On July 3rd, 2025, after a horrible experience trying to buy a camper van from a company in Rifle, Colorado, we accidentally discovered a local van builder in Ramona, Oklahoma, during our desperate search for a new option.

And now that we've been living in our camper van for two weeks, it's time for us to share our thoughts on the company that made our dream a reality.

Welcome to Next Chapter

Doug Smith, owner of Next Chapter Camper Vans, spent 20 years in Corporate America. The company he worked for was eventually sold, which led to his termination. Rather than seek employment elsewhere or retire, he decided to take a leap of faith by building a business that also helped others live their dream.

It’s your chance to get away, to go wherever you want, whenever you want.

When I first talked to Doug on the phone, I could immediately tell that his heart and soul were in this business. He was focused on building camper vans that could operate off the grid but also be affordable for people seeking their own adventure. Of course, this also meant cutting out all the extra fluff that many other van enthusiasts add to their products, which was perfectly fine with me.

He had me hooked!

So we drove two hours to his shop to meet him in person and see if the actual product lived up to the hype online.

We were not disappointed.

The 2023 Ram Promaster

Next Chapter only offers van customizations on the Ram Promaster chassis. They will even find a used van for you for a great price.

We decided on the 2500 with a 159" wheel base, the most common model for van lifers because it's 18 inches shorter than a 3500 series, making it easier to drive and park in tight spaces. It's 19.6 feet from nose to tail and turns on a dime.

Switching from a Chevy Silverado 1500 5.3L EcoTec3 V8 engine to a high-roof commercial van with a 3.6L Pentastar V6 has been a significant change.

The decrease in power is tough, especially when driving the van in strong winds. We've also seen a slight drop in MPG due to the extra weight we carry, but it's not a big difference compared to our truck. I also wish the Promasters had AWD or 4WD options, since I'm not fully convinced about the FWD.

We also had a Desert Tan vehicle wrap installed, giving us a subtle military and outdoor vibe while allowing us the ability to add custom graphics and advertising in the near future.

Unfortunately, the van we ended up with also had a faulty TPS monitor, a broken tag light, issues with the Uconnect and GPS, and was badly in need of an oil change, fluids, and detailing. I wish these problems had been fixed before we picked up the van at Next Chapter.

Otherwise, we are satisfied with the 2023 Ram Promaster and the space it offers.

The Custom Build

Doug and his team did an excellent job on the build. Nearly everywhere we stop, people comment on how great it looks.

The cabinets are made with oak and high-quality materials to provide durability and a luxurious look. They offer more storage compared to other camper vans, and the heavy-duty magnets keep your belongings secure, preventing them from accidentally opening during travel. But be careful! Those overhead cabinets can be hard to open, and I've already hit myself in the face trying to do it.

We chose a semigloss black paint and brushed nickel fixtures, along with white shiplap for the backsplash. The floors are real wood with a darker finish, and the ceiling is flat white with plenty of track lighting and dimmers.

The bed is very comfortable with 8" of memory foam, and even in an RV queen size, Donetta and I have plenty of space when we don't want to snuggle. For private moments of fun, I highly recommend wearing a rubber helmet or being very aware of the low ceiling. Explaining those bumps and bruises all over your head might be very awkward. 🤭

Overall, we love the entire look and feel of our camper van. The only complaints we have are minor cosmetic issues that are easy to fix.

The Features

I want to give a breakdown on some essential features and why they are different than many other Class B Camper Vans on the market.

20 Gallon Water Tank and Heater

Initially, this wasn't something I cared about, especially since so many RVers face big issues with water tanks, and I have two 5-gallon Scepter cans that are almost indestructible and keep water cold. But I like what Next Chapter did here!

The 20-gallon tank is located on the rear driver side, easily accessible through the custom cabinets. It features an outdoor shower sprayer, a simple hose connector, and a 2-gallon hot water tank that takes about 10 minutes to heat. It's also very easy to winterize if we stop traveling in the colder climates.

At light use (washing dishes, wetting hair, brushing teeth), it takes us four days before the water is halfway gone, though I think it can last longer. This feature saves me a lot of time and back pain because filling it is a snap, unlike hauling the Scepter cans around.

5 Gallon Porta-Potty

Having a toilet, to me, feels like wasted space. Besides, who wants to drop a stinky in the place where they eat? But if we did include a toilet, I wanted it to be small and used only for emergencies when no other option existed.

