144 vs 170 Wheelbase: Which is Best for You

144 vs 170 Wheelbase: Which is Best for You

144 vs 170 Wheelbase: Which is Best for You

If you’ve thought about buying a Mercedes Sprinter van, chances are the first question that comes to mind is “what size should I get?” We’re here to help you make that decision.

How is a Wheelbase Measured?

Wheelbase (WB) is the distance between the center of the front and rear wheels. Each of these wheelbase sizes has their own advantages and disadvantages, depending on what you’re looking to get out of your Mercedes Sprinter van experience. Here are some things to consider when making your wheelbase size decision:

GROSS WEIGHT (GVW)
GVW is how much weight the van can carry.

      • Sprinter 2500 has a gross weight of 8,550 lbs.
      • Sprinter 3500 has a gross weight of 9,990 lbs.

Sprinter wheelbase dimensions

 

144 Wheelbase

170 Wheelbase

170 Extended Wheelbase

Deciding How Much Livable Space You Need in Your Sprinter Van

Livability in a 144 Wheelbase

Living in a 144 Sprinter is great for an individual or a minimalist duo. Typically, if you’re going with a 144 as a duo then you’re not looking to live out of your van for an extended period of time. It would be best for a 1–2-week adventure or for weekend warriors looking to avoid costly rental properties. If you’re an individual with a dog, then a 144 is your van.

Livability in a 170 Wheelbase

A 170 van is great for a pair who’s looking for more space or a family (we’ve built a 170 for up to 8 people before). As a duo, you’re going to live very comfortably in a 170. The bed placement in a 170 vs a 144 wheelbase is the same, so you’re going to gain more space in the middle of your van, which can mean more space for additional counter space, a seating area with a workspace, or a longer bench seat, etc. There are a few different options, but the point is you have a lot more space to play with. If you’re a family looking for more sleep space, then you can go with a bunk set up, that can be converted into single bunk on the bottom, or two full queens between the primary and lower bunk where a modular bed is setup underneath the “main” bed. The bottom bed can be taken apart (remove middle bed panel and stow) when you need additional space for storage. Another option would be to go with a pop-top sleeping area, which can also be added to a 144 and a 170 EXT.

Livability in a 170 EXT Wheelbase

If you decide you want to go with a 170 EXT then chances are you have a larger family or a lot of friends! A 170 EXT is the perfect size for an interior shower, though it can be done in a 170 as well, you may feel a little more crowded. A 170 EXT is the wheelbase you can purchase that will allow for all the luxurious comforts of a Class C or home living.

 

Drivability of a 144 vs 170 Wheelbase

Drivability of a 144 Wheelbase

A 144 van gives the same kind of feel as driving any other vehicle that you’re used to driving, which can give a sense of comfort to someone who is new to van life. If you decide to go with a 144 low-roof, then you have great accessibility including the ability to go through a drive-thru, which is nice to have if you’re in a rush: we’ve all been there. Personally speaking, driving a 144 or 144 LR is simply a lot of fun. The handle and zip that comes with this wheelbase makes it an overall enjoyable driving experience. Compared to driving a larger model, there’s really no stress behind driving a 144. It’s a comfortable ride and you can get anywhere you need without the added stress of hugging a corner turn too tight or fearing you won’t fit into a packed parking lot. Ease of mind is maybe the greatest perk of having the smaller wheelbase.

Drivability of a 170 Wheelbase

Driving a 170 van takes a little more getting used to because of the additional 2 feet in length. It’s not difficult, but there are a few things to consider before taking your 170 van to certain locations including: parking, ease of access, and off-roading, which we’ll get into a little more below. People will often say that the 144 is best for driving, but the 170 is best for living.

Drivability of a 170 EXT Wheelbase

Driving the 170 EXT is essentially like driving a boat on wheels lol. No, all kidding aside, driving this beast has its challenges. Learning to get comfortable with driving a vehicle that’s 289 inches in length is going to take time and experience to be comfortable behind the wheel. Things to consider are turning radius (you’re not going to be making any quick U-turns in this vehicle), uphill driving (the 170 EXT tends to slow down significantly once you get on a slope, which means a lot of right lane driving, especially if you’re in the mountains), parking (for very obvious reasons, it’s not the easiest vehicle to find a parking spot for), and gas mileage, which we’ll get more into in the section below.

