This Slide-In System Can Convert Your Van Into A Full-Size Camper

Two of the biggest limitations of a traditional campervan are that it's expensive to build, and it isn't particularly versatile once it's built. Once the build process has been completed, a campervan usually can't easily be converted back to a regular cargo-transporting van. Likewise, turning a cargo van into a campervan in the first place usually takes a lot of effort and many thousands of dollars.

Hunker Pod eliminates that problem entirely, since it's designed to slide straight into the back of a cargo van and turn it into a comfortable road-trip ready camper. The system costs $32,995 and is compatible exclusively with 159-inch wheelbase Ram ProMaster vans from model year 2014 or newer. Hunker's team say they chose that van model specifically because of its interior spaciousness and value, and they're not alone. The ProMaster is a popular choice for campervan conversion, so it's unlikely to be the only van of its kind at a campground.

The Hunker Pod can be fitted into an unmodified ProMaster van in around an hour, with installation taking place at the company's facility in Denver, Colorado. Taking the Pod back out again is a similarly straightforward process. It's secured in the van using bolts that connect it to the ProMaster's factory inserts, which means that the Hunker team don't have to drill anything or make any permanent modifications. As a result, when those bolts are removed, the Pod can be slid back out and the van is then ready to be used as a cargo van once again.

This slide-in functionality opens up various options for owners. According to Hunker, the main reason it built the system "never made much sense to us [to keep] spending tens of thousands of dollars on a camper build that's permanently tied to a vehicle that will eventually wear out." They already had plenty of experience of doing exactly that, having already owned a campervan rental business for over a decade before launching the Pod.

Buyers looking to save money upfront could also purchase an older ProMaster van and equip it with the Hunker Pod, knowing they'll be able to swap the slide-in unit into a newer van should they want to upgrade in the future. This can make the initial build much cheaper, since higher mileage used examples of the van can readily be found for less than $20,000, while even base-spec variants of the 159-inch wheelbase 2026 model year van cost over $50,000.

There are still some things you can't do with a Hunker Pod, though. One of the main drawbacks for now is that it's only compatible with a specific variant of the Ram ProMaster, so anyone who wants to pick, say, a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter as their camper van is out of luck. That's despite Hunker Pod's design partner, Innovation4Van, offering removable pods for Sprinters in its home market of Germany. Hunker says that won't be the case forever though, as Pods for both the Sprinter and the Ford Transit are currently in development.

Aside from the ProMaster's spaciousness and value, there's another good reason why the Hunker team chose to keep the Pod as a one-model only offering at launch. They have years of directly working with the ProMaster model through their campervan rental business, meaning they're already well aware of its quirks and had plenty of feedback from renters before designing it.

That rental business, Native Campervans, already uses vans equipped with the Hunker Pod. It calls them "Biggie" vans, and aspiring van owners can rent one to find out what they're like before buying them. Early feedback about the Biggie vans from renters on sites like TripAdvisor are generally very positive, with one reviewer calling it "perfect for two people" and another saying that they "could not have been more impressed with [...] the equipment on board."

The exact equipment list can vary between builds, since Hunker offers various optional upgrades like integrated internet connectivity and a roof fan. However, every Pod gets a kitchen with a faucet and a stove, as well as a fridge that runs using a built-in power system. According to Hunker, that power system is capable of providing up to two days of off-grid power. It should be more than enough to make more camping trips comfortable, all while still being one of the most affordable campervan conversion options on the market.