Pro Skier’s Van Enables Solar-Powered Adventures!
"I don’t fret over my electrical system; it simply works when needed. I can’t overstate how much I appreciate this, especially after spending so much time in RVs and campers with constant electrical issues..."
About Brody Leven
Brody lives on a small organic farm in Salt Lake City. The quaint and peaceful setting, however, starkly contrasts his passion—he’s a professional skier and adventurer. Often, he can be found on his skis in remote mountains. He’s not interested in resorts with convenient ski lifts; his excitement comes from finding unique, challenging terrain where rarely anybody has set foot. His adventures are not always free of danger.
In the off-season, he pursues what he calls “self-supported endurance outings” via running, climbing, bike packing, or even kayaking. New Zealand, Patagonia, and Tajikistan are only some of the outlandish destinations he has visited. His calendar almost entirely consists of trips and adventures of all shapes and sizes.
“I remain adventurous, even when skiing is not an option. I often go on van-centered trips, like bike packing, where I am out on the bike for days at a time and then return to the van, which functions as my home base.”
“Regardless of how far I have to drive or how deep into the desert my van takes me, I will always make time to step outside and do something hard to work up a sweat. That is the most predictable part of van life for me.”
No Shore Power Needed
Now on his third vehicle with a solar setup, Brody embodies a sense of freedom and self-sufficiency. Solar energy empowers him to set up at a camp spot, knowing he will have the electricity to cook, shower, and work on the computer after his day in the mountains. With an adequate power bank and sufficient solar, he has more than enough power to cover his daily needs, freeing him from the constraints of traditional power sources.
“I know I can make a big dinner and then leave all the lights on, stay up late, play music, do anything I want to, and still have enough power for breakfast. And if I don’t drive anywhere the next day with my alternator charging my batteries, that’s okay because the solar panels on the roof will top up the batteries. I even have an off-grid air conditioner, and in the two years I have had the van, I have not once plugged into shore power.”
“Normal” Doesn’t Exist
Brody has used his solar-powered van in a multitude of different situations. The first time he ran a 100-mile race, his wife was helping as his crew. She would drive to the various aid stations and meet him there with freshly prepared meals. Brody could also sleep right in the parking lot at the start of the race, which meant he didn’t have to wake up extra early to make the 4:00 AM start. More importantly, having been up for multiple days in a row, he could go to sleep immediately following the race without having to drive to a hotel.
“For me, “normal” doesn’t exist. I’m currently on a streak of over 3.5 years of daily outdoor exercise—running, biking, skiing, and climbing. Sometimes I’m alone, sometimes with Katie and Spaghetti, and sometimes I have a friendly ski partner sleeping on the guest bed – which, yes, I have in the van.”
The Go Power! Solar Setup
Brody drives a 2022 Ford Transit AWD. His electrical system features 750Ah of Go Power! Lithium batteries and a 600-watt Eclipse solar kit on the roof. He feels this setup is more than sufficient to power all of the van’s appliances without needing alternative fuel sources like propane. He enjoys the simplicity of having a single power source to run his mobile electrical system.
“At first, I was afraid a solar-powered electrical system would introduce unwanted technology and, thus, tech issues in my van. In reality, it’s been the exact opposite: I don’t fret over my electrical system; it simply works when needed. I can’t overstate how much I appreciate this, especially after spending so much time in RVs and campers with constant electrical issues, a stove running out of propane, or needing to monitor power levels due to underpowered systems.”
Solar Adds Convenience!
The lifestyle on the road in a van involves a lot of planning and thinking about what’s next. Where are you going to sleep? When are you going to fill up with water? Do you have enough water to shower? Where are you going to go to the bathroom? Where are you going to wake up? What are you going to do tomorrow? When can you let the dog out? Those questions tend to take a traveler’s mental bandwidth, so it’s a relief for the power needs not to be a point of concern, providing a sense of ease and stress-free living.
“I just love the concept of the sun powering everything that I need. I also have solar on my roof at home. It’s almost a lifestyle carryover because I think of the van less as a vehicle and more as a house on wheels. And if I’m going to have a house, of course, I will have solar on it. The confidence that my van’s power system is reliable is my favorite part of the Go-Power! setup though. It’s one of the parts on my van that I don’t have to think about – simply liberating!”
Pushing The Boundaries
Brody seeks out challenges, which often put him in dangerous situations. The terrain tends to be physically demanding; he calls it “suffering in the mountains.” This type of struggle allows him to grow and to see different sides of himself and his companions. It is these moments that he enjoys the most, and he tries to take those experiences with him. So, how does he handle dangerous situations?
“I always try to leave some gas in the tank because things can go wrong. If I don’t have that 10% left, I might not have the energy to get down a mountain. A storm might come in, and I run out of food, or a mountain takes longer to get up, or even worse, to get down than anticipated. I certainly have hit the wall, going as hard as possible, but this is on training days close to home, so it’s ok to reach my limit. In the mountains or on expeditions, I always try to leave that little bit of reserve because you’re extra exposed when you are halfway across the world in a place where you don’t speak the language without any rescue capabilities.”
Guesthouse On Wheels
On the flip side, there are the times at or near home when the van sits in Brody’s driveway. He lives in a modest house with his wife and dog. While it has a small guest room, their guests often prefer the other option they are presented with: the van. It might have been sitting in the driveway without much use for a few weeks, and a friend is randomly coming through town, needing a place to stay.
“Instead of stressing about charging the van batteries or driving around town so the alternator can charge them, they are always ready for the guests to use—whether cooking on the induction cooktop, using the 12v air conditioner, or just using it as a remote office. I know that I could get in the van right now to leave for a week, and I would have power not only to turn on the lights but to cook and do anything I want. I don’t even have to worry about turning the fridge off. The van sits in my driveway, ready for whatever we throw at it.”
Climate Engagement As A Core Value
For the last twenty years, Brody has volunteered much of his time to protect the places, people, and outdoor lifestyles we love. Whether it’s preserving public lands or taking action on climate change, it’s important for him to use his voice and resources to protect our environment for future generations and all of us.
“Climate change isn’t a future thing; it’s a now thing. The faster we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels by using clean, renewable, and inexpensive technology like Go Power’s solar systems, the faster we’ll be on our way to a lower-carbon future. While our vehicles’ drivetrains may not be powered by renewable energy, that doesn’t mean we can’t do our best to use renewables wherever possible. Just because your entire life isn’t solar-powered doesn’t preclude you from integrating solar into your camping setup. It’s a great, affordable, low-barrier place to start using solar power. Soon, you’ll realize how great it is, and you may choose to implement electrical appliances and renewables elsewhere in your life.”