 

Maximizing Your Gas Mileage

 The main factors that will affect your Sprinter gas mileage is vehicle weight and the number of exterior accessories you’ve added, which go hand in hand. Exterior accessories look cool and are useful depending on what you need or want from your van life experience. However, you want to make sure that you’re being efficient when choosing which accessories to add. For example, you may want a front bumper, a rear bumper, and a platform roof rack, but what you may not have thought of was the amount of weight that’s going to add to your build. Not only could that weight affect your gas milage, but it could affect what you’re able to add on the interior of your van. See lightweight exterior accessory options for your van build here

Wind resistance is another potential hinderance from choosing too many exterior accessories, which will ultimately affect your gas mileage. A benefit of choosing a Mercedes Sprinter is that it’s available in 4×4, opposed to the Ford Transit, which is better for gas mileage because you can gear down to 2WD when you’re driving on pavement. If you wnat to extend your fuel range, another option is to add an auxiliary fuel tank like the 48 gallon fuel tank by Agile OffRoad

Big Head Todd and the Monsters original tour van

TOURIG 144 Sprinter van offroading at sunset

Off-Roading Capabilities

Aside from the obvious size advantages of off-roading with a 144 vs 170 wheelbase (or 170 EXT), consider these other factors in making your decision:

Drivetrain

2WD vs 4×4 will make all the difference when off-roading in tough terrain. If you don’t want to entertain the option of off-roading, then choosing a 2WD could be a great option for you. If you plan to make those snowy trips to the mountains to enjoy your snow sport of choice or hit a back road for a desolate camp spot, then you’ll want to consider spending the additional money (typically a $10,000 difference) for a 4×4.

Suspension

If you’ve ever been off-roading then you understand how important clearance and a smooth ride is. Chances are if you have a built-out Sprinter van, then you have an interior setup that includes valuable items, items that could easily be shaken up all over the place on an off-road excursion… you see where we’re going with this. Not only for your items, but for your sanity, you’re going to want as smooth a ride as you can possibly have. An additional item that could add protection to the bottom of your van and help with longevity is a skid plate. You can choose to get a complete skid plate system that will cover all your vital drivetrain components or choose a single skid plate for a specific area that’s taking more damage than the others.

We recommend an Agile Off-Road RIP Kit and a Van Compass skid plate.

Tires

Tires are a crucial part of having a good or bad off-roading experience. You’re going to want a good tread that can assist in getting through tough terrain. You don’t want to be stuck in a situation with an incapable set of tires.

 We recommend Toyo Open Country A/T III.

Additional Accessories

If you find yourself in a tough situation that you can’t get out of, even after you’ve added the items we’ve talked about above, then here are some additional items that could prove beneficial:

> Warn VR Evo 12-S Standard Duty 12,000 lb. Winch w/ Synthetic Rope (WAR103255)

> Maxtrax

What Wheelbase is Best for You?

 If you’re a solo traveler or a duo who can pack light without a lot of adventure equipment (mountain bike, kayak, etc.) then a 144 WB is perfect for you. If you have a family or if you want the additional space, then you may want to consider a 170 or 170 EXT WB. If you want extra sleeping space for your family, but a 170 EXT seems like too much, another option to consider is adding a pop-top living area on the roof of your van, which is perfect for sleeping children. You can get your pop-top installed at a service and installation company such as TRG.

We love all three options and have had the joy of living out of all three and have had great experiences in all wheelbase sizes. We hope this article can help you in making the decision that’s best for YOU.

 

TOP PLACES TO MOUNTAIN BIKE AND ROAD TRIP IN YOUR VAN THIS FALL

TOP PLACES TO MOUNTAIN BIKE AND ROAD TRIP IN YOUR VAN THIS FALL

Here are some mountain biking destinations for this Fall that you can’t miss.

