All our publications by Descending Order, Since the origin of VanLife.
Camper Rental: 5 Reasons To Try Vanlife Before Taking The Leap! (How To Rent)
Dreaming about Van Life? We were too! After making the transition from home owners to living full time in a van (2 years and still loving it), we highly recommend to rent a camper van before taking the leap. Here are 5 reasons why.
Simarine Pico Battery Monitor: Installation, Setup and Review for Van/RV/Boat
The Simarine Pico can monitor multiple battery banks, current of multiple consumers, tanks, temperatures, inclinometer and barometer. It’s an cutting edge product with an impressive smartphone-like, high-quality feel. It’s definitely a sweeeeeet upgrade for your van conversion. Here is everything to know about the Simarine Pico System Monitor!
Bike Repair Stand (Park Tool) for Adventure Van
Installation and review of the Park Tool bike repair stand in our van. Serious riding means serious bike maintenance!
Off-Grid Fridge for Vanlife: Understanding Technologies and Making the Right Choice
Having a fridge in your van is a no-brainer, but a few questions remain: Chest-style (cooler) or upright (front-loading)? 12V or propane? What size? Grab a (cold) drink and read on!
Vanlife Insulation Guide: Make an Educated Decision
Couple of engineers build their van for full-time vanlife and take over the insulation debate: check out their recommendations and real-life observations!
Tales From The Road: March 2019
March 2019 Vanlife Tales from the Road: Rogers Pass, The Icefields Highway, Jasper, Terrace and Alaska (kind of).
How to Register and Insure your DIY Van Conversion in British Columbia
Need help figuring how to register and insure you DIY campervan conversion in British Columbia? Moving to British Columbia? We’ve been there! Here is what we learned in the process.
SensorPush Review: Monitor Your Van (or RV) Temperature and Humidity Remotely
SensorPush wireless bluetooth sensors allow to remotely monitor the temperature and humidity of multiple zones of your van/rv via your iPhone or Android SmartPhone. Pair the SensorPush sensors with the optional WiFi Gateway to unleash their full potential and access them from anywhere in the world, away from your van/rv! That’s a powerful solution to keep your pet safe, monitor your refrigerator temperature or to be alerted if the interior of your van/rv is about to freeze.
Trash Cans for Camper Van and RV: Small and Space Saving Trash Cans Under 3 Gallons
Vanlife and RV life is all about space efficiency! Here is a list of small trash cans along with their dimensions. Hope it helps you find the perfect match!
Tales From The Road: Winter 2019 Half-Time
Our Vanlife tales: SO-CAL, Bellingham, Mt Baker, Squamish, Duffey Lake.
DIY Window Installation for Van Conversion
Adding aftermarket window(s) to a Transit, Sprinter or ProMaster van conversion has many benefits and is totally doable by the average DIYer. Let’s see how!
Swivel Seats for Van Reviewed | Side-By-Side Comparison
This is a real-world, unbiased review of four different Swivel Seat adapters (Scopema, Swisstech, SwivelsRus, DiscountVanTruck) for the Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter or Dodge ProMaster. Find which one we like the most and stays in the van with us!
10 Neat Storage Ideas For DIY Van Conversion
When living in a van, the key to sanity is organization! In this article, we share 10 storage ideas for DIY van conversion. We hope that helps!
Mountain Biker’s Guide to Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton
The Sea-To-Sky corridor (Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton) is a dream come true. After five months spent here, here are the trails we still daydream about.
Sterling Power BB1260 Battery to Battery (B2B) Charger – Review
This is a real-world, unbiased review of the Sterling Power BB1260 Battery to Battery (B2B) charger. We’re not sponsored by Sterling Power and we paid the product in full. We hope that helps!
Tales from the Road: November 2018
Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park, Mammoth Lakes and So Cal. Trying to make the most out of what’s left of summer!
Tales from the Road: August and September 2018
Visit from family and friends. Trying to put back “Ride” in “FarOutRide”. B-C, Washington, Oregon.
Tales from the Road: October 2018
Visit from family and friends. Trying to put back “Ride” in “FarOutRide”. B-C, Washington, Oregon.
Webasto VS Propex | Real World Van Heater Comparison
Can’t decide between Webasto Air Top 2000 or Propex HS2000 heater to keep you warm in your van? We installed both; we can help you choose the best option!
