Episode 45: Sprinter Van or Truck Camper: Which is the Ultimate Adventure Rig?

Overlanding in a truck camper in the Western US or exploring Europe in a self-built camper van? Join us as we embark on a journey of exploration with our guest, Sebastian Santabarbara. As a seasoned traveler and author of the books ‘Van Life for Dummies’, ‘Road Life’ and ‘Tent Life’, Seb has a wealth of knowledge to share about living on the road, building camper vans, and the ins and outs of pop-up truck campers.

We learn about what it’s like to travel in a Four Wheel truck camper based on Seb’s adventures  – the surprising amount of living space and functionality that a pop-up truck camper offers when it is popped up, the off-road capabilities and handling of driving with a camper, capabilities for hauling gear, and more. 

Kristin and Seb then compare this with each of their experiences traveling in a camper van, such as the ability to enter the living space from the cab.  We also hear Seb’s insights on vanlife in Europe, and what kind of vehicle suits this particular form of travel.

If you’re curious about nomadic living in its many forms, or just have a love for the outdoors, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!

Follow Seb Santabarbara:
sebsantabarbara.com
@sebsantabarbara

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What We Discuss in Episode 45 of The Wayward Home Podcast:

• Host Kristen Haynes explores the comparison between a sprinter van and a truck camper. She shares her own experience with a sprinter van, while introducing Seb Santabarbara, an author who has experience with both types of rigs. 
• Seb discusses his experience with a pop-up truck camper: Customization options and creature comforts, spaciousness and functionality, off-road driving and handling, capabilities for hauling gear, and the reasonable price.
• Seb shares stories from previous trips with Four Wheel Campers, including Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, Big Sur, and Mount Diablo, as well as explorations of Europe in his self-built camper van in places like Sardinia, French Alps, Slovenia, and Scotland.
• We learn about the differences between vanlife in the US and Europe, including parking options and COVID-19 restrictions.

About Seb Santabarbara:

Sebastian Antonio Santabarbara is a thirty-two-year-old writer from Yorkshire, UK. His first breakthrough role came as the Head of Written Content for Van Clan, an online media brand documenting the van life movement with a weekly reach of over 5 million readers. This role has led to Sebastian being head-hunted to write several inspirational non-fiction books on alternative living (to be published by Frances Lincoln 2022/23) and the upcoming Van Life for Dummies book (to be published by John Wiley & Sons in 2022). He is also the Editor in Chief for Retro Dodo, a media/news company with a monthly reach of 1 million people.

A keen alternative living enthusiast, Sebastian has built up an exciting catalogue of Middle Grade and Young Adult novels written during his adventures across the globe. He has worked closely with industry professionals to hone his craft, liaising with leading agents and publishing editors who have described his novels as punchy, slick, and filmic, with strong leads and memorable character camaraderie throughout. His adventures provide the inspiration for the vibrant worlds and immersive plotlines in his stories, with Sebastian regularly posting updates to his 32,000-strong personal social media following along the way.

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