Sebastian Santabarbara

Article / Updated 10-26-2023

Listen to the article:Download audio If you're planning to convert a vehicle for your van life adventure, you'll need to put together a cooking area, complete with a stove, cookware, and other supplies. What do you need for van life cooking? One of the most important decisions you’ll need to make is which type of stovetop (or burner) you’d like to use. Stovetops come in many different styles, types, and shapes. Here are three main types that I have used over my van life journey: Single-burner portable stove with gas cartridge: For many people who just take their campers out on weekends or on short trips, a one-hob burner for warming up soup or packet meals might well be enough. I’ve always carried one of these around with me just in case my main gas bottle runs out, and it’s helped out when I’ve boiled up pasta a few times. My main gripe with the single burner is that if you want to cook a meal with multiple parts, everything ends up taking a lot longer, as each component will need a separate turn on the burner. Two-burner gas stovetop with grill: The two-burner gas stovetop with grill system is a great all-around option. This was the first type of burner I had in my van, and it allowed me the freedom to whip up Bolognese on one hob and pasta on the other. (I do eat more types of food than pasta, I promise.) The grills on these burners can sometimes be a little hit and miss, so it pays to buy a reputable model from a company like Vango. I loved cooking sausages on my grill for breakfast on wintry Saturday mornings. Three-burner stovetops: As you might have guessed by now, my personal preference is the three-burner stovetop. I need all the pan space I can get when I’m making meals, especially when the Omnia Oven (more about this below) is taking up the middle hob. Gas drop-out vents: If you’ve got any type of gas bottle in your van — propane, butane, or LPG — then you need a gas drop-out vent as an extra and crucial safety measure. Because gas is heavier than air, if there is a leak, the gas will flow out through your gas drop-out vent and away from your van. I know it might seem like a little thing to overlook, but it’s so important if anything goes wrong with your gas setup. Cooking like a pro on the road Good workers never blame their tools, which is why I’m about to reveal some of the best gear for cooking on the go. The only thing you need to be blaming from now on is how tight your pants are after all the good food you’re going to be making and eating! XL RidgeMonkey: The XL RidgeMonkey compact sandwich toaster is possibly the most versatile piece of cooking equipment I’ve ever used on my van life adventures. This little piece of genius was originally designed for fishermen to cook up their catch on a jet burner at the side of the river. Omnia Oven: If you want to go one step further and bake bread and cakes, cook chicken thighs, or make incredible stews or roast potatoes, then you need an Omnia Oven. This doughnut-shaped stovetop oven changed everything for me, especially while living in a camper van during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. The Omnia Oven works through convection. Heat is drawn up from the hob through the middle of the oven and passes up and over the food inside, providing heat all the way around the oven and creating an even bake. Nesting bowls: Mixing cakes and kneading bread can get a little messy when you’re trying to use pans and mugs. That’s why nesting bowls are such a great idea. Nesting bowls, as you might have gathered from the name, nest inside one another. Joseph Joseph makes a great set that includes a large mixing bowl, colander, sieve, smaller pouring bowl, and a set of cup measures all inside the largest bowl. The measuring cups are perfect for measuring (go figure) out baking ingredients, sushi rice, sauces, and much more. Bialetti moka pot: This stovetop espresso maker is the perfect companion at breakfast time or before a long drive. It doesn’t take up a lot of space and stows away in a cupboard or drawer easily, providing budding adventurers with an energy boost boasting sumptuous flavors at the drop of a hat. Handleless pans: You’ll have a hard time cooking without any pans, making them a bit of an essential item when it comes to stocking up your kitchen. The only problem is that they can be quite bulky, so grabbing a set of handleless pans that pack away neatly can really make cooking in a van a lot easier. I stored all my pans in a pan hammock underneath my sink. It was a good way to use space that would have otherwise been wasted and freed up a drawer for more dry ingredients. BioLite kettle set: This little piece of equipment can be used for both brewing up tea or cooking soups and stews, and is another genius space-saving utensil for tiny-home lovers. It also has an insulted handle to keep your hands scorch-free. Knife set: No matter your dietary preferences, it pays to have a trusty knife set on board for preparing food. As you know, I’m all about making life easy for myself, so having a good bread knife as well as a sharp blade for slicing everything from tomatoes and tofu to chicken and chorizo is essential, especially when you love food as much as I do. Handheld food processor: Zyliss makes a neat little manual food processor that is great for chopping up onions or making dips in your camper. It makes mincemeat (literally) of food prep and works your arm out at the same time. Just pull the hook and back like a miniature rowing machine, and you’re good to go!

