This content was created in partnership with Escape Camper Vans in exchange for the rental, but all opinions are honest and mine! There are affiliate links in here. I get a commission if you purchase through them at no extra cost to you.

Back in March, my blog friend Jennifer from National Park Obsessed messaged me and asked if I’d want to do a camper van trip with her from Orlando to Salt Lake.

I said I definitely shouldn’t but absolutely want to. You can probably guess by the subject of this post that I did, in fact, decide to go! Oh, and we had never actually met in person before this.

Things worked out, except instead of Salt Lake, we ended in Phoenix. I had been curious about Escape rentals for a long time, having seen them all over living out west so I was very excited for this.

I’ll have other posts covering our route, packing list/tips, and all the stops, but this post is all about the Escape camper van review, the pros and cons, or as I call them, the good and the grievances.

Before we get into the nitty gritty though, I’m going to give a quick overview of what the Mesa camper van (the model we had) has to offer.

Mesa Camper Van Overview

• Three cigarette lighters for adapters (one adapter was provided, I’m not sure if they always are)
• A boatload of cup holders
• Three storage drawers under the wide bench in back
• A queen bed in the back
• A small table to set up when the bed isn’t out
• Solar light
• Camp stove
• Two cans of propane
• Bug socks
• Sink (pump handle)
• Fridge (drawer style)
• Five gallon water tank for the sink (NOT potable)
• Kitchen kit (add on)
• Rooftop tent (add on)
• Camp chairs and table (add on)
• Tarp sun shade (add on)

The Good

We’re starting with the good. I should also note here, that this review is specific to the Mesa model of vans. There will probably be differences for other models.

The back is very spacious

One thing that really impressed me in the van was how much room there was in the back! It basically has room for a whole queen bed so you’re not all squished up in there.

And when the bed isn’t set up, there are two benches to sit on, one on each side (one is wider than the other), and room for a small table to be set up with room open next to it still.

The fridge

The fridge is small but it’s super handy to have and it stays cold very well! I think we had it set a little extra cold because a few things got a little icy, but that just shows how well it works.

It’s not a regular fridge, it’s a drawer. It’s in the very back of the van and can be only accessed when the back doors are open. But its WAY better than just having a cooler.

If there are more than two people on the trip, you’ll probably either have to stop a lot more frequently for groceries (it’s a very small fridge) or have a cooler.

It was the perfect size for two people though and had room for food for 2-4 days, depending on what you have. You have to really kind of slam it shut to make sure it shuts all the way though.

The whole cooking area

The whole cooking area was really nice. There is the fridge, and the sink is above the fridge. To the left of those is the Coleman camp stove on a slide out.. thing.

Above the stove is a shelf for storage, but we had the kitchen kit (which I would definitely recommend getting if you’ll be cooking) so that’s what was on that shelf. It was a bunch of cooking supplies and dishes in a plastic tub.

It is hard to get to the tub when the stove is in use so just make sure you have what you need out before you start cooking.

It’s pretty good on dirt roads

We didn’t take the van on any crazy dirt roads, but we did take it on a few, some a little rougher than others, none too loose sandy, and it did really well!

I mean, the drive out to Chaco Canyon was like, 19 miles of extremely rough and washboary roads, no matter which route you take in.

It was noisy with everytthing rattling around but it was fine. If any of the dirt roads are wet, I would probably find an alternate route if possible.

If you’re looking for somewhere to spend the night on dirt Forest Service roads and they look questionable when you get to them, check the weather for overnight and the next day just in case there’s rain in the forecast because they could be impassable after.

If you want to take it on dirt roads, make sure you have the insurance that covers that! And DON’T pull off into sand because if you get stuck, insurance won’t cover help to get out.

The bed is easy to take out and put away

Once you realize that for the smaller bench side you have to lift the base of the bed up a little over a little lip thing (oops), it’s super easy to set up and take down.

Putting it away is a lot easier to use your legs to push in the side closer to the door then scoot your way toward the back.

And once it’s almost push all the way, I would sit on the skinny bench and use my feet to push it all the way. Make sure the cushions are up over the middle bed section when you start putting it away.