Eccotemp L5 Tankless Water Heater – Review
This is a real-world, unbiased review of the Eccotemp L5 Portable Tankless Water Heater. We’re not sponsored by Eccotemp and we paid the product in full.
Assurance voyage médicale
Parlons d’assurance voyage médicale! Québécois et Canadiens voyageant à l’étranger, ça vous concerne: durée maximale du voyage, exceptions, sports dangereux, paperasse, etc.
Travel Medical Insurance
We learned the hard way that accidents happen, like it or not. Travel medical insurance needs to be discussed; Canadians traveling abroad, read this first!
Tenth and Eleventh Month on the Road: Tales from the Road
Tenth and eleventh month on the road. Moar bike for Isabelle, shoulder injury for Antoine…
Internet on the road – A vanlife guide on how to stay connected
Staying connected to Internet on the road is kind of a big deal for us, since we’re working from the van. Here is how we make it happens!
How to find water for free – A vanlife guide
Looking for some vanlife tips on how to find water for free? We can help. Follow these simple steps and never run out of water again!
Pressurized Water System (2017)
We hesitated to install a draft beer system in our DIY campervan conversion, but we finally installed a pressurized water system instead. This is the Water System Installation of our DIY campervan conversion. Materials, tools, cost and installation. Fully illustrated for your viewing pleasure!
Victron Smart Solar MPPT Charge Controller and Battery Monitor – Review
This is a real-world, unbiased review of the Victron SmartSolar MPPT Charge Controller, BMV-712 Battery Monitor and VictronConnect app. We’re not sponsored by Victron and we paid the product in full. We hope that helps!
Ford Transit WeatherTech Mud Flaps – Review
Mud Flaps protect the fenders and exterior of the van from rocks, mud, road grime and other debris. We went on a mission to find the best mud flaps for our Ford Transit and we finally got the WeatherTech Mud Flaps for front (#11051) and rear (#120051).
Eighth and Ninth Month on the Road: Tales from the Road
Eighth and Ninth month on the road. We just can’t leave Squamish! Have we found the promised land?
DIY camper van cost just $18K to build
Check out Curbed.com article about us!
Wedgewood (Atwood) Vision range – Review
This is a real-world, unbiased review of the Wedgewood (Atwood) Vision range. We’re not sponsored by Atwood and we paid the product in full.
Winter Vanlife Guide
Living full-time in a van in winter is more challenging than summer. It’s not a glamorous life but it is extremely rewarding if, like us, chasing epic skiing / snowboarding conditions is what you’re after! With proper planning it can be a magical thing… Go get it!
Seventh Month on the Road: Tales from the Road
Seventh month on the road! This month we’re still enjoying the snow in Red, Kootenay Pass and Whitewater, but there is a twist… Thanks for reading!
Prevent a Leaking Roof
Here’s the situation: there are a bunch of threaded holes on top of the Transit roof and, over time, the paint covering these threaded holes might crack resulting in leaking roof. Don’t panic! There is a quick and easy fix. Keep reading for more…
Sixth Month on the Road: Lessons Learned, Van Report, Tales from the Road
Sixth month on the road! This month we travel across Washington state, Montana and we’re back to the metric system in beautiful British Columbia. We hope you like cold and snow! Thanks for reading!
Sirocco II Elite Fan Review: Gimbal-Mounted (360° Airflow) Wall Fan for Vanlife
This is a real-world, unbiased review of the Sirocco Elite II Fan. The 3-axis gimbal design allows for 360 degrees airflow and the fan is sooooo quiet. Awesome!
Ford Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Most people know the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) as being a false dash warning light that has to be dismissed continuously… But did you know it’s mandatory in the USA on all passenger vehicles since 2008 (hence no option to turn it off)? Let’s see how to make it work as it should and how to monitor the tire pressure in real time via a smartphone!
Fifth Month on the Road: Lessons Learned, Van Report, Tales from the Road
Let’s take a step back and discuss the lessons learned living in the van, what we nailed/missed in our van conversion and some tales from the road.
Husky Floor Mat – Review
This is a are real-world, unbiased reviews of the Husky Floor Mat for Ford Transit. We’re not sponsored by Husky and we paid the product in full.
Fourth Month on the Road: Lessons Learned, Van Report, Tales from the Road
Let’s take a step back and discuss the lessons learned living in the van, what we nailed/missed in our van conversion and some tales from the road.
