Quick Build Equals Lower Price: Geotrek Flatiron Campervan Review

The Geotrek shop was bustling when I walked inside. Saw blades buzzed, and the smell of freshly cut wood filled the air.

Mercedes Sprinter vans lined the garage in varying stages of build-out. People sanded bamboo countertops and panels, stacking them on carts in the middle of the floor. Others built cabinets or installed electrical components. It’s clearly a streamlined operation.

As I walked through the shop, Grant McCrabb, Geotrek’s founder, explained that a highly efficient build process allows Geotrek to construct a van in just 4 days, keeping its prices lower than almost any other van builder. You can get a fully built Geotrek Sprinter Van for around $111,000. For premium full-featured campervan builds, that’s very competitive.

“A lot of campervan conversions get really, really pricey because of the labor involved,” McCrabb said. “When it takes you a couple of weeks or a month, or some custom builders multiple months to build [the van], that labor cost goes crazy high.”

A 4-day build, by comparison, ends up being a lot cheaper — for Geotrek and its customers. McCrabb handed me a set of fob keys and showed me to my ride for the week: a Geotrek Flatiron Sprinter. I got a quick tutorial on the van’s features and how to use them, and then loaded my gear and luggage and took off out of Geotrek’s parking lot, northbound for Fort Collins.

In short: Geotrek is a direct-to-consumer campervan company that offers high-quality builds for lower prices than most. As a certified Colorado dealership, it sources Sprinters directly from Mercedes or can use one you already own. It offers two distinct interior layouts, the Bear Peak (starting at $111,900) and the Flatiron (starting at $129,550), and a menu of upgrades. For anyone who has dreamed of living the van life and owning a home on wheels, Geotrek offers a comparatively affordable route.

Geotrek Flatiron Sprinter Van Review

Before we dive in, a disclaimer: This review will focus on the build-out and features installed by Geotrek in its Flatiron van model. It is not a review of the 2025 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van itself. For a rundown on those vehicles, check out this article. You can also consult our guide to the 10 Best 4×4 Campervans.

When I set out from the Geotrek headquarters with my dog and partner, we had a plan to make a big loop. We’d hit Red Feather Lakes, Walden, Steamboat Springs, Grand Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, and end right where we started, at the Geotrek headquarters in Boulder.

We would put around 400 miles and 5 days of testing on our Geotrek Flatiron to see how the “budget-friendly” option held its own on the open road.

Pricing & Add-Ons

You can build your own van on the Geotrek website to get an estimate on the cost. Bear Peak AWD is the entry-level trim, which starts at $111,900. The Flatiron Trim (what I tested) is Geotrek’s upper trim level van; it starts at $129,000.

Both trims come in a Mercedes Sprinter 144 AWD with 400W of solar power, swivel driver and passenger seats, an Espar diesel heater, a Maxx Air Fan, a fold-down happy hour table, a queen-sized bed, lizard skin thermal barrier insulation, upper cabinets, bench storage space, a headliner shelf, a freshwater tank, a galley area with a large gooseneck faucet sink, counter space, and a Dometic 115L mini-fridge.

The Flatiron trim additionally has an alternator charging upgrade, tire upgrade, BFG KO3, electric water heater, Geotrek running boards, an outdoor shower, and a Nomadic 2X AC unit.

Beyond the basic packages, Geotrek offers a long list of custom add-ons and features. You can choose to add bump-outs with sliding windows ($3,000 per side). EcoFlow Power Kit upgrades are available up to 14KWh ($10,000). Add an outdoor shower ($750) or a fold-down indoor shower ($4,800), a Trelino composting toilet ($600), a full set of window covers ($700), a Geotrek gearbox ($1,050), and much more.

For context, competitors like Off-Highway Van’s models start at $170,000 and go up to $300,000. Premium companies like Outside Van average in the mid-$200,000s. Titan Vans (also in Boulder) has models starting at about $123,500, but that does not include many of the standard features that Geotrek includes in its basic package, like the galley and overhead storage.

According to Geotrek, the Flatiron Sprinter I had was kitted out to about $140,000, which is in its upper price range.

Standard Electrical Details

The Flatiron is outfitted with numerous outlets, USB, and USB-C charging ports that run off the 10KWh EcoFlow Power Kit that comes standard with this build.

The power system charges in three different ways. First, there is alternator charging, which replenishes power as you drive or idle. Second, there is solar power. Every Geotrek van comes with a 400W solar panel array. Whenever the EcoFlow Power Hub is on, the solar panels are in use. Finally, there is “Ship-to-Shore” charging. On the driver’s side of the van is a 30A port and adapter that attaches to any 110V plug-in.

There’s a digital control panel by the bed that displays your battery percentage, energy usage, and power generation rate. You can also toggle the AC/DC power on and off from here, or through the EcoFlow app.

