Sometimes, camper vans are either comfortable or capable, but not both. This is not the case with the Beartooth Vanworks Rungu, however.
As you can see in the image above, this van is built for off-road exploration. This 2021 Mercedes Sprinter 144 4×4 high roof has upgrades from front to back – including a winch, skid plates, and an upgraded suspension kit – that allow you to take the Rungu to off-grid camping sites that typical vans simply can’t reach.
But, that’s only half the story! Beartooth Vanworks has outfitted the Rungu with a long list of creature comforts that provides you the blend of comfort and capability you long for. With exotic African Bubinga wood countertops and accents, heated flooring, and a pop-top roof, this van affords you the well-appointed space you long for after a long day of exploration.
With that little preview out of the way, let’s dive deep into this van and discuss the specifics of its comfort and capability!
Table of Contents
- What is Beartooth Vanworks?
- How Does the Beartooth Vanworks Rungu Provide Comfort?
- What are the Rungu’s Off-Road Capabilities?
- Other Features Making the Beartooth Vanworks Rungu One of the Best Conversion Vans of 2024
What is Beartooth Vanworks?
If it’s a bespoke conversion van you’re after, Beartooth Vanworks should be at the top of your contact list.
Located in Belgrade, Montana, Beartooth Vanworks is smack in the middle of some of the most rugged and beautiful landscapes in the U.S. Not only is it a great place to live, work, and adventure, but it’s also the ideal location for the best ideas of what a conversion van should be to come to fruition.
What I appreciate about Beartooth Vanworks is that the process of building a van starts by working directly with each client. You’re asked to fill out a survey so Beartooth Vanworks knows precisely what you’re looking for. The initial survey is just a starting point, though – it’s followed up by a phone call in which the Beartooth Vanworks team will reach out with build ideas to address your specific needs and wants. Once the ideas for your van are refined, the Beartooth Vanworks folks will create a completely custom design for you, with opportunities for more refinement and input from you along the way. Only when you’re comfortable with the build ideas will things proceed, that way you get exactly what you want out of your van.
In other words, Beartooth Vanworks isn’t slinging pre-built, off-the-shelf vans. You drive what happens with the build and they’ll make your dreams come true. What’s not to like about that?!
You can trust the process knowing that the Beartooth Vanworks team has more than 70 years of trade experience. Combined with a dedication to high-quality construction, using superb materials, and a creative process that helps customers like you address every need and want imaginable, it’s no wonder that Beartooth Vanworks is so highly regarded in the industry. In fact, we named them one of the best conversion van companies of 2024!
How Does the Beartooth Vanworks Rungu Provide Comfort?
I don’t know about you, but I’m not all that interested in roughing it like I did when I was younger. When I come back to camp after hiking, biking, fishing, or whatever outdoor activity I’ve done that day, I want to be comfortable.
The Rungu van from Beartooth Vanworks is an ideal representation of how a conversion van can be built to address all your comfort needs. The heated floors I mentioned earlier are an ideal feature for folks who love cold-weather camping. Nothing feels better when you wake up on a chilly winter morning than your feet touching a heated floor!
Of course, a van like this doesn’t stop at heated floors to keep you warm. The forced air heating system allows you to maintain a comfortable temperature in the van, even if you’re camped out in the parking lot of your favorite ski resort in the dead of winter. In this case, the slide-out powder-coated ski tray in this van would be a nice bonus for you!
The interior also features a well-appointed galley. The induction burner ensures you have a place to cook a great meal no matter the season, while the Isotherm Drawer 130 fridge gives you ample space to keep your food cold. You can clean up after a meal with the spacious sink and gooseneck faucet, which has heated water for doing the dishes.
You’ll appreciate the Richlite cabinetry, too. These cabinets are built from 100-percent recycled paper products and provide you with all the storage you need for kitchen supplies and other gear.
