This Sprinter Van Is a Deluxe Tiny Home on Wheels With an Efficient and Roomy Living Space

When you choose to convert a van by yourself, it becomes a lot more challenging to bring your rig to a deluxe level since it involves a ton of work. If you have a big budget, it's much easier to opt for the service of professional conversion companies. This way, you can rest assured that the result will be high quality, provided you choose the right company. And there are countless premium converters out there, so there's a high chance you'll find one in your local area.

Meet Heather, the owner and converter of this 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with a 170" wheelbase. Heather is an avid mountain biker. I mentioned this since it significantly influenced some of the parts of this van.

This was her first-ever conversion. Her goal was to make it comfortable, cozy, and practical for all her MTB adventure needs. With a lot of help from her father, she completed the build in six months.

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is by far the most premium option of all the vans most converters use as base vehicles. By the way, if you're thinking of starting van life and you're not decided on which platform to build your rig on, check out my article about some of the most reliable vans suitable for camper conversions.

As usual, I'll start the tour with the rig's exterior. It's finished in standard white paint with black trim and rides on beefy Kenda all-terrain tires.

Unlike other stealthy camper van conversions, you'll probably be able to tell this vehicle is a mobile home – several elements give away its "camper identity."

At the rear, Heather installed a Thule bike rack that can hold two bikes. Heather opted for other Thule products, such as a massive, manually-operated Omnistor awning and locks for the siding door and rear doors. I'm glad to see Heather kept safety in mind and added this lock. I feel like many van dwellers don't take extra measures to increase their safety and security.

You don't need to go too crazy, but at least add some relatively simple solutions that can make the difference between your van getting broken into or not. If you're interested in this topic and want to know how to prepare best, take a look at this article about 15 camper van tools and tips for safer adventures.

You'll discover the luxurious part of this rig once you step inside. Heather opted for a bright aesthetic consisting of white cabinetry, a white slatted ceiling, laminate flooring, and a grey tiled backsplash. What's more, you'll notice an open layout, meaning the driver's cabin isn't separated from the rest of the interior.

Like in other camper vans, the seating area is dead ahead of the entrance. It comprises a spacious bench with storage space underneath, a swivel table, and a sizeable overhead cabinet with two locking doors. It's the perfect spot to enjoy a meal or work on your laptop, especially since two outlets are integrated into the back wall.

The driver's and passenger's seats can also be part of the seating area, as they can be swiveled to face the living space.

Next, we have the kitchen on the interior's passenger side. It features a deep sink with an extendable faucet, a built-in, single-burner induction stove, a small fridge with a freezer compartment, and a pretty spacious countertop. For storage, Heather can use a pull-out compartment, a drawer, and four cabinets, two of which are up top.

Heather devised a bathroom opposite the kitchen. You can't really call a camper van "luxurious" if it doesn't have a bathroom. However, to be frank, I've seen high-end rigs, especially ones with shorter wheelbases, that only have an outdoor shower and a toilet instead of a fixed interior bathroom.

This one boasts a Nautilus self-cleaning door, a shower, and a portable toilet. Next to its entrance, you'll discover a two-part floor-to-ceiling unit integrating a hanging and conventional closet.

A Maxxair vent fan is ideally positioned between the kitchen and bathroom and integrated into the ceiling. And I say "ideally" because it not only helps ventilate the area when cooking, but it also sucks out the humidity after using the shower.

The bedroom occupies the rear part of the interior. It has a full-size bed, two large overhead cabinets, and a cubby that doubles as a long nightstand. The setup is relatively simple yet comfortable.

While the living space offers a decent amount of space, the largest storage pot in this rig is the garage underneath the bed, accessible from both inside and outside the rig. It's so roomy that it can fit up to a whopping four bikes – and these are mountain bikes, not foldable two-wheelers. Moreover, they're mounted on a slide-out, making it easier for Heather to load and unload them.

This is also where Heather fitted the utility systems, with power on the right and plumbing on the left. The electrical system's highlights are two batteries, an inverter, two DC-DC chargers that enable the system to charge via the vehicle's alternator, and a charge controller connected to 400 W solar panels on the roof.

On the other side, you'll find a 30-gallon (113-liter) freshwater tank connected to a water pump, a heater, and an outdoor shower. Heather didn't mention the greywater tank, but I assume she installed one underneath the vehicle.

All in all, Heather really thought this camper van build through, equipping it with premium creature comforts. It's bright, roomy, and a lovely tiny home on wheels. By building it herself, she probably saved up a lot of money - unfortunately, Heather didn't share how much this all cost.