There’s a lot of money flowing around in the world of RVs. Some people are willing to spend over a million dollars on majestic buses while there are trailers that compete for homes in California for shocking prices. But what does it look like when you plunk down well over a quarter million dollars on a van? You get something like the 27North Venture Together, a van meant to go everywhere while putting you in the lap of luxury. But, I must admit, I am a bit confused.
Lately, I’ve been a bit obsessed with showing off the extremes of the RV industry. RVs are generally thought to be expensive toys, so I had a lot of fun showing you the trailers you could buy for less than a new Mitsubishi Mirage. But then there’s the other end of the spectrum. If dirt-cheap campers give you just the basics, what happens when you slide the scale far over to the other side? What do you get if you ring up the cash register to the tune of $313,000?
A number of our readers have expressed disappointment that the Wingamm Oasi 540.1 is very expensive and I happen to agree. But the sad thing is that camper vans get substantially more expensive and prices escalate shockingly quick. So, join me on an adventure here. Do you think this Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is worth the value of a really nice house in the Midwest?
If the name 27North seems somewhat familiar to you, it’s because we’ve covered this startup company’s work a few times in the past. I toured the company’s Ford F-550-based $1.2 million flagship Ascender 30A in 2022. David then found it broken on a trail after the guys at Donut Media attempted to drive it off-road.
That rocky start didn’t deter the folks of 27North. The demonstrator rig was quickly repaired and I’ve been seeing the girthy Ascender at every RV show ever since. If spending over a million bucks on a Ford F-550 with a giant box grafted onto its back is too rich for your blood, the company is willing to sell something substantially cheaper, but still pricy.
Adventure For Four
The Venture Together is a new floorplan as of late last year and is now making the show circuit this year. It’s a touch more affordable than its sister van, the $313,000 Venture 170. So, let’s start on the van this is based on.
This Class B camper van is based on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 with a 170-inch wheelbase, a high roof and a high-output diesel engine. That engine is a little 2.0-liter four-cylinder affair making a respectable 211 HP and 332 lb-ft of torque. It should be noted that the off-road Sprinters of today are running on an all-wheel-drive system rather than the previous four-wheel-drive system. The Sprinter is also currently the only van on the American market with a diesel option. Depending on what exactly you use your van for, a potential low point of these particular Sprinters is their tow ratings of 5,000 pounds.
People love the Sprinter for its healthy diesel engine, its off-road capability, its cavernous space, and its proven reliability. But the platform comes with a cost, which we’ll get to later.
At their core, both vans are pretty much the same. Both vans come with bedliner covering the front bumper and side trim. Both vans have beefy front skid plates and both vans have a roof deck so you can get a better view of starry nights. Likewise, both vans give you a 30-gallon fresh tank and a 20-gallon gray tank, plus a shower room of sorts in the rear. The features between the two vans are so similar it’s actually hard to find differences between the two, but we’ll get there in a moment.
The 2025 27North Venture Together features an Agile Off-Road Rip Kit, which adds custom leaf packs, front springs, and Fox shocks to give the van a two-inch lift and supposedly a smoother ride to boot. This package is complemented by meaty all-terrain tires and running boards.
I crawled underneath and didn’t find any further protection, but I think this van is more than plenty capable for the people who will buy them. Of course, no off-road build is complete without a sweet spare tire carrier and LED off-road lights that turn night into day.
Before we head inside, 27North notes that if you crawled onto the roof you’d find two 175-watt solar panels and you can also use a Starlink Roam to remain connected on the go. Here’s where you see the first major difference between this van and the company’s slightly more expensive Venture 170. The latter van gets a single 525-watt panel.
Also different is your house power, where the more expensive van has three 310 Ah lithium batteries whereas this van has just two of the same batteries.
Moving inside, the 2025 27North Venture Together features two swiveling front seats and a second-row bench that folds down from the wall. Immediately behind there is a small galley kitchen with a dual-burner induction cooktop on one side and a sink on the other side.
Behind there you find a pair of long benches and two dinette tables. This turns into a large bed for the two adults 27North says can fit in here. Finally, at the rear of the van there’s a wet bath with a shower and cassette toilet. Across from there is a storage area for gear, clothes, food, or whatever you want to toss in there.
