Van Life Essentials: Tools You Need to Thrive on the Road
If you follow travel influencers on social media, you’ve probably seen singles and couples who share their experiences living in a converted van or motor vehicle. It looks romantic, but how do they do it, and what are the challenges?
The appeal of the van lifestyle is to save money, live minimally, and experience freedom and mobility. The nomadic lifestyle saw a boom due to the pandemic and the increased speed of Internet connections. The rise in the cost of living, the lack of affordable housing, and the appeal of the Swedish aesthetic of hygge, or coziness, are other factors. But there are also challenges, such as space constraints, hygiene and sanitation, safety on the open road, and mechanical issues with the vehicle. And that’s not even accounting for the cost of acquiring or converting your vehicle. Queer road couple Gene and Shay estimate their school bus conversion took nine months to build out, cost $40,000, and “many splinters and tantrums”.
Want to thrive on the road? Most people forget at least one of the many essentials it takes to make the nomadic lifestyle a dream and not a nightmare. One internet expert looks at the tools you may need to do it right.
“Van life is one of the major living trends that has shot up over the past years,” says Sean Carroll, a broadband expert. “But one of the necessities of the nomadic life, and one of the key things that allows people to enjoy it, is a good internet connection.”
Carroll, a tech expert from Spacelink Installations, has considered five of the main tools those looking to live that van life need to ensure that they have at the ready. They are as follows:
1. Reliable Internet Connectivity:
Portable and reliable internet devices are vital for van life. Most people living on the road work nomadically, as well, meaning they need internet technology that can provide strong coverage in remote areas, with satellite internet like Starlink providing the most reliable coverage.
2. Backup Power Solutions:
Living entirely out of your van can drain its battery fast, and as such, having some means of backup power for your technological devices, whether it’s a chargeable generator or a solar power system, can help.
3. A Compact Kitchen Setup:
Healthy living out of a van demands that you’re able to prepare meals effectively. Tools like a propane or induction stove, collapsible cookware, and a portable fridge for perishables are crucial.
4. Hygiene: Portable Shower, Toilet, Bedding:
Most vans don’t include necessary plumbing, making composite and cassette toilets, as well as solar-powered showers, essential for daily living. A popular solution among van fans is to take out a gym membership with a national chain, but this is not a complete solution should you have an emergency or illness while on the road. So make sure you know where your water is coming from and where your waste will go. Proper bedding that won’t have you limping to the chiropractor after weeks or months on the road can also be a challenge and, if not properly addressed, could lead to other health issues.
5. Navigation and Safety Tools:
Ensuring your safety on the road is key, which includes installing a GPS system and keeping an emergency kit with first aid supplies, a multi-tool kit, and a portable jump-starter.
“The question of how to use tech to approach the connectivity problem in remote areas has been a concern for a while now,” says Carroll. “But recently, satellite-powered internet connections, like the Starlink technology used by Space Link, has helped solve this challenge.”
According to a Statista report published in RV Pro, 3.1 million people lived the “van life” lifestyle in 2022, an increase of 63% from the start of the year. Amongst these people, only 9% are unemployed, indicating the need for fast internet speeds as a means to stay connected to their work.
To see how one queer couple did it, follow Shay Edwards and Gene Murphy on Instagram. Self-described as “two g@ys” living in a 90 square foot bus with their cats, the duo share tips, tricks, romance, and some drama from their life on the road.
