Overland Photography Adventure Rig: 4x4 Sprinter Van Conversion Tour

[@rockmann88]

Nice setup. Vans seem to be the best way to go adventuring, self contained.

[@kurtruppel6156]

Perfect setup. Exactly what I was thinking of. Thanks for taking the time to make the vid.

[@alanhopps]

Nice video & nice to meet Jennifer too.

[@evgenygorshkov9893]

Hi Sean ! Great !!! Great !!! Great !!!

[@Irving2223]

I like it. Nice and simple. Everything is getting too complicated today in vans, you will spend all your time fixing and maintenance.

[@philipculbertson55]

Awesome van and a great tour. I almost didn't watch this one but I'm glad I did.

[@rioosodog]

Very nice vid..... now we know how you REALLY get to accomplish your work!

[@SeanBagshaw]

Fact! JBKickInThePants for the win!

[@raleighmeade9104]

You two just 'fit' each other so well. Thanks for the tour!

[@nicknichols4249]

Great video, finally got to meet your wife, I think you guys are cool, I hope your kids feel the same way. Best of luck in your travels!

[@SeanBagshaw]

The kids are probably 50/50. 😆

[@dndparks]

Very cool. Now I know where to go when I we ditch the travel trailer and move to a single platform. I hate to give up the Tacoma and Rpod, but a time will come. Thanks!

[@dennisheckman5916]

You mean this was just a one part series?!? lol. Thanks for the great tour! And it's good to finally meet your lovely wife, maybe one day in person. The van looks just right for getting to those tough locations. Love the lithium and solar system. That's top notch right there. Thanks!

[@SeanBagshaw]

The only thing the internet needs fewer of than 1-part van tours is multi-part van tours. 😆 However, I do binge several of them daily so I'm part of the problem. I can report that time spent traipsing around in the van are some of my favorite times.

[@pinakibhattacharyya8936]

That was an exact my kind of video. When I see those DIY van videos I always felt "seriously" ... I can't build it myself. I am a photographer but not at all a handyman 😬.. I know what to do now LOL. It's a pleasure to watch ur videos Sean, always !! So many things I have learnt from you about TK panel and they were game changer in my workflow.

[@SeanBagshaw]

Awesome!

[@robertwhitemoto]

Ha! my first car was a 1978 Celica with a moon roof and in-dash 8-track :) (mullet included) Thanks for the introduction to your better half.

[@SeanBagshaw]

Ooh...you had all the action going on.

[@togomura]

Cool I want one! Starting to look for a sprinter in Germany.

[@SeanBagshaw]

They should have a few there. 😆

[@canuckdon]

Sean, Jennifer is a beautiful addition.

[@chuckgmanleyphotos7197]

Best van tour!! The question of how to get out and about with flexibility is on the forefront of many. I for one are getting tired of sleeping in the truck and towing around a large 5th wheel.

[@SeanBagshaw]

I'm glad I did my sleeping in the truck back when I was young, flexible and dumb(er). Trailers provide great comfort, but they would rule me out of the majority of roads and campsites I go to for sure.

[@chuckgmanleyphotos7197]

@@SeanBagshaw well, I’m seasoned and not flexible however its the current fast option for last minute chasing of light. Making it work in the interim.

[@thomastuorto9929]

Pretty cool van, The wife is pretty darn funny. I imagine someone building one of them could squeeze in a shower if they wanted to. Good luck with it & safe travels.

[@SeanBagshaw]

Yes, there are all sorts of shower designs out there.

[@stephencarmickle]

I want a van so bad! I NEED a van! Good stuff!

[@SeanBagshaw]

I think there is a van in your future.

[@keithpinn152]

Thanks for creating and sharing this video. Your van seems to be very efficient and well constructed for your use. Happy travels! Cheers, Keith

[@NatPhoto56]

Very cool! Looks incredibly functional. Great that you found one that was largely outfitted for your needs.

[@SeanBagshaw]

We were very fortunate. It did take quite a bit of searching and we drove all the way to Idaho to purchase it sight-unseen.

