Don’t Do It Alone. Build Your Van With Expert Help.
Transform your van into the perfect adventure home with the help of our experienced builders and curated resources. From planning to the final build, we’re here to make your van conversion journey smooth, affordable, and inspiring.
Customer Reviews
Google rating score: 5.0 Stars, based on 165+ reviews
Greg McCanless
I’m happy to give a shout out to VanLife Outfitters. These folks are an incredible example of how a company should conduct business. Although I’m building a truck camper, I have bought several things from VanLife outfitters and their customer service is bar none . I would never hesitate recommending VanLife outfitters to anyone whether they are building a van camper or boat. And I might add even a tiny home. Everyone that I’ve talked to have been nothing but incredible. In particular, Jason in technical support was an incredible blessing to me. I had a problem with the Aqua Hot Gen 1 heater I bought from them. It was not the heater fault, but something I did. Jason helped bird-dog the solution and together we got it fixed. He stuck with me, did research, and called me back several times to make sure that the problem was resolved. These people know the business, many have their on rigs, which gives them the best experience. Thanks you Vanlife Outfitters!!!!
Ian Snow
This company is amazing! Quick shipping, best price possible. Customer for LIFE! Thanks Vanlife!
Becky Hartgraves
My husband and I are doing our first vanbuild. As rookies, we have found Vanlife Outfitters to be a trusted resource for ease of product shopping and purchasing, video demonstrations, guidance and excellent customer service. They were particularly a great one-stop shop when building our electrical system.
jj hua
I ordered most of the parts for my sprinter conversion from them. They have absolutely the best customer service. I had issues with my fridge installation duing the weekend and eamiled their customer service for help. Both times, they emailed me back with the instructions/help I need on Sunday. Thank you and this is absolutely my go to place.
eric zagala
Spent lotsa money here, will probably spend more. High quality products, fast shipping and tremendous support. Excellent free resources, e.g. wiring diagrams, on the website. Highly recommend.
Most Popular Products
Customer-Favorite Gear, Proven on the Road!
These are the products our customers keep coming back for - trusted by thousands of DIY builders and full-time vanlifers alike. Each one has earned its reputation through real builds, real miles, and real-world reliability.
3M Thinsulate (SM600L) Acoustic & Thermal Insulation
Maxxair Maxxfan Deluxe Smoke (7500K)
Victron Electrical System - Build Your Own Bundle
Flat-Jack Air Tire Level - 2.0
Low-E Reflective Insulation
Lagun Table Mount System
Scopema Swivel Base - Ford Transit
Promaster Undermount Grey Water Tank
Expert Guidance To Help You Get on Your Way
We’ve spent years documenting our own van builds so you don’t have to start from scratch. These guides turn lessons from the road into clear, step-by-step resources that help you plan, install, and build with confidence. We are always adding new articles and insights as we test more gear, tackle new projects, and learn from the vanlife community - so there’s always something fresh to explore.
Built by vanlifers. Written for DIY builders. Explore the guides below →
Build Your Own Electrical System
Designing a van electrical system can feel overwhelming - but it doesn’t have to. Our interactive electrical system bundle builder guides each decision, step by step, helping you choose the right components, and build a system that fits your power needs, budget, and confidence level.
Created by van-lifers. Backed by real-world experience.
How much does a complete camper van electrical system cost?
How much does a complete camper van electrical system cost?
Budget $2,000–$4,000 for a simple system. Advanced off-grid builds with a large inverter/charger, a sizeable lithium battery bank, and a secondary alternator can run $10,000–$15,000+. Your exact cost depends on how much battery power you need, whether you want solar, require a secondary alternator, and many other factors. The best place to start is to think about how you will use your van, perform a load calculation, and go from there.
Is a 24V or 48V system more powerful than a 12V system?
Is a 24V or 48V system more powerful than a 12V system?
We recommend 12V systems for most simple camper van electrical systems. If you're interested in smaller cables and higher efficiency for extended off-grid camping with high power devices, consider 24V or 48V systems. The secondary alternator kits available for our 24V and 48V systems do have a higher power output than 12V kits, so in that way, they provide more charging capability. But, technically the battery voltage does not make your system "more powerful" - a 10Kwh battery bank has the same capability to run your appliances whether you're at 12V, 24V, or 48V!
Which size inverter/charger is right for me?
Which size inverter/charger is right for me?