And surprisingly comfortable

For just being some cushions on a slab of wood, the bed was surprisingly comfortable! I got good sleep every night, and if I didn’t it was probably because I was too hot or cold, not uncomfortable.

Cup holders galore

There were so many cup holders in this thing, and it was so handy! In the very back by the bed area, there were three on the side by the wide bench and two on the side with the door.

Then in the front, there were like, eight! There was certainly no lack of places to set your phone or variety of beverages.

It cools down very fast

The first few days of our trip were in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas where it was quite hot and very humid, especially in the van at night.

Thankfully, when we had the van on and the AC blasting, it cooled down very quickly.

Just behind the front seats on the roof is air vent controls for the back. We kept it off while we were driving then turned it all the way up to cool it down before bed.

Three spots for charging adapters

The only way to charge in the van was with charging adapters in the cigarette lighter things, two in the front and one by the side door in the back.

They provided one adapter with one USB C port and four regular USB ports, and we had another single one and an adapter for a regular outlet for charging camera batteries and laptops that we used in the back only while driving!

With a plethora of charging cords (you have to bring those) and a couple adapters with multiple ports, you’ll be fine.

Drawers for storage

Under the wider bench in the back there were three drawers for storage which we used for clothes and toiletries.

They were pretty good sized, just make sure you lock them before you start driving or they’ll come out and slide around.

You could also put stuff under the skinny bench where the table pole is if you need more room.

The only annoying thing is that you can’t get into the drawers if the bed is out. There also isn’t really space for luggage except for the back seat area so I would highly recommend using a backpack or duffel bag over a suitcase.

The ease of moving between places

Obviously the biggest perk of a camper van versus tent camping is having everything you need in the van and being able to easily move.

If you really wanted, you could leave the bed out (if you’re not using the drawers) and literally wake up and drive off 30 seconds later with no packing up.

Weather gets bad and you need to move? Noisy neighbors? Too many bugs? Just drive off and find somewhere else!

The designs on the vans

And finally, the designs on the vans are super fun and major conversation starters.

I would guess we had at least one person ask us about it everyday, sometimes more. You won’t blend in at all, but you will make friends.

And somehow, we only saw one other Escape van on the whole trip, and it was at Chaco Canyon of all places!

If small talk isn’t for you and you don’t want to meet people, skip these bad boys.

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The Grievances

I will say now, it looks like there are a lot of grievances, but they’re all pretty small things. The first two were the worst, and even those aren’t that bad or about the rental itself.

Always finding somewhere to stay

My least favorite part was always finding somewhere to stay. I was only put in charge of this like, once I think, but that was enough for me!

I can find hotels and Airbnbs, but camp sites was much less fun for me. But it’s really just because I’m not used to it.

I always say how great it is out west because you can camp almost anywhere on BLM land, but if you’re not familiar with the area, that’s easier said than done.

We used The Dyrt to find our camp sites and it worked pretty well. It’s much easier to find free sites out west and in the east most were paid.

I would definitely try to look for some of these before your trip and have a top choice then a couple of back up options so you don’t have to scramble searching each night.

If there are official paid campgrounds you KNOW you want to stay in, book them in advance if there is space, especially in national parks because they were mostly full.

The rooftop tent

I was very excited about getting to try a rooftop tent because I’ve wanted to for years and there just isn’t a good way to test one.

Well, I was disappointed by it. This isn’t again the van or the rental, it’s an add-on, totally optional, but I didn’t like it. It may be different on a lower vehicle.

First, we had a lot of wind on the trip, and some rain at night in the early days, and it wouldn’t have been fun to be up there in that. It would move around a lot and would have to be opened to let it dry.

It was also a little scary climbing down the ladder. But most of all, it was SO difficult to close!

Jennifer pulled down on the strap at the back and I had to go back and forth between both sides to stuff the sides of the tent in as she lowered it because they just puffed out.

I don’t know if we were doing it wrong, but I’ve never seen anyone mention that in what I’ve read about them, but it was a pain.

Then once we did get it closed, I couldn’t even close the buckle clamp things! There’s no way I could have used that if I was by myself.

If there are three or four of you, or you’ve always wanted to try one, go for it. But if you’re fine sharing the inside of the van, I would just do that.

