Van Owners Stories

We have been traveling in our Vandoit campervan since 2020. It started with me, my husband Derek, and our dog Barry. We hit the ground running when we got our first van and made our way from the Midwest to Maine, Canada, down to the bottom of the Baja Peninsula, and to the most western tip of Washington state.

Growing Family, Continued Adventures

We added our daughter to the mix in 2023. This year, after a short break to learn how to raise a child, we jumped back into the van and continued our travels. It was a different experience, but it didn’t slow us down or make us want to quit traveling in a van. In fact, it got us even more excited about our future travels.

Discovering Baja Peninsula

In 2022, we spent three months traveling the Baja Peninsula, driving all the way down to Cabo San Jose. We stopped at countless beaches for free overnight camping and snorkeled in the clearest waters. Along the way, we met some incredible people who were all doing the same thing: escaping winter while enjoying everything Mexico has to offer. The community of other van lifers and overlanders really made the trip even more fun.

Learning what motivated other travelers and how they were able to make this kind of adventure happen just solidified how much we appreciate the opportunity to travel as we do in our Vandoit van. I’ve never been as relaxed in my adult years as I was on that trip. In those three months, I was able to read over 20 books. It. Was. Amazing. We only counted 12 nights not waking up to our door facing the ocean.

Exciting Plans for 2025

Jump to 2025: We are going back! This time with our almost 2-year-old daughter, Villa Nelle, and our updated MOOV model campervan. We are coordinating with another Vandoit couple who will be joining us with a new MOOV Vandoit. They have never been, and we are excited to show them all our favorite places while exploring places we missed last time.

These updates in our van will make this trip more fun and give us the freedom to explore more places:

• Updated lift with suspension gives us the clearance to explore places we couldn’t before.
• Front winch will be super helpful when we get stuck in the sand. Not if, but when.
• An indoor shower is perfect for keeping us clean after a sunny rinse-off day.
• Swiveling front seats provide more space to escape the hot sun and get work done.
• 15-gallon water tank allow longer trips out of towns, enjoying secluded beaches longer.
• Starlink is crucial for us remote workers, enabling work from any beach with no cell service.
• Upgraded lithium battery setup means we don’t worry about power while at beautiful places.

We literally have everything we need for this epic adventure.

Summer and Beyond in Our Home on Wheels

When we get back to the States in May, we will do our summer rotation of visiting our favorite places in Arizona, Colorado, and Utah, before deciding where to go next. The best thing about living in a van is no matter where we go, we are home. We get to decide as we are driving what we want to do next.

We can’t wait for this adventure and to share all the beautiful places we see and the amazing people we meet.

How our work van drove our business forward and families further.

Realizing the Need for Something Bigger

It’s 4 AM, freezing outside, and four adults stand around an SUV, scratching their heads in the dark, trying to fit heaps of gear inside. For years, this was our routine: a small team of adventure photographers and filmmakers, working with cramped SUVs and limited space. But as our business grew, so did our team and our equipment needs.

With our workload increasing, it became clear that our trusty SUVs couldn’t keep up with the demands of our projects. We needed a vehicle that could handle our expanding team and equipment, one that wouldn’t limit our growth down the road.

The Game-Changer: Our Vandoit Ford Transit

Just in time for a 14-day project spanning California, Utah, and New Mexico, we picked up our new 2020 Ford Transit 350HD EL from Vandoit. This was more than just a new vehicle; it was the beginning of a transformation for our team. For the first time, we had room to spare, even bringing along items that used to feel like luxuries.

From dispersed campsites to rough mountain trails, we’ve put our Vandoit to the test, logging over 100K miles across the U.S. and Baja, Mexico. The van has become our mobile basecamp, tackling both paved roads and rugged trails and making it to locations we never thought possible with an SUV.

A Multifunctional Tool for Business and Adventure

Beyond transportation, our Vandoit serves multiple purposes: it’s a gear hauler, a shelter, and a mobile billboard with our company’s logo on full display. Vandoit’s design allows us to adapt the van to each project’s unique requirements, transforming easily from work mode to a cozy family adventure setup.

The van’s modular design, featuring an 80/20 extruded cage and interchangeable components, makes it adaptable to our shifting needs. During the week, we fold the beds away to make room for gear. On weekends, we reconfigure it for family trips, taking full advantage of Vandoit’s flexible interior setup.

How Vandoit Changed Our Road Trips Forever

Our Vandoit has become an essential part of both our work and personal lives. Whether we’re out running work errands, filming in remote locations, or camping with family, the van enhances every experience. It allows us to work hard and play even harder, making the journey just as rewarding as the destination.

In the end, our Vandoit van didn’t just solve our storage problems; it redefined our on-the-road lifestyle. With a dependable vehicle like this, we can focus on what we do best: capturing stories and creating memories that last.

