FAQ 02: Is It Worth Building a Stealthy Rig?

That depends. Are cities on your camping list?

Last summer, I met a millennial who felt adventuring was going for a walk in the woods. He speed-walked through every trail and never stopped to enjoy anything. While posturing about how much of an adventurer he was, he told me that the perk of his van over my RV was that he could stealth camp.

"Why would I need to stealth camp?" I asked him. "Isn't that for people who sleep in the cities and suburbs?"

My question stumped him for a second. Reluctantly, he admitted that he spent most of his #VanLife years working and living in Denver, CO. When I met him, he lived in his van on company property. He was lucky to get a weekend off and usually worked six days per week.

So, do YOU need a stealthy rig?

That depends on where you plan to spend your time. If you think you'll be sleeping in more developed areas, then a stealthy rig is a handy investment. But, if you're like me and intend to spend most of your time camping in nature, the sacrifices you make to be stealthy likely won't be worth it.

Can you camp in developed areas without a stealthy rig?

Since being on the road full-time, I have never needed to stealth camp. Nevertheless, I have camped in cities and suburban areas before. I have never gotten the dreaded knock on the door on those nights and have never had neighbors' complaints.

So, how do I pull this off without a stealthy rig? And, more importantly, how can you? If you're a paid subscriber, you’ll get the answers to these questions and more next week. 

Happy travels!