Our 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Overland Rig

144” | High Roof | 12-Passenger | Built for Nine Nomads and a Dog

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This is not a dream van.

It doesn’t have custom cabinetry.
No butcher block counters.
No stargazing skylight over a memory foam mattress.

This van is not aesthetic — it’s a tool.
A survival pod for a family of nine.
A mobile command center for a modern nomadic life.

We call it The Nomadists Van.

Why We Chose the Sprinter

The 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (144” wheelbase, high roof, 12-passenger) wasn’t built for luxury—it was built for load.

We needed:

• Enough seats for 7 kids
• A high roof to stand in
• Space to haul gear, food, water, and a hundred-pound pitbull
• A platform that could hit trails in Arizona, stealth camp in cities, and survive dust, heat, mud, and the unknown

Sprinter vans are known for their reliability and aftermarket support, but this one’s different: we left the interior untouched.​
No conversion. Just function.

Because our lifestyle isn’t about building a tiny house on wheels—
It’s about building a life we don’t have to escape from.

Our Philosophy: No Frills. Just Function.

Every piece of gear in this van was chosen for a reason.
Every add-on solves a real problem we’ve encountered on the road.

We don’t need cozy aesthetics.
We need resilience.

We don’t need vanlife vibes.
We need real protection, real storage, real capability.

We’re not influencers.
We’re modern nomads.

The Build Breakdown

We’re not trying to compete with glossy expo builds.
But if you're building for family survival and full-time travel—this might be the realest setup you’ll find.

Power & Connectivity

• Victron Energy Solar System​
  Solar panels from Cascadia 4x4 mounted on the hood.
  The Victron controller manages power flow to our essentials—including the external lighting system.
• Jackery 1000 Portable Power Station​
  Our backup system, used to charge devices, run appliances, or support work-from-anywhere days.
• Starlink Internet​
  Game-changer. Set up anywhere, stream anywhere, work anywhere.

Recovery & Exterior Upgrades

• Roambuilt Chicane Side Ladder
• Roambuilt Side Steps
• CA Tuned Off-Road Front Bumper
• Warn Winch + Shackles
• Factor55 Ultrahook
• MaxTrax Recovery Boards
• 50” Roof Lightbar, Hood Lights, Rear Whip Light & Underglow
• Black Rhino Warlord Wheels + aggressive mud-terrain tires
• DMOS Delta Shovel mounted on a Sherpa cargo panel
• Trasharoo rear trash system

This thing isn’t just for looks. It can pull itself out of most situations—and light the way in total darkness.

Navigation & Comms

• Garmin Overlander GPS
• Garmin inReach Satellite Communicator
• weBoost Signal Booster
• Rode Wireless GO II Microphones​
  (Used for vlogging, podcasting, interviews, and content recording on the go)

Camp Life & Comfort

• Tourig Privacy Screen + Adventure Van Co. Shades
• Self-inflating Mattresses (stacked for travel, laid out at camp)
• Rumpl Blankets
• BougeRV Electric Cooler
• Jetboil Stove + Full Camping Cookware Kit
• Black Tepee Tent + 3 Gazelle Tents
• Stackable 3-gallon water jugs
• Cassette Toilet (portable)
• Pelican Cargo Case for Dry Gear
• Folding Table + Chairs
• Alienware Monitor plugged into Fire Stick or iPhone for streaming at camp

Storage & Loadout

We didn’t gut the van—we kept the 12-passenger seating.
The kids have their own rows. The rest is modular.

• Overhead aluminum headliner shelf for quick-grab items
• Roof rack track system (not yet loaded out)
• Rear Sherpa gear panel with shovel and traction boards
• Cargo boxes + MOLLE gear organizers throughout

Who This Van is For

This isn’t a solo rig. It’s not minimal. It’s not pretty.
It’s for people who need real solutions—and aren’t afraid of getting dirty.

It’s for:

• Overlanders with families
• Off-gridders who want simplicity without sacrifice
• Nomads who care more about durability than design trends

We didn’t build this van for likes.
We built it because it was our only way out.

Meet Us in Person

We’ll be at Overland Expo West in Flagstaff, AZ from May 17–19.
Find our Sprinter with a family of 9 spilling out of it.

We’ll be hosting van tours, doing live podcast recordings, and sharing what life on the road really looks like.

Gear Partners We Trust

We use and recommend:

• Victron
• Roambuilt
• Goodyear
• Owl Vans
• Black Rhino Wheels
• ACI Vans (our install team)

Affiliate links coming soon on our kit page.
Reach out if you want to work with us or feature this build at your event.

🎥 Van Tour + Behind-the-Scenes

We filmed a full walk-through of the van, including:

• Every mod explained
• Why we didn’t do a full conversion
• How we live and travel with 7 kids
• What we use for work, internet, school, safety, and sleep

Watch the full video on YouTube here → (link placeholder)​
​Listen to the story on The Nomadists Podcast → (link placeholder)

This Isn’t a Vanlife Fantasy.

This is a Survival Build.
This is The Nomadists Van.

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