If you’re looking to plan a road trip in your van this Fall and you’re planning on taking your mountain bike with, we’ve got a list of some of our favorite spots in the United States that we wanted to share with you. Read below to see some of our favorite spots to mountain bike and camp in your van this Fall.

MOAB, UTAH

Moab has long been a favorite for 4×4 enthusiasts but did you know the area boasts some of the best mountain biking trails in the country? In fact, Moab continues to build more and more bike-legal singletrack, at a rate of about 30 miles per year.

Camping in Moab with your van is easy and plentiful. You can find many BLM sites around the area which are first come first serve so no need to book. If you’d like to plan ahead, you can see some camping options here or for those more spontaneous travelers, it is definitely the kind of place where you can get away with winging it.

TOURIG Badassador @swillett_ in Moab

CRESTED BUTTE, COLORADO

The Crested Butte area has over 750 miles of trails and if you’re ready to pedal at altitude you will find the most picturesque high-alpine trails of the USA.

When the riding is done for the day, you’ll enjoy exploring the quaint western mountain town for delicious food and drinks.

Paid campgrounds book up fast in this area so we suggest getting off the grid and exploring Gunnison National Forest where you can find plenty of free dispersed camping. Our fave is Washington Gulch Road dispersed camping. Remember to leave no trace, and if you want more information on the area you can always talk to the Forest Service who are very helpful.

Learn More>

TOURIG Badassador @swillet_ knows the climb is worth it for these views in Crested Butte, CO

LAKE TAHOE, CALIFORNIA

We mentioned Lake Tahoe before in our 6 Best Places to Camp and Climb Journal and it really is one of our favorite places. Tahoe is a ski destination in the winter and during the summer season the ski lifts are open to access some killer downhill mountain biking trails.

For camping, look away from the crowded lake and head to the hills. There are many easily accessed fire trails in the area and camping is permitted in the pull off areas of those trails.

TOURIG Badassador @mr_teargas packed and ready to go

BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS

This area is home to miles and miles of regularly groomed and maintained trails. The Walton family (heirs to Walmart) have been turning the Bentonville region into a mountain biking paradise, with a commitment to “investing in our home region of Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta,” the area is now a haven for bikers. This area is probably one of the newer biking destinations in the USA but its popularity is certainly warranted with some incredible trails to explore.

Being in town, there isn’t too much off the grid camping here, but there are plenty of paid campgrounds ranging from $15-$40 per night. Trust us; the trails are worth it!

TOURIG Badassador @good_n_you showing us how it’s done!

TOURIG OWNERS SUZY AND JEFF SHARE THEIR FAVORITE PLACES TO TAKE THEIR RIG AND MORE

TOURIG OWNERS SUZY AND JEFF SHARE THEIR FAVORITE PLACES TO TAKE THEIR RIG AND MORE

We caught up with TOURIG owner, Suzy Yoder to see what life is like owning a TOURIG. Learn about some of she and her husband, Jeff’s, favorite spots to take their custom Sprinter van, why they chose to build their van with TOURIG, and more.

 

When did you get your TOURIG?

March 5, 2020. After at least a year of serious planning, we picked up our van in Golden, right as the reality of COVID was setting in.

 

What made you choose TOURIG for your van buildout?

We decided to have our custom Sprinter build done by TOURIG after we made a trip to Overland Expo in Flagstaff, AZ in 2018. Jeff had been doing lots of online research and also wanted to see vans from different builders up close. Overland Expo gave us the perfect opportunity to check out many different builders and builds. We kept coming back to the TOURIG vans and the TOURIG team and just knew it was the right fit for us. We loved the clean design: minimalist appearance but maximum performance. The buildouts fit our aesthetic with the clean cabinets and quality framing and upholstery. All of the systems are organized with subtle, functional details that make a big difference.

After Overland, we put down a deposit to reserve a TOURIG build date and then we began the crazy search for a Sprinter van. Mercedes rolled out an updated Sprinter platform for 2019 and we wanted to wait for the new vans to be released. We also wanted a four wheel drive diesel and so we ended up waiting a LONG time to actually acquire a van – but it was worth getting what we wanted and having the 2019 upgrades in the Sprinter platform.

