This Was NOT Sustainable Off Grid Life in the Desert

This week I make a major change and embark on a new project living off grid in the high desert of New Mexico!
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[@robbehr8806]

I have a Suburban, which is essentially a pickup truck with a climate controlled cargo area.

[@RedPillLife1966]

On your Rat trap. Put the peanut butter under the trap doors. So they will have to go to the very edge or even try to look under. Guaranteed to catch some.

[@SewingBoxDesigns]

Every time I fill the tank on our conversion, I remind myself: Hotels and motels are expensive! No bed bugs, no suspect sanitation, no weirdos in the hallways, no packing and unpacking, all the comforts of actual home right with us. Actually quite cheap. Count the positives. 😄👍

[@shac9131]

Don't visit Florida then. It's infested with roaches and just about every bug imaginable. And there's ALWAYS a season for the top most annoying bugs. You never get a break from any of it . And the fire ants .. who'd think you'd just get used to it biting you often .

[@ThatBobGuy850]

Talk to Mav. He's had years of experience roaming around in his pickup camper and making videos. He started off with a topper like yours but eventually conceded that he just needed more height to sit up and so bought a taller one.

[@lmjohnsono]

I've done some truck topper camping, I have a video about mine in my channel. If I was going to do it again, I'd stick with a thick foam mattress on top of a bed platform as close to the floor as possible. Being able to sit up is very important for comfort. But if I was going to do it again, I'd get a Honda Element like this one guy on KZbin did, you might know him.

[@ZEVONLIN]

I hope i don't sound like the negative guy but i thought that was the purpose of the Element!

[@sneakersonfeet9045]

I was thinking g the same thing!

[@bear8046]

Probably the element is for more commuter use and isn't as spacious or capable off road as the truck. He could probably get by with it, but I think for $200 the topper is a no brainer.

[@mrsbouvier1]

Me too! Use the Element!

[@ElementLife]

The Element is also technically Shannon's. She needs it to commute into town every few days.

[@lesleyhughes3174]

Hi Nate and Shannon!!😊 Ausia, from Pandamonium channel, is having better luck with the metal traps, not the buckets. She got 8 in one day recently and throws them out for the ravens to take away. One huge rat drowned in a bucket that actually wasn't even a trap! 😀 Good luck with persevering on those uninvited guests! 🍀🐀👍🤞🙋🏼‍♀️🚐🌏

[@cooltrkin]

Hell I get 11 mpg with my semi truck and 53' reefer. Which were building into a moble tiny home. It looks like you need alot more solar. Good channel, I appreciate Your life style, we're looking now to buy a piece of ground in Concho AZ. To go along with our 2.01 acres in northern Nev.

[@robertgalutia3587]

Trust me on this one leaving your wife while you go solo camping is not a good idea. I know that the bigger camper will be more expensive. A one 1000 mile trip the 16 mile per gallon at $3.00/gallon would be about $180 and 10 miles per gallon would be $300. You are not saving that much and you might save your marriage.

[@sneakersonfeet9045]

Nate you love having a project to do! That’s not a bad thing!

[@CMC61]

Move your mouse/rat traps away from your house. The way you have them setup attracts them to your house

[@terrynewell8968]

I'm guessing it gets pretty dry their at times. I saw a video from Arizona where the guy got a very tall bucket and filled it halfway with water, then threw some bird seeds on top of the water and mice, and rats couldn't help but jump in and drown. Good luck

[@notme751]

If you want a project start a family 😁

[@polizovski]

Hi Nate and Shannon, maybe look at the Incredible Tiny Homes, they have off grid tiny homes, for a nice price. You can get and place a second off grid tiny on the property. Rental, AirBnB... extra space.

[@artformnation]

One of those 3’ pick up tools for the wood

[@John-Howard]

I can see the appeal of trying out a truck bed camper for the fun of it and new adventure for the channel. But you know your first love is waiting for you. You've got the element, it's only a matter of time...

