This post outlines all of the main parts and components of a DIY Camper Solar setup.

Learn EVERYTHING you need to know about designing and installing a solar setup on your camper van, RV, or truck camper.

Lithium vs AGM. As technology gets better, the prices get higher. Is the added cost worth it? Here's our thoughts:

Changing the oil in a Sprinter is a straightforward process. Save some $$$ and do it yourself. Here's how:

Sprinter Service A? Sprinter Service B? What is included in those? This blog post will outline what's what so you can take it in to the dealer or do it yourself.

Rock and roll. Good on the radio. Not so good for camper van handling. Here's how to replace the shocks on a Sprinter Camper Van:

Since we work from the road, having a strong cell signal is vital. Here's how we get faste enough 4g to upload videos, have skype calls, and all the other business logistics:

Check engine lights are part of #Vanlife. Here is how to read and clear a check engine light on a Sprinter.

The Espar D2 heater is the diesel powered heater we use to heat our van in frigid winter conditions. Here's how to install one:

Our custom DIY camper van features 800+ watts of solar, a composting toilet, full size bed, custom cabinets, fully insulated and much more. Read more about the nitty gritty details here:

Plasti-dip is essentially a spray on vinyl wrap but is 10x cheaper. It's was a big job, but here's how we did it:

Building the cabinets & storage in our Camper Van was a huge challenge, especially since it was our first time. Although, not necessarily a in-depth tutorial, here is how we built them:

The Ceiling in our van is made from an old fence, sealed, and attached to furring strips. Here's how we made and installed it:

The walls in our van is made from dry erase board so we ALWAYS have something to keep notes on. Here's how we installed it:

We insulated our van for both hot and cold weather with rigid foam and expanding foam insulation. Here's how we did it and why we chose what we did:

We have two Maxxair vent fans on our roof which can exchange all the air inside the van once every 20 seconds to keep us cool. Here's how we installed them:

Without soundproofing material, our van was like a tin can driving down the road. After… it was like a much quieter tin can. Here's how we installed it:

If you need to access the inner workings of your sprinter door for speaker installation or insulation, you'll have to remove the door panel. Here's how to do it:

There is a huge open space behind the sprinter headliner that needs to have sound deadening applied and insulation attached. Here's how to remove the headliner:

You'll need to remove the seats in your sprinter to install swivel seats or acess the nice hidden ‘storage' area for, perhaps, a heater install. Here's how to remove them:

We took the stock floor of our van since it used to be a plumbing truck (that floor = gross). Here's how to remove it:

One of our favorite adventures of all time. This one is quite out of the way, but the effort is rewarded with the COOLEST hike in one of the more remote areas of the country.

Valley of Fire State Park is a geologic playground just outside Las Vegas. It's a dog friendly state park with some awesome hiking trails. Here are our recommendations:

Season 1, Episode 8 of Winter #Vanlife is MORE than Skiing Powder took us to Mammoth Mountain to ski prime spring conditions and find campsites with hot springs just steps from our door.

Season 1, Episode 7 of Winter #Vanlife is MORE than Skiing Powder took us back into the US where we visited skied at Squaw Valley and Hiked at Lake Tahoe.

Season 1, Episode 6 of Winter #Vanlife is MORE than Skiing Powder took us to Revelstoke BC to ski the 5,000ft vertical this INCREDIBLE mountain has to offer.

Season 1, Episode 5 of Winter #Vanlife is MORE than Skiing Powder took us to Lake Louise where we skied beautiful terrain and walked across frozen Lake Louise to frozen waterfalls.

Season 1, Episode 4 of Winter #Vanlife is MORE than Skiing Powder took us to Banff to ski at Sunshine Village and Soak up the sights in this beautiful town.

Season 1, Episode 3 of Winter #Vanlife is MORE than Skiing Powder took us to Bozeman where we batted van breakdowns, getting stuck, and awesome skiing at Bridger Bowl

Season 1, Episode 8 of Winter #Vanlife is MORE than Skiing Powder took us to

There's more to Jackson Hole Wyoming in the winter than just skiing. Here are a few extra ideas if you decide to take a ‘day off'.