Cooking up dinner outside our van

What adventures do you use your TOURIG for?

What don’t we use it for?? Since COVID, it has been our social isolation escape module. We have camped on private property owned by friends, spent weekends camping locally with family, got away for a birthday trip to the beach and when the national parks opened up, we resumed camping in the parks and surrounding national forest and BLM lands. Over the next few months we have campground reservations up and down the California coast and we are looking forward to some fun surf days ahead! We intend to take even longer trips when Jeff retires in January!

What is the best place you have ever parked and why?

We have four favorites (so far)!

1) Defying Death in Death Valley (one photo… zoom in you can see the rig with the awning out. Jeff took the photo from the top of the road while he was on his mountain bike)… Our first real van trip we had camping reservations in Death Valley. The campgrounds closed due to COVID but I was determined to see the famous “racetrack”. Google Maps would intermittently route the navigation through the saline valley side of Death Valley and on a 4×4 road to take us a back way to the racetrack. We headed this way and experienced a washboard road that was annoying but flat across the saline valley – and then we hit the drama. After the valley, the road takes a very sharp ascent. I am afraid of heights and was white knuckling it even at the lowest portion of this road. We passed a nice flat turnout and Jeff made some comment about how it would be a sweet camping spot as we drove right on past aiming to make it to the race track. About a half a mile from the turnout, our brand new van was wedged on a road that it had no business being on – there was significant washout on the right side of the already barely one lane steep rocky road and I had visions of tumbling our precious new Sprinter van over the cliff and that being the end. Thankfully, Jeff drives fire engines for a living and is not deathly afraid of heights. He calmly backed the rig down the hill and into the previously noted flat spot – where we camped for the night. I set up a chair and had a drink while reading a book and let my heartrate decrease. Jeff jumped on a mountain bike and biked the crazy, not appropriate for a Sprinter, (maybe only appropriate for motorcycles?), road up to the top and took pictures of the racetrack for me. This was one of my favorite camp spots because of the adventure attached. – and it was a beautiful perch over which we watched the valley for the night!

Camping in Death Valley, CA

2) Hiding out on friends Jake’s – We had access to a slice of paradise up near Lassen National Park. Jeff’s friend invited us to use their property for a getaway. We spent four nights camped next to a beautiful creek. It snowed, it was sunny and gorgeous, we experienced the entire spectrum of weater and remained comfortable and quite blissful in our perfect camp spot.

Camping next to the river near Lassen, CA

More beautiful views near Lassen

3) Close to home on West Camino Cielo – One of our favorite finds so far has been a camping spot close to home. We spent a glorious weekend with one of the girls and her boyfriend camping above Santa Barbara on Camino Cielo. There are many turnouts on this national forest land and we had a gorgeous view of the Channel Islands. It was a great boondocking spot, big enough for our rig, and Kinsley’s Tacoma. We will definitely be back and hope to share spots like these with more friends when COVID allows.

4) Some hot springs we came across in  Mammoth. Seriously, what a great parking spot!!!!

Hot springs in Mammoth, CA

What is the best feature of your TOURIG?

That’s a hard one to answer – Jeff says it’s the TOURIG Airliner Cabinets. They have a simple aesthetic and are very functional, roomy and lightweight so the van isn’t bogged down by the build. I say that Jeff’s favorite feature is actually the garage – we have a 170 wheelbase so the garage space under our bed is huge!!! We can easily store bikes, surfboards, and all of our camping essentials, and even our extras with room to spare. I personally love the bed (super comfy) and the refrigerator (amazing capacity)!

Images left to right: 1) Sprinter 170″ garage 2) TOURIG Airliner Cabinets 3) Suzy enjoys the custom mattress in their Sprinter van

Where can people follow your adventure?

Instagram @youngatheartproject

Any advice for people out there considering getting a TOURIG?

