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Photo courtesy Elliot Hawkley / Pacific Overlander
If you’re a regular on Field Mag, you likely well aware of the ongoing camper van and overland trend. And with 2020 dragging on with no end in sight, road trip upgrades are very “of the moment”.
Long before #vanlife became a hashtag, there have been companies renting RVs, trailers, and vans of varying sizes and capabilities to anyone looking for a little (or a lot) more in their car camping experience. While the 13 options below are by no means an exhaustive list, they do represent a good mix of what’s out there and what you can likely find in a region near you.
Rental camper vans and overland rigs are an awesome way to see the country, but it’s also worth noting that these are atypical vehicle rentals and mandatory extra charges like insurance and service fees can add up fast. So, if you’re budget-minded, be sure to take a look at the whole package before signing on. Then do so and have a dang good time.
Cascade Adventure Vans - Seattle, WA
Rent This: 2019 Sprinter Camper Van
If you’ve done any road tripping around the Pacific Northwest, you’ve likely seen one of Cascade’s custom Sprinter build-outs. The company has four options available with varying capacities for sleeping, outdoor cooking, and general gear carrying. Perhaps the coolest feature are the adjustable “elevator beds” that increase or decrease sleeping levels based on individual need.
Price: $615/3 nights (Oct-April)
Texino - Los Angeles, CA
Rent this: 2019 Mercedes Metris
Texino is widely known for integrating stylish, practical design features into straightforward Sprinter or Metris van, making it one of the most useful, camping-ready options out there. Pick from their custom-built rental fleet to reap all the rewards of van life without the regular maintenance. (Or buy one of their custom rigs to go full send.)
Price: $215/night
Bohemian Highway Travel Co. - Sonoma, CA
Rent This: Land Rover Defender 110
You could do much, much worse than exploring wine country in either Land Rover Defender 110 from Bohemian Highway’s two-rig fleet. Our favorite model is built more to be enjoyed during the day with plenty of space to haul sleeping gear for a night under the stars (and that second bottle of Cabernet).
Price: $300/night
Pacific Overlander - Las Vegas, NV & San Francisco, CA
Rent This: 4Runner TRD Offroad with XV-2 XVenture Trailer
When you think about that quintessential 4x4 camper experience, you’d probably come up with something close to Pacific Overlander. They have the slick, outdoors-inspired logo, the rugged reputation, and six vehicles of varying capabilities—plus an adventure trailer. They’ll even do one-way rentals, making most of the western U.S. your oyster.
Price: $195/night (4Runner), $100/night (trailer)
Wandervans - Boise, SLC, PDX
Rent This: Ford Transit Van
For those looking for the no-frills approach, Wandervans has a done a nice job of outfitting Ford Transit vans with enough comfort to sleep inside the van while doing most of your living outside of it. The three western cities they operate out of offers a nice mix of locales to enjoy said basic comfort as well.
Price: $111/night
Outdoorsy - Tempe, AZ
Rent this: 1999 Ford E350 High Top Super Duty XL
Without being too schmaltzy, Outdoorsy is “the AirBnB of the RV market,” offering a range of camper vans, fifth wheels, and even class A motorhomes that owners offer for rent with a few simple clicks. They have myriad options across the country and there’s likely one not too far from where you’re sitting right now.
Price: $149/night
Reparadise - Salt Lake City, UT
Rent This: Mercedes 4x4 Camper
If you have a trailer, van, or truck, and are looking to let a pro handle the mechanics and dirty work of a conversion, take it to a shop like Reparadise. Their portfolio speaks for itself. Or just rent an example of their work, like this 4x4 Sprinter conversion.
Price: $225/night
Overland Discovery - Denver, CO
Rent This: Explorer Plus Dodge Ram ProMaster
Overland Discovery carries three different types of camping vehicles—Jeeps, regular vans, and small RVs. Anything in their fleet would be a fine partner to explore Colorado with, but we especially like what they’ve done with their Dodge Ram ProMaster conversions.
Price: $166/night
Titus Adventure Company - Denver, CO
Rent This: “Patsy” 2019 Toyota Tacoma
Perhaps you need something a little more rugged. Enter TAC, which offers a small and just plain awesome fleet of 4x4 Toyota off-roaders ready for your plans in the Rockies. Each model comes with a solid rooftop tent and the best part? Unlimited miles.
Price: $145/night Winter, $220/night Summer
Hatch Adventures - Bozeman, MT
Rent This: Jeep Wrangler
Hatch maintains a small fleet of Jeeps and Toyotas all outfitted with a host of basic camping supplies (like Yeti mugs and a Camp Chef stove) to make this one of the more turnkey options out there. Wherever you want to go in Big Sky country, their trucks can get you there.
Price: $225/night
Scamper Van - Atlanta, GA & Asheville, NC
Rent this: Scamper Van 7
With two locations in the lower fourth of the US, Scamper Van offers a more family-friendly approach with a buildout that feels more tiny home than van life. The finishes are clean, storage ample, and our feature model sleeps four. What more could you want? (Beside a lot less external branding...)
Price: $139/night
Voyager Campervans - Midwest & The South
Rent This: Minny V2
With six locations across the US, Voyager makes it possible to rent one of their vans to drive to the Smoky Mountains, Mt. Rainier, and even the Grand Canyon. These vans tend to be on the more basic side, but they have some nifty integrated storage and are a smaller footprint for more novice drivers.
Price: $149/night
Campanda - Maui, HI
Rent This: Maui Wowie
Campanda is another ride share platform with more international options, offering vehicles in 42 countries. Among them is this Hymer Activ Class B, which looks and feels like that resort timeshare you were talked into renting, but were pleasantly surprised by when you arrived on the island.
Price: $279/night
Published 09-29-2020