We met up with some of our friends (who just happen to be Backcountry ski guides) for an awesome day of walking uphill and skiing back down. (1st time backcountry skiing!)

If you need a day off from skiing in Park City, here are a few suggestions for fun things to do in Park City in the winter:

This is the story abou the time we took a guided trip down into the Baja California into mexico in search of tacos, surfing, adventure, and tacos.

Cooler temperatures and fewer crowds. These two reasons and more are why you should visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park in the Fall.

It's easy to get overwhelmed with the amount of climbing available in Joshua Tree. Here are some of our ‘Beginner Friendly' areas:

Sure, hwy 1 has beautiful views… but it's still a LONG road that needs to be broken up. Here are some things to do to get out and stretch your legs.

PCT Days is an awesome event every summer that's a celebration of one of the premiere long hikes in the US. The Pacific Crest Trail.

Craters of the Moon is an out-of-the-way National Monument that has one of the most interesting landscapes in the world. Here are some caves to explore on a day trip:

A summer camp for adults led by pro adventure guides and athletes where you can learn that new activity you've been wanting to try and hone skills on your favorites.

Ottawa is a great city with something always going on. Here are 10 ideas for adventure in and around Ottawa.

Walls made from trash and food scraps used to grow more food. This hostel in Nicaragua aims to be a totally closed loop of sustainable business practices:

Finding an ‘Adventure Resort' that can keep up with us is a tall task, but on our visit, we were met with more hiking, surfing, volcano viewing, and cultural submursion than we could ask for.

San Juan Del Sur in southern Nicaragua is one of our favorite places we've EVER been. Here's a few things to do there that makes this place an explorers dream:

Flying to Nicaragua is typically an all day ordeal. This hotel is directly across the street from the hotel and makes for a great first and last night pit stop before exploring the rest of the country:

Nicaragua is filled with adventure. This trip with some friends was one of the best weeks of our lives. This video is the story:

Seattle is home to some iconic landmarks. Here are 5 things to do on a short stop-over in Seattle:

Need to see the results of climate change for yourself? Exit Glacier is a great demonstration with year markers noting where the glacier was in past years:

You want to see bald eagles up close? Anchor Point near Homer Alaska is your spot. Here's where to stay (and some other things to do once you get tired of taking pictures of eagles from 10′ away)

To get to Whittier Alaska You've got to drive down a one-way road – through a tunnel – straddling the train tracks – because you're sharing the road with a train:

We kayaked across an ice cold lake to a glacier, back across the lake and down a river, then rode our bikes back to the lake. Oh, the things that can be done with 24hrs of daylight in Alaska:

A hiking trail that features a hand powered tram suspended across a raging Alaskan river. This is one of our favorite hikes:

Denali national park is rugged and HUGE. Two days doesn't do it justice but here are a few things to do to get the most bang for your time on a quick trip into Denali National park:

One of our FAVORITE Adventures: Kayaking in Glacier National Park in the crystal clear Mcdonald Lake, down Mcdonald creek to the Flathead river then bike shuttling back to the lake:

Old Faithful was crowded and featured a boardwalk and a fence making it seem more like a man-made water fountain than a natural geyser. Here is a better alternative:

We only had one day to spend in Yellowstone National Park. Here are some of the hot spots (geo-thermal joke) to see when time is valuable:

This road trip Itenerary through southern Utah includes 5 National Parks, free camp sites, supply refill points, and adventure ideas. This one one of our favorites:

Angles Landing in Zion National Park is the most popular hike in the park. Dealing with an over-crowded trail was scarier than the 1,000+ foot sheer drop on each side:

This is a necessary hike if you are going to Bryce Canyon. It's a longer, more challenging hike which means it's less crowded, but it accesses some of the best scenery in the park:

Cottonwood Narrows is a good hike for someone who wants to see slot canyons but may be a bit claustrophobic as these sandstone canyons are a bit wider.

Hiking Peekaboo and Spooky Slot canyons is one of our favorite hikes ever. Deep in Southern Utah, this loop hike is a must-do:

Grand Wash is a good hike for someone who wants to see slot canyons but may be a bit claustrophobic as these sandstone canyons are a bit wider.

