Update: Saturday, October 21, 2023, 7:54:40AM EDT
After watching several dozen videos of people who not only live out of their Outback, but some who have even given up “vanlife” for “sublife” since it is cheaper and easier—even as a couple living together. I have attempted to address all of these.
I’ve also realized that Starlink Mobile (250/month) would make “wild” camping the preferred method by enabling me to camp in places that other remote, long-term campers would never attempt. It also addresses a number of safety issues with being remote but getting stuck. There are devices that also use satellite and services that are minimal that will come fly you out in an emergency.
After some initial testing, I’ve made a tough and unexpected conclusion about living out of my car. It seems very difficult to do it safely and easily for a long period of time—especially by someone who is a very active athlete who needs a solid base from which to recover and launch daily adventures. Others on YouTube have done (and continue) to do it, but they don’t have the requirements that I do.
Recovery after long or tough bike rides is crucial to my daily life.
Recovery is hampered by not being able to get excellent sleep.
Allergies, though seasonal, destroy good sleep and health.
Living outside make allergies worse. [Yes, but no worse that going outside at home to exercise. This can be addressed with allergy meds and being able to change locations actually may make it easier to avoid bad allergy seasons.]
Side sleeping on hard surfaces is uncomfortable because hip bones poke through foam and create hot spots that get soar really quickly. End up waking less rested and sometimes with new soarness because of muscles strained. No car bed or mat will ever be as good as an actual mattress—especially as I get older. [False. First attempt with a lawn chair pad was silly compared to using an actual 4” memory foam mattress. Bed comfort is entirely doable. In fact, Outback fits an entire twin mattress in the back if the other stuff is stored elsewhere.]
More likely to cramp up and be unable to deal with cramps when they happen. [False. Cramps are going to happen either way. Learning to deal with them whereever they happen is key.]
Stomach sleeping is impossible since shin bones bruise as feet dangle off edge. [Again, because of bad bed first attempt. Good mattress completely addresses this.]
Could put board down, but that makes “office mode” impossible. [Not required.]
Need to deal with insects trapped inside car. [Insects follow the light. Just make sure there is a light outside that is stronger when getting in, or bring a low powered bug zapper to use in the car right after getting in.]
Need to promote fresh air flow since stale air does not circulate as it would in a home even with all the windows open. [Just crack the windows and get a fan.]
More risk of air pollution inside the car as within a bad apartment (mold, allergens, chemicals, etc.) except there is no good way to remove this from the air through use of filter or something while the car is not moving. Sleeping outside in a tent would be much healthier long term since the tent can be cleaned of allergens, insects can be kept out better, and the air is always fresh. [Remember to ventilate the car regularly by having all the doors open before the bugs come out and/or adding wind screens.]
A car cannot be thoroughly cleaned easily once a week like an apartment could be. This contributes to the air pollution inside the car making long-term sleeping and living inside of it unhealthy. [While harder to clean, it can be cleaned.]
Peeing into a pee bottle is really annoying from a laying or sitting position in a cramped vehicle, not something I want to do every day, several times a day. [*No need to pee into a bottle when “wild” camping because you can go outside and make a “cat hole”.]
Going number two is impossible from the car. Even if I took out the passenger side front seat and added a small porta-potty I wouldn’t have the room for it. [People do this all the time. It is just much easier when “wild” camping because you just have to go outside and make a “cat” hole. Just make sure when stopping for the night in town to do so near a place that has a bathroom.]
Having my own urine or extrement stored in the cab of the car for even a short amount of time is completely unbearable and would blow away my ability to sleep or concentrate. It is also just an accident waiting to happen in such closed quarters. [Again, do that outside.]
Making an outdoor bathroom with a privacy tent requires staying in places where that is possible. But the weather will inevitably not allow me to go outside to use it. Urban car camping is possible in stealth mode, but setting anything up outside of the car blows car camping away. Living in a stealthy van or RV even would be sustainable because you don’t have to do anything outside. But then you lose your mobility since driving one around is much harder. [This is while “wild” camping is so much more sustainable.]
Living out of car means being stranded in it on very weathery days. Spending more than a few hours—even for a coder—is extremely uncomfortable. Getting out and going for a walk to stretch is not always possible depending on the weather outside and the location. [Sure it is. Just take an umbrella. If the weather is so extreme you can’t even walk around outside, such as deep snow, then just camp someplace else. Wild camping implies not staying is really snowy, dangerous climates until the gear and habits equal what is required.]
Working only from a laptop is challenging after a person has become used to multiple monitors and a home lab of computers to work with. [Non issue for someone who has mastered the terminal.]
There is simply no option where I take a shower after a ride meaning I will immediately dirty all my gear after only a single hard ride. This can be gotten around by washing the bedding/bag every week. But that means finding and paying for a laundromat weekly. Washing bedding could be done outside, but not during months of incliment weather. [Keep one jacket and pants that is more dirty than the rest. Change out and store in the storage on top of the car before getting into the car. Keep stinky laundry (that would also attract bugs) out of the cabin.]
Staying fit depends entirely on the weather. Having an apartment means I can do stuff indoors or at the gym to stay healthy when it is horrible outside. This is not possible when living from a car. Even if I got a gym membership I would have to stay someplace within walking distance to that gym regularly and normally that is not allowed. [Just stay places where outdoor exercise is sustainable. It might be cold, but if it is clear, can do something outside anywhere you can walk, hike, or bike.]
In general, living from a car requires good weather, which limits the number of places that I could even visit and requires I change locations frequently throughout the year. [Yes, initially. But as skills improve testing those skills in climates that are harder to tolerate can be part of the fun.]
Living in a car carries a lot of hidden expenses that apartment renters don’t have. Gasoline and car maintenance alone are hugely expensive. It’s all the little trips to get to places to stay that add up more than driving to a destination from an apartment for an adventure on the weekend ever would. [Live in one “wild” location for two weeks minimum. Prepare to have all those provisions for that time. Make sure you can charge your car battery if there is a problem. Most of the expenses go away when “wild” camping for longer periods of time.]