The idea of the Venture Together is that it’s a camper van for you and three of your best friends to ride in. That’s why there’s seating for four. In the slightly more expensive Venture 170 that second-row bench is gone and you get a bigger countertop in its place. Likewise, the rear end is slightly different in that the storage area is expanded enough to carry a bicycle. Here’s a photo of the Venture 170 so you can see what I mean:
These vans are quite similar!
Everything in these 27North vans is super high quality. There’s real leather in those dinette cushions and rich birch wood is used throughout. There’s a dash of stainless steel there, some wood there, and glossy walls throughout. I don’t have a single complaint about the quality here. All of the materials chosen appear to be appropriate for the build and it appears someone took great care to make sure the fit and finish are perfect. I couldn’t even find tiny things to nitpick.
Dare I say? This is a cut above the Wingamm in terms of materials used. This van is also far above something like the Winnebago Revel, a Sprinter-based off-road van with a $254,076 price tag and an interior befitting a van costing half that.
The equipment choices seem to be about on point, too. The van uses a marine water pump for the shower and faucet, the cassette toilet can be emptied from outside of the van, and there’s a water filtration system onboard as well.
There isn’t a single feature that’ll make you drop your jaw, but a lot of stuff that I could see getting use. I like how there’s an onboard air compressor so you can air down and then pump back up your tires.
The locking cap on the water tank is also interesting. I suppose this implies that someone might siphon or contaminate your water, which has never happened to me before in over two decades of camping, but anything is possible.
That Price
Overall, the 2025 27North Venture Together appears to be a really solid van. Admittedly, I’m not a huge fan of the black glossy walls. I’m also just not a fan of draping everything in dark colors. Give me some hot pink, neon green, or something like that. I’ll even take some pastels!
I’m also somewhat confused by the second row of seats. The folks of 27North really try hammering down the idea that this is an adventure vehicle for more than just two people, from the press release:
So many memories can be made with two-seater vans; it’s great for couples, solo travelers, and quick travel trips. But with the adventure van lifestyle it can evolve from a couple to a family, a solo traveler into a group of friends, and quick trips into now monumental moments. These are core memories being made that 27North wants to ensure nobody is left out. More people are seeking the opportunity to share their adventures with family and friends; 27North recognizes the growing van life community and has the solution.
Made for small families starting journies or a seasoned traveler who wants to include friends or grandchildren, the Venture Together is perfect for expanding any adventure lifestyle. The four-seater layout offers plenty of space and comfort without sacrificing the ruggedness and flexibility desired.
For experienced adventurers, the four-seater design opens up opportunities for sharing van life with friends or grandchildren, making every trip more enjoyable and open for creating lifelong memories along the way.
All of this is fine and dandy, but the bed in the rear is still for just two adults. So where are your friends supposed to sleep? I think the real purpose of that bench is for kids because the rear bed is large enough for a couple of parents and a small kid or two if all of you are pretty close.
The other thing that’s puzzling me is the price. The build sheet at the 2025 Florida RV SuperShow said the 27North Venture Together was $313,500. Just for the Tampa RV show, which has already ended, the dealer dropped the price to $229,995. Everyone else appears to be asking around $250,000. The cheapest I could find is listed at $174,995, but that one is a former demonstration unit with “minor wear & tear.” As of publishing, 27North says the van costs $299,000 before any options or discounts. So, no matter how you slice it, you’re probably spending around a quarter million on this bad boy, more if it’s a custom order.
Now, I’ll reiterate that the quality here hits the mark. But I’m struggling to see where the money is going. Yes, the quality is awesome, but it’s not like you’re getting wall-to-wall stainless steel and exotic wood here. If you bought the base Sprinter 2500 AWD van yourself and checked every box for every comfort, convenience, and driver-aid feature, you’d arrive at roughly $87,000. That leaves the RV stuff being worth another $212,000 or so.
I’m left arriving at the conclusion that one of these 27North vans is for a specific kind of buyer. This buyer is probably someone who wants the exclusivity that comes with a van in this price bracket. They’re going to want people to feel the real smooth leather and gorgeous wood. If you’re that kind of buyer, I think you’ll probably like what you’re going to get. Otherwise, if you just want an off-road van, save yourself well over $100,000 and go with another brand.
B class rigs are all about the compromises. That said, I’m struggling with “Made for small families starting journeys or a seasoned traveler who wants to include friends or grandchildren…”
A C-class would be better for families because Cs are usually larger and most have two beds in permanent bed configuration.