Article / Updated 11-08-2022

What does it mean to be a tiny home dweller, and can everyone make the change from living in a house to living in a converted panel van? Speaking from experience, getting into the mindset of a tiny home dweller isn’t something that happens overnight; it takes a lot of thought, compromise, and self-evaluation about what you want to get out of your new lifestyle before you can fully commit to this way of life. Luckily, I’ve already done all that thought-provoking soul-searching and got the T-shirt to prove it. And while you can’t physically borrow said T-shirt as it isn’t real, I can help you kickstart the process with some useful advice about what it takes to become a vanlifer. You'll learn how to think like a tiny homeowner, decide how long you want to travel, and most important, whether you think van life could be the lifestyle for you. Is it hard to live in a van? Don’t worry; I’m not going to ask you to sit down and meditate or chant some mantras (though by all means, feel free if you’ve had a busy week so far). Getting into the mindset of a tiny home dweller does, however, take a little bit of inner reflection and a willingness to change your outlook on the world. Living in any kind of tiny home takes a little bit of adjusting time. To go from a house with two bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, living room, and dining room, to a house with one room and a toilet cupboard (in the case of a van), is a massive change. You’re about to give up a lot of the things you rely on daily, things that have become commonplace, like a dishwasher, a flushing toilet, your guitar amplifiers, a flushing toilet, your shower … oh, and a flushing toilet. Why did I mention the toilet three times? It’s the one thing people most often tell me that stops them from living the van life. Giving up the luxury of a flushing toilet is too much of a change from their normal routine. When I first started building my tiny home, I had a lot of these same reservations. Would I be able to manage? How would I feel in such a small space? Could I really give up the TV? Honestly, and I genuinely mean every word here, I did not miss any part of living in a house. Sure, emptying the toilet down another toilet while I lived in a van in Yorkshire and the new routine of showering at the gym took some getting used to, but after a few weeks, it just became the new normal. Is the van life right for you? Now, I’m going to get a little deep here, so you might want to make yourself comfortable for this next bit. What is the most important thing to you in life? Is it working hard and saving up for a house or a big trip? Is it getting out into the open and spending time with your family? Is it living within your means in order to have more time to spend working on a passion project that you might want to turn into a career? In some respects, tiny home living can help with all three of those choices. I worked full time while living in a van for over a year, saving my wages every month for my European travels. Equally, I know people who have done the same thing and put their money toward buying land in a different country. Living small certainly gives you more time to spend doing the things you love, too, whether that’s heading out on a trip with your loved ones, or working less and putting your energy into writing a book or honing your photography skills. I can best summarize the feeling that made me want to live in a tiny house as “wanting more.” You’ve got to want that change more than anything else, to be prepared for things to get a little bit tough at times, to live a life that can be uncertain but with infinite rewards and exciting discoveries every day. The pros of van life I think one of the best parts of living the van life — and this is a theme I often come back to in my book — is the lack of rushing around or the need to do anything to a timescale. There’s no should in the van life vocabulary; you do what you want, when you want, making your own hours if you work on the road or just enjoying life on your own terms. Say goodbye to the stressful morning commute or eating your breakfast while watching mind-numbing morning television shows if you’re taking your job with you. Say goodbye to waking up listening to the next door neighbor’s toilet cistern rumbling through the wall or the sound of the garbage truck reversing down your street. Every day feels more relaxed when you wake up in a new place, listening to the ever-changing sounds of nature or sometimes no sounds whatsoever. For a lot of people, this lack of structure and routine can feel a little like freefalling. Again, it’s no real surprise; since around the age of 4, most of us have gone to school at a certain time, eaten meals at set times, gone to university and, eventually, to work in a preplanned structure laid out for us. To go from this to a life where you make the rules can be freeing for some, but make others feel lost. A motto to live by Here’s something I want you to think about, and this is something I tell people who are thinking about living the van life on a daily basis: There is no dress rehearsal for life, so don’t waste time dreaming about your perfect life when you could be out there living the dream. Admittedly, I’m not a philosopher and I haven’t had many public speaking gigs thus far in my career, but I think you get the general idea. If you’re reading this from the office instead of sending emails, then don’t wait until you’re retired to give travel a go. If you’re retired but thinking about waiting for the right time, throw caution to the wind and get out there and give van life a go. I know too many people, young and old, who have sadly passed away before getting to live their traveling dreams. Don’t wait for tomorrow; make that decision to live a different life today. I’ll now wait 30 seconds for your applause before carrying on with the next section. Deciding how long to be on the road I think we can all agree that you’re now fully committed to giving van life a try, what with buying this book and my rousing speech earlier. The next question you need to ask yourself is: How long would you like to be on the road away from home? Or, and here’s the million-dollar question: Do you want to take your home on the road with you? Before I go any further, I know that while it’s physically possible to “up sticks” and live the van life full time, not everyone can or wants to give up the life they have built to live on the road. For some, it’s just not viable due to work locations, while others might love their jobs and not fancy the thought of giving up the empire they have built. Generally, there are three categories of van life travel that can help you figure out what kind of lifestyle you might want: Weekend warriors: As the name suggests, weekend warriors simply travel over a weekend. Whether frequenting campsites or wild camping in the hills, scheduled short trips away give you something to look forward to, a chance to live as free as a bird on the weekend while still maintaining a steady work/life balance through the week. Short-term — one to six months: Planning a short-term adventure of one to six months could be a more manageable way of fitting van life into your current life. So many people buy a van and convert it as a cheap way to see the world, always knowing that it won’t be with them forever. Of course, there’s nothing to say that building a van for short-term travels can’t lead to weekend excursions later down the line or a potential move to full-time travel if you decide to take your job on the road with you. Full-time travel: Obviously, if you’re thinking about traveling full time, then you need to either be in a position where you are financially stable or plan on working on the road. I managed to travel full time, working two days a week writing articles and budgeting costs accordingly along the way.