We went through a few iterations of our van layout before we settled on the build we have now. Our biggest piece of advice is to NOT think of your van as a tiny home. When you are designing your van think of essential functions and don’t worry about cramming every possible thing into the small platform.  We knew we wanted space inside the van. Jeff is tall and we wanted to be able to cook, change clothes and move around without falling all over each other or being trapped between cabinets. We wanted to be able to open our slider and extend our living space into the outdoors. In the end, we settled on a very open layout that we absolutely love. We have plenty of room to lounge in the van and we don’t feel like we are missing anything. We do not have a bathroom in the van but a cassette toilet and a shower off the back which meets our needs perfectly. We have plenty of storage and have found ways to pack and shop for provisions efficiently. It is helpful to look at lots of vans and layouts and really envision functioning in the space.

HOW TO LIVE SIMPLY AND STAY ORGANIZED IN YOUR CAMPER VAN

HOW TO LIVE SIMPLY AND STAY ORGANIZED IN YOUR CAMPER VAN

LIVING LARGE WITH LIMITED SPACE (AKA IN YOUR VAN)

Van life is full of adventures, travel and spontaneity. But when space is limited and your home in on wheels, staying organized becomes utmost important to maximizing the lifestyle and the adventures. When you’re constantly having trouble finding where you put things, or when your van space is cluttered and there just doesn’t seem to be enough space for everything, life can get messy and frustrating. Streamlining and simplifying are keys to staying happy and organized.

Moving into a tiny space can have its challenges, but there are tricks to making your small space work for you. We caught up with Kate Field of WeRollWithIt to see how she and Levi keep tidy while living full time in their overland TOURIG, Bruce Banner.

TOURIG’s Airliner Cabinets and wall mounted storage solutions help keep things tidy in the van

THE IMPORTANCE OF SIMPLIFYING IN YOUR CAMPER VAN

The first thing to think about when moving into a camper van whether full time or for a short trip is: ‘do I really need that?’ The longer we spend on the road the more I find myself happy with less. I look for versatility in everything from the clothes I wear to the gadgets I have in the kitchen. Everything on board needs a home. We can’t leave things lying around while we off-road so if it doesn’t fit in a cabinet or a storage bag it has to go! Be ruthless. Challenge yourself to only keep things that have multiple functions. Soon you’ll love the simplicity of living with less.

STAYING ORGANIZED IN YOUR VAN

Speaking of things not lying around: we use a lot of TOURIG Bunker Bags for storage and it’s incredible how much they hold. We have two on the seat boxes. One Bunker Bag holds all the dogs’ play toys. (This is cute because the dogs will go to their pocket and pick a toy to play with.) The other Bunker Bag holds flip flops and a small brush which we use to sweep the floor.

In the bedroom area we both use TOURIG Medium Bunker Bags to keep our socks and underwear stored. Another tip for the small space: if it’s something you need to use everyday make sure it’s accessible or you will drive yourself crazy. That’s why the pockets help so much because things can be easily accesible on the wall of the van but still out of the way.

Keep essentials organized and easily accessible with TOURIG’s wall mounted Bunker Bags

Up front we have the TOURIG Covert Pocket Door Set (one on the passenger and one on driver side front door) and the Covert Stash Visors (one on each visor above the front seats). We work a lot as we drive so these pockets are great for holding chargers, external drives, cameras, memory cards, and anything else we need to get at regularly from the driver’s seat. The Covert Stash Visor also has divider pockets for your wallet and vehicle paperwork.

Tip: keep essentials in the same spot every day. It’s easy to get excited about the adventure but when you arrive at that perfect camp spot always remember to put your keys, wallet, and phone in the same spot before you jump out and bask in nature’s glory – that way you won’t ever lose the essentials.

Bonus tip: If you’re a bit of a green thumb I have a sneaky tip for you. The TOURIG Canteen Cache makes a great plant holder! I put a plastic cup in the cache and leave an inch of water in the bottom. Then in the plants pot I use a string which threads out the base drain holes of the pot and will soak up water when needed to keep your travel plant happy.

