One of the most versatile and sought-after vans on the market, the Mercedes Sprinter camper is a great choice for van life. Its long wheelbase and high roof mean it has plenty of space for your layout, and the Sprinter’s fuel efficiency and durable build make it perfect for long road trips. A Mercedes Sprinter is also a good investment, often with high resale value, unlike most other vans.

If you’ve decided that you want a Sprinter, now’s the time to figure out which one you want. Mercedes Sprinters, also known as Dodge Sprinter and Freightliner Sprinter (depending on the year it was made), can be found both brand new and second hand, in a range of conditions.

For an easier conversion, you may want to get a semi-fitted Sprinter. But if your budget does not allow it, the vast amount of guides and Sprinter conversion tutorials online make it relatively easy to build your motorhome from the ground up.

The three main choices you’ll need to make when choosing a Sprinter are: what type of van do you want, how high do you want the roof, and which wheelbase length are you going for. We’ll go over each of these three aspects and look at the main differences.

A passenger Sprinter is essentially a minibus, capable of seating 8-15 people. The extra seats make it less popular for vanlife, but those seats can be removed for the extra space. Nonetheless, you’ll be paying extra for those seating spaces, making the passenger-type Spinter the most expensive of the three.

The crew-type Mercedes Sprinter includes only one extra row of passenger seats and has more storage space than the passenger van. This makes it better suited for conversion and could suit you if you’re traveling on the weekends and need those extra seating spaces.

Finally, the cargo Sprinter is the most popular option for conversions. Without any extra seating except for the two seats in front and plenty of space in the back, this van type is the equivalent of a blank canvas. The cargo-type van is easiest to convert and is also the most affordable, allowing for more of the budget to be spent on the conversion process.

Now that you know which type of van you want, the next step is to decide if you want a high-top or standard roof. Both options have their pros and cons: a high-top Sprinter can be up to 9 feet tall, providing more space for you to work with. On the other hand, a standard roof is more budget-friendly and discreet and offers more parking options once you hit the road. You can always extend a standard roof with a pop-up if you feel like you’d like more space.

Finally, you need to decide the length of your Mercedes Sprinter camper. The three available are 144-inch, 170-inch, and an extended 170-inch wheelbase with an additional 15 inches at the back.

This primarily depends on your budget, planned layout, and how confident you are driving large vehicles. Longer vans take more skill to maneuver and are more likely to get stuck on rough terrain, in exchange for the extra space.

Built into nearly every modern smartphone is the ability to use the phone as a personal hotspot device. This means that if you have a smartphone or a tablet with a SIM, you can share the incoming 4G/5G signal with other devices. With one phone hotspot, you can provide an internet connection to your laptop, tablet, and smart TV, among other devices.

This is the simplest way to get internet for campers, with no additional equipment required. If you have a good signal, you can watch videos, browse the internet and have a WiFi connection hassle-free.

Nonetheless, there are a few downsides to this approach. First of all, you can only create a mobile hotspot if your phone is connected via 4G/5G. Your phone will not be able to share a WiFi connection if it’s connected to WiFi itself. Secondly, don’t expect a fast connection if you’re down to one or two bars. This method is highly dependent on your phone having a good signal, so it may not be for you if you need a reliable internet connection.

Another thing to keep in mind is the provider. Some mobile network providers limit the amount of data you can use when using a personal WiFi hotspot. Make sure you know your data cap or get an unlimited plan. If you’re going abroad, think ahead and find out your roaming fees, or use an international provider.