Article / Updated 11-07-2022

Once you’ve decided whether you’re going to live in a van full time or part time, you'll need to figure out what type and size of camper is right for you. There are so many different styles, sizes, and wheelbases out there that it can seem like a minefield if you don’t know the lingo. Luckily for you, I compiled a list of all of the different vehicle classes for you for reference: Class A: These campers are the large touring vehicles you might see rock stars traveling in on the way to a gig. They are large busses with multiple rooms inside and what I would definitely class as luxury campers. This is not exactly the type of vehicle for an off-road adventure, but definitely one for a comfortable stay in the wilderness. Class B: This class covers all conversions made within the pre-existing dimensions of a panel van, such as a Ram ProMaster or a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (see the photo below). This is, by far, the most common class for DIY camper conversions. Class C: These campers are what I like to call “traditional” campers — think snowbirds driving to sunnier climates in their Winnebagos when the first frost hits. Class C campers often have a sleeping area in the bulkhead over the top of the cab area and the telltale fold-out steps for entering the living area. Truck camper: This type of camper is perfect for off-grid enthusiasts and usually consist of a removable camping pod with a pop-top roof that slots into the truck bed itself. I’ve spent a lot of time traveling the United States in a truck camper mounted on the back of a Dodge Ram and that setup never, ever let me down. The All-American RV: If you watch a lot of movies, then chances are good you’ve seen families hitting the road in an all-American RV. And trust me, they’re just as big in real life as they are on the screen. These are the type of vehicles that you might see trundling up to Glacier Point in Yosemite or cruising down to Big Sur in the summertime. Classic camper vans: Whenever I hear the term, “classic camper van,” there’s only one vehicle that springs to mind — the Volkswagen bus and, specifically, the T2 Splitty, which is still the symbol of the swinging 1960s. These are most often the subject of restoration projects and can make for beautiful busses, though they often soak up money like a sponge due to continual repairs. School bus: If you’re used to canal boat living, then a school bus might be a good option for a faster-moving tiny home. With more space and plenty of light, they make a great blank canvas for a full-time home. Vans also come in four wheelbase sizes: short wheelbase (SWB), medium wheelbase (MWB), long wheelbase (LWB), and extra-long wheelbase (ELWB). The wheelbase is the measured distance between the middle point of the front wheels and the middle point of the wheels at the back of the van. The longer the wheelbase, the more room you’ll have inside the main body of the van to utilize for your conversion. Picking the right-sized camper for you You now know that van life isn’t a one-size-fits-all kind of deal, so what sized camper should you opt for? Well, it all depends on what you want to get out of your van life experience and how often you’re going to use your camper van. And then again, it’s also down to personal preference. Do you view standing up at all times as an essential feature, or do you prefer to go under the radar when boondocking? This will have a great effect on your decision whether to buy a small or larger van. Following, I touch on some of the most popular camper van styles for people carrying out conversions and the benefits they can provide. Small campers and pop-tops Small campers and pop-tops cover everything from minivan conversions and VW Caddys to VW California campers and the epic Sportsmobile 4x4. These are campers that many people would class as “day vans” — campers people take to the beach or the mountains for one or two days at the most. There’s one thing for certain: Small campers and pop-tops are certainly