Vanlife in a SUBURBAN?? From Mom Car to Overlanding & Camping Beast [VIDEO]

June 2, 2020VideosTristan

When I was a kid, Suburbans were the cars my friends’ moms used to shuttle us around town. In this video we meed Grady, who turns these 20-year-old soccer mom-mobiles into extremely capable and very comfortable off-road campers. These things are beasts. This video is a complete tour of one of the builds he makes through his company, Suboverland. We’re talking vanlife in an Suburban. We’re talking overlanding in style. We’re talking an awesome rig that is much more affordable than you think. (Click here if you can’t see the video below.)

Interested in getting a rig from Suboverland? Get in touch with Grady at Suboverland.com (And tell him Tristan from SUV RVing sent you.)

SUBOVERLAND ELSEWHERE
* Website
* Instagram (@Suboverland)
* YouTube (Suboverland)

STUFF MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO
* Bilstein 5100 shocks (AutoAnything)
* BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires (Discount Tire)
* Goal Zero Yeti 1000 portable power station (Amazon)
* Dometic CFX 28 fridge (Amazon)
* Solar shower video

OTHER LINKS
* Kamchatka Gear (My online store)
* Gear I use
* SUV RVing the book (Affiliate link)
* Instagram (@SUVRVing)
* SUV RVing Facebook group
* My second YouTube channel (It’s about minimalist fly fishing)

My First Bikepacking Trip! (I Didn’t Expect This…)

May 30, 2020VideosTristan

In this video I take my brand new bike out for an overnight bikepacking trip, my first one ever! Bikepacking is basically just a sub-genre of bicycle touring where the focus is more on unpaved roads/trails and attaching gear directly to the frame of the bike. Adventures ensue. (Click here if you can’t see the video below.)

DATE FILMED: May 2020

GPS COORDINATES, etc.
* The park at the beginning of the video: 43.825377, -111.905834
* Campsite: 43.9449, -111.9882
* Pictures from my bike ride across Cambodia in 2014
* Where I was on the dunes: 43.9577, -111.9836
* The lake: 43.939278, -111.903331

Unbelievable Free Campsites in the Forgotten Mountains! [VIDEO]

May 23, 2020VideosTristan

In this video I spend three days exploring the natural and historical wonders of a couple of forgotten mountain ranges in the western United States. (Click here if you can’t see the video below.)

DATE FILMED: May 2020

GPS COORDINATES & LINKS, etc.
* Trailhead to Pass Creek Lake: 44.0661, -112.9888
* Cave: 44.0653, -112.9963
* Old cabin: 44.0625, -113.0077
* Pass Creek Lake: 44.0764, -113.0178
* Video from my Tenkara Addict channel on fishing the lake
* Skull Canyon campsite: 44.1656, -112.9039
* Charcoal kilns: 44.310477, -113.179693
* Mountain lake campsite: 44.5797, -113.4684
* Bannock Pass: 44.8144, -113.2725
* Bannock Pass historical marker pictures

Can I Sleep in the Front Seat of My SUV?? [VIDEO]

May 16, 2020VideosTristan

Can I make it through a night of sleeping in the front seat of my car? Or have years of sleeping in the back of my RAV4 made me soft? (Click here if you can’t see the video below.)

DATE FILMED: May 2020

GPS COORDINATES, etc.
* Campsite: 44.25095, -112.97506

We Moved! Camping on Our New Home Turf [VIDEO]

May 9, 2020VideosTristan

We moved! In this video I talk about the move and the reasoning behind it. But wait! I also find a great campsite, whip up a camp meal fit for a king, drive into one crater, and hike into another. A great time is had by all. (Click here if you can’t see the video below.)

DATE FILMED: May 2020

GPS COORDINATES, etc.
* Campsite: 43.7833, -112.0480
* Link to Rexburg on Google Maps so you can see where it is
* Interesting article about tuff cones vs. cinder cones
* Crater I drove into: 43.7873, -112.0318
* Trailhead: 43.7856, -111.9899
* Summit: 43.7900, -111.9704

Living in an SUV Full-Time as a YouTuber! (A Tour of Her Setup)

May 5, 2020VideosTristan

In this video we meet Linda from the YouTube channel Serene and Simple Life. Linda lives full-time in her 2012 Toyota Highlander and even runs her online business from it. No matter what kind of vehicle you’re interested in living on or traveling out of, I think you’ll find some great tips from Linda as she walks us through her setup. (Also, this was filmed in January 2020, long before the coronavirus stuff in the US.) (Click here if you can’t see the video below.)

I know people are going to ask about her toilet and shower setup, which we didn’t cover in this video. If you’d like to learn more about that aspect of her travels, check out these two videos on her channel: this one and this one.

Here’s a synopsis of Linda’s channel in her own words:

“Serene and Simple Life.. – Knowledge and FUN.. GO SEE DO.. Living life LARGE.. my mantra is ‘New Beginnings.. Off the treadmill.. Into the great unknown.. I have over 250 videos with 30,000+ miles across the USA to 35 states, including 20 National parks, working at 2 seasonal jobs in Utah and Washington , working on the road as a digital nomad, daily life, cooking, my budget, personal story, My top 10 ‘Why’ I’m a nomad, how I sleep.. to name a few! All in the playlists!”

