Thinking about getting a small camper to use during the ski season.

[cdskier]

Because the people I see driving them are pretentious, self-absorbed, entitled assholes who can throw around $100k or more on a van to "spend time outdoors." There is a negative stereotype associated with these rigs. No offense intended personally.

Other than that, sure it is practical.

This is the first I've ever heard of that stereotype...honestly never really gave much thought at all to the people that buy and use them, never-mind stereotyping them.

 

[raisingarizona]

I would not be using any water in the trailer during the winter. It would most likely only one or two days at a time, if longer I would have to find a place to shower at.

Baby wipe baths work really good. For my work I camp 7 nights straight without a shower, you can go longer then three days without.

 

[raisingarizona]

Ford transits are where it’s at right now. Parts for sprinters are expensive and harder to acquire from what I hear.

 

[raisingarizona]

This is the first I've ever heard of that stereotype...honestly never really gave much thought at all to the people that buy and use them, never-mind stereotyping them.

Yeah, that was dumb.

 

[jimmywilson69]

Because the people I see driving them are pretentious, self-absorbed, entitled assholes who can throw around $100k or more on a van to "spend time outdoors." There is a negative stereotype associated with these rigs. No offense intended personally.

Other than that, sure it is practical.

so its more of a stereotype thing. I get it. There are plenty of people who think skiers are pretentious in the same manner. As we know that is not true of most.

 

[kbroderick]

This is the first I've ever heard of that stereotype...honestly never really gave much thought at all to the people that buy and use them, never-mind stereotyping them.

I think some of the stereotype is pushback from people who lived out of vehicles before it was trendy and from the, for lack of a better term, dirtbag (ie ski/climbing/surf bum) culture that recognized the dedication in that existence. It used to be an inexpensive way to stay in cool places; the current "van life" trend is rather different, when the starting point is $80k or more and you then outfit it with a bunch of purpose built accessories priced like high end car parts.

The sheer volume of sprinters at this point is a little ridiculous in mountain towns, and it makes the old school vehicle living a lot harder because there's more pressure on places you can legally stay and the places where nobody used to care if you were parked for a few days.

Not saying that I don't see the appeal and even the utility--if I'd been able to convince my wife, we'd have a Transit on order, not a Bronco Sport, but she won't drive anything with a sliding door--but it's kinda like grasshoppers. If you get enough of them, they turn into a plague.

 

[thetrailboss]

This is the first I've ever heard of that stereotype...honestly never really gave much thought at all to the people that buy and use them, never-mind stereotyping them.

Maybe it's because I am in a part of the country with a lot of tourism.....

Exhibit A: https://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/forum/index.php?threads/158964/

Exhibit B: https://forum.surfer.com/index.php?threads/are-sprinter-van-owners-the-new-trustafarians.225677/

Exhibit C: https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/21/...s-are-driving-custom-designed-cargo-vans.html

Exhibit D: (item No, 4 on the list as to "Bad Stealth Campers"): https://beyondthebucketlist.co/5-reasons-not-to-buy-a-sprinter-for-vanlife/

Exhibit E: https://www.reddit.com/r/vandwellers/comments/j7r6k2
Exhibit F: https://www.definder.net/Leisure_Class

Exhibit G: https://medium.com/@drew1climbing/do-you-look-for-the-soft-climbs-youre-the-problem-a11b6e42a0bf

What’s more the even the notion of a dirtbag climber has changed. A sprinter van decked out with solar panels, full kitchen, shower and wood interior costing 50,000 dollars with one or two trustafarians inside blogging about how to live with less. A long shot from the stone monkeys in Yosemite sleeping under caves and living off of butter packets.

 

[thetrailboss]

I think some of the stereotype is pushback from people who lived out of vehicles before it was trendy and from the, for lack of a better term, dirtbag (ie ski/climbing/surf bum) culture that recognized the dedication in that existence. It used to be an inexpensive way to stay in cool places; the current "van life" trend is rather different, when the starting point is $80k or more and you then outfit it with a bunch of purpose built accessories priced like high end car parts.

The sheer volume of sprinters at this point is a little ridiculous in mountain towns, and it makes the old school vehicle living a lot harder because there's more pressure on places you can legally stay and the places where nobody used to care if you were parked for a few days.

Not saying that I don't see the appeal and even the utility--if I'd been able to convince my wife, we'd have a Transit on order, not a Bronco Sport, but she won't drive anything with a sliding door--but it's kinda like grasshoppers. If you get enough of them, they turn into a plague.