There is so much rock climbing in Moab that it can be pretty overwhelming. Here is a beginner friendly area for rock climbing in Moab:

*Peddle, peddle, peddle* …”Hey, are those Dinosaur Fossils”? That's a normal thing in Moab Utah:

There is so much mountain biking in Moab that it can be pretty overwhelming. Here is a beginner friendly trail away from the crowds on the more popular trails.

Corona Arch. All of the arch, less of a crowd. This arch is not inside Arches National Park so you won't need a parks pass either:

Washington DC is a deceptively big place where we ended up walking nearly 20 miles to see everything we wanted to see. Here were our favorite things we saw:

There's plenty of snow in Grand Lake colorado, but no ski resorts. This makes it a PRIME destination to rent snomobiles for a good day of going off into deep snow, getting terribly stuck, and getting help from a half dozen icelandic guys (PLOT TWIST!!)

This was our very first overnight backpacking trip. It's an awesome 27ish mile loop trail through the Ouachita Mountains:

Cathedral Lake is a lake above treeline outside of Aspen Colorado that features a beautiful lake in a meadow of wildflowers below towering spires:

This post outlines all of the main parts and components of a DIY Camper Solar setup.

The price of Van Life varies DRAMATICALLY from person to person, but this blog post shows OUR actual average cost per month from the last 12 months.

Looking for a new read to spark some travel inspiration? Check these out:

We tested the Body Glove Ribcage water shoes. We travel light. When space is a premium means multi-purpose, high-performing gear is a priority.

The GoPro HERO 7 is labled as the Gimbal Killer. Is it? Here is our side by side comparison so you can see for yourself.

Traveling can be expensive. These apps can help you find savings around every corner so you can travel longer and spend your money on things that ACTUALLY matter.

Learn EVERYTHING you need to know about designing and installing a solar setup on your camper van, RV, or truck camper.

Living a Nomadic Lifestyle isn't all sprinkles and unicorns. Can you give make these sacrifices for a life of “Freedom”?

Not having a job tie us to physical locations gives us the flexibility to work from anywhere. Here are some of our best ideas for making money while traveling:

Looking for Adventure in a Backpack? You're in the right spot. We've just got a new name that doesn't make people think we sell backpacks.

Insulation? Solar? Heating? Maybe not. THIS is what we think is the hardest part of building a DIY Camper Van Conversion.

Lithium vs AGM. As technology gets better, the prices get higher. Is the added cost worth it? Here's our thoughts:

Changing the oil in a Sprinter is a straightforward process. Save some $$$ and do it yourself. Here's how:

Sprinter Service A? Sprinter Service B? What is included in those? This blog post will outline what's what so you can take it in to the dealer or do it yourself.

One of our favorite adventures of all time. This one is quite out of the way, but the effort is rewarded with the COOLEST hike in one of the more remote areas of the country.

Rock and roll. Good on the radio. Not so good for camper van handling. Here's how to replace the shocks on a Sprinter Camper Van:

Valley of Fire State Park is a geologic playground just outside Las Vegas. It's a dog friendly state park with some awesome hiking trails. Here are our recommendations:

Plasti Dip is essentially a spray on vinyl wrap. Here's how it's held up after a year of abuse on the road:

North Carolina is home to many outdoor gear companies. We spent a weekend in Asheville to tell their story of “Extraordinary Gear made Here”. (This is one of our favorites)

Getting mail while traveling isn't as simple as a post office visit. Here are the hoops we have to jump through to get mail and packages while on the road:

Season 1, Episode 8 of Winter #Vanlife is MORE than Skiing Powder took us to Mammoth Mountain to ski prime spring conditions and find campsites with hot springs just steps from our door.

Since we work from the road, having a strong cell signal is vital. Here's how we get faste enough 4g to upload videos, have skype calls, and all the other business logistics:

Season 1, Episode 7 of Winter #Vanlife is MORE than Skiing Powder took us back into the US where we visited skied at Squaw Valley and Hiked at Lake Tahoe.

