Camper vans are all the rage these days, and for good reason. There are Instagrams with a million plus followers dedicated to living life on the road out of a van, and these vans range from Hippy-approved VW buses to $150K Sportsmobile-converted off-road campers.
If you aren't looking to be 100% invested in that #Vanlife, but are still interested in getting just a little taste of it, you don't have to go all out. As it turns out, there is a DIY solution that can turn the pickup you already own into a weekend camper. Introducing the camper shell.
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These things are called camper shells for a reason, but they have really fallen out of style since the '80s and '90s. These days, they're mostly used to store pool chemicals or as tools for small business handymen. But, in the above YouTube video that was featured on the YouTube channel Berm Peak, one mountain biker makes a pretty strong case for camper shells making a massive comeback.
Even with a shorter bed, a little ingenuity and some expert craftsmanship can turn a pickup truck into a #Vanlife approved camper. The best part is how portable everything is. The cabinet/sink setup can be removed without even needing another set of hands, and the modern soft shell looks infinitely easier to store and use than old fashioned hard shells.
This all looks like a much simpler way to get into the great outdoors than selling all your possessions and moving into a decommissioned short bus.
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This post was originally published on November 22, 2017.