TOURIG Canteen Cache used as a plant holder

In the garage we use TOURIG’s Large Bunker Bags on each door and also on the sides of the water house. The Large Bunker Bags hold everything we need for filling water or using the hose downs.

Tip: keep like items grouped together. If you will use it for water, keep it near the water box, if it’s an air accessory, keep it near the air chuck.

WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT TOURIG’S BUNKER SERIES STORAGE BAGS

What we love about TOURIG’s storage solutions is that they’re durable, lightweight, functional, and easy to use.Their low-profile design allows them to lay flat against the wall when they’re not being used, and their expandable design allows them to hold a ton of gear!  They’re quality products made in Minnesota (in the United States) by Knight Vision Development, established by one of the original founders of Granite Gear, a high end backpacking company. To see the full line of storage bags, click here

1) TOURIG Medium Bunker Bag
2) TOURIG Large Bunker Bag
3) TOURIG Covert Stash Visor
4) TOURIG Covert Stash Front Door Pocket Set

KEEPING YOUR CAMPER VAN CLEAN

Here’s something you won’t learn about van life from beautiful instagram images but I’m here to tell you: the floor always needs sweeping! All that adventure seems to somehow stick to your feet and gets trampled into the van. If you have pets or kids, all the more so. But don’t be deterred, that small floorspace takes just seconds to clean! I keep a small brush to sweep everything out and I usually do that on arrival at a new spot and also each night before bed. Another super handy tool for corners or tight spaces is a Milwaulkee M12 cordless vacuum. It uses 12V rechargeable batteries and is a great small item with plenty of suction power.

The Milwaulkee M12 cordless vacuum keeps the van’s living space clean

MAKING SPACE FOR ALL YOUR GEAR IN THE VAN

 We like to have plenty of toys on board to explore the outdoors. But how do we fit them all? Again, it’s about making smart choices and picking gear that will stow away and stay organized.

Choose Inflatable Options

For water fun we use an inflatable Rover from Bote Boards. It’s a skiff; it’s a dingy; it’s a tender; it’s a motorized inflatable paddle board. It’s a BOTE…in a bag. Inflatable products are great for van life because they pack up and slide into the garage easily.

Inflatable paddle boards are always a good time! Plus, they’re easy to store and don’t take up much space in the van.

Fitting Bikes on Board

We also have two CAB Motorworks EMX bikes on board. Although I love dirt bikes, they take up a lot of space and weight. With these full throttle e-bikes we can go just as fast (top speeds of 50 mph) and the 200 mile range is more than enough to wear us out. All this, plus the ability to charge right from the van’s house power system and no need to carry additional fuel. Our two e-bikes fit nicely into our rear storage garage with Rocky Mount’s bike mount system.

E-bikes store easily in the van’s rear storage garage with Rocky Mount’s bike mount

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF VAN LIFE

The most important thing to remember about these tiny adventure homes on wheels is that we don’t live in them, we live out of them! By simpliflying the number of things you bring, and having a designated home for everything, you can make van life more organized and more fun.

THE BEST CELL PHONE SIGNAL BOOSTERS FOR VAN LIFE

THE BEST CELL PHONE SIGNAL BOOSTERS FOR VAN LIFE

GETTING THE MOST DEPENDABLE WIFI AND CELL RECEPTION ON THE ROAD

While we all love using our vans to get away from the grind, sometimes we still need to be connected. If you’ve heard about the benefits of having a cell phone signal booster in your rig but want to know more about what they are, how they work, and which cell boosters are going to be the best for van life, we’ve got you covered.

 After we review what they are and how they work, we’ll share with you the models that we’ve found most reliable for our customers like WeRollWithIt. For van lifers like WeRollWithIt, who run their creative agency from on board, (learn more about WeRollWithIt here) having fast, reliable internet and cell reception is important.

Setting up a cell phone signal booster for your van

WHAT IS A CELL PHONE SIGNAL BOOSTER?

