Wayfarer Vans’ Rad Pro Camper Van Conversions Start From Just $21,200

Are you looking for a functional, spacious, uncomplicated, professional van conversion that doesn’t cost a fortune? 

In a world where RV manufacturers are maximizing complicated off-grid tech to design motor homes with hotel-like amenities, the team at Wayfarer Vans decided to put the ‘camp’ back in ‘camper van.’ 

Their modular van conversions are simple and robust, so you don’t spend your time maintaining and fixing your rig. Just focus on traveling and having fun wherever you go.

The Wayfarer Vans Ethos

Wayfarer designs van conversions for outdoors lovers who want to spend quality time in nature without bringing along every comfort from their home. 

New York Times best-selling author and journalism professor Michael Easter thinks we’re facing a ‘comfort crisis.’ According to Easter, we need to reconnect with the wilderness and embrace some discomfort to reclaim our “wild, healthy, happy” selves. 

Well, if you’re not planning to backpack through Alaska with a rifle, Chris McCandless style, choosing a minimalist van conversion like those built by Wayfarer is a pretty sweet solution. 

Rather than having a long hot shower, microwaving a frozen dinner, and watching satellite TV at night, you can enjoy a simpler, hassle-free camping experience in a Wayfarer Van. Hang a solar shower off a tree, cook a wholesome meal on the stove, and play board games under the stars. Isn’t that what it’s all about, anyway? Getting away from the interconnectedness of daily life and enjoying all that Mother Nature has to offer?

Wayfarer Vans’ Rigs

Wayfarer Vans is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and has been manufacturing high-quality van conversions since 2015. They’ve been pretty successful at it: over 1,000 vans converted by this team are on the road.

Their rigs are affordable, starting from just $21,200, which is cheap for a professional conversion. The pricing reflects the simplicity of the builds, but all of the furniture is made from cabinet-grade wood and highly durable hardware.

And if you’re on a tight budget, you can convert a used van—the crew don’t mind; they encourage it. 

Wayfarer Van’s builds are fully modular, and you can move every piece of furniture in minutes with a socket wrench to personalize the conversion to your needs. The interiors feature clean and attractive aesthetics with low-tech plumbing and electrical systems. You’ll be able to charge your stuff, wash the dishes, and chill some food, all with way more interior space. You can invite the neighbors next door over for a game of poker!

Because the systems are simple, they aren’t prone to breaking and are easy to fix DIY. 

Wayfarer Vans Conversion Models

Wayfarer currently builds four models:

• Walt – a 159” high roof ProMaster with a standard 6’1” sleeping surface, with the option for a north-south bed that’s 6’8″ long
• Walter – Walt’s little brother, a 136” high roof ProMaster that’s more nimble
• Wilford – a 148” high roof Transit with optional AWD and an impressive 6’4″ interior height
• Wilma – a 148” medium roof AWD Transit for shorter campers.

What’s Inside a Wayfarer Conversion

All conversions include flooring, cargo tracks, 100%-wool insulation, and removable soft panels. 

Wayfarer Vans have a platform bed, a kitchen galley with fold-down leaf, two high-back boot boxes, a Lagun swivel table, integrated LED puck lights in the ceiling, upper cabinets, and storage throughout the van.

The bed has a 54” wide by 6’1″ long sleeping surface (with an option for a 6’8″ bed in Walt) and grooves for ventilation. The comfortable 5-inch-thick memory foam mattress is included. 

As for plumbing, there are 5-gallon fresh and gray water tanks and a sink with a hand pump. That’s a simple yet effective system that will last for years.

For the cushions, Wayfarer uses a durable, stain, water-resistant, washable fabric made from recycled materials, but you can upgrade to custom cushions and send in your preferred material. 

To keep things simple, the team created soft panels to contour the van’s curves. These provide insulation and a finished look. You can quickly remove them to run additional wiring or wash them, which is super helpful after a weekend at Burning Man or if you plan to add solar to your rig.

Wayfarer doesn’t do custom work, but you can choose from different layouts using the 3D van builder tool on their website. The platform bed stays in the back, and you can configure the other furniture to suit your needs. But don’t worry—nothing is fixed: you can change your mind and move things around in minutes whenever you need to.

You can also add a lot of great accessories to your rig, like:

• A Propex Heater
• A lower bunk platform
• Swivel seats
• A Dometic fridge 
• Vent fans
• Bug walls
• And much more.

You can also personalize the rig yourself. The walls, ceiling, trim, cabinet doors, and furniture can easily be drilled into, cut, or routed. 

And if you need to use your van to transport large gear, you can easily remove all the furniture.

Conversion Timing And Financing Options

The waiting time for a Wayfarer conversion is between two and nine weeks, depending on how busy they are. But Wayfarer only takes two to three days to complete a build. The crew builds everything before you bring your van to their shop. So you don’t need to be apart from your precious van for weeks. 

You can upgrade your camper van later; Wayfarer ships furniture and accessories, too.

Wayfarer offers multiple financing options, and you can roll the conversion cost into a new vehicle loan. 

Do you live far from Colorado Springs? Wayfarer will pay up to $2,000 to ship your van to their shop for the build-out or back to your home once the conversion is completed. You can also have it shipped both ways—you just pay for the return shipping.

To learn more about Wayfarer Vans, visit their website, subscribe to the YouTube channel, and join the Wayfarer Vans Fans Group on Facebook.