**Introduce Yourself…**Hi! I’m new and newly retired. My spouse and I live in the US and are searching for a van for extended trips with our dog but not for living. We are experienced backpackers and car campers but new to van camping and eager to start. Yes to boondocking but no to seriously challenging roads. I’ve done a lot of research but nothing jumps out as perfect and I would love advice.
It needs to be RVIA certified. I think this means we can’t do a build ourselves which is just fine! The RAM or Transit are appealing because of cost.
We need two separate beds, one single and one double although a second single would do. We want to carry two SUPs inside so our van will have to be extended length and have some kind of ceiling hanging system. We are struggling to figure out a way to carry a piano keyboard, roughly 52 x 14 x 5 inches, so that it is accessible to play, not squirreled away in the garage. I’ve seen pictures of vans with slide out drawers under a bed to hold a keyboard but I can’t tell how they are protected from vibrations while driving.
We are flexible on the rest. It would be nice to have a composting toilet but don’t want an indoor shower. It would also be nice to have space for a small fridge, and enough battery power and solar to run it as well as to run a single induction burner, or at least an electric kettle to make coffee. We can save costs by sacrificing a kitchen, instead cooking and washing up outside using a fold-up table and Coleman stove, although it does seem that most vans include a kitchen except Vandoit.
I’m not sure whether all this detail is appropriate for an introduction but am happy to have found this discussion board and eager to learn from all of you.