The long-awaited van pick-up day is finally here! We’ve been preparing for this moment for months and it feels so surreal to be standing at Vandoit, staring at our new home on wheels. Say hello to Stardust, our rolling residence for the next 6 months.

Van pick-up day was March 23. We were blown away by the beautiful van wrap, all the features in the new MOOV model we’ll be living in, and with the customer service we received by the entire crew at Vandoit!

The Wrap

First, the van wrap! We are absolutely in love with this van wrap and are so grateful to the talented Desiree Pillsbury Design for turning our vision into a beautiful and dreamy design! In honor of the design and our journey, we have nicknamed the van Stardust.

Great Customer Service

Second, Vandoit rolled out the red carpet for us again, just like they did 3 years ago when we picked up the Outshine van. They are the epitome of customer service through and through! It’s greatly appreciated when you end up spending the whole day at the warehouse learning about all the features of their newest model – the MOOV, which will be our rolling residence for the next 6 months!\

The Best Features

Lastly, this beautiful rig is loaded with all the best features!

• Kitchen pod with a sink + slide-out
• Galley + Storage module with 6 pop-out drawers
• Overhead cabinets the length of the van
• Shelf over the cockpit
• Toilet cabinet with Laveo Dry Flush Toilet
• Interior shower with shower pan
• 15-gallon fresh water tank with hot water
• Epic Off Grid Router + Antenna so we always have wifi and can work on the road
• Gear slide + rear sprayer off the back
• Dometic CFX3 75DZ (dual zone fridge/freezer combo)
• Dometic RTX2000 Rooftop 12V A/C
• 2 overhead MAXXAir Deluxe Air Vents
• Espar B4 Air Heater
• Thule Awning
• Aluminess ladder tire carrier + rear storage box
• Yakima SkyBox NX 18 Roof Box for our inflatable paddle boards
• Recessed accent lighting
• Overhead LED lighting
• Czone Controller Smart Screen that controls everything and monitors the power usage
• 3500 Watt CombiMaster Inverter
• 2 lithium batteries with 900amp hours
• Shore power and solar input sockets for charging
• Front and Rear Bumper with light bar.
• Lagun Swivel Table
• Passenger swivel chair

We’re beyond excited for all the adventures Stardust will take us on as we cruise the country on our Nomad Be Happy road tour! We’ll be posting our route soon and hope you’ll follow along as we transform from home life to van life for 6 months!

Drop a comment and let us know what you think of the new van wrap and the features of Vandoit’s newest model – the MOOV!

LINK TO PHOTOS: https://photos.app.goo.gl/7qMnhx57vpHeenT26

In 2017, after a successful cycling race season, my wife Christie Tracy and I decided to fully embrace the professional cycling lifestyle. We wanted a van that would suit our needs and allow us to travel the country while providing all the necessary amenities. However, our search for the perfect van quickly became discouraging due to high prices and the quality of materials used in most van builds.

Luckily, Christie stumbled upon a website called www.Vandoit.com, which turned out to be a small family-owned custom van build company located in Blue Springs, MO. We were amazed by the custom builds and engineering concepts showcased on their website and felt like we had finally found the van of our dreams.

In late 2017, Christie reached out to Vandoit (formerly “VanDoIt”) for more information, and to our surprise, the CEO at the time, Mr. Brent Kline, personally called us to discuss their products. We expected the typical sales pitch, but instead, we had a genuine conversation with someone who understood our needs and shared our passion for cycling. From that moment on, we felt like we were part of the Vandoit family, not just customers, and we took a leap of faith by placing our trust in the company to build our dream van.

Our First Vandoit

Our first Vandoit van was the 2018 LIV model, which was their first-generation design and included all the features and amenities we desired. In April 2018, we were off to the races with our dream van. The LIV model perfectly suited our needs for traveling to races across the country and serving as an onsite race day support vehicle.

One of the standout features was the use of aluminum extrusion as the skeleton system, which allowed us to easily mount and repurpose various equipment without damaging the van’s structure. As Vandoit gained popularity within the van community, their chief engineer, Jared McCauslin, began implementing modifications and improvements to their designs. These updates included a lithium power system, Espar heater, kitchen pod, hot water, DC air conditioning, and so much more.

Although our first-generation van had met all our needs without any mechanical issues, Jared recommended updating our LIV model in 2019. The simple addition of the Espar heater and some electrical component upgrades in this new van made all the difference.

Our Second Van

In 2021, we collaborated with Vandoit on our next van build, incorporating Jared’s new designs and concepts. We are now proudly traveling around the country in our second Vandoit van, sharing our passion and promoting the unique platforms offered by the company. We have been amazed at how rapidly Vandoit has grown in just a few years. Despite their increasing popularity and demand, they have maintained their commitment to treating customers like family. This level of personalized care and attention is often lost as companies expand, but Vandoit has remained true to its core values. We are grateful for the family-like atmosphere and the exceptional service we have received from Vandoit since we took that leap of faith back in 2017.