Spot on.

 

[cdskier]

Maybe it's because I am in a part of the country with a lot of tourism.....

Exhibit A: https://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/forum/index.php?threads/158964/

Exhibit B: https://forum.surfer.com/index.php?threads/are-sprinter-van-owners-the-new-trustafarians.225677/

Exhibit C: https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/21/...s-are-driving-custom-designed-cargo-vans.html

Exhibit D: (item No, 4 on the list as to "Bad Stealth Campers"): https://beyondthebucketlist.co/5-reasons-not-to-buy-a-sprinter-for-vanlife/

Exhibit E: https://www.reddit.com/r/vandwellers/comments/j7r6k2
Exhibit F: https://www.definder.net/Leisure_Class

Exhibit G: https://medium.com/@drew1climbing/do-you-look-for-the-soft-climbs-youre-the-problem-a11b6e42a0bf

I really don't have the desire at all to waste time reading those links. Why do people care so much how others choose to spend their own money?

 

[KustyTheKlown]

the nytimes one is more about how rich NYC business types use the sprinters as decked out mobile offices to take meetings. not really about outdoor activity use. you def see these vans in the city

 

[jimmywilson69]

because its the same type of NIMBY (not in my back yard) stuff that happens everywhere. Its okay when you and your friends were doing it, but now that its gotten popular those people are the jerks. I agree that its not worth worrying about. If you want and can afford a sprinter van. Cool.

 

[trackbiker]

I don't get it. To me it makes no economic sense to me to spend $80k on something that depreciates, gets bad gas mileage, and it you go to a legit campground, cost you almost as much as a hotel room. For 80k you rent a lot of nice condos or hotel rooms and you don't have to drive a truck. And $80k is a "cheap" one if it's really fitted out right.

 

[x10003q]

I've been looking at that expedition vehicle website. Yes the vehicles are very expensive. The "budget" bottom of the line vehicle is $360,000. But that vehicle (the Turtle) would suit all my needs and plenty of room for my wife. And it does not look difficult to drive either. So for the price of a second home I could do something like that.

I'd have to really think about that one. Not to mention convincing my wife.

$360k can buy lots of monthly rentals

 

[thetrailboss]

I really don't have the desire at all to waste time reading those links. Why do people care so much how others choose to spend their own money?

I answered your question. I'm glad that you don't have to deal with these folks.

 

[Smellytele]

I answered your question. I'm glad that you don't have to deal with these folks.

Old man yelling at the clouds.

 

[ss20]

I don't get it. To me it makes no economic sense to me to spend $80k on something that depreciates, gets bad gas mileage, and it you go to a legit campground, cost you almost as much as a hotel room. For 80k you rent a lot of nice condos or hotel rooms and you don't have to drive a truck. And $80k is a "cheap" one if it's really fitted out right.

This is where I stand now.

Camping used to be very affordable but everything has gone up in price. The campers, the tow vehicles, the campgrounds, the gas, the insurance, the maintenance- everything. It's a shame; I love it and would like something more permanent than a tent but that's where I'm at now.

 

[cdskier]

I answered your question. I'm glad that you don't have to deal with these folks.

I did not ask a question in the post you responded to with all those links...I simply made a statement that I had never given a thought about the people that buy/drive/have these vans.

 

[kbroderick]

I don't get it. To me it makes no economic sense to me to spend $80k on something that depreciates, gets bad gas mileage, and it you go to a legit campground, cost you almost as much as a hotel room. For 80k you rent a lot of nice condos or hotel rooms and you don't have to drive a truck. And $80k is a "cheap" one if it's really fitted out right.

It makes damn near zero sense economically unless either a) you can make it your primary residence and be happy about it; or b) your use means that a camper/can/etc somehow provides substantially more functionality than those hotel rooms. Going places without hotel rooms is perhaps the most obvious case, but it's also why people like to make fun of sprinters parked in motel lots.

As best I can tell, though, it is one of the easier ways to travel with a dog and not sleep in tents.

 

[raisingarizona]

I don't get it. To me it makes no economic sense to me to spend $80k on something that depreciates, gets bad gas mileage, and it you go to a legit campground, cost you almost as much as a hotel room. For 80k you rent a lot of nice condos or hotel rooms and you don't have to drive a truck. And $80k is a "cheap" one if it's really fitted out right.

Out west there’s free camping all over the place. A lot of van dwellers don’t have a house.

 

[raisingarizona]

Yes, no more Sprinter Vans, please.

There’s stickers for that