[@infrequentgamer_greg]

Sight unseen…wow, gutsy play, Sean!👍

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Love the video Sean and really appreciate the mention as well! You both did a great job with all the additional upgrades - the van looks awesome. See ya in Acadia!

[@SeanBagshaw]

Yo Mark!! Thank you for the van tips along the way. See you in a few days in Acadia! Gonna be a good time.

[@chriswesselman8583]

This is awesome, Sean. Thanks for sharing this! I have a schoolmate in Medford working on a Sprinter conversion, too. I’m sure he will enjoy this.

[@DaveShafer2]

Thanks for the van tour. I am an amateur photography who recently retired and have been thinking it would be great to get a sprinter van for photography. I also want to be able to put my bike inside in the back, so enjoyed seeing that setup! I took notes on a bunch of things you mentioned to factor into my planning.

[@SeanBagshaw]

Cool! Good luck. If any questions come up feel free to ask.

[@andreaboyle9435]

Oh, I'm so glad you finally put this video together! It was fun taking the tour and I can see you are already taking advantage of your new wheels. It is inspiring to see what you have done and the thought you have put into it. I'm very impressed!

[@SeanBagshaw]

Hey Andrea, it was your suggestion that kept this video on my mind for the entire last year. 😁👌

[@giorgio4407]

You both look happy, healthy and in love. All the rest is philosophy… I wouldn’t like that much to travel this way but that’s me, so keep on having fun the way you both feel. Big hugs from France.

[@EdBacon]

I love the T-shirt

[@SeanBagshaw]

I hoped someone would!

[@QuietLightPhoto]

Nice, Rig! great setup as well!

[@SeanBagshaw]

Thanks, Adam. It's been fun watching you overhaul your Delica. Now if we could just get that border open so we could circle the wagons. Actually, I think we can go to CA now maybe?

[@infrequentgamer_greg]

As a dedicated subscriber to both channels, I’d love to see an episode or two (OK…maybe three episodes) with you all and your adventure vans, and outdoor photography! 👍😀

[@SeanBagshaw]

@@infrequentgamer_greg I certainly think that would be a hoot.

[@timkuhnwildlife]

Cool stuff Sean. This is exactly the type of rig my wife and I will be looking for shortly so this was very helpful. I hope to see you out there sometime, thanks!

[@SeanBagshaw]

Awesome for you guys! Let me know if I can answer any questions during your search.

[@klickinthewild]

Great no-nonsense van video Sean - and hi Jennifer and welcome to the other side of the camera 😀. This is how a van should be - functional, easy to take places and just works. I'd look forward to some 'vanlife photography adventures' if you're thinking of doing some for the channel. We just picked up our off-road pod trailer here in Sydney so some videos coming soon on that one too, along with some off-road Australian photography trips 😉 All the best from downunder 👍

[@SeanBagshaw]

Cheers, Brian! I'll watch for that. You Aussies know how to do off-roading and off-road trailers better than anyone.

[@PatriciaDavidsonPhotography]

Hi Jennifer & Sean! Nice van and tour video. We've gone from large RV to SUV camping. 😂 Our goal is to outfit a cargo van next year. Enjoy the fall! 🍁

[@SeanBagshaw]

Hi Patricia. Ooh…can’t wait to see how your van comes out.

[@PezRacer]

Great video, exactly what I’m looking for, a simple modular build! Would you mind sharing about how much you paid for it? Thanks and enjoy it!

[@bretedge]

Very cool, Sean. Our adventure rigs have also evolved from sleeping in the bed of our truck to our current platform utilizing a flatbed FWC camper on a Ford F250. It's been an incredible rig for us. Dig your van and am stoked that you guys found a rad solution for you. Thanks for sharing with us!

[@SeanBagshaw]

I've studied the stuff you have shared on your flatbed FWC closely, Bret. It's sweet! I almost pulled the trigger on putting a flatbed on the Tacoma and getting that camper a few years ago. In the end I chickened out because of all the work that would have been involved. Glad I did because the van is better suited for Jennifer, and I certainly don't mind the added comfort. I can't go everywhere the truck could go...but close. I think I have even seen Sprinters completing the White Rim.

