The van life movement has been gaining momentum for years, but it seems to have reached a fever pitch. Over the past six months or so, we've been seeing new US-market van converters pop up virtually every week. Much of that van life is focused on highways and paved backroads, but the real spirit of adventure travel isn't bound by yellow lines and graded pavement. The recent Overland Expo West demonstrates that there are plenty of van campers willing to follow the call of adventure well off the beaten path, rambling over snowy roads, rocky trails, muddy fields and anything else in their way.
Overland camper vans really picked up at the 2018 Overland Expo West show where they left off in 2017. It seemed there was a conversion brand or aftermarket van parts specialist (or three or four) down every aisle of this year's show, custom vans serving as advertising for brands that don't even do van work, and plenty of van lifers making the stop in Flagstaff. We got to get a little more hands on with some vans we've covered in the past, and we also learned some new names along the way.
From 70s-era conversions, to all-new Sprinters and Transits filled with gorgeous woodwork, and from super-compact four-sleepers, to 4WD Winnebagos, the show had a little something for every van lifer and lover. Jump to the photo gallery to take a closer look at the lifted, ruggedized exteriors and cozy, fully outfitted interiors of the camper and adventure vans of Overland Expo West 2018.