Room for the toys: This campervan layout makes space for adventure gear

A comfortable bed, somewhere to cook and a cold drink at the end of the day. There’s plenty to like about travelling in a campervan, until you try to find room for a dirtbike, a couple of mountain bikes or the gear that makes the trip worth taking.

Fixed beds and cabinetry can make good use of a small space, but they also decide how you’ll use it. If your equipment doesn’t fit, you’re left looking at external racks, a trailer or leaving something at home.

American manufacturer Storyteller Overland has taken a different approach with its new GEAR MODE campervan. Recently unveiled in the US, it puts a rearrangeable interior at the centre of the design, allowing the rear space to switch between carrying equipment and camping.

Unfortunately, there’s no Australian availability announced. However, the layout offers some interesting inspiration for anyone planning a campervan conversion or wondering how to fit their extra adventure gear into a conventional van.

Here’s what it looks like:

Meet the Storyteller Overland GEAR MODE

Built on a high-roof AWD Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with a 144-inch wheelbase, the GEAR MODE uses Storyteller’s GearShift system: four modular panels that can form a queen-size sleeping bed, lounge seating, a table or somewhere to work.

When cargo space takes priority, the panels stow flat against the sidewall, opening up the rear floor. L-track rails provide mounting points for securing equipment throughout the cargo area. The idea is straightforward. Rather than fitting your gear around a permanent bedroom, you change the room to suit what you’re carrying.

It’s a bit like a Toy Hauler caravan but in campervan format.

A campervan that changes with the trip

For those whose weekends revolve around riding, paddling or other outdoor activities, this flexible layout has obvious appeal. A mountain biking trip might call for space for bikes, helmets, tools and riding gear. Another weekend might involve bulky camping equipment, while a trip without the toys could put the living space to more use.

The important design idea here is that the same patch of floor can do several jobs. You don’t have to dedicate it permanently to a bed or squeeze everything into the storage left underneath.

You still get the camping basics

The GEAR MODE retains a compact kitchen with a sink, fridge/freezer and portable induction cooktop. It also has heating, rooftop air-conditioning, a portable toilet and an exterior shower.

However, with two seatbelts and one bed, this is a camper aimed at two travellers. Its bathroom arrangement also makes it a different proposition from a motorhome with a permanent enclosed shower and toilet.

For some buyers, that trade-off would be easy. For others, an outside shower or relying on a portable toilet would take the shine off the extra cargo space. Of course, neither preference is wrong. It simply comes down to what you want the vehicle to make easier.

Where do the bikes go at bedtime?

A flexible interior creates more options, but it doesn’t create more space.

The first question is what happens when you pull into camp and want to put the bed down. Can your equipment stay inside, or does some of it need to come out? If you arrive late, it’s raining or you’re stopping somewhere you’d prefer to keep the bikes secured indoors, this is a potential problem.

Then there’s the mess. Muddy tyres, wet paddling gear and dusty riding equipment need somewhere to go without turning the sleeping area into the bottom of a gear bag. A dirtbike adds further questions about fuel and fumes.

The practical appeal of any layout like this depends on more than how quickly the furniture folds away. Loading access, suitable restraints, ventilation, cleaning and the nightly changeover all deserve a look.

Ideas for an Australian campervan build

You don’t need this particular camper to take something useful from its design.

If you’re planning a build, measure the equipment you actually own, including handlebars, pedals and any awkward protrusions. A kayak, in particular, needs more thought than simply spotting an empty cargo floor.

Consider how you’ll load everything, where it will be secured and whether you can still reach the fridge or make lunch while travelling. Check the available payload once the fit-out, passengers, water and equipment are accounted for.

Finally, be honest about how much rearranging you’re happy to do. A folding bed might be a small price to pay for taking your bikes away. Moving half your belongings twice a day will wear thin on a longer trip.

The GEAR MODE is an interesting prompt to think about what deserves space inside a campervan. For some travellers, that will be a permanent bathroom and a bed that’s always ready. For others, it will be the equipment they’ve driven all that way to use.

Would you trade a fixed bed and bathroom for room to bring the bikes inside?

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