[@VideoBobWojda]

Love the van tour! I think there needs to be a “photography van channel” with all of these lately. Your videos are awesome! See you in Acadia!

[@SeanBagshaw]

Yo VideoBob! A photo can channel would be a great thing. I just wish I had time to drive the van all the way to Acadia this year.

[@brandondoran4411]

Great build and video! In the process of beginning one of my own and I like that the front third of the bed folds down. I didn't see it listed in the build list, do you happen to know which brand it is? Or was it custom made? Thanks and all the best!

[@SeanBagshaw]

The bed is a custom build by the original owner. He built it because he said at the time there weren't any on the market, but some have come available since. I don't know by who, however. Good luck with your build!

[@TrevorMcGrathPhotography]

Great to eventually met the brains of the Bagshaw household

[@SeanBagshaw]

😂 You and me both...you don't know the half of it. Haha!

[@kimgrandfield900]

Sean, great video! It seems we are on a somewhat parallel track. My wife and I also purchased a 2017 converted sprinter van about a year ago, 45 nights of camping so far. Ours is a modified by Sportsmobile but very similar to yours. I've also climbed a lot of mountains and kayaked a lot of oceans over the last 50 years taking photographs along the way. I've become a lot more serious photographer over the last few years since retiring from the mountaineering shop that I owned for 42 years. I enjoy your videos and courses very much, keep them coming.

[@SeanBagshaw]

Sounds like you have a life well lived Kim. And possibly my long lost brother? 😅

[@ksgrandfield]

@@SeanBagshaw Thanks Sean, maybe we’ll cross paths sometime.

[@codylerephoto]

Love it! I've been toying with the idea of doing this for awhile now and this makes the idea even more attractive. I think I'd be on the Mark Denney train of finding a utility van and building it myself... seems like it would be a blast. Tough time to find a used vehicle right now though! Hopefully you got it before things got so crazy.

[@SeanBagshaw]

My brother (who has some skills) just did an amazing build in a ford box van like this: jingletruck.com/img/2010-ford-econoline-cutaway-series-service-box-van-5-4l-v8-runs-smooth192786829693-0.jpg. I think he did the entire thing for about $35K. We saw the writing on the wall last year and pushed up our timeline on getting the van. Glad we did.

[@marshalhedin7538]

shot vic Mt Ashland area? looks like soooo much fun, congrats!

[@SeanBagshaw]

Yes! Out past Mt. Ashland and McDonald Peak.

[@zackstanton4654]

That mullet though.....

[@SeanBagshaw]

It was totally badass! David Bowie style s3.amazonaws.com/more-wordpress-qa-uploads/wp-content/uploads/migrated/ss14_David_Bowe_Celebs_With_Mullets.jpg

[@jirby100]

Great video. Anything you can share (e.g. favorite apps, etc.) for finding/reserving camp sites? Or do you just pull over while off road and set up camp?

[@SeanBagshaw]

Hi Jim...yes, we don't often stay in actual campgrounds because for us they can be crowded, noisy, require reservations and are usually far from photo locations. For the most part, I find remote pullouts, side roads and trailhead parking on public land where overnight parking is allowed (like the one in the video). I often arrive after dark and pull out before sunrise. I also do quite a bit of my travel in the off-seasons so if I do need to go to a campground I don't need a reservation. I know there are some good apps out there, but I haven't used any.

[@srg3798]

tripod on the roof is great, but what about the solar panels?

[@SeanBagshaw]

Solar panels are business up front and the deck is party in the back...just like my mullet was.

[@infrequentgamer_greg]

Sean, thanks much for posting this video. I was curious about the van when I saw it last year with your video with your son. I was curious what does a top landscape photographer travel in? This video answered my question. It also explained why you transferred to a van from your pop top camper, which I was curious about! I was wondering if you ever considered a hard-sided camper on a truck (like what Gavin Hardcastle uses); wouldn't this be cheaper (but have the same, if not more amenities)? (Note: amenities = inside shower + toilet).