LINDA’S LINKS
* Linda’s channel, Serene and Simple Life
* Linda’s inspirational card company, Say It Display It
* Linda’s Serena and Simple Life RedBubble merch store
* Linda’s blog
* Linda’s Instagram: @sayit_displayit
* Say It Display It on Facebook

STUFF LINDA USES
* Folding adjustable lap table
* Jackery Explorer 240
* 6-drawer cubby for holding clothing
* 12-volt coffee maker
* Steering wheel table/tray
* Jackery Solar Panel
* Anker battery pack
* Battery powered mouse deterrent (string lights)
* GasOne propane/butane stove
* KingCamp chair

SOLO CAMPING FEARS: Medical Issues & Car Troubles [VIDEO]

May 2, 2020VideosTristan

In this video I talk about a couple of topics that most of us have worried about at some point or another, namely having medical issues and car troubles when out camping alone in remote places. (Click here if you can’t see the video below.)

LINKS
* CAMPING FEARS VIDEO #1: Car camping in bear country video
* CAMPING FEARS VIDEO #2: Serial killers/crazy people video
* Matt’s Off-Road Recovery channel
* My emergency kit video
* Splint on Amazon
* My car first aid kit video
* Air compressor
* Gaia GPS
* Here WeGo

A Quarantine Camping Adventure Featuring My Wife and Dog [VIDEO]

April 25, 2020VideosTristan

In this video I go on my first camping trip since the start of the major coronavirus outbreaks in the US. (Don’t worry, I stay close to home and interact with zero other people.) I also talk about how the coronavirus affects my travel plans for the upcoming months. (Click here if you can’t see the video below.)

DATE FILMED: Mid-April 2020

GPS COORDINATES & LINKS
* Hike trailhead: 42.7606, -112.3968
* Hike endpoint/viewpoint: 42.7654, -112.3785
* Campsite: 42.7261, -112.2957
* Quesadilla recipe – I used half a packet of taco seasoning and no garlic or onions.
* Bendy phone clamp thing

Song: City Rain City Sleep by The Eastern Plain

Overnight in a Remote Desert Oasis!

April 18, 2020VideosTristan

In this video, a couple of YouTubers head out for an overnight backpacking adventure in a surprisingly lush but rugged and remote desert mountain range. (Click here if you can’t see the video below.)

DATE FILMED: January 2020

► Check out Joe’s channel, Homesteadonomics

GPS COORDINATES, etc.
* Arizona Trail Passage 18 starting (northern) trailhead: 33.4220, -111.1733
* Stone wall campsite: 33.3559, -111.1330
* Arizona Trail Passage 18 ending (southern) trailhead: 33.2727, -111.1769
* Campsite at the end of the video: 33.3598, -111.2083

Fantastic “No-Build” Minivan Camper Tour! (Dodge Grand Caravan) [VIDEO]

April 14, 2020VideosTristan

In this video we meet Jo Ann and take a look at her “no-build” 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan minivan. “No-build” means that you basically just buy pieces and stick them in your vehicle. No need to actually build anything with wood, nails, screws, etc. (Click here if you can’t see the video below.)

Jo Ann on showering: “For showering, while boondocking, I just use one of those pump sprayers, that I have entered the link for below, or I use wipes, and I also have a collapsible tub that I can use to just add water to and wash with a wash cloth and soap. Of course for the urban camping, I have a Planet Fitness membership.”

Jo Ann on toilets: “My toilet folds up and fits right in the wicker basket, and it can also be used as a stool or footrest. I keep plastic bags (https://amzn.to/2XuCmku) and kitty litter along with packets of Eco Gel (https://amzn.to/3a0kgcJ) that is supposed to help with smells. I mostly use a pee bottle, because most of my camping so far has been urban, as I said, and so for the big jobs I have been fortunate to be close to facilities. However I am prepared if the need should arise.”

Jo Ann on her bed: “I cut [the mattress] to fit the bed. It is about 39 inches wide and my bed is only 24 inches wide: I was just given a trifold 1 inch yoga mat that fits my bed perfectly, so I can now use that under my foam mattress for a little more support. Another thing I did since the tour, is I shortened the legs of my bed about 2 1/2 inches, to give myself a little more room to sit up straighter on the bed. The bins still fit perfectly under it for storage.”

THINGS IN THE VIDEO
* Home Depot shelving (bed frame)
* Foam mattress
* Bench with drawers
* Jackery Explorer 240 power station
* Adjustable floor chair
* Rechargeable fan
* Brown plastic drawers

THINGS NOT IN THE VIDEO (BUT THAT JO ANN USES)
* Portable toilet
* Pump sprayer (used as a shower)
* 1-burner butane stove
* Jackery 60-Watt portable solar panel
* Pop-up privacy tent