08/27/2025
Spent a night sleeping on the side of the road on the outskirts of El Paso, just in front of Hueco Tanks state park. and have been 2 apps which have proven to be invaluable while living out of our Honda Element. We were even able to use IOverlander throughout Mexico and it made finding hidden gems and safe spots to camp a breeze. Also really appreciated knowing where roadblocks were located so we could mentally prepare.
If you’re traveling in a van, you can just pull over & sleep anywhere with zero setup or major worries about weather & security. In a Honda Element camper top, things aren’t so simple. This rig is anything but low-profile. There’s no security (in the camper top) except the weapons we keep on us (we’re literally just in a tent). The set-up and tear down for one night, with a rooftop box, is a pain in the ass. And it’s S**T in any weather. The thing is not waterproof in any meaningful capacity, and is dangerous to be in when it’s lightning. I could go on, but I’ll leave further criticism about the “ecamper” for another post.
After almost a year of traveling and basing ourselves out of our car, there are so many things we’d do differently had we known what we do now. But the chaos is all part of the journey, and every day we’re thinking of ways to improve our setup. In the meantime… to other overlanders and van lifers: please keep reviewing places on the apps! You have no idea when you could be making someone’s day, making them feel safer to boondock in the middle of nowehere.