[@SeanBagshaw]

Hi Greg...everyone should look closely at their budget, needs and expectations and get a vehicle that fits. I'm not sure that a setup like Gavin's would be that much of a savings. I don't know what his cost was, but a new 1-ton GMC goes for about $65K and a used 2005 Bigfoot camper is about $25K. That is in range with my Sprinter. However, there are some other things about the van that were important to us in addition to cost. Weight and off-road capability (those campers weigh about 4,000 pounds wet in addition to the weight of the truck), wheelbase for rollover clearance and tight maneuvering (van=144" GMC=160"), total width (van-80" camper=96"), cockpit accessible from the living space (in a sketchy camping situation my wife did not want to have to go out in the dark to get in the driver's seat), indoor storage for bikes and skis, gas mileage (diesel van=18 mpg 1 ton truck with camper=12-ish mpg), roof rack/deck (I'm an Ansel wannabe), all water lines inside the insulated/heated space so freezing isn't an issue, big sliding side door to open up the living space when the weather is good, and some others. Not having a shower or toilet has never been an issue for me (Jennifer might argue that one). They take up space and are notoriously problematic in RVs. Whew...that's quite a list, but you asked. haha. Anyway, the van wouldn't be the best choice for a lot of people, but it works great for us.

[@infrequentgamer_greg]

Sean, thanks much for your excellent response to my questions, as I found them very informative. It really gives me more food for thought. I am in the next year or so will want to get my own "photo adventure vehicle" and I dont want waste my hard earned money on the wrong vehicle! Thanks Sean for the info!😄👍

[@infrequentgamer_greg]

Sean, I just re-read your original reply, and another question came up. You mentioned that a rig like Gavin's is very heavy. That begs the question: how much does your 144" Sprinter van weigh?

[@SeanBagshaw]

@@infrequentgamer_greg I'm totally just pulling numbers from the internet, so take them for what they are worth. 144 sprinter hightop weight = 5379lbs + whatever extras/payload I have, so maybe 6500-7500lbs total? GMC 2500 = 6900lbs. Loaded camper = 4000lbs so the total is nearly 11,000lbs?

[@infrequentgamer_greg]

Thanks Sean. I'll try to verify your numbers (thanks for taking the time to look it up though). If your numbers are true, the truck camper, is way too heavy to be tip-toeing on 4WD roads. More to factor into the decision on which to buy!😳 I hope you are taking advantage of the fall colors, and are making some memorable photos, wherever you are these days!

[@cgan2013]

Ahhh, her name is “Jennifer”!! All this time, I thought her birth name was “JBkickinthepants”!?!? 🤔🤣🤣 Nice to meet her by name!! I was starting to wonder how her parents came up with that name! 🤷🏻‍♂️😊

[@SeanBagshaw]

😂😂 We usually just call her "J-Bags".

[@frstesiste7670]

I've always wondered why more people don't have a "basic" setup like you in stead of putting so many hours and so much money in a more elaborate build that adds very little extra to what you actually can use the van for. One question though, isn't it wide enough to sleep sideways? That would reduce the space needed for the bed.

[@SeanBagshaw]

My guess is that some people like a more homey feel and some live in them full time so they don’t have the expense of a house? Sprinters are not wide enough to sleep crossways unless you install aftermarket side flares.

[@PeteEH]

After my recent 6 day road trip in a Toyota rav4, all I see is space, space, space... 😄

[@SeanBagshaw]

I totally feel you! After spending so many years sleeping in the back of trucks and small SUVs the sprinter feels cavernous.

[@macmcmillen6282]

What kind of gas mileage does that rig get?

[@SeanBagshaw]

On the highway it gets about 18mpg.

[@stephencarmickle]

So what you’re really saying is… You were living that #vanlife before it was cool!

[@SeanBagshaw]

Haha...for sure. Back then it wasn't cool at all. We were considered grungy dirtbag hoodlums.

[@nabeelkhalid1505]

You look like the elder sister of super car blondie