In conclusion, our journey with Vandoit has been nothing short of extraordinary. From the initial leap of faith to finding the van of our dreams, we have experienced the passion and dedication of a family-owned company that genuinely cares about its customers. Vandoit’s custom van builds and innovative designs have exceeded our expectations and allowed us to fully immerse ourselves in the on-the-road professional cycling lifestyle. We are proud to be part of the Vandoit family and look forward to many more adventures on the road with our custom-built van.

Jamie & Christie Tracy

IG: @TeamTracyATX

FB: Team Tracy ATX

Kevin and Diana have taken their Vandoit on many adventures since owning their van.

They have been to Lake Leatherwood in Ark., Tinkertown Museum in Albuquerque, the red sandstone formations of Sedona, the White Mountains of Calif. and Nev., hot springs south of Lake Tahoe, and camping on the beach near Los Angeles.  Their ultimately transmogrifiable van has taken them to various locations for paddleboarding, kayaking, hiking, biking, hammocking, and reading.

All in the first two months of owning their van.

You read that right–two months.  

This couple knows how to grab life by the horns, strike while the iron’s hot. Any other expression you can think of to convey that their van is helping them live life to the fullest, in the present, here and now.

Camper Van Shopping 

After shopping extensively for a camper van, Diana came across Vandoit in an online list of best conversion vans.  When she opened a link to the Vandoit website, she immediately said to Kevin, “This is what we have to have.”  

Watching videos of the vans and their components sealed the deal, and they reached out to Vandoit Van Guru Sharon Crandall the next day.  Diana and Kevin enjoyed the process of working with Sharon to design their van. “She was very knowledgeable and provided great guidance.  She helped us make choices where we were kind of on the fence,”  Diana said. 

Waiting a year and a half for their van was not as bad as they thought. They are thrilled with the aesthetic and versatility of the van.  “Other vans look like another RV on the inside and only do one thing,” they commented, referring to the permanently fixed interior components often featured in other camper vans’ designs.  They love that the components in the Vandoit interior can be moved to create a variety of layouts.

What Diana and Kevin Love about Their Vandoit 

Diana was the first to get excited about van life; Kevin was skeptical at first.  “Do we really need a van to live in?” he wondered.  But as Sharon kept them updated on their build process and answered their questions, they found that Vandoit really was the perfect fit for them.  

“What you guys do really fits our aesthetic. The ability to move things around really fits us,” Kevin remarked.  Diana added, “We make things, so sometimes we’re going to need to load things in it and we have different kinds of toys, so it needs to adapt to all of those things.  If you’re like us and like to do things in a different way, and have handy skills–just do it!” 

They saw a Vandoit in person at an expo after paying the deposit on their van.  “It might be crazy to spend so much money on something we had never touched.  We felt confident even before seeing the van in person, but seeing one confirmed our confidence,”  said Diana.

Coming from a background in the museum industry, both Kevin and Diana notice and care about details.  They have been wholly impressed with Vandoit’s attention to detail in every aspect of the product.  “It’s the ultimately transmogrifiable van!” Diana exclaims, referencing Calvin and Hobbes.

Vandoit Modularity 

They picked up their van the day after the school year ended for Diana, a teacher, so they jumped full tilt into making the most of summer trips.  

Very quickly, Diana and Kevin found three different layouts that work well for their van:  One for when they travel together, one for Diana and their dog, and one for when Diana and a friend make a girls’ trip together.  The modularity of Vandoit’s design allows them to quickly and easily rearrange interior components to suit each trip’s needs.  

Kevin and Diana enjoy woodworking and creating, so they have enjoyed adding their personal DIY touches to the van, including fabricating their own wooden storage trays for kitchen utensils, and adding hinged wooden doors to the hanging cabinet, kitchen pod, and hide-a-toilet cabinet.

Happy Trails!

When asked what they enjoy most about their van, several things came to mind. Kevin says the van is a pleasure to drive, and they love that it helps them to be self-sufficient. “We don’t have to ask permission,” Diana shares, meaning that they can boondock or disperse camp, and they don’t always have to reserve accommodations in advance or make sure a location allows dogs.  

The van empowers them to be more spontaneous in their travels and adventures.  “You get to places that are unexpected,” says Diana.  For example, one evening she was dispersed  camping in the White Mountains, taking in the beauty of the Minarets, the Mammoth Lakes, and the Sierra Nevada Range.  When she turned around, she realized the sun was setting behind her while the moon was rising over Death Valley–a stunning view you can’t get from a hotel room.

One of Kevin’s favorite features is the blackout thermal window curtains because there’s no need to make sleeping arrangements–when it’s time to go to sleep, they just go to sleep.  “Van sleep is the best sleep!” Diana says.

Ready to jump into van life like Kevin and Diana did?  Reach out to a Van Guru today!