How Many Ways to Van Bed? | Mercedes Sprinter 144

How Many Ways to Van Bed? | A Van Conversion True Story

Van life looks different for everyone. Some people spend all day on the road, cruising from one boondock to the next. Others pull into a state park for the weekend, hit the lake, and spend most of their outside need only the van to sleep in. And then there are the overlanders who need plenty of room inside their campervan to escape the heat, wait out a storm, or relax during a long weekend in a crowded parking lot.

Because there are so many ways to enjoy van life, it’s important to define what type of van camping and you’ll be doing most of the time.

Think about it—have you ever stepped into a van conversion and realized there was barely any room to sit and relax? Or maybe you’ve wanted to climb in and out of the back doors, only to find the bed cutting the van in half. That’s a common frustration with traditional layouts.

At TNTvans, we design our campervan bed kits with flexibility in mind. For van builders who want more open space, our north/south bed kits run along the walls of your Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter, or Ram ProMaster. This simple change opens up a wide middle aisle—perfect for walking through, hanging out with friends, playing cards, or even watching a movie on a rainy night. Plus, the extra space lets you store kayaks, bikes, or other tall gear that wouldn’t fit with a typical east/west bed blocking the cargo area.

This particular build is from a Mercedes Sprinter 144. The two van campers wanted to be able to climb in and out of the bed without having to crawl over each other—especially at night. This bed configuration created a much more efficient way to move around the van and gave each of them a private place to sit and relax during the day. Having a bed that’s always set up as either a bed or a bench is a real convenience—and a must-have for many DIY van builders.

The truth is, there’s no single “right” way to build a van. The best campervan is the one that matches your van goals. Get inspired by others, but remember: your van life adventure is unique. With TNTvans, you get the freedom to build your van the way you want—whether that’s for camping weekends, cross-country road trips, or full-time overlanding.