Van build design report reality check convert promaster transit sprinter for vanlife camping and b

Van Life Reality Check: 3 Things We’d Change in Our DIY Van Build After Life on the Road

So, you’re building a van—or planning one—and wondering what van life is really like once the wheels hit the road? In this video, we’re pulling back the curtain on our real-world experience living full-time in our DIY camper van and sharing three key things we would change in our van build after living the van life firsthand.

This isn’t just another highlight reel—this is an honest look at what works, what doesn’t, and what we’d do differently now that we’ve experienced life on the road. Whether you’re deep into the van conversion process, planning your layout, or refining your systems, this video will help you make smarter design choices before you commit to costly or permanent decisions.

Van life is an amazing adventure, but there are things you only learn through experience. Our goal is to help fellow DIY builders, van designers, and off-grid dreamers avoid common mistakes and design a rig that truly supports everyday life—comfortably, efficiently, and sustainably.

In this video, you’ll learn:

What we underestimated during the build phase

Real-life feedback on our storage, systems, and layout

Practical design tweaks that make a big difference on the road

How small oversights can become big annoyances during daily van life

Why your “dream layout” might not match your real-world needs

Whether you’re converting a Sprinter, Promaster, Transit, or custom rig, this feedback applies across all van types and build styles. From power systems and water storage to kitchen functionality and bed placement, we’re covering the things we wish we had done differently—so you don’t have to learn the hard way.

Perfect for:

DIY van builders planning their first conversion

Van lifers refining or remodeling their setup

Designers optimizing van layout and storage

Weekend warriors and full-timers looking to upgrade

Living full-time in a van gives you a whole new perspective on what matters in a build. This video is here to help you learn from our experience and build a van that supports your lifestyle before and after you hit the road.

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👍 Like the video if you're planning your van life adventure or already living the dream!

💬 Got questions about your build or want help troubleshooting your layout? Drop a comment—we’re happy to share what we’ve learned.

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Van build review. What van design features did we like best in our Promaster Van Conversion – but they would be the same for a Mercedes Sprinter or Ford Transit. Understanding how to design your van so your vanlife is most enjoyable can be a best guess kind of experience. Here we share the features of our van build that make our tiny home on wheels a happy place to be.

Designing a van for an active vanlife takes so much planning. Before the van build can start there are so many things to consider. In this video van of action offers feedback on 3 van design components we are happy with and 2 things we’ll be changing. Often people wonder how to design the perfect van. Experience has shown that no matter how well or how long you research your van build you’ll never be sure until you actually get it done and spend some time on the road. We love the kitchen in our van. It serves so many functions – including cooking our food. Rather than have a stove top built in we chose a portable induction cooktop we can get out when we need it. https://www.canadarv.com/en/shop/inte... We also really love our 2000 Watt pure sine inverter form Renogy https://ca.renogy.com/products/invert... really opened our vanlife to a new dimension. Being able to easily cook where ever we wanted was life changing. If you’re boondocking along the road or at a travel center https://locations.pilotflyingj.com/ca.... Breakfast is always better a bit further along the way. Being able to stop at a scenic view and make a cup of coffee and egg breakfast is so much fun.