By far, the most popular choice of inverter/charger in a camper van is a Victron Multiplus "3000". These units can power a coffee maker, toaster oven, water heater, and of course your phones & laptop chargers, and the "3000" units can provide enough surge power to run multiple devices at once. Simple electrical systems with only few AC loads may consider a Multiplus "2000". Large rigs desiring 50 Amp split phase power may require a Multiplus 2 x 120 VAC unit, and other large rigs with lots of AC loads should consider a Multiplus "5000".
What fuses and wire sizes do I need for my camper van electrical system?
What fuses and wire sizes do I need for my camper van electrical system?
Your fuse should always be sized to protect the wire, and your wire should be sized to safely carry the load of the devices on that circuit. Fuse sizes are also commonly recommended in each device's manual. We provide a suite of example wiring diagrams that show fuse and wire selection for many of the popular items in our electrical bundles.
Hear From Our Experts
Stories From the Road. Insights From Experience.
Our podcasts dive into what vanlife is really like - from first builds to full-time living. Each episode features real builders and experts sharing hard-earned lessons, practical advice, and inspiration for your own journey on the road.
Learn from the road. Build with confidence. Listen now →
Vanlife Roadmap Podcast: Ep. 1
From Basement Builds to Vanlife Outfitters Zach Daudert on Curiosity, Camper Vans, and Building a Community the Hard Way Vanlife rarely starts with a parts list. For Zach Daudert, it started decades earlier — with cardboard hospitals taped together in a basement, a teenage obsession with fixing and building things, and a lifelong pull toward mobility, simplicity, and making systems work better. In the inaugural episode of the Vanlife Roadmap podcast, Zach shares the winding story that led from a childhood in Colorado to building camper vans long before “vanlife” had a name — and ultimately to founding multiple companies designed to make vanlife less overwhelming and more intentional. This is not a story about chasing trends. It’s a story about learning through doing, solving real problems, and building something because it needed to exist. A Builder Before He Had the Language for It Zach grew up in Greeley, Colorado, spending much of his childhood building things and imagining adult worlds long before most kids his age. As a child, he recreated a fully mapped hospital in his parents’ basement using cardboard, masking tape, and detailed systems. There were intake forms. Recovery rooms. Even interviews with real medical professionals, recorded on cassette tapes. Looking back, the pattern is obvious. Zach wasn’t just interested in things — he was interested in how systems worked. That instinct never left. Living in a Van at 17 — Long Before It Was “Vanlife” Zach built and lived in his first camper van at just 17 years old — a 1971 Volkswagen Westfalia he rebuilt with his dad and girlfriend. It wasn’t part of a movement, and it certainly wasn’t a lifestyle trend. It was simply a way to travel, see the country, and follow the Grateful Dead. The van was basic. There was no polished interior, no optimized layout, and no online guides to follow. But it worked. It gave him freedom, mobility, and just enough shelter to stay on the road. More importantly, it taught him how much you could do with very little — and how quickly you learned what actually mattered once you started living in the space. Looking back, that first van wasn’t about building the “right” setup. It was about movement, music, and figuring things out along the way — lessons that would quietly shape how Zach approached every van he built after that. Learning by Doing (and Breaking Things) As Zach lived and traveled in vans through his early adulthood, he slowly upgraded systems: Better electrical setups Refrigeration instead of ice Plumbing scavenged from RV salvage yards Marine components repurposed for mobile living Without internet resources, he learned by dismantling old RVs and studying how they worked — physically tracing systems to understand them. This hands-on, problem-driven learning shaped a core belief that still defines Vanlife Outfitters today: The best van builds are driven by use, not just gear. Panama, Burnout, and Starting Over After years in video production and early web development while also founding a community training and resource organization for creative professionals (Boulder Digital Arts), Zach burned out. He moved to Panama, and with the help of a 5-person Panamanian crew and ex-wife, built a home from the ground up inside the crater of an extinct volcano, and spent years living there on and off — growing food, gardening, and stepping away from constant digital work. But vans remained part of his life. When he