AC & DC Features

The main features that run on DC power (direct current) are the fridge, the lights, the water pump, and the fans. Those should always be on while the van is in use. If you’re storing it, you can toggle DC power off.

Outlets, the heater, air conditioning, and hot water are the main AC-powered features. To conserve power, we found the best practice was to toggle the AC on and off as needed.

But, say, you want to leave the air conditioning on for your dog while you go on a bike ride. You can leave the air conditioning on, and your dog will stay nice and cool inside as long as you have enough power to run both AC and DC. You can check the app on the go to make adjustments and be sure it’s working properly.

EcoFlow claims a full battery charge will last 14 hours of run time. However, that depends on how much power you’re using at once and for how long.

Geotrek Flatiron Sprinter Van: In the Field

Our 5-day road trip was an experiment in van life remote working. My partner and I were both on our computers from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. as we made our way, driving either early before we started or late in the afternoon after work hours. We’d set up shop at a campsite or a park, or somewhere on a scenic dirt road.

Normally, I prefer to camp in places without cell coverage. But because we were working, we had to carefully search for sites where we could hotspot. It was annoying, but not impossible.

Geotrek does offer a Starlink satellite internet upgrade, so you don’t have to deal with that. Our van had a Starlink modem, but it hadn’t been activated yet. C’est la vie. The cell hotspot technique worked well enough; it just took some planning ahead.

Spacious Build

The two of us and our dog were more than comfortable in the van space–wise. Geotrek claims the Flatiron van has seating and sleeping room for two to four people. Four would be a squeeze. Three wouldn’t be too bad. Two was ideal.

We brought our mountain bikes, which rode inside the van with us (since we didn’t have a van-compatible rack). Even with the bikes, it wasn’t too cramped. The 144 AWD Sprinter is spacious. 

Geotrek vans also include driver and passenger seats that swivel 180 degrees. We could turn them around to face the rear when we were chilling out or making dinner.

When the bikes were outside and the front seats were turned toward the galley area, it felt like a small studio apartment. We could throw a computer on the counter and watch a movie, listen to music on the van’s sound system, make tea, and watch a sunset with the door open.

Heating and Cooling

When we tested the Geotrek van in June, there was no need to use the heater. The control panel is above the van’s electrical digital control screen by the bed. The diesel exhaust for the heater is under the front passenger seat. I was warned to be careful if the heater was on, that the curtains at the front of the van weren’t hanging over or touching it.

The air conditioner was a treat, not just for us but also for our dog. We went on a couple of bike rides that would have been a little too long (and hot) for her. Instead, she got to chill inside on a comfortable bed with the air conditioning blasting until we got back. It also has a remote, so you can make adjustments from the front of the van.

The most energy-efficient way to keep cool at night was to leave the back two windows open and turn the ceiling fan on. The fan pulled cool air from outside in all the way through the van, cooling it down without the need for AC power — when outside air temps were cool enough.

Kitchenette/Galley

Geotrek’s kitchen area is minimalist and pretty standard. A drawer held a slim single-burner induction stove that was easy to operate and heated up quickly. For an additional $450, you can upgrade to have a double-burner induction stove built into your countertop.

The kitchen sink was a luxury. As someone who mostly car camps and backpacks, having running water to wash dishes and a sink/faucet combo that’s nicer than the one I have at home was an absolute treat.

Bathroom?

Geotrek doesn’t install toilets or bathrooms like you’d find in an RV or camper. Instead, you can upgrade your build with a Trelino composting toilet. It’s tucked into the bench seat and can be removed for use anywhere you like. Or, if you really needed to, I suppose you could use it inside the van. However, there’s no way to flush your goods afterward — you have to tie them up in the bag and dispose of them manually.

Our van had a Trelino, but neither my partner nor I used it. We were able to stay in campsites with toilets and in remote enough areas that I felt comfortable digging myself a private hole in the woods.

But I have used Trelinos before and can attest that, as far as backcountry poopers go, it’s a premium product. They’re comfortable and work as advertised.

Storage Space

We packed this thing with a lot of stuff for a 5-day trip. We had our mountain bikes, duffel bags, our camp kitchen box, a separate large tote for food, a 5-gallon freshwater jug, our dog’s box of things, her bed, a box full of tripods and other gear I was testing and photographing, my fishing stuff, and a box of last-minute random things. I never felt short on storage space.

The storage area under the bed was enough to fit everything except the bikes. If we didn’t have all that (or if it was stored in a roof box), the bikes could have gone under the bed with the front tires removed and seats lowered.

There’s also more storage under the sink and under the bench seat with the Trelino. There are more cabinets by the bed and add-on cubbies that offer some extra “shelf” space.

Above the driver and passenger seats, there is a headliner shelf where our window covers were stored. Up front, on the dash, I found several compartments that were great for charging phones, stashing maps, holding snacks, and other co-pilot essentials.