Our van came equipped with a portable SereneLife 5.2 gallon toilet that's easy to fill, use, and dump, and despite the awkwardness of learning to squat in a van to take a leak – no, I don't stand and aim – it's been handy for Donetta and those nights I've had too many beers and can't leave the vehicle.

Next Chapter does offer an upgrade, but we opted for the included option.

And no, I refuse to take a dump in it. 💩

Bodega Cooler

Next Chapter Vans includes a small fridge, but because we travel full-time, we wanted the largest fridge we could fit into the van. Our upgrade was $250, but it's been well worth it, even if we lost a little space behind the driver's seat.

While it is a larger refrigerator, it's not enough, so we've brought along our BougeRV CRD Portable Dual Fridge for meat, ice cream, and extra beers.

Sink with 5 Gallon Tank

This was a feature we wanted, even if it was as basic as it gets. The sink aspirator setup draws water from the 20-gallon tank, easily dispenses it through the faucet, and then drains it into a plastic 5-gallon jerry can below. We can also cover the sinkhole with the provided wood cutting board.

It's a hassle-free deal with little that could go wrong. We empty the drain water every few days to prevent the jug from becoming heavy and smelly.

I'll also add that we love the countertop and the space. It's perfect for food preparation or as a standing desk. Plus, there are under-the-counter track lights with a dimmer, making this a nice spot to display some decorations.

Microwave

This feature wasn't a big deal, and we didn't care about it, but it's been nice the few times we've used it. It's not fancy, but it works.

Power Source

This was the most critical aspect of our van build because having the ability to boondock or be off the grid is mandatory.

We have two Eco-Worthy Lithium Battery Bluetooths at 12v/280Ah/3584wh, along with a 450-watt solar panel to generate power, in addition to the vehicle charging the batteries as we drive. There's an inverter and a Redarc battery monitor, things I'm not very knowledgeable about, but I'm learning.

What I do know is it's working great.

While boondocking, we only lost 15%-20% of our batteries over a 12-hour night run, including the air conditioner and two fridges. When the sun rises or we take a drive, that charge is replenished within a couple of hours.

12 Volt Air Conditioner and Heater

While we could suffer in colder or hotter weather, we didn't want to compromise on this feature, even if we use it sparingly.

Unfortunately, we don't know the make or model, or even how to really operate it at this point, except for a few settings, but it also works great – sometimes it's so cold lying on the bed my nipples reach the ceiling.

That being said, the places we've visited have been hot in October, and this has prevented us from crying and having many sleepless nights!

The Price

Many people would be hesitant to share what they paid for a high-end product, but it's worth mentioning the cost compared to other builders. Not to mention, you can easily find prices on his website.

The investment price was $85,000 USD for the van and custom build.

At first glance, this may seem like a lot of money, and it is. Still, when you consider that other van companies are selling their converted vans for an average of $120,000 and up, Next Chapter is an incredible deal.

Could you source it and build it cheaper yourself? Yep.

If you have the time, money, tools, and knowledge, you could build an older van for much less. However, these builds often take anywhere from six months to a year to finish. I'm 55 now, and we don't have all those resources, so we decided that buying a ready-to-go van was in our best interest.

Overall Experience and Feelings

If I were rating the entire experience and how we feel about our purchase on a five-point scale, I'd give it a solid 4.5 rating.

There are a few things that have annoyed me with the camper van build process and the finished product, but we have absolutely zero regrets. Overall, Doug and his team did a fantastic job, and we're happy to have worked with them. We really do love our van and our new van life adventures. ♥️

Here's one more thing I really appreciate about Next Chapter Camper Vans ... their customer support.

I've texted Doug about questions and he responds quickly. We had a minor issue in the first several days and he fixed it immediately. I also know he's traveled to other customers to help them with van problems that had nothing to do with his build.

This means everything!

In an industry where customer support sucks, Next Chapter has excelled. It's not perfect, but it's close. And we appreciate that.

If you decide van life is for you and you'd like to know more, reach out to Doug Smith at Next Chapter Camper Vans. Tell him Road Life Adventure sent you.

In full disclosure, Next Chapter Camper Van has become a sponsor of Road Life Adventure, but this in no way has affected the moral of the story. We definitely recommend them.