returned to the U.S. and decided to build a modern camper van from a blank cargo van for the first time, everything changed. This was 2016. There were still no clear resources. No centralized places to buy trusted parts. No clear guidance on systems design. Even basic terminology was hard to find. So Zach did what he’d always done. He figured it out — and he documented it. Why the Blog Came First Zach started a blog to share what he was learning — not because he planned to build a business, but because he knew others would run into the same problems he did. He wrote about: Electrical systems Plumbing layouts Choosing a van platform Repurposing marine and RV components The response surprised him. People weren’t just reading — they were asking questions. A lot of them. That revealed a deeper problem. The Real Pain Point Wasn’t Installation — It Was Sourcing Zach realized that one of the hardest parts of building a camper van wasn’t the physical labor — it was figuring out what to buy. Parts were scattered across vendors who didn’t understand vanlife use cases. Shipping was unreliable. Support was poor. Builders were overwhelmed by choice and conflicting advice. That insight became the foundation of Vanlife Outfitters. Not as a trend play. Not as a merch brand. [Well, he was planning to become a t-shirt mogul.] But as a curated store built by people who actually used the gear. From Blog to Business — With the Right Partner Josh Theberge was one of the early readers of Zach’s blog. He was building vans professionally during the pandemic and running into the same frustrations — just at a larger scale. [See episode 2 for Josh’s story.] Together, they launched the Vanlife Outfitters store in 2020 with a simple promise: Road-tested products only Honest guidance Real technical support A store that saves builders time, not just money Vanlife Outfitters wasn’t built to sell everything. It was built to sell the right things. Community Over Commerce As Vanlife Outfitters grew, Zach and Josh kept coming back to the same realization: the vanlife community needed more than products and online advice. It needed a place to gather that actually felt like vanlife. That idea became Peace Love & Vans. Zach explains that while vanlife events existed in other parts of the country, there was very little for the growing community on the East Coast. Rather than creating another expo or trade show, the goal was to build something different — an event centered on people, not booths. From the start, Peace Love & Vans was designed as a camping-first experience. Vans camp together in a natural setting, not a parking lot. Conversations happen more in van “neighborhoods” than at sales tables. Music, food, and shared experiences are part of the fabric of the event, creating an environment that reflects why many people are drawn to vanlife in the first place. Zach talks about how community is often what keeps people in vanlife long-term. Peace Love & Vans was built to support that — bringing together builders, DIYers, longtime vanlifers, and people just starting out, all on equal footing. The result is an event that feels less like an industry showcase and more like a gathering of people who share a common way of living. It’s a reflection of the same philosophy behind Vanlife Outfitters — build things with intention, prioritize real-world use, and put community before commerce. Lessons for Anyone Building a Van Today Zach’s advice to first-time builders is refreshingly simple: Don’t overthink it Don’t chase perfection Get started and use the van Technology will change. Products will improve. Your second build will always be better than your first. What matters most is designing for how you’ll actually live, then making sure your systems support that reality. Electrical systems, in particular, deserve more thought than aesthetics — because they quietly determine comfort, capability, and confidence on the road. Why This Story Matters Zach’s path explains why Vanlife Outfitters exists — and why it operates differently. It wasn’t built by marketers. It wasn’t built by trend followers. It was built by people who spent decades facing the same questions that today’s builders are asking. And then answering them. Want to Hear the Full Conversation? Listen to Episode 1 of Vanlife Roadmap to hear Zach’s story in his own words — including the mistakes, the laughter, and the lessons learned along the way. Follow along on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you’re planning a camper van build, exploring vanlife, or want to become a t-shirt mogul, it’s a great place to start. And if you’ve got questions about your own build, reach out. We’re always happy to help. Want to explore more? Visit the Vanlife Outfitters Store to browse gear, learn from real-world builds, and get help choosing the right setup for your own vanlife adventure.