Nobody is questioning if 4×4 is more capable than 2WD… but is the added cost absolutely necessary to have an adventure camper van? We say no, and here's why:

Season 1, Episode 6 of Winter #Vanlife is MORE than Skiing Powder took us to Revelstoke BC to ski the 5,000ft vertical this INCREDIBLE mountain has to offer.

The Dometic Origo 3000 Alcohol stove is an alcohol fueled stove that doesn't have pressurized containers which makes is a good option for cooking in a camper van.

Season 1, Episode 5 of Winter #Vanlife is MORE than Skiing Powder took us to Lake Louise where we skied beautiful terrain and walked across frozen Lake Louise to frozen waterfalls.

Getting insurance for a camper van is a pain and it varies from state to state, but here are some tips to get your DIY camper van conversion insured Properly

Season 1, Episode 4 of Winter #Vanlife is MORE than Skiing Powder took us to Banff to ski at Sunshine Village and Soak up the sights in this beautiful town.

Season 1, Episode 3 of Winter #Vanlife is MORE than Skiing Powder took us to Bozeman where we batted van breakdowns, getting stuck, and awesome skiing at Bridger Bowl

Check engine lights are part of #Vanlife. Here is how to read and clear a check engine light on a Sprinter.

Season 1, Episode 8 of Winter #Vanlife is MORE than Skiing Powder took us to

As temps plummeted to sub-zero temps with wind forcing it's way into every seam, we were ultimately impressed with it's performance.

There's more to Jackson Hole Wyoming in the winter than just skiing. Here are a few extra ideas if you decide to take a ‘day off'.

We met up with some of our friends (who just happen to be Backcountry ski guides) for an awesome day of walking uphill and skiing back down. (1st time backcountry skiing!)

Our camper van wasn't 100% ready for winter time living when we ‘finished' it, so we had some adjustments to make. Here's what we changed:

If you need a day off from skiing in Park City, here are a few suggestions for fun things to do in Park City in the winter:

The Espar D2 heater is the diesel powered heater we use to heat our van in frigid winter conditions. Here's how to install one:

Living in a van provides extreme flexibility. Here is our list of the things we like best about living in a van.

This is the story abou the time we took a guided trip down into the Baja California into mexico in search of tacos, surfing, adventure, and tacos.

Cooler temperatures and fewer crowds. These two reasons and more are why you should visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park in the Fall.

It's easy to get overwhelmed with the amount of climbing available in Joshua Tree. Here are some of our ‘Beginner Friendly' areas:

Everbody has their own reasons for moving into a van. Here's ours:

Sure, hwy 1 has beautiful views… but it's still a LONG road that needs to be broken up. Here are some things to do to get out and stretch your legs.

The Gopro 6 introduced the highest frame rates available in the Gopro Line. Here are our initial thoughts:

We aren't talking about “Lights” or “Insulation”. These are the items that turned our DIY Camper Van into a Home.

Safety & Living on the Road. Do these go hand in hand? Maybe not, but here are some considerations to stay safe while living in a van in the middle of nowhere.

There are literally hundreds (thousands?) of ways to make money while traveling. Here are our 6 income streams we have for life on the road:

For life on the road, you don't have to earn as much if you can spend less. Here are our money saving tips for traveling longer and more often.

PCT Days is an awesome event every summer that's a celebration of one of the premiere long hikes in the US. The Pacific Crest Trail.

Craters of the Moon is an out-of-the-way National Monument that has one of the most interesting landscapes in the world. Here are some caves to explore on a day trip:

A summer camp for adults led by pro adventure guides and athletes where you can learn that new activity you've been wanting to try and hone skills on your favorites.

Ottawa is a great city with something always going on. Here are 10 ideas for adventure in and around Ottawa.