[@willarddevoe5893]

The only time i ever looked at a pickup truck, it was an early 90's simple cab Ranger. It's glaringly obvious that you have gotten used to big gas bills. In a region with no roadsalt, you can look at much older vehicles and find their parts carried longer. I have car camped in VW Beetles, so the immense weight of a stretch cab is simply an impossible weight to travel. Succeed at what you are doing, then that will make the best KZbins. Don't let the tail wag the dog.

[@user-ff8vo1se8v]

Yeah, I slept in my vw bug many times, even with a 75 lb. Pup 😊

[@schadlarry]

Good deal on that cap. You can get rattle paint cans that color match your truck. Results can be very good. Maybe mount a flexible solar panel to the top, air matress, dc fridge and you’re good to go.

[@fitnesslk]

You can hear the quietness around this place, i love it ! rough and ridged but also peaceful and full of bliss...

[@grayeagleswolves]

Hi Nate and Shannon great to see you both the Truck topper is a great deal for you when you go to town for grocery shopping or Trash or short over night camp outs

[@vegpwrshlominator1873]

Radica Moonlander would be a great camper set up for sleeping in a camper.

[@DeerheartStudioArts]

That topper looks great!🦌💌❤️🚙

[@scclif]

I've heard some of the Nomad channels say that it is essential to leave the hood up on your vehicle up in order to keep the pack rats out.

[@dt7250]

I didn’t add a comment before on future videos recommendations. Pellet guns are cheap and great for rodent control. They make all kinds of recording type of scopes if you want to go elaborate but it can be as inexpensive as $50 just for a decent plinker! Good luck with the channel.

[@mwatercress]

The used topper is a good way to go. They also make lumber racks that are designed to accommodate the topper. I'm sure they are more difficult to find used than the toppers. They seem like they might be useful for setting it up for truck camping.

[@bbk2325]

It reminds me of @mav truck! Congratulations!

[@amarie3309]

Nikki Deventhal trzaveled in a Prius. Mine is old and I get 48MPG

[@erichillphoto]

Awesome upgrade! Love the topper and look forward to watching you fix it up! 🎉

[@mygypsyadventure3610]

Should get a small teardrop trailer. You could even build one yourself.

[@larryoutdoor]

Wal-Mart has all you need to paint a cap like that.

[@ohgeography5338]

Sounds like an amazing project!

[@snowbirdgardener]

I accidently left a bucket, half full of water, at my off grid property and a whole bunch of mice fell in there. No bait.

[@bonniepwtf]

Sounds good Nate.✌️

[@MyFriendlyPup]

I've always been negative but you keep grinding. Respect!!!!! You keep doing it man. Lots.of us enjoy the ride.

[@maxineoliver7404]

You guys are still doing a great job, and Happy Fourth of July!!🎉🎉🎊🎊🤗

[@ExpressVanCamper]

Hi Nate, Like you we have used many different camp setups. Truck shell (aka cap) camping is one of the best. So much you can do with building out a truck shell. Looking forward to your build. I like the idea of using a portable power station (Bluetti as an example) to power up a blue sea fuse block within the camper shell. You then can use the power station for other uses to and not just the camper.

[@alvinmousseau1100]

Awesome video

[@SRTV580]

Truck cap looks sick, cant wait for the bodywork.

[@VANESSASVANLIFEJOURNEY]

Great price look forward to seeing more.

[@SuperStar-nz5xy]

So first off. What's the connection to the browns ( Clowns)? are from CLE? cause you have to have a special connection to follow that disaster the last 35 years. And yes since the fumble its been a mess. I Have the same truck but diesel and the 8801. Also did the camper top thing for a while. Advice put in a max air fan. You will be amazed at how it pull air. also add a roof rack to the shell. They are cheap and easy to make. Lots of builds out there. Mav has one of the most thought out ones. You spend a lot of time east and west but don't see you up on the north coast.That truck is in great shape for 20+ years.

[@cowboyscoffee]

Nice topper have fun

[@afortunatefool777]

05:54 I thought that's what the Honda Element was for? Although I'm always excited to see you pull something new together to get on the road. 👍✌🌞

[@alohatvj]

Very entertaining video 📹 👏. See 👀 you on the next one 😀.

