Top 5 Benefits of a Travel Trailer vs a Van
Curious about the nomadic lifestyle? Trying to figure out what to buy?
If you're looking into buying, there are endless options. Truck Campers, RVs, Travel Trailers, converted vans, Class B RVs, and the list goes on. My list ended with converted Vans and Teardrop Campers. These are some important thoughts you'll want to consider before making the choice and living in it! There are advantages to both, sometimes I even wish I had a van instead of a camper. However, I LOVE my little teardrop and couldn’t imagine anything else. It's definitely my tiny, cozy, and trippy home.
Here’s what included!
Why you want to be able to separate from your home
Go off-road and boondock easily
How much cheaper a SUV + Camper can be VS a Van
How a travel trailer already has everything you need
If your home is in the shop, you still have a vehicle
Why You May Want to Separate Home from Vehicle
Hate to break it to you, but the same chores have to be done while you're on the road. This including things like grocery stores, going to the Laundromat and maybe Target too! There are the fun things you want to go see like coffee shops and breweries. Especially exploring on hikes and taking your pup to the park. So let me run scenarios by you. There are advantages to being able to disconnect your home, and advantages of having it with you at all times. Wherever you wander next.
Nomad type 1: You stay in a campground or BLM land for several days, you have a work camping position, you have family you stay with, or you just like to travel slowly.
Travel Trailer: This first type of nomad lifestyle allows you to set up where you are. If you're staying a couple days or more, you will detach your camper and set up. Things like a rug, your awning, and some cute lights outside. This also means you get to leave your dog in her home while plugged into electricity to run the AC. Go to the grocery store in only your vehicle without having to tow your home. You get to go try that brewery or coffee shop whenever you feel like it.
Van: You found the perfect BLM spot, but if you want to go anywhere or do anything, you lose your spot. You take everything with you, each time. If you forgot something at the store, there's not a good option besides packing everything up to head back into town. If one of those days you wanted to try the brewery, everything is coming with you. If you were plugged in to hookups because of a cloudy (no solar for your batteries) or hot day, you can't disconnect from power to go do something fun or cross a chore off your list.
Nomad type 2: You plan on moving frequently, even daily.
Travel Trailer: If you aren't "staying" somewhere, you'll be towing your camper wherever you go. My teardrop is tiny enough, I can easily fit by pulling through two parking spaces in just about any parking lot! If you have a larger trailer, this may be a little more of a hassle. When your constantly on the move, day in- day out, you may just not detach as often.You'll have to be much more aware of where and how you can pull in and out wherever you go.
Van: You can park anywhere and never have to plan where you'll fit! Vanlife does allow a different sort of freedom. You can pull in and out wherever you go, you won't have to worry about fitting in most spots. Unless you have a really big van!
Easy to Go Off-road + Boondock
If you're looking to camp on the road less traveled, you may want to consider your choices for off-roading capability. My favorite thing is to go off road and boondock away from everyone else! Did you know most vans aren't even AWD (All Wheel Drive)? Much less 4WD. There are some vans that are custom built with all new transmissions and lifted for more ground clearance, and they are really cool! There's so much out there to buy if you have the money for it!
After tons of SUV research, the 4WD GX470 was the choice for me. Since they are Toyota, they are built well and these guys can tow 5000 lbs. My camper is only 2900 lbs max total weight. My GX470 also has air bag suspension in rear, so I can use it to my advantage while connecting/ disconnecting my camper. This also enables me to lift the air bags to high if I'm in rocky terrain and don't want to hit my hitch or tongue of the camper. Which hasn't happened yet! I also have decent ground clearance under my GX470 and she's never scraped anything.
When choosing a camper, there are vastly differing models and packages depending on the company. My Nucamp TAB320 is a Boondock package. This means I have a pitched axle, lifted suspension, and off-road tires. Man does this thing have clearance! The only issue I've had taking it off road (I've done it a lot!) is things falling off of hooks inside! Although I did spend more money by purchasing a Nucamp, so far, so good! I highly recommend the TAB320. If you have the money and tow capacity, the TAB400 is comparatively much roomier.
