We just finished a 9 day trip to several National Parks in the southwest. We rented the 'Smalls' van from Native Campervans ("Vincent Van Gogh"), which was the perfect adventure vehicle for the two of us! It was easy to drive (if you're used to a van or SUV), got good mileage, and was fast on the highway. We appreciated all the creature comforts we had on this trip, including a very comfy bed, a kitchen that is quick to set up, lots of storage that is easily accessible, and a nice roof-top fan that kept us cool all night. We added on the roof-top box, where we kept our unused airplane luggage and other items (like camping chairs) that we didn't need quick access to. We loved being able to pull-over and quickly put-together a picnic lunch at scenic views, and the convenience of the van made it easy for us to get to the hiking trails very early in the morning. We got several compliments on the van during our trip and we liked that the van did not stand-out in parking lots. We didn't miss our fridge, but we did buy ice for the cooler-bag every-other day. Luckily, every gas station and grocery store in the southwest sells ice, so that wasn't a hassle. There are also lots of places to shower, either in campsites you might stay in, or in RV parks along your route, so we did not miss that too much either (though we did have to accept that we were going to smell a bit some nights!).
One thing to keep in mind is that the 'Smalls' is, well, small. Getting in and out of bed involves some flexibility and probably isn't for everyone. My husband is tall (6'2") - the bed was just long enough for him and the driver's seat had just barely enough leg room. He was comfortable, but if you're any taller you'll probably want a bigger vehicle. Also, the 'Smalls' has only enough storage for about 4-5 days, both in terms of the amount of food storage, and the amount of clothing storage. We bought more groceries and did our laundry mid-trip.
On the plus-side, since the 'Smalls' doesn't use a generator and is the size of an SUV, we were able to easily camp at "tent" sites, which are much less expensive than RV sites. Most of the parking-spaces are fairly flat, and with some maneuvering we were able to get the van nearly-level. No one hassled us for not having a tent, and the van is quite sound-proof, so we were never disturbed by our neighbors.
We were worried that the water jug might not be large enough (5-gallon) for the desert and we bought a second collapsible one, but we didn't need to use it. We were also worried about changing clothes in campsites (since the van has to be open to cook), and we bought a cheap privacy tent on Amazon. This was useful a couple of times, but is not necessary. Since the kitchen is totally exposed to the elements, we brought a small tarp in case of bad weather. Luckily we didn't need to use it, but we were glad to have it just in case.
These vans have a lot of mileage, ours was pushing 100,000, and it is starting to show. The storage drawers had a different locking mechanism from the one advertised, because the original started to break. Instead of a dimming interior light there was just a switch. Instead of bedside USB ports there were cigarette lighter sockets (and we couldn't get the ones near the driver to work). The privacy shields probably worked well once, but they are getting old and kept falling off the windows (we ended up rigging a system with our towels for privacy). On the positive side, despite its age the van ran smoothly and we had no mechanical problems whatsoever on our 1700 mile trip!
Overall, we highly recommend Native Campervans for your next outdoor adventure! read more