The cabinets are topped with gorgeous African Bubinga wood countertops. This wood is sustainably harvested and has a very high strength-to-weight ratio, making it an ideal option for a camper van application. While the wood begins with a beautiful pinkish tone, it darkens over time, giving the van a touch of luxury that you simply won’t find elsewhere. There’s even an integrated wireless phone charger in the countertop!
When it’s time to lounge, Beartooth Vanworks has incorporated all sorts of features to make your downtime all the more comfortable. There’s LED lighting throughout the van, including touch LED lighting with a dimming feature and a main switch control. You can enjoy your favorite tunes, too, with an upgraded sound system that’s separate from the van’s main system. This means you can listen to your favorite tracks without turning the van on.
Another impressive feature is the use of hidden compartments throughout the van. While some builders leave unusable voids of wasted space, Beartooth Vanworks strives to give you usable storage in every possible corner of the van.
Something else that’s hidden is the slide-out toilet. Rather than having the toilet take up a lot of real estate inside the van, the slide-out arrangement allows you to have the facilities you need when you need them. Slide it out when nature calls, and slide it back in when you’re done. Easy peasy!
If you’re wondering how a van like this enhances your sleep, it’s simple – there are two sleeping areas. The first is a bench-to-bed conversion that gives you seating and sleeping space, depending on your needs. This bed has flare extensions that give you the added room you need to stretch out and relax. But these aren’t any old flare extensions – they’re lined with dyed bison hides for a soft, luxurious addition to the sleeping area (the seat cushions are also lined with bison hide).
The second sleeping area is up top in the pop-top roof. The Penthouse, as it’s called, offers space for two more people to crash in complete comfort. Whether you need added space for friends, kids, or other family members, this is the perfect spot for them to relax.
What are the Rungu’s Off-Road Capabilities?
So, this van obviously has all sorts of comfort features that will make your outdoor adventures all the better. But what about the functional capabilities the van needs to facilitate your adventures?
It’s hard to miss the upgraded Backwoods Adventure Mods front bumper, that’s for sure. This thing is as rugged as they come and includes a winch for extracting yourself or others from gnarly situations. The integrated lighting package gives you the light you need to navigate dark trails and set up camp at night, too.
This van includes BTV Custom nerf bars on either side for aiding ingress and egress, BTV Custom roof bars, and there’s skid plates underneath to protect the van’s vital systems. The all-terrain tires and Black Rhino rims make sure the van is sure footed on varying terrain and in all sorts of road conditions. The Agile RIP suspension kit further enhances the van’s capabilities by giving it added ground clearance and an improved ride.
Get a complete look at the Rungu’s exterior and interior features in the detailed tour above!
Other Features Making the Beartooth Vanworks Rungu One of the Best Conversion Vans of 2024
The comfortable interior features and rugged off-road amenities discussed above aren’t the only things worth noting about this van…
Remember the African Bubinga wood? It isn’t limited to just the galley countertop. With Bubinga accents throughout the van, the result is a luxurious cabin experience with a rich feel that’s hard to achieve in a camper van.Â
You can exist off-grid for extended periods, too, thanks to the robust electrical system on the Rungu. There are 300 watts of solar panels on the roof that feed 600ah of heated lithium batteries. There’s a shore power connection for the occasions when power is available, and when there’s no power, you can rely on the 3000-watt inverter to turn battery power into AC power so you can charge your devices and use other electrical components.
You’ll also have plenty of water storage for your adventures. There’s a 21-gallon fresh water tank to feed the galley sink and a seven-gallon gray water tank for the sink water to drain into.Â
Above all, the feature that sets this van apart from others is the extreme attention to detail. As you can see in the images throughout this article, this van is absolutely on point with the build quality. This isn’t just because Beartooth Vanworks uses high-quality materials – it’s also due to the level of craftsmanship and pride of work that goes into each and every van.
If you want a van like this that gives you the comfort, functionality, and durability you demand, get in touch with Beartooth Vanworks to get the process started today!
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