This free camp site is a great stop if you are headed north through New York before entering Canada. Remember to bring a trash bag and clean up after yourself AND others:

Our custom DIY camper van features 800+ watts of solar, a composting toilet, full size bed, custom cabinets, fully insulated and much more. Read more about the nitty gritty details here:

This free campsite features an awesome swimming hole with natural rock waterslide within walking distance. Remember to bring a trash bag and clean up after yourself AND others:

This free dispersed camp site near Taos features a snow fed creek and close proximity to the town of Taos and the ski resort. Remember to bring a trash bag and clean up after yourself AND others:

Plasti-dip is essentially a spray on vinyl wrap but is 10x cheaper. It's was a big job, but here's how we did it:

This free camp site is great spot near the Great Sand Dunes National Park at the foot of the 14,344 ft tall Blanca Peak. Remember to bring a trash bag and clean up after yourself AND others:

Building the cabinets & storage in our Camper Van was a huge challenge, especially since it was our first time. Although, not necessarily a in-depth tutorial, here is how we built them:

The Ceiling in our van is made from an old fence, sealed, and attached to furring strips. Here's how we made and installed it:

The walls in our van is made from dry erase board so we ALWAYS have something to keep notes on. Here's how we installed it:

We insulated our van for both hot and cold weather with rigid foam and expanding foam insulation. Here's how we did it and why we chose what we did:

We have two Maxxair vent fans on our roof which can exchange all the air inside the van once every 20 seconds to keep us cool. Here's how we installed them:

Without soundproofing material, our van was like a tin can driving down the road. After… it was like a much quieter tin can. Here's how we installed it:

If you need to access the inner workings of your sprinter door for speaker installation or insulation, you'll have to remove the door panel. Here's how to do it:

There is a huge open space behind the sprinter headliner that needs to have sound deadening applied and insulation attached. Here's how to remove the headliner:

You'll need to remove the seats in your sprinter to install swivel seats or acess the nice hidden ‘storage' area for, perhaps, a heater install. Here's how to remove them:

We took the stock floor of our van since it used to be a plumbing truck (that floor = gross). Here's how to remove it:

We sold our 40 foot class-A motorhome to build a MUCH smaller camper van. Here are a few reasons we downsized:

Walls made from trash and food scraps used to grow more food. This hostel in Nicaragua aims to be a totally closed loop of sustainable business practices:

Finding an ‘Adventure Resort' that can keep up with us is a tall task, but on our visit, we were met with more hiking, surfing, volcano viewing, and cultural submursion than we could ask for.

San Juan Del Sur in southern Nicaragua is one of our favorite places we've EVER been. Here's a few things to do there that makes this place an explorers dream:

Flying to Nicaragua is typically an all day ordeal. This hotel is directly across the street from the hotel and makes for a great first and last night pit stop before exploring the rest of the country:

Nicaragua is filled with adventure. This trip with some friends was one of the best weeks of our lives. This video is the story:

Seattle is home to some iconic landmarks. Here are 5 things to do on a short stop-over in Seattle:

Lillooet is just north of the pass from Whistler. It's a rugged canyon with a beautiful lake and frigid stream and a free, established campground:

Seward Alaska is home of Exit Glacier. Here is a free campsite in the area. Remember to bring a trash bag and clean up after yourself AND others:

Need to see the results of climate change for yourself? Exit Glacier is a great demonstration with year markers noting where the glacier was in past years:

This free camp site on the Kenai Peninsula is right next to a beautiful lake that's perfect for paddling. Remember to bring a trash bag and clean up after yourself AND others:

You want to see bald eagles up close? Anchor Point near Homer Alaska is your spot. Here's where to stay (and some other things to do once you get tired of taking pictures of eagles from 10′ away)

To get to Whittier Alaska You've got to drive down a one-way road – through a tunnel – straddling the train tracks – because you're sharing the road with a train:

The road leading to Portage Lake in Alaska has all kinds of free camping. Remember to bring a trash bag and clean up after yourself AND others:

We kayaked across an ice cold lake to a glacier, back across the lake and down a river, then rode our bikes back to the lake. Oh, the things that can be done with 24hrs of daylight in Alaska:

A hiking trail that features a hand powered tram suspended across a raging Alaskan river. This is one of our favorite hikes:

Nabbing a camp site inside of Denali National Park is tricky. Here's where we stayed for free on forest land just outside of the park. Remember to bring a trash bag and clean up after yourself AND others:

Denali national park is rugged and HUGE. Two days doesn't do it justice but here are a few things to do to get the most bang for your time on a quick trip into Denali National park:

