For a wide and growing variety of people, home is where the van is

By Malena Larsen

From the Grande Diligence coach of the late 1800s to the iconic Volkswagen hippie vans of the 1960s to the decked-out Sprinter vans of today, the concept of van life has taken on various forms throughout the years. With social media, van options and the remote work boom, more and more Coloradans are inspired to dip their toes into this type of nomadic living.

Summer destinations
Recommendation from Rachel Osgood:
“I spend a lot of camping time up in Poudre Canyon. There are many dispersed sites and miles of beautiful country.”
Recommendations from DM Vans:
• San Juans (Telluride, Ouray, Million Dollar Highway)
• Buena Vista, Twin Lakes, Leadville
• Red Sandstone, Vail
• Independence Pass, Aspen
• 18 Road, Fruita
• Heart Lake, Dotsero
• Buffalo Pass, Steamboat Springs

According to Brian Crider, owner and founder of Boulder Campervans, Colorado is a campervan mecca. As someone who grew up on the East Coast working at an automotive shop in the era of subwoofers and “Pimp My Ride,” Crider has always had a passion for turning factory vehicles into something creative and original.

“I wanted to start a business in Boulder that incorporated my love for vehicles and the outdoors,” Crider says. “And Sprinter vans are the hot rods for the people of Colorado.”

Boulder Campervans offers van maintenance, custom campervan creation and has a collection of built-out campervans for sale. Their vans range anywhere from $135,000 to over $400,000.

Since 2020, there has been an increase in the popularity of these Colorado “hot rods.”

“We saw a massive uptick in people buying and renting vans from 2020 to 2022,” says Brian Bauman, head of sales and marketing at DM Vans shares.

DM Vans is a certified RV manufacturer based in Rifle, founded by Dave Ramsay and Matt Felser. Their mission is to make van life accessible for everyone by providing financing options and competitive pricing.

“If you look across the industry, it’s not hard to get a van that’s over $200,000,” Bauman explains.

Their van prices range from around $115,000 to $133,000.

“We’re seeing a duality in van life,” says Bauman. “It’s a getaway vehicle but it’s also a vehicle people drive to work. With these vans, on a random Thursday, you can go camp and then be back at the office Friday morning.”

Campervans are the ultimate multitaskers—perfect for weekend camping trips or acting as a full-time home. Their versatility comes with a wide-ranging demographic. According to Bauman, their customers are equally split in thirds between millennials, Generation X and boomers.

“Everyone just wants different things out of it,” explains Bauman. “Maybe millennials can’t afford to own a home yet and Gen X and boomers are looking for an easy way to get away.”

For remote digital marketer Anthony Prichard, living in his van full time gives him freedom and flexibility.

“My favorite part of van life is the stealth mode part of my van,” he says. “When I park, I put up my black window blinders and it turns all of my windows into limousine glass so nobody can look in. I love hiding in plain sight. People just ignore a white van and I’m living in a luxury micro apartment.”

Prichard’s luxury micro apartment is a 2013 Mercedes Benz Sprinter van with 111,000 miles that he purchased from van builder Adventure Campervans. His van is outfitted with a king-size bed, cedar interior paneling, LED puck lights, electrical outlets, a full-size hot water shower, stove and oven. It’s also equipped with a 40-gallon fresh water tank, diesel fuel heater, Starlink internet, 640-watt solar panel, a 200-amp hour battery and a DC-to-DC charger.

“If you really want to live off the grid — and not always at a campsite with a generator — your battery system is the most important,” Crider explains. “Having a solar battery system that charges whenever you’re driving will allow you to be self-sufficient. I was just out in Moab. I didn’t need to be hooked up to anything.”

According to Crider, along with a reliable battery system, it’s also crucial to have substantial water storage in your campervan (20 gallons or more).

“(DM Vans) have everything you need and nothing you don’t,” Bauman says. “They have a stove, refrigerator, solar power—you can 100 percent live in these vans. And we do— about half of our employees live in our vans.”

But even if a van is equipped with all the bells and whistles, hiccups can still happen and you’ll need to be able to think on your feet.

“Over New Years my girlfriend and I visited Steamboat and the temperature got down to -12 degrees fahrenheit,” Prichard reflects. “We woke up to a frozen fuel filter. All of the auto repair shops in town were booked out for two weeks.”

To remedy the problem, Prichard used four hand warmers and a pocket-sized hair dryer on the fuel filter. He got a jump from a friend and used a dryer vent hose to redirect the heat to the water pump.

“We were able to start the engine just as the house battery ran out of juice,” he says.

It’s not all hand warmers and hairdryers when it comes to van life. Prichard’s van has also served as a cozy refuge from the weather.

“One of my first (van life) experiences was taking my van to Elsewhence,” he says. “This is a regional Burning Man event that’s up in Bailey. The temperatures were pretty cold this year and my van provided a perfect retreat from the festivities going on outside.”

After this cozy weekend spent with his girlfriend, Prichard knew that he made the right choice in selling his home and living in his van full time.

However, you don’t need to sell your home and live in a van to reap the benefits of a campervan. For Rachel Osgood, her 2007 Ford Econoline E-250 doesn’t act as a home, but as an economical way to travel and easily find peace and solitude. Osgood is retired, leaving her with time to work on her van, travel and spend time with family.

In order to save money, she built out her campervan on her own. In total she spent between $10,000 and $11,000. This cost included the cost of the van, insulation, framing and electrical.

“Most of the vans I have seen have high-end build materials and features. I needed to do my build on a very tight budget. I sourced materials from many different places. Amazon loves me for all my purchases,” Osgood says.

No matter if you’re in your van full time or part time, the truth remains: everybody poops.

“In a van like mine you have to be innovative,” Osgood describes. “I have a bucket potty lined with a trash bag and an absorbent lining. These can be disposed of in most dumpsters.”

Along with using the bathroom, hygiene can be a hurdle when it comes to van life. Because Prichard’s van is equipped with a hot shower, he can easily clean up while out on the road. For those who don’t have a shower in their van, he recommends utilizing a gym shower.

When it comes to cooking, Prichard doesn’t need to leave the comfort of his vehicle. Using his in-van stove and oven, he opts for healthy and easy meals by only buying what he needs for the week.

On the other hand, Osgood relies on a foldable table and a tote filled with cooking essentials. Her van is also equipped with an electric cooler, completing her minimalist kitchen setup.

Just as van life looks different from decade to decade, it looks different from person to person. Maybe your van is your home and you enjoy cooking hot meals on your built-in stove. Or maybe you’re a “DIY” weekend warrior who chops vegetables on your portable table. Nomadic living thrives in many forms in Colorado’s outdoor-centric culture. From the manufacturers creating custom vans to the people driving them, campervans are a canvas for folks to paint their own version of freedom and adventure.

Malena Larsen is a writer and Minnesota-to-Colorado transplant. Her favorite subjects to write about are craft beer, outdoor adventures, and any topic where she gets to learn something new. In her free time, she enjoys trail running, taking photos of mountain goats, and checking out breweries with her pals.

This story is in our March-April print issue. Click here to read the full magazine.