Off-Road and Off-Grid Luxury: This Camper Van Has a Feature-Rich, Exquisite Interior

If you opt for a professional conversion, you'll almost certainly get a high-quality mobile home, provided you choose a good company. There are countless companies offering these types of services. One of them is Camplife Customs.

Camplife Customs is a San Diego, California-based van building shop specializing in creating high-end campers for, as it describes, "your van life, travel, or commercial needs."

It specializes in conversions based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Ram ProMaster, and Ford Transit platforms – basically, the three most popular camper van bases in the United States. I talked about each of these vehicles, as well as three more, in an article I wrote about the most reliable vans suitable for camper conversions.

Since we're talking about high-end camper vans, naturally, you have to expect a high-end price. Camplife Customs' pricing ranges from $60,000 to over $200,000 (€55,855 to over €186,185), depending on the components, aesthetics, upgrades, and more.

Like other companies, Camlife Customs offers varying forms of customization. Its highest-end model is the "Apres," which is available on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 144" or 170" AWD platforms.

The custom rig I'm discussing today is based on an AWD Sprinter with a 144" wheelbase. It's part of the Apres premiere line and sports a 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder diesel engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. As usual, I'll start the van tour with its exterior.

Like all other Apres vans, this unit is finished in Mercedes-Benz's Graphite Grey. The lower black trim panels are wrapped for extra protection. What's more, it rides on Black Rhino Rims wrapped in Yokohama tires.

Since it's an AWD, this Sprinter van already has off-road capabilities. However, Camplife Customs equipped the rig with a Vancompass 6.3 suspension kit to improve this platform's capabilities further.

At the rear, you'll notice an Owl Vans carrier holding a large cargo box, as well as a ladder/spare tire carrier from the same brand. Climb on top of the vehicle, and you'll discover an Aluminess rack holding lights on all four sides and a Fiamma F45s awning.

A nice touch is that the hood is wrapped in black, also offering an extra layer of protection against scratches. Underneath, you'll find a Baja front bumper with two Baja Designs lights and a Warn winch rated for 9,800 lb. (4,445 kg).

And lastly, Camplife Customs installed something you'll often see on premium Sprinter van conversions: side flares, one on each side. These components are designed to increase the interior width of the Sprinter, allowing you to mount the bed from side to side.

Things get even more interesting once you slide open the main door. A finely designed interior will greet you. Moreover, Camplife Customs left an open layout for this rig, meaning the driver's cabin isn't separated from the rest of the interior.

Many elements come together to give the interior a premium look. This van's customer opted for blue cabinetry complemented by beautiful brass finishes. The aesthetic is completed by many custom bamboo details, including a slatted ceiling with recessed LED strips and design touches imitating white marble.

The most eye-catching part of this living space is the bathroom, which you'll find dead ahead of the entrance. Its walls, finished with massive tiles imitating marble, instantly grab your attention. The bathroom also features a brass shower, a dry-flush toilet mounted on a drawer slide to maximize the available space, and a self-cleaning Nautilus door.

This isn't your ordinary shower fixture. It comes with two showerheads, two different sprayers, a tiny monitor displaying the water temperature, and a timer for when you want your showers to be as quick as possible.

Next, we have the kitchen, which is located on the passenger side of the interior, blocking part of the entrance. It comprises a black sink with a brass faucet, a sizeable Thinscape countertop with a flip-up extension, and an overhead cabinet. The latter integrates a touch controller for all of the interior lights, as well as a battery monitor and an inverter controller.

On the opposite side, Camplife Customs fitted a tall North Pole fridge and cubbies on its side. For additional storage, you can use four drawers and a cabinet underneath the sink. The cabinet holds a Fogatti water heater and controls for a floor heating system. The water heater is connected to a small propane canister that, amazingly, allows it to heat a whopping 60 gallons (227 liters) of water consecutively.

Since we're on the topic of utilities, I'd like to mention that water in this rig is provided by two 22-gallon (83-liter) freshwater tanks: one inside the van and one mounted underneath, where the spare tire used to be.

This rig is ready for four-season expeditions with proper insulation. For heating and cooling, this van is equipped with an Espar diesel heater with high elevation kit and a Dometic RTX-200 12 V A/C, as well as a Maxxair fan.

How about the power system? Well, know that this camper van is ready for off-grid adventures. The power system's highlights are 800 Ah batteries, a 3,000 W inverter, a DC-DC charger enabling the system to charge via the vehicle's alternator, and a solar charge controller connected to 400 W solar panels on the roof. In case you're unfamiliar with power systems, know that this one provides plenty of power for stress-free, off-grid adventures.

A dinette area occupies the rear part of this camper's interior. It consists of two long benches with a massive bamboo table in between them, which matches the side flares' bamboo frames.

If you want to accommodate guests, creating an extra bed is very easy. All you have to do is drop the table down, which connects the two benches. Rearrange the cushions, and you'll be good to go.

What looks like the ceiling above the dinette area is, in fact, the bottom part of an elevator bed. The builders got creative and came up with a clever solution to maximize the sleeping space on the elevator bed.

The elevator bed can only be as wide as the minimum width of the interior – in a van, the top part will have the least width as the vehicle's body curves towards the ceiling. So, Camplife Customs installed a tri-fold mattress that extends past the width of an elevator bed, with its sides supported by the side flares. This arrangement creates as much space as possible for lounging or sleeping.

All in all, this tiny home on wheels has a ton of features, considering its compact living space. It can seat and sleep four people, take you deep off the beaten path with no issues, and let you adventure in comfort and style.

Sure, you pay a premium price tag for it. But once you do that, you won't have to worry about anything else, as this rig is made to last and boasts everything you need to start your travels as soon as you get your hands on it.

You can learn more about the Apres conversion or other Camplife Customs products and services on the company's website.