easier to park in everyday locations. I’ve taken both out on the road on different trips, and smaller campers can usually fit under height barriers that would otherwise thwart bigger vans like Ford Transits and Mercedes-Benz Sprinters. A pop-top camper is a camper van with a roof that pops up when stationary (see the photo below). These campers can either have whole segments that push up or more commonly, a roof that pushes up into a triangular shape revealing canvas walls. Both small campers and pop-top vans tend to make use of a rock ‘n’ roll bed setup in which the bed doubles up as a sofa throughout the day and folds out into a bed at night. While this creates more living space, it does reduce the amount of garage storage in the boot of the camper, so that’s something to think about if you’re planning on living in a van for a long time. Still, the added benefit of buying a pop-top camper is that the pop-top gives you extra space for standing and fills the camper with more light. It just depends on whether you mind setting up and packing down your living area every time you park and set off from a camping spot. Keep in mind that in bear country, soft-shell pop-ups aren’t allowed as bears can easily rip into them. Some classic examples of vans in this range include: Fiat Scudo Ford Connect Ford Econoline Ford Transit (MWB) Ram ProMaster City VW Caddy VW California Maxi-roof and long wheelbase vans Maxi-roof and long/extra-long wheelbase vans cover most of the larger Class B panel-van conversions that you will have come across on your favorite van life Instagram channels. They’re the base vehicle type for many conversion companies across the world and are solid foundations for DIY camper conversions. These vans might be harder to park and tougher to take down those windy country lanes, but they are certainly better suited for full-time living than smaller vans that are designed for stealth camping or compact living. Larger vans like these are easier to cook in too; having that extra height to stand up in makes cooking more labor-intensive meals like roast dinners, risottos, and even dishes like sushi much easier. What’s more, you have more space to include an oven as well as a gas burner. For me, having the option of creating multiple “rooms” inside your van certainly helps it to feel more homey. By creating a bedroom nook, a seating area, and a separate kitchen space, a small vehicle can suddenly feel like three self-contained areas, which is perfect if you’re traveling with a partner or family members and want to have time to yourself. Some classic examples of vans in this range include: Fiat Ducato Ford Transit (LWB) Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Peugeot Boxer Ram ProMaster Vauxhall Movano VW Crafter What size is best? If you’re planning on living in a van for a long period of time, go for a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter or a Ford Transit LWB. They’re reliable, spare/repair parts are available all over the world, and they’re big enough to live in comfortably without having that extra space the ELWB models provide. For me, having everything set up and ready to go at the drop of a hat is super important. If you’re just looking for something for day trips that you don’t mind not being able to stand up in, then choose a VW Caddy. Again, VWs are reliable vehicles, and with a clever design plan, you can easily make a pull-out kitchen that slots away neatly and carry a portable shower pack around for longer trips away.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 10-21-2022

For many, the notion of traveling and exploring is a craving that can’t be ignored. And for vanlifers, there is no better way to see the world than to travel self-contained in a camper van that affords them the freedom to pick up and go whenever the mood strikes. Here are pointers on how to make sure your van life road trip is a success, how to level your van once you are parked for the night, and how to keep your van neat and tidy while you're on the road.