Every year, true camper enthusiasts come across many truly innovative projects.
It can be said that no other branch of the automotive industry is as brilliantly creative as the production of travel vans.
For many motorhome owners, it's not only common to spend a whole day camping, but also to use your van as a guide to a real world of adventure. With its size, functionality and almost limitless possibilities, the campervan paves the way for mountain biking, rock climbing, surfing, paragliding, windsurfing, snowmobiling and other world-class adventures.
Many camper designers, who themselves live an adventurous lifestyle, strive to make these vehicles more than a means of transportation from the city to the campsite. So what makes them the perfect means of transportation for real adventures?
At the Dusseldorf Caravan, the world's largest exhibition for campers, Hymer Group presented the Sunlight Cliff 4×4 Adventure Van project. This concept van combines all the best that an adventure and outdoor enthusiast can dream of. The car was even equipped with a bike repair stand and an integrated climbing wall. In reality, this model is unlikely to be put into production, but this is how ideas are brought to life.
The 5 key factors that transform an ordinary camper into an adrenaline-fuelled adventure van:
1. Four-wheel drive
An increasing number of van manufacturers are offering new models with all-wheel drive. Although there are many non-4WD options that have earned their name, with this important option, a real traveler can go off-road and feel great in all weather conditions.
2. Space for all kinds of gear
The great thing about a campervan is the ability to take as much gear as possible for outdoor activities and adventures. Today, manufacturers have risen to the challenge of building vans that can even carry a snowmobile. Wildlife lovers usually use the space under the sleeping area as a garage for equipment. It is accessed through the rear doors. Here you can store bicycles, snowboards and much more. In fact, if you can't take everything that is part of your life with you, it's no longer an adventure van, but a regular camper.
3. Space maximization
The key to creating a true travel campervan is to maximize space. The kitchen should be as compact as possible, the storage facilities should perform a dual function, and the bathtub should be completely conditional. In return, it is more important to get more space for sleeping for several people, or more space for storing equipment. Today, there are many solutions for "flexible" and convertible baths, as well as outdoor showers.
4. Innovative solutions
In the past few years, adventure vans have continued to impress with their innovative features that make the real journey more comfortable. These vans use winches for snowmobiles and wakeboards, as well as compressors for inflating tires and SUP boards. Electric bike charging stations are also being added to some vans. Some features, such as a lift wall to access the roof of a van, fold-out hammocks, or rear-door bike attachments are sure to get the hearts of true adventurers racing.
5. Ability to travel all year round
Unlike conventional motorhome owners who leave their cars in the parking lot in the fall, many adventure van owners continue to drive throughout the year. Therefore, a real camper should be designed for all-weather travel: well-insulated, with a heat source to keep the temperature inside high, and pipes that do not freeze in cold weather. And, of course, there should be the possibility of autonomous work. For an adventure van conquering a peak of 4-5 km at sea level or difficult terrain in difficult environmental conditions, it is important to have solar power, a power generator and reliable batteries.