[@posteroonie]

Nice topper! I guess you've seen the truck camper build playlist on the Traveling by Tacoma channel? He built a cool camper with a lift top that weighed 520 lbs. before the electrical and interior finishing, using XPS foam and 5mm birch plywood. And NØMAD has a playlist on building with reinforced foam that had me thinking of an 8020 camper frame with reinforced foam walls. NØMAD figures that reinforced foam is about 1/3 the weight of wood, and cheaper. If I need a time sink, this would be a fun project. :)

[@jackhawk8952]

Your packrat problem can easily be solved with a couple cats.. That's what we did ..

[@thedude11890]

Genius

[@ramblinvanman6250]

Remove all the windows B4 you paint it. Clean all tracks and weep holes B4 reinstalling with butyl tape and u'll b good to go!

[@nomadicprincesss]

Use a broom to gather the small bits of wood instead of picking up one piece at a time that must kill your back😭😭

[@AskIveSolar]

Question for you boss. Did you come up with this title before you started to record or after?

[@raymonddriggers]

Looks like you could design a balloon enclosure for the bed of the truck that would work for rain like a roof and a mattress for sleeping, durable like a kids bounce house something you could inflate in under 5 minutes

[@JimJones-gd2jy]

Wish people were more honest with gas mileage.. especially “overly built” sprinter owners .. 24 mpg 😂 ridiculous.

[@kevnrob1]

Agreed. I hear all the high mpgs on Sprinters and scratch my head. I've been tracking all my mileage since we bought ours new in 2017. We average overall around 15. Sometimes I see higher numbers while driving but that usually involves a tail wind and slight descent. The only time I see anything over 20 is the first mile or two after filling up and the computer was zeroed out. That number immediately starts dropping and levels out around 16 within a few miles.

[@mattwernecke2342]

Some outdoor cats.

[@gumballbreath8827]

Make a fiberglass curved nose for the front of the camper.

[@mariogonzalez9827]

Awesome vids!

[@steveramirez1654]

👍👍

[@edwardwoods5977]

Use peanut butter. Stick it to the top ceiling far back. Your welcome.

[@suzanneneary2150]

Why do you want to take your truck over the element?

[@thtadthtshldntbe]

you need some good farm cats

[@kriskabin]

💭 So, the mice eat the bait, the cat eats the mouse & the coyote gobbles the cat.

[@offgridmangogrower]

Pack rat issue…..lv hood open at night….use stickum or glue pads….bait….

[@CharlesAnsman]

You need an pellet air rifle and a good scope

[@boo-zp4lh]

Can't believe how expensive new toppers are...

[@gregoryhodge9452]

I can't even get one for my '22 Nissan Frontier long bed.😢

[@paulf1504]

they are hanging down on the top part take the top off they will fall in

[@Blockhead140]

Este ay Pablo. Don o pachika.

[@offgridmangogrower]

Small diesel powered truck or something smaller….

[@drillsergeant623]

What wasn’t?

[@jasonstowell3185]

Get a few cats.

[@kriskabin]

Coyotes--> 💭 Hmm, "Cat, it's what's for supper!"

[@michaeltaylor4984]

You need to bburn rat nesting materiel. Trust me, they will find more.

[@dareil2000]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@stevenhu202]

Used minivan

[@christianholmstedt8770]

Hmmm, a Van might be the best solution. 😂

[@gregoryhodge9452]

Remember when he had a Nissan NV200?

[@christianholmstedt8770]

@@gregoryhodge9452 Yeah.... Do you get my comment now?😉

[@LtDan-ov6bf]

Now I'm really confused?

[@petronellanuce4648]

*Promosm*

[@cootie181]

Go back to your roots… element.

[@shac9131]

Do you ever really get people interested in your recipes? I'm a cook. Man, I don't want hurt your money etc... But usually nomads suck at cooking and recipes and later on admitted their tasted horrible but lied to make $$$