Save Money Buying a Camper + Tow Vehicle
Here's the thing. My camper was $25,000. Yes, that is still a lot of money. However, she is very well built and there's basically a cult following for Nucamp for tons of reasons. The woodwork is beautiful, great technology, and Alde heating. Also, have you seen her? So cute! I purchased my Lexus GX470 for $13,000. She is 20 years old now and beautiful, reliable, 4WD, and tough as nails. The beast just hit 200,000 miles too. These monsters have the same engine of the million mile Toyota Tundra (yes, that's a real thing). The only thing she needs me to spend money on is a little lift and beefy tires.
So now let's add 25 + 13, that's 38. I have a great truck and an entire home for less than $40,000. Don't get me wrong, it's still a significant amount of money. Keep reading below under "Everything is Built and Ready to Go" to see how my camper is truly a tiny home. Now let's talk vans.
Have you looked at ads for converted vans? Here's the things you need to look for: high quality conversion, air conditioner (we have dogs- they'll need it!), and 4WD/AWD. Please go google for a bit and let me know what you'll find for $40,000. Since your van would be a home and vehicle in one, you can have that total amount to spend. Now how about $50,000 or $60,000? Maybe you'll find a small, self converted, old van. No air conditioning, one window, and a bookshelf that's stapled to the wall. Good luck finding any converted van or truck etc for under $80,000. They hardly exist. Now, the game changes if you can find a decent AWD van and do the conversion yourself. You will save yourself tens of thousands.
Everything is Built + Ready to Go
Here's another great thing about a travel trailer. They (usually) have everything already installed. Such as: Air Conditioning, plumbing, water heater, electricity, and maybe even a solar panel. Now some trailers you will have to request extras as an option. Or maybe you'd like a solar port added to the outside of your camper so that you can add your own panel while the suns out, great! But most of these things are included in the price tag. I have a stove, fridge, kitchen sink, toilet, shower (it's tiny but it works!), Bluetooth stereo, outdoor shower, propane for heat, 30-amp electricity, roof fan with thermostat, amazing black out shades, large fresh and gray water tanks with an easy system to run off of fresh tank or city water. A one-year warranty since it was still new when I bought it. The list goes on.
Everything is done, you don't need to add much. I did install a lithium battery and had the dealership move it inside my camper instead of my tongue tub. However, depending on the cost of a trailer and the company, there will be differences. My teardrop is more expensive because it has all these things in a tiny camper, and they are extremely well built. Once you research the size and price of campers you're comfortable with, you'll also find there are different packages with varying items that will come standard, or not.
Vans can be anything and everything in between. Since we're mostly talking van conversions, you will get whatever that person or company decided to do with that van. Don't get me wrong, so many are absolutely amazing and beautiful. But they are also very expensive. If you had all the things I just listed in a high-quality build/van, that's where you will hit that very high price. Even if you're not worried about price as much, it will take some time to make sure you find the build you want or find a company that has the time to build out your van. If you can afford a build out, awesome! Or, a Class B has everything already included for a hefty cost.
Something Breaks + a Repair is Needed for Your Home or Tow Vehicle
There’s another upside to towing instead of owning a van. If something goes wrong in your camper, you’ll still have your vehicle to get you places. Even if that means going into town to get the part you need! Or worst case, you also will have a vehicle if you need to get a hotel room. If your vehicle needs repairs or work, you’ll still have your own bed to sleep in! This is why I highly recommend doing research to find well reviewed, loved, tried and true, used SUV or truck. If you buy newer, that you also purchase a warranty. My friends bought a new truck (won’t say the company) to tow their camper. The transmission went out in less than 30,000 miles! However, they did have the warranty for 100,000 miles. Although they loved the truck for the newness and fun tech aspects, it wasn’t built well. The company dealership took months to replace the transmission and it was a terrible experience for them.
Not that it is a hard and fast rule, but vans also seem to break down quite often. Since a van is your vehicle and home, you may be in quite a bind if there are major repairs to be done.
I am the last person to catastrophize, but I do believe this is something to consider!
