Campervan Conversions: Here Are Your Most Affordable Options
Getting to experience the great outdoors is wonderful for the body and mind because you can take in the fresh air, see beautiful views, and unplug your day-to-day life. There is plenty of great gear for camping, but with a good campervan, it's like having a mobile base camp. It gives you a place to cook and eat your meals, relax and regroup, and — perhaps most importantly — it provides you with a safe place to sleep. The only problem is that campervan conversions can cost a lot of money, with many over $100,000 and some that can go over half a million dollars.
There are more affordable options out there, but be warned, it will still be a lot of money for most people. Even "cheap" campervans aren't exactly cheap. Don't forget that you'll also need to buy the van itself, which can cost anywhere from $30,000 to more than $60,000. Still, if you are at a time in your life when you're ready to invest some cash for recreational activities, an affordable campervan conversion could be the solution that makes your weekend or overnight getaways much more fun.
Several companies do campervan conversions but read on for a few that are on the more affordable side so you can start living that #Vanlife.
Oasis Campervans
Oasis Campervans out of Colorado can convert most types of minivans into living and sleeping spaces you can take on the road. With what they call the "Classic Conversion," you get a living area in the cabin, a kitchen you can access from the back of the van, and large stacked cushions you can quickly make into a full-length bed that sleeps two.
There is also mounted cabinetry for extra storage, a table for eating inside, vinyl flooring, and canvas curtains for privacy. There are a bunch of additional options, like a power station, a cooler/freezer, solar panels, and more, but you'll need to pay extra for those amenities. You can order them piecemeal, and Oasis Campervans will install them for you, or you can order the "Classic Deluxe" to have them all as one package.
This is a great option for people on a budget because you can only include the appliances and features you want rather than going all in. The Classic Conversion costs $11,290, but you're probably going to want that power station and cooler if you're going to take longer trips, so expect to pay a couple of thousand more.
Wayfarer Vans: Walter
What's great about Wayfarer Vans is they offer a base model campervan that has a lot of the features you want out on the road, but then you have the option to add amenities as you go. The Walter, built on a Ram Promaster 1500 or 2500 chassis, comes with wool insulation, a memory foam bed that's 73 by 54 inches, a whole kitchen with a sink, and a swivel table. There are also storage cubby holes and cabinets below your sink for extra storage.
The thing that's unique about Wayfarer Vans is the flexibility in the layout. You can easily connect or disconnect each module of the Walter as long as you have a socket wrench, which also means you can disconnect everything and use your van just to haul cargo when necessary. There is one pretty big thing that's not included, though: a bathroom.
The company argues there are plenty of places to use a bathroom and that putting in the complicated plumbing requires more maintenance you'll be paying for in the future. If you disagree, it might be the sticking point that makes you look elsewhere, but Walter conversion gives you a lot, and it costs $20,000, not including the van.
Also worthy of note is the modular aspect of the build that allows them to do the conversion in one day. They build the whole thing before you get there and install it straight away.
Caravan Outfitters: Free Bird
If you don't want to break the bank on your conversion, Caravan Outfitters' Free Bird fits the bill nicely. It uses the Ford Transit Connect Passenger Wagon as its chassis, and the conversion is built using slide rails so you can quickly convert it back to a regular cargo van when necessary. It offers bench seating and a table for eating meals and can easily convert into a large two-person bed at bedtime. It has a storage box behind the front seats that houses an auxiliary battery to power dimmable lighting and a mini-fridge. It also has two USB power ports to charge your various devices.
Caravan Outfitters cleverly puts the kitchen at the back of the van. Standing outside, you can access a burner for cooking, and it has storage drawers for all your supplies. It features a water jug system to act as your sink. When it rains, there is an awning you can deploy that's big enough to provide cover for the rear and side of the van. That way, you can set up a table on the side of the van for an outdoor meal. Be warned: It doesn't offer a toilet, but you can buy a portable one on Amazon via the Caravan Outfitters website.
The Caravan Outfitters' Free Bird conversion comes out to about $40,000.
Boho Campervan
Boho Campervans, out of Phoenix, Arizona, offer conversions primarily for the RAM Promaster chassis (which they have in stock for you to buy), but they will also do conversions for the Ford Transit and the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. They offer several different layouts that include amenities like a minifridge, sink, and a bed to sleep two in the back, with ample storage space below the bed and throughout several built-in cabinets. There's a hidden-away cassette-style toilet and a pull-out table for eating meals or sitting down to find your next hiking trail.
What's particularly striking about Boho Campervans are the custom hardwood interiors that make you feel like you're staying in a cabin on wheels. They definitely have a unique style not found in other campervans, so you'll have an original look to go along with all of that utility. It should be no surprise that with all that custom woodwork, it costs a little more, but it still isn't on par with many of the big builds that are easily over $100,000. Boho Campervan conversions start at $40,000. You can also rent one to try it out, but only in Phoenix and San Diego.