Van Life- What makes the Class B Van so popular?

By Robbie J

The trend is moving toward Class B Vans and they have become the largest seller of RVs nationwide. Per Rvia.org

The popularity of this type of recreational vehicle showcases the shift toward minimalism, being nimble and self sufficient living. 5 minutes to set up, 5 minutes to pack away and hit the road.

Compare this to a Class A or Class C Motorhome.

Set up is a factor to consider

Both class A and C RVs often pull cars (known at towds.) so the first thing is to disconnect the towed vehicle. Then the motorhome can be positioned in place. Depending on the experience of the driver, this can be done in one effort or it may take multiple tries. Once the coach is in place, it needs to be leveled. Most class As and many class Cs have automatic levelers. Some Cs must be manually leveled on blocks which adds some time to get set up. After that, generally the dump hose is attached as many of the dump valves are located under the slide room. The Electric cord is then hooked up and the water hose as well. Most motorhomes have two fill ports. One fills the water tank which allows a water pump to pressurize the pipes, the other is the city fill which by passes the water tank and pump, and pressurizes the pipes directly.

Next, the slides can be extended. Note; depending on configuration, the slides may be deployed in a different order. Most class As and class Cs have at least one slide. Larger class A motorhomes can have 4–5. All of this set up can take anywhere from as little as 20 minutes to an hour or more. Inside there is a set up process as well to organize appliances and decor that was stored for travel.

Compare that to a class B van. Being nimble and practicing minimalism, allows the van dweller to set up in minutes. When traveling, it’s simple to stop in a parking lot or rest stop, (where allowed) and there is no set up required. Relax, cook a meal, and get a good nights rest before moving on.

When camping at a campground that has hook ups, most of us only hook up the electrical cord. We don’t bother with the water or dump hoses. We fill our water tank when needed and dump when needed. This allows us to unplug and go explore in minutes. Most class B vans don’t have automatic levelers, so sometimes we need to use leveling blocks.

Parking, leveling if needed, and plugging in the electric cord generally takes 5 minutes or less. Unpacking appliances such as a coffee maker and anything else that sits on counters or tables, takes another few minutes.

I won’t go into the time it takes to set up a travel trailer or fifth wheel, (I’ve had travel trailers and a class A motorhome in the past) take my word for it, they take much longer to deploy.

Overall, there is no right or wrong way to RV. There’s an RV for every need and while I love van life, it’s not for everyone. That said, I talk to a lot of people who have other types of RVs who say they would like to switch to a van. Just this week, I had someone who lives in an Airstream trailer tell me he would like to switch to a van. He is tired of all the set up and backing into small spaces.

When I was shopping for an RV, I researched for a year trying to decide what kind I wanted. Since I already had a class A and a couple travel trailers, I was aware of the pros and cons of each.

At one point, I thought I’d get a small trailer that my SUV could pull and not sell my house. Seeing how little weight my SUV could handle safely, that went out the window. I looked at some smaller Class C Motorhomes, but I didn’t like the fit and finish of most of them, even though I did like the price. Class A Motorhomes get poor fuel mileage and repairs are very costly, so I didn’t feel it was compatible with my budget. I also didn’t want to tow a car.

I looked at buying a truck and travel trailer, but I didn’t want to deal with hitching and unhitching. My backing skills are rusty, but I assumed they would return with practice.

Costly to buy but less costly to maintain

The upfront cost of a class B van had me shying away from them for months, but I kept coming back as I eliminated other options.

Finally, I became resigned to the class B as my best option for full time living. Then I had to decide between all the different brands and models. Since I was going to live in it full time, I was looking for a combination of the most storage, the best off grid capability, a decent size refrigerator, a separate freezer, large comfortable bed, and reliability.

Before too long, I had a list of things I didn’t want. I didn’t want a slide, I didn’t want dual wheels, I didn’t want a diesel van, as I didn’t want to be tied to Mercedes service centers. That helped me narrow it down.

The final decision

I finally decided on my Winnebago Travato model G van. It has ample storage under the bed in the back that folds up when needed. Access to the under bed storage is from the back doors or from inside. A large 12 volt refrigerator and separate freezer that runs off the batteries. A work space up front in the form of a table that can be made into a bed. 200 watts of solar on the roof to recharge the batteries. A wet bath shower in a surprisingly large bathroom. All in a great use of the 21’ 9” space.

In a pinch, it’s a moving van also

Last summer, I even turned my home into a moving van of sorts. I took out my camping gear and put up the bed in order to help a family member move. Three full loads and she was all set. I was thrilled with the performance and the flexibility the van offered me.

Ease of parking

The clincher for my decision was the ease of parking. This van is only slightly longer than a full size pick up truck. Parking is relatively easy as it fits in a standard parking space. My preference is to back in, however I can fit when needed in a regular space. That said, I tend to park farther out in a lot, but I call it part of my exercise for the day.

A couple of years ago, I needed to fly out and leave the van for 10 days in an airport lot. I was very nervous to leave my home in a parking lot, but I bit the bullet. When I arrived at the long term parking lot, a security guard met me and gestured to follow him. He took me right up front to the RV spaces. I knew these were double the cost, and I had been prepared to drive around until I found a regular site that I could back in to.

Faced with this large parking space, I drove to the very front of it and had a couple hours to work before I needed to head to the terminal. In that time, I watched security patrol every 15 or 20 minutes, and as I was near a shuttle bus stop, the shuttle bus came by every 10–15 minutes. By the time, I left the van, I was feeling good that it was as safe as I could expect it to be in a public parking lot. When I got back, everything was fine and there was a class C RV sharing my space. I snapped a picture, planning on asking for the regular rate, but the attendant charged me the lower rate automatically.

Another fear conquered and another option opens up. Van Life for the win!