Mike's Van Build Podcast: Ep. 8
Building for Two – Designing a Camper Van That Works for a Couple Living small takes teamwork. In Episode 8 of Mike’s Van Build Podcast, we explore what it means to design a camper van for two people — balancing comfort, personal space, and function while keeping that signature “home on wheels” feeling. This episode brings a fresh perspective on not just how a van is built, but how it’s shared. Living Together in a Tiny Space When two people travel together, every square inch matters. After years of adventures — from tiny cabins to multiple vans — Mike and Amy learned what works for them and what doesn’t. The new build emphasizes efficiency with a fold-up bed that creates instant living space, hidden benches instead of bulky furniture, and smart storage so everything tucks neatly away. It’s not about having more things — it’s about making sure everything serves a purpose and contributes to daily flow. The “Home” Feeling For them, comfort isn’t about luxury — it’s about warmth. They chose layered textures, bold colors, and soft lighting to make the van feel lived-in and personal. Multiple windows bring in sunlight, while dimmable, warm-white lights set the evening mood. Everything from the countertops to the upholstery was selected to feel cozy, not clinical. As they described it, the goal was simply to open the door and instantly feel, “We’re home.” Smart Design for Real Life A key theme in this episode is designing around how they actually live. They ditched the built-in stove for a portable propane cooktop, cook mostly outdoors under the awning, and freed up counter space for food prep. Instead of a fixed table, they added removable surfaces and multi-use benches that can switch between dining, working, and relaxing. Even the decision to skip a traditional bathroom was intentional — reclaiming that space for storage and daily living instead. Lessons for Other Vanlife Couples Their advice for anyone building a van with a partner is to decide early on what truly matters. Choose three or four “non-negotiables” — the things you can’t live without — and design around them. Everything else can flex. Designing for two isn’t about compromise; it’s about creating a rhythm that lets you travel in sync. Key Features Highlighted in Episode 8 Fold-up bed for flexible living space Dual bench seating with removable table Textured fabrics and warm colors for comfort Dimmable LED lighting throughout Portable propane stove and exterior cook setup Oversized windows for natural light Thoughtful storage solutions Ready to ride along?Check back weekly for new episodes and subscribe on YouTube or your favorite podcast app so you don’t miss what’s next. This van build — and this podcast — is just getting started. Share with a van-curious friend. And if you’ve got questions about your own build, reach out. We’re always happy to help. Want to explore more? Visit the Vanlife Outfitters Store to browse gear, learn from real-world builds, and get help choosing the right setup for your own vanlife adventure.
Mike's Van Build Podcast: Ep. 7
Outfitting the Outside – Essential Exterior Mods for Mike’s Sprinter Van Conversion When it comes to a camper van conversion, the exterior is just as important as the interior. In Episode 7 of Mike’s Van Build Podcast, we’re focusing on the exterior upgrades that transform a stock Mercedes Sprinter into a road-ready adventure van. From custom roof racks and solar panels to ladders, awnings, and off-road tires, Mike’s rig is built to handle vanlife in every season. Custom Roof Rack & Solar Power The roof is prime real estate in any Sprinter van build. Mike’s van features a Site Seven custom roof rack designed to maximize function. It holds a rooftop Mabru 12V air conditioner, a Starlink satellite dish, and two slim solar panels. This layout balances comfort and off-grid power, giving Mike reliable energy without compromising airflow or durability — a must for long trips and hot summers. Exterior Lighting for Safety & Comfort Vanlife doesn’t stop when the sun goes down. Mike’s build includes a front light bar for visibility on late-night arrivals and rear and side lights for setting up camp in the dark. Paired with softer awning lights, the system makes it easy to switch from bright utility lighting to a cozy outdoor vibe. Easy Access: Ladders & Side Steps Sprinters sit high off the ground and climbing in and out can get old fast. Mike chose powered drop-down side steps that automatically extend when the door opens — complete with LED lighting for nighttime entry. Around back, a sturdy rear access ladder provides safe roof access for loading gear or checking the solar setup. Outdoor Living with the Fiamma Awning A Fiamma awning expands the living space beyond the van walls, creating shade for cooking, relaxing, or hanging out after a ride (maybe with a little Netflix). Combined with upgraded exterior power outlets, it turns the outdoors into an extension of the home — one of the best upgrades for comfort and versatility on the road. All-Terrain Tires & Wheels No Sprinter van conversion is complete without reliable traction. Mike upgraded to all-terrain tires for durability and grip on everything from mountain passes to desert trails. It’s one of the most practical exterior modifications, making sure the van is as capable as it looks. Why Exterior Mods Matter in Vanlife These upgrades are what make the difference between a van that looks ready for travel and one that’s truly built for adventure. With a thoughtfully designed roof rack, solar system, lighting, awning, and tires, Mike’s Sprinter is equipped for road trips, festivals, off-grid camping, and everything in between. For Mike, the exterior upgrades aren’t just cosmetic. They’re the features that make the van more functional, more comfortable, and better equipped for real adventures. Key Exterior Products Featured in Episode 7 Roof-Mounted Solar Panels Rooftop Air Conditioner Starlink Satellite Dish Integration Fiamma Awning Roof Access Ladder Ready to ride along?Check back weekly for new episodes and subscribe on YouTube or your favorite podcast app so you don’t miss what’s next. This van build — and this podcast — is just getting started. Share with a van-curious friend. And if you’ve got questions about your own build, reach out. We’re always happy to help. Want to explore more? Visit the Vanlife Outfitters Store to browse gear, learn from real-world builds, and get help choosing the right setup for your own vanlife adventure.
