shower that drains into an under-mounted greywater tank. Furthermore, the shower head is at the back, so it can also be used outside the van.

Next, we have the largest storage area in this mobile home: a massive closet. It has a hanging area with three drawers underneath, three sizeable cubbies, and a cabinet.

In the six years they've lived in this Sprinter camper van, Kage and Ellie have endured some harsh Canadian winters. As they described, one of the systems that helped them through the winters was a floor heating system. They built it themselves using a hose system connected to a heater.

However, the main heating system is an Espar D2 heater housed underneath the passenger seat. Both heaters can run off the fuel tank and can be controlled separately or together.

All in all, Kage and Ellie did a fantastic job with this camper van. I'm fond of its four-season construction, efficient layout, and overall homey vibe.