Seating and sleep space for friends? If I was a friend of someone with something like this, I’d drive my own vehicle so I’d have enough space to carry my skis, bikes, food and I wouldn’t be beholden to someone else’s schedule.
This might make sense as a basecamp for families who spend entire weekends for months on end at sports fields while little Kyle and Kayleigh play league sports. But for that use-case, AWD is overkill.
I feel a nice rooftop tent solves the bedding issue. Or a pop-up roof a-la Vanagon. But that should be part of the price already.
My wife saw one of these jacked up Sprinters and called it a giraffe on roller skates.
I’m spending that kind of money but then I’m not a “digital nomad” or a wealth manager, which seem to be the local #vanlife demographic.
Typically when somebody pays that kind of money they’re expecting to impress the peons who might see it on the road or in the campground. But only a tiny subset of peons are going to be knowledgeable enough to know this one is 300 grand.
I could spend $300K on this thing… OR I could go on a $6000 vacation every year for the next 50 years for less money (once you factor in the costs of operating that camper).
I suppose the downside is I won’t have the “exclusivity” of spending that much and having to shit in a bucket!
LOL
I think an AWD Sprinter would make an awesome platform for a campervan and the build quality looks and sounds great. There’s no way it’s worth the asking price though. The only people who can afford this are retired couples that won’t want to take grandkids who’ll get sticky stuff on the leather. Or 2 retired swinger couples maybe? Not with one double bed. The extra 2 seats are superfluous.
My biggest issue, aside from the price, is that I’d want one based on the absolute heaviest-duty Sprinter.
It looks a bit better than a lot of youtubers converting vans or box trucks but not by much. Definitely not for that price. There is nothing even remotely interesting there.
Give a person good with tools 300 k and a 1996 Chevy20 and you will see a much cooler and more useful ride.
Whenever I see a super expensive rig like this I expect something to stand out, to be really different than cheaper or older rigs, like bigger on the inside somehow. Then I see the identical layout that’s in hundreds of other camper vans and aside from some higher end materials and good finishing touches, it’s just not worth it. Buy an old one and spruce it up, or find a used Sprinter and start with a blank canvas and save yourself a couple hundred grand.
Agreed. “Luxury” is a word that has come to mean “The quality you should expect from an item like this, but at three times the price” and regular things are “Low quality, cheaply made, we cut every corner we thought we could get away with, yet still functional through the warranty period.” The American public has become too accustomed to low quality, in the name of consuming MORE MORE MORE while our incomes have flatlined (or declined).
Def would never buy one, but I don’t think I’d build one either. My brother has built 2 of them now from empty vans (on promaster and one 4×4 sprinter based). Both were far less money upfront than buying pre-built, but still pretty damn expensive and really time consuming. He enjoys the process, but I’m pretty sure it would just drive me nuts.
I honestly wonder how many of these will be purchased with “earned money” and not just “social media sponsor money” or “inherited money”
I see very little value here. You could have a sweet Class C towing a Wrangler 492 if you wanted. Or a fully decked out HD truck and 5th wheel. Ignoring all the known quality issues, that is.
This looks like a really nice break room at a suburban Enterprise Rentacar location.
And even to that point, while this is the closest I come to social media, is the whole van life thing still a thing? Seems like it’s a few years old now so I assumed people would be chasing some other fad by now.
You know, I honestly don’t know because I remember when trends lasted 3-5 years or more. For all I know, there’s a glut of lightly used Class B vans out there that you don’t want to examine with a blacklight.
Of the ones that friends and corworkers have purchased, every single one was “earned money”. I won’t be buying one at this price, but I would take one of these over a pavement queen Class C or 5th wheel truck/trailer. When I am camping, I don’t want to do so by the side of a highway with semis flying by nor do I stay in campgrounds. I personally like to find spots that only a narrower and typically 4wd vehicle can get to. In my last 5 years of camping, I’ve never had someone drive by or wander into my camping spots. But you do you.
Makes sense — but it also speaks to whether you want a camper to be “fancy tent” or “mobile hotel.”
I think a lot of the market is the latter. But mobility, to me, is the biggest key. If I have a camper (or more likely, small travel trailer) I would want it primarily to get closer to camping spots I want, saving a lot of daily driving and traffic and congestion — mostly for State or National Parks.
I never really got the allure of sitting in an RV lot with 100 other rigs. Now that we have Airbnb, the more veteran VRBO service, hotels, or even RVshare or Outdoorsy, I don’t really see a ton of point unless you’re doing exactly what you described.