Off-Road Capability

Again, this is not a review of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van. But, the Geotrek van I was testing had the Off-Road Wheel and Tire Package upgrade, so we had to test its four-wheel-drive capability. As expected, it was well-suited for backcountry roads and 4×4 travel.

During several of our searches for campites where we could hotspot for work, we ventured onto some rugged dirt roads. We plowed through huge puddles, crawled up washboarded single-vehicle backcountry roads, and navigated rocks, ruts, roots, and everything in between.

I stopped short of taking on anything too gnarly, but not because I didn’t think it was capable. I’ve been inside similarly kitted-out Sprinter Vans that charged up roads I never would have attempted in my dreams. These are very capable vehicles, especially when they’re upgraded like the Geotrek I was in.

Shower

There are actually two different shower upgrades you can opt for. The Flatiron can be optioned with an outdoor shower upgrade ($750). A shower head stows in a cubby compartment and attaches to the rear van door window via a large suction cup. With the doors open, you’ve got three out of four sides of privacy. Fashion a shower curtain out of a towel, and you’re fully protected.

The other shower upgrade option Geotrek offers is a Tetravan fold-down indoor shower ($4,800).

Maybe you’ll judge me for this, but I didn’t experiment with Geotrek’s shower. I bathed in a river one morning and got a full soak and shower in Steamboat Springs. So while I wasn’t a total dirtbag, I can’t speak to how well the shower works. It seemed easy to use, though.

Working From the Van

For our workdays, we’d either set up our MoonShade awning and sit outside, or, when it was raining or windy, we’d move inside. The swivel Lagun table and bench seat made a great desk. The front was less comfortable to work from without a desk surface, but I made it work when I needed to.

Having the Starlink upgrade would make working from this van really hassle-free. If you plan on working remotely from your van a lot, I would say that’s an essential upgrade.

Geotrek Flatiron Van Build: A Few Notes of Caution

Watch Your AC/DC Power Closely

On our final morning with the van, I woke up, and it was getting hot inside. We’d been sleeping with the ceiling fan on (which runs on DC power) and the back window open to pull in cool air from outside. But the fan was off when we woke up. When I checked the control panel, our DC power had turned off somehow, so the fan and, unfortunately, the fridge had also turned off.

We only lost some leftovers from the previous night to spoilage, so it wasn’t a big deal. However, if we’d had a full fridge of fresh groceries, that would have been a major bummer.

This could have absolutely been user error. But both my partner and I were confident that we’d gone to bed with the fan on.

I’d also checked our battery, which was in the high 80% as we’d been winding down the night prior. So I’m not sure what happened. Just be double extra cautious about your AC/DC power, which you have on, and which one is off — especially if your fridge is full.

Bamboo Countertops

Bamboo is one of the lightest and most premium materials to use inside a van. And it looks good, too. Geotrek’s vans have a bamboo ceiling, bamboo cabinets, cubbies, Lagun tables, and countertops.

In my experience, though, bamboo stains very easily. Coffee, food grease, olive oil — all of it will leave stains on a bamboo surface.

Luckily, those stains are also relatively easy to remove. A vinegar and water solution or baking soda and water will do the trick. Apply it liberally, scrub, let it soak, and scrub some more. The faster you act, the better it works, so I recommend keeping this on hand if you’re cooking on top of or otherwise using a bamboo countertop.

Geotrek Flatiron Sprinter Van: Who Are They For?

Custom campervan builds can be wildly expensive and time-consuming. If you’ve ever tried to build one for yourself, you know why.

Acquiring all of the materials, cutting everything to fit perfectly, installing electrical and plumbing, and finishing the van’s interior takes an exceptional amount of work. If you aren’t a licensed dealer, you have to buy your van from a dealer who upcharges. If you aren’t a manufacturer, you have to purchase the materials in small quantities, which is expensive and hard to do. Many materials manufacturers won’t fulfill small individual orders.

Geotrek solves those problems and passes much of the savings onto its customers. As a registered Mercedes dealer, the company purchases the Sprinter Vans at cost. And as a manufacturer, it can purchase all of the necessary (premium) materials in bulk, creating even more room for savings. Then, thanks to its streamlined construction process, it can crank out a van in just 4 days.

That’s how this Geotrek is able to offer these builds for between $10,000-150,000 less than its competitors.

I won’t pretend that these vans are cheap. A Geotrek is certainly out of my price range. But if you’re serious about van life or owning a campervan for your weekend adventures, you should consider one. The materials it uses are premium quality, and the vans are extremely well constructed, comfortable, and sleek on the inside.

For a premium sprinter van build, it’s hard to beat what Geotrek’s doing. When we finally pulled back into the parking lot on Saturday, we were sad to say goodbye to our van. It made for one of the nicest, most comfortable road camping trips I’ve ever been on.