Five Best Sportsmobile Campers For The Adventurous

Sportsmobile Campers are camper conversion pioneers who have been in business since 1961. Their first campervan conversions were inside the classic VW bus, and their tiny homes have since been enjoyed by generations of those who enjoy van life travel. Fast forward almost sixty years, and Sportsmobile now have a range of vans available, including Mercedes Sprinter conversions, Ford campers and Dodge Promasters. Today we’re going to be exploring five of the Sportsmobile fleet and discover why one of their campers makes a great off grid home perfect for outdoorsy folk who are living the van life. 

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1. Sportsmobile Classic 4×4 

First up in our list of the five best Sportsmobile Campers we have the Sportsmobile Classic 4×4, my all-time dream compact camper van. Yes, my current tiny home has a beautiful hand-built interior, but being able to take my off grid adventure fully off road would be amazing. The Sportsmobile Classic 4×4 is built on a Ford Cutaway body, moulded with a steel reinforced fibreglass shell for a sturdy van that can take all the knocks and bumps that come with off roading.  

While this van may be one of the small campers out there, extra space is created through the use of a pop-top ‘penthouse’. The raising roof allows enough room inside to stand up comfortably; a must-have feature for most vandwellers. When down, the roof is flush with the shell of the van, creating a smooth, seamless look. Owning a pop top camper van also makes driving a pleasant experience as your motorhome is nicely streamlined, but it is the 4×4 conversion that makes driving this beast a breeze. This monster camper can tackle even the toughest of dirt roads with a full, heavy-duty 4×4 conversion built with off road adventurers in mind. 

Inside, the Sportsmobile Classic 4×4 can be completely personalised to suit your taste. There are many choices to make when it comes to the interior of your Camper Van and Sportsmobile have it all including different bed, seating, storage, flooring, bathroom, kitchen and colour options. All these choices allow you to create a unique space that works for you. All of Sportsmobile’s vehicles can also be built with a full solar electrical system, giving you the freedom to stay off the grid for longer. 

2. Sportsmobile Mercedes Sprinter

Up next on our list of the five best Sportsmobile Campers we have the Mercedes Sprinter conversion. Sprinter van life is on the rise, and it’s no surprise as these vehicles are reliable, powerful and spacious, paired with a Sportsmobile conversion the Sprinter Van becomes an ideal home on wheels. While Sprinter vans are usually roomy enough without a pop top, one can be added to your vehicle to give you 8′ of interior height, and space to sleep two ‘upstairs’. This added height means that a Sportsmobile Sprinter could be the perfect conversion for a family of four. 

Like the Sportsmobile Classic, the Sprinter Van conversion can also be given a full 4×4 upgrade, allowing you to have and all terrain camper with some extra interior space. Again, the interior of your camper is entirely customisable. The conversion above is an excellent example of how much can be squeezed into a Sportsmobile Mercedes Sprinter conversion and how fresh and modern the interior can look, making it suitable even for those living in a van full time. 

There are a couple of ways to order a Sportsmobile Mercedes Sprinter conversion. The first way is by choosing a standard plan, tried and tested layouts that have worked for previous customers and with over fifty designs to choose from, there is sure to be something to suit you. If you can’t find a plan to suit your needs, then you can design your own interior with the help of Sportsmobile’s design studio. This cool software allows you to play around with different layouts until you have created your perfect van, such a great idea!

3. Sportsmobile Dodge Promaster 

At number three on our list of the best Sportsmobile Campers, we have the Dodge Promaster Conversion. Dodge Promasters are great vans and are perfect for those wanting to travel in a van. These vans come in a range of different sizes, regular body, extended body and long body. There is also the choice between regular roof, high roof and pop top penthouse roof. All of these options provide a size perfect for your needs that can accommodate all of your van life essentials. 

All of Sportsmobile’s Campers, including the Dodge Promaster conversion, utilise electricity for the interior units (e.g. fridge and heating), not propane. This is much safer and means you can save on internal storage space. It also means that the only fuel you need to source for your camper is diesel for driving, not diesel and propane, this allows you to stay off grid for longer without worrying about your resources. If solar power isn’t your thing, you can opt for a generator or a second alternator to charge your batteries when living off the grid. The vans can also be fitted with an electrical hook up system for campsites. 

We love the conversion example above. This camper is a regular body, high roof Dodge Promaster, with plenty of interior space to create the living area. This conversion is relatively simple, but in such a small space simplicity is often key. The open plan layout creates a spacious feel, still with plenty of storage for life on the road. The platform bed allows loads of storage space at the back for bulky items, good news for adventurous people travelling in a van. 

4. Sportsmobile Mercedes Metris 

At number four on our list of the best Sportsmobile Campers we something for you if you’re looking into micro campers, the Mercedes Metris. The Mercedes Metris camper is perfect for you if you’re looking for a vehicle that you can take out on weekends or for holidays but also use on a day to day basis. This campervan is ideal as it is small enough to fit into a regular garage, is super easy to drive and can easily fit in any parking space. 

The Mercedes Metris conversion by Sportsmobile goes one step further with its versatility by creating campervan units that can be quickly removed. The front three units, beds and the seats in the back of the Mercedes Metris can be taken out of the camper van, turning it into a cargo van. This is perfect if you need to be able to use your camper for both work and leisure. If you do not need a work van, extra seating can also safely added to the back of the van, once the camper units have been removed. These additional seats allow the van to transport six people safely. 

When in camper mode, the Mercedes Metris has everything needed for a trip away including, sink with removable faucet for an outdoor shower, a fridge, hob, table, storage space and two double beds, one in the back and one in the pop top roof. In camper mode, the van seats four, two in the front seats which swivel round to face the two back passenger seats. This van is perfect if you’re looking for a smaller, more affordable camper.

5. Sportsmobile Ford Transit

Last but not least on our list of the best Sportsmobile Campers we have the Ford Transit conversion. The Ford Transit conversion works in the same way as the Mercedes Sprinter and Dodge Promaster conversions as you can design the layout yourself. As the interior sizes are similar, many options are the same for these three conversion types. You can also choose to upgrade to a 4×4 Ford Transit. However, this conversion is not done in house by Sportsmobile but by Quigley, as this is the only company in the US certified to complete the 4×4 Ford conversion.  

For the interior build, all options are available from Sportsmobile, and extra alternatives can be added to make your camper function even better. If you plan on travelling to through extreme temperatures, for example, opt for the added extreme insulation package, designed to keep you warm in the coldest of climates and cool in warmer environments. Other optional extras include an awning, rubberised flooring, baltic wood cabinetry and lithium batteries. 

We love the above example above of a Ford Transit Sportsmobile conversion. This tiny house is built in a regular body Transit van but still has space for everything needed for off grid living. We love the slide out bike storage at the back of the van, this sort of storage is important for many adventurers and works really well in a Ford Transit camper. This conversion also has ample storage space and a large, comfortable double bed, perfect for a good nights sleep.

Final Thoughts…

Sportsmobile Campers are a great option if you’re looking for a reliable conversion company who will take you every step of the way, from buying the van, through the designing process and to the final outcome. They are also there to support you with their five year interior conversion warranty, which is one of the best warranties we have seen and is an excellent bonus to buying a Sportsmobile van. With sixty years of experience, Sportsmobile are highly professional and have a wealth of conversion knowledge, giving you the best outcome possible. We love these vans, in particular the 4×4 conversion and penthouse pop top roof that can be added to any conversion. Sportsmobile Campers would make the perfect adventure vehicle for your next road trip!

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