300k, no room, and a shitcase? No thanks.
300k is a lot to shit in a bucket, isn’t it?
When I first saw the Sprinter van conversions, I recall the more basic ones around $75k and the Winnebago version hitting $100-$115. I recoiled in horror, as my 2009-10 era Great Recession salary (and lack of remote work) would never have supported it.
Now I’m really wishing I had pulled the trigger. Class B might be the only real “investment” in the history of RVs (except vintage Airstreams, maybe). I’d probably come out ahead even after years of insurance, taxes, and maintenance…
The pre-built camper van market has always been eye-wateringly expensive, IMHO. They frequently cost more than much larger class C (and even class A) motorhomes and really the only advantage is the smaller footprint that makes them a little easier to maneuver. You would be hard-pressed to convince me that any of these things are worth what they ask.
I love that they had to cover and tape the shitter in this thing. Presumably the same in all the other demo rigs, which begs the question: how many people at trade shows think, “hey, I know I’m touring a vehicle, but this looks like a great place to drop a deuce.”
Apparently it’s happened once or twice at IKEA. Those (unplumbed) toilets in their bathroom dioramas are bolted shut.
Some people have no shame or class. The real question is how do they clean themselves after? None of the locations you referenced have tp, three shells or a verbal morality ticketing machine near by.
Well, at $300k I’m expecting a fancy Japanese bidet combo seat.
Oh, so you know about the shells.
+1 to you sir.
Amusingly, only a few manufacturers did that. Most rigs at the show had uncovered toilets and showers. It did get a little funny because the fairgrounds closed one of the major restrooms due to an accident and there were a lot of people openly wondering about using one of the many toilets surrounding us. 🙂
An “accident?” You mean a Code Brown?
This is pretty stupid. 300K and you get a kitchen table that folds into a bed. I also am not the target demo.
A chevy G20 and some elbow grease will do all this does and then some for 1/3 of the price.
or fuck it – get a used Cessna 170 and a good air mattress if you really want to go get lost. and still have 100k left over.
Save some money and buy used. $135k gets you a 2019 Atlas Murphy Suite which looks much nicer to me. https://www.woodlandairstream.com/–xInventoryDetail?id=16540548
But seriously, I never hear much good about these Mercedes Sprinter Vans when used for RV’s. I know a few through the local Airstream Club that have them and dependability has not been what they expected. I was talking to someone this weekend and they bought new last year and it’s been in the shop all winter between some sensor in the van that shut everything down in traffic, and some other wiring issue in the trailer that required it to go from the Mercedes dealer over to the Airstream dealer for repairs on the rest of the vehicle. She’s owned it for 8 months and is hoping to camp for the 2nd time in it this spring.
I am friends with someone who had a Airstream Ridgeline too and hated it. He traded it in after a year and bought a truck and a 25′ trailer instead.
I’m certainly not at the same level of consumer as them, with our 18 year old, 23′ Airstream trailer, but the club is an interesting mix of people and we are having a lot of fun. All these friends with new trailers are amazed at how few problems I have with our old one though. I’ve owned it for almost 5 years and it’s never been to the dealer. I’ve fixed things and done maintenance for sure, but I’m not going to haul it to a dealer unless it’s something like replacing an AC unit, a leak in a tank, or replacing an axle. Buy used, let someone else deal with the big depreciation hit and the initial quality issues.
I’ve wondered that myself about the Mercedes Sprinter “guts” on these. Certainly the Dodge based options don’t inspire more confidence for me either. I have noticed there are some Ford based ones out there, a rare Chevy. Maybe those are the way to go.
Used certainly seems to be the way to go, as these are just astronomically expensive.
I’m clearly not the target market, but that costs almost twice as much as my house; insanity.
My coworker spent about this amount on a rig during the pandemic, used it a half dozen times, now kinda shrugs “oh, well” as it sits collecting moss in the driveway. Target market.
But in our area $300K gets you almost halfway to a starter house, so context.
I’m in suburban Alabama and $450k is like the new normal, and that’s in the outer ‘burbs. $600k+ close to the city and/or around the idle rich. I almost never see a Class B anywhere. Everything BUT these, including the rare Lance truck camper.
Covid really changed pricing on everything.
Almost at the Gulf of Ameri, fuck that, Mexico here.
Total crap starter homes start at 450-600K, and it’s just nuts.
I guess I’m staying where I live forever. Oh my!