Terra Vitae — also affectionately called "Big Blue" — is a 2022 brilliant blue Mercedes Sprinter 2500 diesel. It's a high-roof passenger van on a 170" wheelbase with two-wheel drive (rear), built out by North of 7 Camper Vans from Peterborough, Ontario.
Outside
Since our van is a regular 170 passenger van, it comes with tinted windows all around. We love the panoramic view and the privacy they provide — people can't really see inside unless the lights are on at night. The downside is that the glass gets very hot in summer and cold in winter, so a good set of window coverings is expensive but essential. We went with the full set from VanEssentials for our van size and have been happy with them — they fit well and have held up through a damp winter. For stealth camping they are excellent; we verified it ourselves: lights on inside, covers on, and you can't tell from the outside. Some of our windows are partially blocked by built-in features like the shower, so I was able to tuck the covers behind those fixtures and they work just fine. The one above the kitchen counter/bed I cut and finished with my sewing machine so one half stays permanently in place while the other can be easily removed.
VanEssentials also makes excellent bug screen and privacy covers for the rear doors, and a magnetic screen for the sliding door that opens and closes easily and keeps even tiny bugs like no-see-ums out. For outdoor living we have a Fiamma F65 Eagle awning. It's legless and retracts automatically when it gets too windy — great for keeping the sun off and handling light rain, though it would need legs for heavy wind or snow.
Our roof now holds four solar panels (upgraded from the original two), plus a MaxxAir fan with a cover added so we can keep it open during rain and snow. That upgrade made a big difference.
Interior Layout
We chose this van for its cozy wooden interior, which felt like a home immediately. A two-burner propane stove top was a must — we're used to cooking on gas both on the boat and at home and love the way it performs. An oven would have been ideal, but a portable air fryer and toaster oven fills that gap nicely. The sink is deep and oversize; in practice we use a plastic tub in half of it for washing and leave the other half as a drying area. It also doubles as onboard storage while travelling, and has a direct-dump option for winter use.
The fridge/freezer is an AC unit, but since we plug in frequently it has worked fine. Coming from our boat we would have preferred a DC fridge and separate freezer — they're more efficient and don't need defrosting — but the upfront cost and maintenance put us off. Under the counter there's a large garbage and recycling drawer plus plenty of cupboards and under-seat storage for food and gear, and overhead cupboards above the bed for clothing.
Shower, Toilet and Water
The indoor shower was non-negotiable for us. It's tall enough for someone 6 feet, and Mike and Jonathan from North of Seven installed a recirculating line along with a propane on-demand hot water heater. We love it — it saves water, and with the 160L internal tank we can both shower for two to three days in a row even when it's -29°C outside. The shower can also drain directly outside when needed.
We did take issue with the stock cassette toilet early on, and we've since upgraded to a Trelino composting toilet. It's still portable but it separates liquids and solids cleanly. After many weeks of use we genuinely love not having to visit dump stations. Liquids go into a discreet pee jug — emptied every couple of days in any public washroom, no smell, cleaned up with a splash of vinegar spray. Solids get covered with coconut coir in a compostable bag and can go into either a compost or a regular dumpster. Our Trelino lives in the shower stall but moves easily and, since it doesn't look or smell like a toilet, often serves as a footstool.
Sleeping and Gear Storage
The permanent queen bed stays made up and ready to climb into — exactly how we like it. Under the bed we added a slide-out drawer that handles bikes, foldable kayaks, skis, outdoor chairs, the BBQ and more.
Sitting and Dining
Since we didn't want to convert the bed into a couch, we needed a second sitting area. The small convertible sofa across from the sliding door works perfectly. It has a removable butcher-block table that inserts in the middle, and the centre section of the cushion lifts out so two people can sit down properly for dinner or a card game. Our van has the emergency window on that side, so I made a magnetic screen that fits it and can stay open in a light rain without letting water in. As a bonus, the couch converts to a small third bed. Only the front passenger seat swivels in our van, but that's enough for us.
Heating
We're very happy with the Eberspächer diesel heater mounted under the passenger seat. It warms the van quickly and the thermostat means it will cycle on even when we're out — important in winter when we need to keep the water system from freezing. The one weak spot is the gear garage at the back: it doesn't stay warm enough in the coldest months, so we added a small plug-in heater there and extra insulation at the rear doors and on the garage floor. If we were building again from scratch we'd pay more attention to cold spots, given how much winter camping we do.
Suspension and Tires
Our rear-wheel-drive Sprinter had a noticeable sway when cornering or driving in high winds. We opted for an aftermarket suspension upgrade from VanCompass, installed by Main Line Overland in Charlotte, NC during a trip south in November 2024 — at the time there were no dealers or installers in Ontario, though you'll now find them in BC, Alberta and Quebec. The upgrade included Bump Buddies Front Jounce Stops, Sumo Springs Rear Bump Stops, a Baja Bracket Rear Shock Mount, and Falcon 3.3 SP2 Fast Adjust Rear Shocks.
The improvement was significant. There's still a little front-end sway remaining — we'll likely add a front sway bar at some point — but for us this is more about control and comfort on regular roads than lift or off-road capability. For winter driving to ski hills we also moved to Falken Wildpeak A/T4W all-terrain tires, which have been excellent.
