METRIS CUSTOMER STORY: THE STEELE FAMILY

About The Steele Family

We have a heartwarming story to share–a tale of a family who has taken their love for the great outdoors to the next level. Meet the Steele Family, a spirited clan of six who have found the perfect companion for their family escapades - their beloved Peace Vans Metris camper van.

Justin and Sally Steele, proud parents of four beautiful children, believe in the power of creating lasting memories through shared experiences. And what better way to do so than in the comfort of a fully-equipped, Weekender camper van?
Never one to shy away from seeking new horizons, the Steele family discovered the endless possibilities that owning a Peace Vans Metris can offer. From spontaneous weekend getaways to epic longer journeys, they have embraced the van life and transformed their cherished vacations into unforgettable adventures.

What has exceeded your expectations about the van and conversion? What are your favorite features?

We love how seamlessly we can transition the van from weekend camper to family hauler for four kids. When driving around the city, most folks are surprised to learn the van is a camper. When we're in campgrounds with the top popped, we constantly get questions about how we like our "camper." Our favorite feature is the pop top, as an extra place to sleep and for the ability to open up the space in the van when not sleeping. We also love how flexible the van is in terms of configuration—we've had to change things up several times as our family has grown. We now tow a gear trailer and love how capable the Metris is as a tow vehicle.

What's the main reason you'd recommend Peace Vans for your conversion? What made it stand out above the rest?

Peace Vans has built an amazing, caring community around these vans. We love feeling a part of that. We also love how the Peace Vans team continues innovating on the Metris platform. For example, I had been noodling for months about how I might replace the original AGM battery with a lithium battery so I could get 2-3X the power out of it. I gave up because I couldn't find a comparable lithium battery that would fit the battery compartment. And then Peace Vans announced they had partnered with a battery company to make a custom lithium battery just for the Metris! We've had it installed for six months, and it's a game changer.

Are there any road trip stories you would like to share? Favorite campsites? The first time you saw another Metris on the road? Questions you've gotten? What surprises you've had?

We took our Metris through Yosemite National Park to the Mammoth Lakes area this past summer for a week of camping and backpacking with our four kids (ages 13, 11, 9, and 1). As we were dropping out of Tioga Pass, we pulled into the Whoa Nellie Deli, and shortly after we pulled in, an identical grey Peace Vans Metris pulled up right next to us. The kids couldn't believe it. We rolled down the windows and chatted for 10 minutes, swapping van stories. It was the first time we had seen another Metris on the road in two years, and it was really fun for it to be our exact model. After that run-in, we camped for two nights along the San Joaquin River near Devil's Postpile National Monument before heading down to Rock Creek Lake in the Little Lakes Valley. We used Rock Creek Lake as a base camp to backpack up the valley to Little Gem Lakes. It was a magical trip. 

For weekend trips, our favorite campsite is Site 73 at New Brighton State Beach near Santa Cruz. It's an incredible campsite on top of a bluff overlooking Monterrey Bay. We'll see whales, dolphins, and even great white sharks from our campsite! Often we'll drive first to the Santa Cruz boardwalk to ride the roller coasters and play the arcade. Our Metris blends right into the boardwalk parking lot. Then we'll bounce over to New Brighton State Beach, pop the top, and enjoy an epic campsite and the beach. We love D.L. Bliss State Park campsite 151 overlooking Lake Tahoe for a more extended trip. We've made it a tradition to spend a week at D.L. Bliss over the Fourth of July holiday. On the night of the fourth, we hike from our campsite along the Rubicon Trail to a rocky outcropping where we can watch the South Lake Tahoe 4th of July fireworks show, one of the largest in the country. During the day, we walk down to Lester Beach (which you can see from the campsite) and spend the day swimming and cliff jumping.

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Helping Urban Families Adventure Outdoors

Since owning a Metris camper, the Steele family has created a seriously epic social enterprise, Outdoorithm, that helps others find their rhythm in the outdoors. Their mission is to make camping more accessible and enjoyable for urban families. “Our Metris van helped plant the seeds for this social venture, enabling us to find ways to camp year-round with our family of 6. We receive so many questions about our camping adventures and our setup - from friends, neighbors, fellow campers, random people in parking lots who see that our van has a pop top (seriously) - that we finally started Outdoorithm to provide families with specific information, unique tools, and the community support they need to camp more often and with greater ease. We’re excited to showcase our Peace Vans retrofitted Metris as it’s a great choice for families like ours interested in getting outdoors but without the space (or desire) for a large RV,” Sally Steele mentions.

It is truly an honor to be small part of the Steele family’s story.

About Peace Vans’ Metris Weekender Conversion

The Mercedes-Benz Weekender van is the perfect solution for folks who need a minivan during the week and a camping vehicle on the weekend (hence the name!). The interior of the Weekender feels just like a regular minivan - it has a full-width bench seat with space for three adults and entry/exit access through both sliding doors. But when you head to camp after work on Friday evening, you can pop the top, fold the rear seat into a bed, and sleep four comfortably.

The rear seat slides easily into three positions giving more cargo space where you need it. A convenient table attaches to the base of the bench seat and pivots in and out of the van. With dual sliders, the van is like an open-air living room! With both front seats swiveled around, the interior hangout space in the Weekender is second to none.

In the above interview, the Steele’s mention Peace Vans’ lithium battery upgrade. We offer tons of different upgrades and accessories so you can make the most of your van.