Vanlife: pitches, equipment and tips

Vanlife - a buzzword for some, a lifestyle for others. Traveling by bus offers flexibility and freedom, especially for climbing enthusiasts. You can find out here how to get into adventure life on four wheels, where to find parking spaces in Switzerland and which equipment we recommend.

A contribution by Somara Frick - Transa Backpacking

Climbing and vanlife can be perfectly combined in Switzerland. Do you want to try life in a camper first before you win the lottery and buy a VW T1? Understandable.

At the Transa partner MyCamper You can rent numerous vehicles from private individuals, from the self-converted VW Büssli to the large camper.

Here you will find parking spaces for your camper

And at nomad, the AirBnB for camping, you will find parking spaces for your vehicle in breathtaking scenery. On the practical map, you can easily find places that are close to climbing areas and your favorite routes.

You have to keep this in mind when staying overnight on a pitch

When camping in the wild, i.e. spending the night in a camper away from campsites and private property, there are a few things to consider.

  • Cantonal spirit: The subject of wild camping is not uniformly regulated in Switzerland; the laws are laid down at cantonal or communal level. A good Overview by cantons offers the TCS. In many places, however, it is a gray area and is not clearly regulated.
  • Respect nature at all costs: take your rubbish with you, avoid noise and please do not light a fire away from public fireplaces.
  • Be on the safe side: Find out more about the local regulations from the municipality or city.
  • Apps like iOverlander and Park4Night are extremely useful. Thanks to the swarm-brain principle, they show you many places to stay and are also not stingy with insider tips. On both apps you will find parking spaces in the great outdoors as well as on public parking lots and campsites.

During my one-year trip in a camper, I learned: You need so little to be happy!

Pia, sales advisor, Transa branch Bern

Equipment for your next trip with camper

From the coffee maker to the bouldering mat, your climbing and bouldering essentials have space in the camper. Brilliant. If you want your camper vacation to be unforgettable, we recommend the following equipment.

Sleeping mat for two Adults

In the van you finally have space for a comfortable Mattelithat you can even sleep on with company.

Sleeping mat for two people

Luggage net against thieves

In a lockable Stainless steel luggage net With 85 liters of storage space, your valuables are protected even if a thief should gain access to your bus or camper.

Luggage net against thieves

Dutch Oven for Spark Gourmets

Much too heavy for a backpack, but no problem in the van: with one Fire pot the evening after climbing is much more fun. Recipe ideas? Bring it on. There are hardly any limits to you in the Dutch Oven.

Dutch Oven for Spark Gourmets

Solar panel against blackouts

A foldable, splash-proof solar panel charges your electronic devices on the go. It even works on cloudy skies and little sunlight.

This equipment ensures order in the bus

packing bags and Rope bags in different sizes are your best friend when living on the bus.

Rent climbing equipment from Transa

By the way: In the Transa Market Hall Bern you can rent equipment for climbing, whether for a day or several weeks. In addition to climbing harnesses, boulder mats and climbing helmets, there are also camping rental items such as outdoor stoves, sleeping mats and even solar panels.

That might interest you

About Transa Travel & Outdoor

Transa is the leading provider of travel, outdoor and mountain sports equipment in Switzerland and operates eight branches in Basel, Bern, Lucerne, St. Gallen, Winterthur and Zurich, two climbing shops in Winterthur and Root and the online shop. On LACRUX, Transa Travel & Outdoor publishes exciting articles on the topics of climbing and bouldering again and again.

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Jacob Cook, Hayden Jamieson and Will Sharp free climb the 1000 meter Aid route for the first time

First free ascent: Jacob Cook, Hayden Jamieson and Will Sharp free the Bigwall Aid route Picaflor (1000m, 8a+) on Cerro Capicua.

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Mountain emergency statistics 2023: In the Swiss Alps last year, 3501 people were in distress and 114 people had fatal accidents.

Seb Berthe repeats Trad masterpiece Bon Voyage (9a)

Seb Berthe secures the third ascent of Bon Voyage in Annot, probably the most difficult trad route in the world.