There is plenty of free and inexpensive camping near fairbanks. Here is our list of the places we saw or stayed at. Remember to bring a trash bag and clean up after yourself AND others:

Van Life with dogs can be a great experience, but it can also be a traumatizing experience for all parties involved. Here are a few considerations:

One of our FAVORITE Adventures: Kayaking in Glacier National Park in the crystal clear Mcdonald Lake, down Mcdonald creek to the Flathead river then bike shuttling back to the lake:

This free campsite is a free county camp ground featuring a lake and more bird species than we could count. Remember to bring a trash bag and clean up after yourself AND others:

Old Faithful was crowded and featured a boardwalk and a fence making it seem more like a man-made water fountain than a natural geyser. Here is a better alternative:

We only had one day to spend in Yellowstone National Park. Here are some of the hot spots (geo-thermal joke) to see when time is valuable:

This road trip Itenerary through southern Utah includes 5 National Parks, free camp sites, supply refill points, and adventure ideas. This one one of our favorites:

There is plenty of BLM land for free camping near Zion National Park. Remember to bring a trash bag and clean up after yourself AND others:

Angles Landing in Zion National Park is the most popular hike in the park. Dealing with an over-crowded trail was scarier than the 1,000+ foot sheer drop on each side:

There is free camping in National Forest land right outside of the Bryce Canyon National park gates. Remember to bring a trash bag and clean up after yourself AND others:

This is a necessary hike if you are going to Bryce Canyon. It's a longer, more challenging hike which means it's less crowded, but it accesses some of the best scenery in the park:

Escalante Utah is one of the most ruggedly beautiful locations in the US. There is unlimited potential for adventure. Free camping is easy to find in the area, but here is a good spot. Remember to bring a trash bag and clean up after yourself AND others:

Cottonwood Narrows is a good hike for someone who wants to see slot canyons but may be a bit claustrophobic as these sandstone canyons are a bit wider.

Hiking Peekaboo and Spooky Slot canyons is one of our favorite hikes ever. Deep in Southern Utah, this loop hike is a must-do:

Just outside of Capitol Reef National Park is this great free campsite on BLM land next to a river. Remember to bring a trash bag and clean up after yourself AND others:

Grand Wash is a good hike for someone who wants to see slot canyons but may be a bit claustrophobic as these sandstone canyons are a bit wider.

There is so much rock climbing in Moab that it can be pretty overwhelming. Here is a beginner friendly area for rock climbing in Moab:

*Peddle, peddle, peddle* …”Hey, are those Dinosaur Fossils”? That's a normal thing in Moab Utah:

There is so much mountain biking in Moab that it can be pretty overwhelming. Here is a beginner friendly trail away from the crowds on the more popular trails.

Corona Arch. All of the arch, less of a crowd. This arch is not inside Arches National Park so you won't need a parks pass either:

Moab is home to plentiful free camping. Here is an awesome spot. Remember to bring a trash bag and clean up after yourself AND others:

Washington DC is a deceptively big place where we ended up walking nearly 20 miles to see everything we wanted to see. Here were our favorite things we saw:

Stubborn and like to do thing yourself you should probably leave up to a professional? Yeah, me too… Here's how to mount bindings onto snow skis at home:

There's plenty of snow in Grand Lake colorado, but no ski resorts. This makes it a PRIME destination to rent snomobiles for a good day of going off into deep snow, getting terribly stuck, and getting help from a half dozen icelandic guys (PLOT TWIST!!)

This was our very first overnight backpacking trip. It's an awesome 27ish mile loop trail through the Ouachita Mountains:

In our RV we installed this propane heater that vents to the outside, which decreases moisture while efficiently using fuel to keep costs low and temperatures up:

An REI Garage Sale is where REI re-sales all of their gear that has been lightly used for STEEP discounts. It's a great event to score deals, but there's some stuff to know before you go so you don't waste your time & effort:

Cathedral Lake is a lake above treeline outside of Aspen Colorado that features a beautiful lake in a meadow of wildflowers below towering spires:

Here is how WE find all of our free campsites. Give a man a fish and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a fish to find free campsites and… well, you know how to old saying goes: