From Miami Status to Boondock 3.0
Josh on Vanlife Tradeoffs, Building for Real Use, and Redefining Success
Josh joined this episode from inside his van, parked “down by the ocean,” in a build he calls “The Boondock 3.0.” It’s the third iteration of his first van concept, refined over years of real use and a lot of learning the hard way.
Josh is also one of the founders of Vanlife Outfitters, and his story is a good reminder that vanlife rarely starts with a perfect plan. It usually starts with a pull toward a different kind of life, then a series of decisions and tradeoffs that get clearer once you’re actually living them.
From “Miami starter kit” to a different definition of success
Josh was born in Boston, moved to Orlando for college, and later took an unexpected turn into construction and real estate. After the 2008 crash, he and a group of friends started buying and fixing properties in South Florida, eventually buying around 130 properties and managing a large portfolio through a property management company.
When that chapter ended around 2015, Josh describes a period where he went “a little overboard” with the lifestyle side of “success” – waterfront condo, sports car, watches, expensive dinners, the whole “Miami guy starter kit” as he called it.
What changed wasn’t a single dramatic moment. It was noticing how empty the conversations felt, then realizing how alive he felt outdoors.
A pivotal trip was ten days in North Carolina learning to whitewater kayak, spending long cold days in the water and sleeping in a barebones shack. It should have felt like deprivation compared to his Miami condo, but it didn’t. He came home thinking, “This is the type of stuff I want to be doing all the time.”
That trip kicked off a process of simplification. He looked at cabins, then tiny homes, then something smaller and more mobile – eventually finding vanlife (back when resources were scarce). He then sold “everything” to fully reset his life.
Building the first van when almost nobody was doing it
Josh didn’t know anyone with a van when he started. He also didn’t pretend a house background meant he knew how to build a van. He calls out a key difference that matters for DIY builders – houses are built in “inches,” while vans are “multiple millimeters,” and a lot of van systems feel closer to marine work than residential construction.
One key way he learned was through an early vanlife blog he found – Vanlife Outfitters – and through the person behind it, Zach. Josh says Zach became a mentor during the build, feeding him product and system guidance while they stayed in touch remotely.
When Josh looks back on that first build, the thing he’s most proud of is simply finishing it – a huge accomplishment.
The hardest part for most DIY builders
When Josh talks about the difficulties of first builds, he doesn’t hesitate to say that the hardest and most error-prone area is the electrical system.
On his first build, he found a marine electrician in South Florida and essentially assisted for three days while they installed and programmed the system. Josh had previously done some wiring work himself, but he wanted experienced help for the final integration and setup.
He adds a practical approach for people who don’t yet know what their lifestyle will demand.
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Start with a baseline system.
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Leave room and budget to expand, like adding batteries later or adding a second alternator if needed.
His point is simple. Many first-time builders guess wrong because living in a van changes how you use power, and you learn your true patterns after you’re on the road.
Two space decisions Josh considers game-changing
1) Shower strategy that matches real use
Showers are one of the most debated van decisions, and Josh’s view comes from living it for years. In his first two vans, he used an outdoor shower and gym showers, but he says there was still “25% of the time” when it became annoying or impractical – no nearby gym, too cold outside, or too hard to find privacy in a city.
At the same time, he didn’t want a fixed indoor shower taking up space and breaking the “open” feeling of the van. His current solution is a setup that gives indoor shower capability without committing permanent space the way a traditional fixed shower would (Link: Josh’s shower setup).
He also mentions a creative use of dead space behind the shower – using an electric pop-up mechanism to raise and lower an appliance cabinet, keeping appliances off the countertop.
2) The bulkhead between cockpit and cabin
If there’s one design element Josh would “never skip” now, it’s a dedicated bulkhead wall separating the cockpit from the cabin, with a pass-through door.
He knows it’s controversial because many people want swivel seats and an open front-to-back space. But his argument is that a wall is fundamentally different from a curtain for sound, light, and temperature control. He believes most heat and cold intrusion comes through the windshield and front windows, and the bulkhead eliminates “probably 90%” of that.
He also frames it as a lifestyle upgrade. The bulkhead can create two distinct living zones, which matters if you’re working remotely or sharing the space with a partner.
How Josh uses vanlife now
Josh stopped full-time van life in 2020 and now uses his van part-time, often as a base camp for backpacking trips with his girlfriend. He’ll park at a trailhead, backpack for several days, then return to the van and move to the next spot.
A major enabler is reliable internet. Josh is using Starlink during the interview and calls it one of the biggest game changers in vanlife in recent years because it can support remote work even where there’s no cell signal.
He typically travels in month-long blocks, leaving the van at friends’ houses or storage lots, then returning to his home base in Miami before heading out again.
How Vanlife Outfitters became a store
Josh’s relationship with Zach started long before the company did. Josh found Zach’s early blog while researching his first build, and they stayed in touch for years.
During the pandemic, Josh was involved in a van-building operation with a friend who ran a production company. When festivals and events were canceled, they pivoted to building vans to keep a team of tradespeople employed. Over about 18 months, they built around 11 or 12 vans, with Josh supervising and training the tradesmen.
That’s also when Zach asked a practical question. Zach was receiving a lot of emails asking what products to use, and he saw that Josh had business experience, a warehouse environment, and a team. Zach asked if Josh would want to turn the blog into a store.
Josh agreed, and they built it together with a clear split.
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Zach built the store online while he was in Panama (see his episode for that story).
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Josh handled in-person operations around inventory and fulfillment, initially using a corner of the van-building warehouse.
In a detail that still surprises people, they didn’t meet in person for a few years, not until the business had outgrown the corner setup and moved into a second warehouse.
When asked what he’s most proud of, Josh points to the team, the number of vanlifers they’ve helped, and the company’s reputation for customer service and technical support.
Peace Love & Vans and why community matters
Josh and Zach also co-founded a vanlife festival – Peace Love & Vans – in part because many events were being canceled during the pandemic and Florida was one of the few places where large events were still possible.
They wanted something more community-driven than a typical trade show. Josh contrasts expo-heavy events with what they aimed to build – a “utopian van village” where vanlifers and “van-curious” can immerse themselves in the community, see floor plans, meet builders, discover products, and simply hang out with others living a similar lifestyle.
He also doubles down on a practical recommendation: If you’re van-curious, then you should rent a van and take it to a festival. It compresses learning into a weekend because you can talk to hundreds of vanlifers, see many layouts, and get real feedback on decisions before committing to a build.
Vanlife has changed and Josh’s three “new wave” groups
Josh started vanlife when it felt like a fringe idea. He says the pandemic pushed it into the mainstream, and he sees growth coming from three distinct groups today.
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People in their 20s who want an alternative to high rent and a traditional path.
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People in their 30s and 40s whose work is now truly remote, especially enabled by reliable internet like Starlink.
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People 50+ who want freedom and flexibility without the constraints of RV reservations and campground planning, opting into off-grid vans as a different kind of travel.
The thread that ties it together is “freedom and flexibility.”
Quick takeaways for DIY builders from Josh
If you only remember a few things from this conversation, these are the ones Josh kept returning to.
Electrical first, and plan for change
DIY builders get the electrical system wrong most often, and it can be the most expensive mistake. Start with a load calculation, build for today, and leave room to expand once you learn how you actually travel.
Use the resources and ask for help
Josh didn’t have a roadmap when he started, but now builders do. His advice is to use the content that’s already available, and learn directly from people who have built and lived in their vans.
Design for the “dirty stuff” you take for granted in a house
A surprising mistake he sees is skipping the unglamorous storage needs. Trash, laundry, shoes, backpacks. Without dedicated places, mess and friction take over the space fast.
Summary thoughts from Josh on building for real use
If there’s a theme that runs through Josh’s story, it’s that the best van decisions don’t come from chasing an ideal build. They come from paying attention to real use, then having the humility to adjust. That’s what “Boondock 3.0” represents – a build shaped by miles, weather, work, and the everyday friction points you only notice once the van is your home base.
If you’re early in your own process, the goal isn’t to get every detail right on day one. It’s to build a solid foundation, leave room to evolve, and learn from people who have already lived the tradeoffs. If you want to hear the full conversation with Josh, check out Episode 02 of Vanlife Roadmap – and if you’re stuck on a decision, reach out to our team at support@vanlifeoutfitters.com.