The sink

It was convenient having a sink but I didn’t like that you have to pump it to get water out of it. I was able to wash dishes in it but it wasn’t easy to wash the pots and pans.

I know running water would end up wasting way more and with a limited capacity, that just won’t work. It gets the job done, it’s just kind of annoying.

It warms up very fast at night

Now that you know how fast the van cools down, it’s time to tell you that it warms back up just as fast.

If it’s hot and humid at night, leave the van on while you get the bed set up to cool it down, then turn it off after. Once you stop moving it’s less awful but it doesn’t keep the cold super well.

The solar light

The solar light itself is good, it was helpful. My grievance is just it’s placement. It’s in a weird spot.

It’s right above the stove in the back, but if you’re in the van, then just that corner gets good light. I think it would have been better either in the middle along the back, or to have one on each side.

And maybe one in the middle? I’m not sure. A way around it would be to bring your own little set of fairy lights for evenly distributed light inside, or a lantern or something.

The inside height

This is something that can’t be changed, it’s not Escape’s fault, but the inside height of the van can be difficult.

I’m 5’4″, so I’m not tall (although someone did tell me I was once when he learned that I drove a Smart Car, weird) but not being able to stand all the way up was annoying.

Device charging

I know I said it has a lot of charging potential, and it does, mainly if you’re driving long distances.

If you have short drives, it can be harder to charge things since you can really only charge while that van is on, unless you just sit with it on for a while.

But phones, kindles, and other USB things can be charged with portable chargers (bring multiple!) so they’re less of a problem.

Laptops and camera batteries, however, are harder to charge (if you need them). Again, on a long drive, it’s fine.

But, especially out west or if you’re in one place for a few days, it’s a lot more difficult. If you don’t absolutely need a laptop with you, leave it at home.

And bring as many camera batteries as you have, and maybe an extra. Mine usually lasted a long time but they were dying like that was their job on the trip.

I don’t know if they’re just old (quite possibly) or what, but it was a huge pain and I was very glad I had three with me.

The gosh darn sliding door

This is a van specific thing, nothing that can be controlled, but this door was so hard to close all the way!

You really have to put a lot of effort into slamming it shut and you can tell it’s shut all the way when you hear the outside step retracting.

Sometimes I got it on the first try, and other times it would take three or four.

No airflow in the back

Finally, no airflow in the back sleeping area of the van. When the van is on and air vents are open it’s fine. That’s not what this is about.

This is about when the van is off. We had bug socks to go over the front doors (basically a giant mesh bag to go over the front doors so you can leave the windows open without bugs coming in), but that’s it.

Again, not a company issue, it’s just the way the vans are, but there are no windows in the back that open to get airflow back there.

We had a small rechargeable fan (thank goodness!) and I would highly recommend at least one, if not two to help with this.

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Who is a camper van good for?

While anyone that feels up to it can (and should) do a camper van trip, I think there are some groups that are better suited for it than others.

I personally wouldn’t want to rent one of these with more than two people total. While there is room for more, I think it would be difficult and much more uncomfortable.

• Couples
• A single person
• Two friends (if you only want to sleep in the van)
• Three to four friends (if two of you are ok always sleeping in the rooftop tent, I think this would be difficult as far as space in the van goes for luggage and food and wouldn’t do this personally)
• Parent(s) with one or two kids (one that’s young could be in the van, too; two you would need the rooftop tent, too.)

Is an Escape camper van worth it?

Yes! If you want a super cheap budget option, then probably not, but if you want the ease of being able to move around with your minimal setup/takedown, then it’s perfect!

It’s a fun experience and I would definitely say give it a shot if it’s in your budget and have always wanted to try a camper van.

I wouldn’t say it’s the best representation of what van life is like since it’s temporary and it would be different building out the inside to suit your needs but it will give you an idea if you really hate it or not.

Overall, I’m so glad I decided to do this! It was a lot of fun, we got to see a ton of stuff, and I got to meet one of my long(ish) time Internet friends in real life!

Book an Escape camper van here!

Have you rented an Escape camper van before? How was it? Did you try a different company? Do you want to try one out?