This Mercedes Sprinter Adventure Van Is a Serious Off-Road Rig With a Pop Top Roof Bedroom

And that's a great thing, as school buses and RVs make for way better homes on wheels than a van ever could. On top of that, having the four-wheel drive system and a short wheelbase means this Sprinter can reach places that other builds can't even dream of. Granted, the guy who DIY-ed this van does live in it full-time, but that's a personal choice.

However, that does not make it a mobile home by most standards, so we'll focus more on the adventure side. And there's a lot to talk about, as this 2016 Sprinter has seen some upgrades over the years.

The most obvious of these modifications is the pop-top roof, which is probably also the most fascinating, as it gives you the feeling of sleeping in the open air of nature. And comfort is not an issue either, as there's a projector screen, a fan, and the walls are made from an insulated, double-wall liner. It's also rather practical, as this design choice is an excellent way to gain extra headroom inside the van when not in use. Last but not least, it allows solar panels to be mounted on top of it.

In this case, the builder named Stu opted to go for only 350W worth of solar energy, as the point of having an adventure van is spending time outside of it. And thanks to an MPPT solar charge controller that makes sure no energy is wasted, 350W is more than enough to cover necessities.

And since I mentioned nature, let's head on to the other modifications done to this van, as they're all focused on exploring it. Starting up front, the first thing that's apparent is the suspension upgrade, which lifted this van just high enough to equip some meaty off-road tires. In fact, the entire rig is built with off-roading and off-gridding in mind.

Apart from the solar panels and the lift, this van has truck lining painted over its hood and bumper, bright LED lights, a spare tire mounted on the rear door, some recovery boards, and a tool rack. On top of that, there's plenty of room for adventure gear, with paddle board racks on the pop top, storage in between the rear doors and the interior cupboards, and even space for kiteboards next to the 30-gallon wheel well-mounted freshwater tank.

This van is clearly ready to tackle anything from sunny beaches to challenging mountain trails. And it will do so while carrying everything you'd need to enjoy every outdoor sport you'd want to experience. It's a serious rig whose only downside is the lack of a bathroom, with the only facilities being an outdoor shower and a hidden cassette toilet.

With the outside thoroughly examined, let's look at what's inside this camper van. First and foremost, there's quite a bit of space for such a small build, thanks to the bed being situated in the pop top. This design choice left the entirety of the cargo compartment free to be turned into a full-length kitchen on one side with storage on the opposite wall.

As far as the kitchen is concerned, cabinets and countertops run from the sliding side door all the way to the back. And this remarkable usable space is only interrupted by a sink and a one-burner stove, leaving plenty of room empty. This could be used for food prep, as a temporary dinette with a char, or as a standing desk for some work. And with so many kitchen cabinets, there's ample storage, especially when combined with the space offered by the overhead compartments.

The opposite side of this van is comprised of storage and a bench seat placed right up against the driver's compartment. Starting with the bench, that's where the electrical has been integrated, as well as a diesel heater. Speaking of the heater, it's controlled via a WIFI thermostat along with this van's air conditioning, which allows the temperature to even be controlled remotely if the Starlink antenna is mounted.

The bench also serves another purpose, as everything matters inside a van. Thanks to the swivel captain's chairs up front, this can become a great place to entertain guests or even be used as a bed if someone joins you on your trip. Further toward the back of the van, there's not really anything of interest, as the wall is lined with storage lockers, primarily used for clothes and a panty.

Overall, this Sprinter is a great adventure camper that focuses on the most essential aspects of exploration. It's relatively barebones on the inside, but it's meant to be rugged and capable rather than cushy and luxurious. It's built to be a rig that gets you out in nature and lets you enjoy new experiences, at which it does a fantastic job.