Nature’s Head Composting Toilet Review
This is a are real-world, unbiased review of the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet. We’re not sponsored by Nature’s Head and we paid the product in full.
Propane Tank Level Wireless Monitor – Review
This is a are real-world, unbiased review of the Mopeka Propane Tank Level Wireless Monitor. We’re not sponsored by Mopeka and we paid the product in full.
Thule/Konig XG-12 Pro Snow Chains – Review
This is a are real-world, unbiased reviews of the Thule / Konig XG-12 Pro snow chains. We’re not sponsored by Thule / Konig and we paid the product in full.
Propex HS2000 Heater Installation
Propex HS2000 heater installation in our DIY campervan conversion. Fully detailed step-by-step instructions and illustrated for your viewing pleasure! Enjoy!
Mr. Heater BOSS Portable Hot Shower System – Review
This is a are real-world, unbiased reviews of the Mr. Heater BOSS-XCW20. We’re not sponsored by Mr. Heater and we paid the product in full.
Third Month on the Road: Lessons Learned, Van Report, Tales from the Road & Favorite Trails
Let’s take a step back and discuss the lessons learned living in the van, what we nailed/missed in our van conversion and some tales from the road.
MaxTrax Recovery Boards – Review
This is a real-world, unbiased review of the MaxTrax MKII Recovery Boards. We’re not sponsored by MaxTrax and we paid the product in full.
Mountain Biker’s Guide to Moab: Our Top Trails, Free Campsites and Swimming Hole
Moab has a lot to offer. Don’t have time to ride them all? No worries, we’ve got you covered! Here is our Top Trails, Free Campsites and Swimming Hole.
Second Month on the Road: Lessons Learned, Van Report and Tales from the Road.
Let’s take a step back and discuss the lessons learned living in the van, what we nailed/missed in our van conversion and some tales from the road.
Webasto Air Top 2000 – How To Install a New Burner Following Carbon Buildup
Webasto heaters are prone to carbon buildup if some parameters are not right. Here is how we installed a new burner insert following our carbon buildup issues. We also go through the root causes of carbon buildup and how to prevent it.
Campervan Must-Have Gear
An empty van is not a home! Here is a collection of campervan gear we researched and tested on the road full-time since August 2017. Check it out!
Garage
There is no such thing as unused space! Organisation & functionality is the key here! In this article, we go through every details of our garage layout.
On Board Mountain Bike Tire Inflator
Seriously, who wants to inflate mountain bike tire with a floor pump? It’s DANGEROUS and OLD-SKOOL. Let’s make things right and install an on board tire inflator. We’ll be using the air compressor from our Air-Lift suspension system. Check it out!
Floor Vent
Ventilation is crucial to control temperature, moisture level and odors from cooking. But without any AIR INTAKE, the roof fan won’t be able to do its job! Here is our take on that topic.
Check out MightyGoods.com article about us!
We discuss about breaking the work-eat-sleep cycle, live with your better half in a van and bacon-brownies.
Insulated Window Covers for Camper Van Conversion
While curtains work for houses, we think insulated window covers are better for campervans. They are lightproof (for shade & privacy) and insulated (to keep us cool in summer, warm in winter). We’re obsessed with functionality and with the rare earth magnets all around the edges, they just “snap” to the van metal window contour. Easy breazy!
First Month on the Road: Lessons Learned, Van Report and Tales from the Road.
Let’s take a step back and discuss the lessons learned living in the van, what we nailed/missed in our van conversion and some tales from the road.
Exterior Shower for Camper Van Conversion
We LOVE riding our mountain bikes. It can only means two things: 1-We drink a lot of craft beer
2-We take a lot of showers. Let’s focus on item #2 in here. This is our exterior shower setup.
Speakers Upgrade
After upgrading to an Android Radio Unit, the next smart move was to upgrade to JBL GT7-6C speakers system. Here is the full installation write-up!
Today is Day 1
We’re finally here. Today, we leave everything behind. Today, we just drive.
about us
Nice To Meet You.
Hello! We’re Isabelle and Antoine 
In 2017 we sold our house (and everything in it), quit our engineering careers and moved into our self built campervan. We’ve been on the road since then and every day is an opportunity for a new adventure; we’re chasing our dreams and hopefully it inspires others to do the same!