If you’re finding yourself often in need of a stronger cell phone signal when you’re on the road, a cell phone signal booster (also known as a cell phone repeater) might be the solution for you. Cell phone signal boosters work to strengthen cell phone receptions in a home, or in a vehicle like a TOURIG, putting an end to those frustrating dropped calls, hard-to-hear calls and slow internet speeds. They will boost receptions across all carriers like Verizon, Sprinter, AT&T and T-Mobile and all network speeds like 3G, 4G and LTE.

DOES A CELL PHONE SIGNAL BOOSTER ACTUALLY WORK? AND HOW?

Cell phone signal boosters work by taking weak cellular connections and essentially boosting them. Understanding the basic construction of the device makes it easier to understand how it works. The outside antenna on the device works to capture the weak cellular signal on your phone. The amplifier then takes that weak signal and boosts it up to 32X, and then the inside antenna redirects the stronger signal to your phone so that you can use it.

THE BEST CELL PHONE SIGNAL BOOSTERS FOR VAN LIFE

We’ve tested a bunch of different boosters over the years and know that not all are created equal. We’ve had great experiences with some and not so great with others. In order to save you the hassle of buying a set up that doesn’t fit your needs, we wanted to share some of our recommendations based on what we’ve found to be the best cell phone signal boosters for working on the road.

CELL PHONE BOOSTERS WE RECOMMEND

1) weBoost 4G-X OTR

weBoost cell phone boosters work great in vans, trucks, rv’s and other motorized vehicles. The company was the first to design signal boosters and have come out with some great boosters for different uses. We’ve had the best luck with the weBoost 4G-X OTR, which is their model designed for trucks (that works just as great for vans). WIth the right positioning, it can give an additional 2-3 bars of reception, and it will work on multiple cellular devices and for multiple users at the same time, so you can boost signals on your phone and your laptop, or your phone and someone else’s phone, all at the same time. We’ve also found it to be great for using in more remote and rural areas, because its amplifier is designed to reach cell towers that are up to 33% farther away than other models can reach.

weBoost’s best cell phone signal booster for vans, the 4G-X OTR

2) Rhino Rack Aerial Folding Bracket

WeRollWithIt recommends using The Rhino folding bracket along with the Drive 4G-X OTR. This allows for the super large truck antenna to flip up quickly when needed and lay flat across a roof rack when driving.

Rhino Rack Aerial Folding Bracket goes great with the Drive 4G-X OTR.

3) SureCall Fusion 2Go 3.0 RV

The other cell phone signal booster we recommend is a SureCall booster; it’s a slightly lower price point and has a smaller antenna so you don’t need to flip it up and down for use. SureCall is ready to go all the time. Much like the weBoost this device will amplify any available cell signal in the area. It’ll boost cellular connections from all the same carriers as weBoost, and also works on multiple devices and with multiple users. It’s meant to be hardwired or plugged into a cigarette lighter. TOURIG will hardwire this device behind a wall panel of your van so the device itself is hidden and you can easily turn it on or off by flipping a switch. We’ve had the best luck with the Fusion 2Go 3.0 RV, which is most comparable to the weBoost 4G-X OTR.

Another recommended booster for vans, the SureCall Fusion 2Go 3.0 RV

Another recommended booster for vans, the SureCall Fusion 2Go 3.0 RV

TIPS FOR GETTING THE BEST CELL PHONE SIGNAL WITH YOUR BOOSTER

#1) WeRollWithIt says that even with the booster, think about your position for best results. If you’re tucked into trees or rocks be sure to park with the antenna facing out. This can make a huge difference in service. The less physical blocks that you have between your device and a cellular network, the stronger your signal will be.

#2) At TOURIG we set up the weBoost or the SureCall directly to DC power with a switch to be able to turn it completely off when not in use- because sometimes you really do want to disconnect!

#3) For Netflix users: Netflix allows you to change the quality settings of playback, if you pick the mid level you will get better results. Here’s how to do that:

          -Sign in to Netflix.com.

          -Select the profile you’d like to change your data usage settings for.

          -Select Account.

          -Under My Profile, select Playback Settings.

Select your desired data usage setting.

Select Save. Your changes will take effect within 8 hours.

Enjoy your Netflix and chill in your van!