The craze surrounding #vanlife is increasing in popularity. So much so that thousands of people are packing up their suburban homes, quitting their corporate jobs, and switching to living on the road full-time.

Although social media advertises a compelling case for van life through dazzling photographs of remote scenery and tricked-out rigs, discussion about ‘how to actually live on the road safely and securely’ gets a bit brushed under the rug.

So, whether you’ve already hopped onto the van-life bandwagon or are planning to hit the road soon, take note of these home defense strategies and tips to use on your mobile adventures.

Stay in Stealth Mode

A general rule of living on the road is embracing the “stealth” van life. This means keeping it on the down-low that you are sleeping in your vehicle. A common occurrence in urban locations is run-ins with locals who have deliberately scoped out folks who are “just passing through”.

To avoid unnecessary altercations, injuries, or damage to your gear, be aware of your surroundings and try to steer clear of oversharing—especially in regard to your travel plans.

Some van-dwellers even choose to drive a certain vehicle solely for its discreet appearance. Depending on your lifestyle preferences, it might not be worth spending thousands of dollars on a glamorous rig if it will end up drawing more unwanted attention. In other words, it may be wise to make your van look as unmemorable as possible.

No matter your location, staying “under the radar” is one of the most fundamental and advantageous strategies for preventing trouble and keeping your home-on-wheels secure.

Sweat the Small Stuff

Since van life safety mostly comes down to learning how to prevent yourself from entering a vulnerable situation, another overarching rule is to be acutely aware of your environment–both inside and outside of your vehicle.

It’s essential to keep your doors locked. Even if you are camping outdoors in a non-remote area, keep all of your doors locked when you’re in or out of the van, especially at night.

You could also hang up some blackout curtains on each of the vehicle’s windows. This prevents strangers from seeing inside the van and provides a stronger sense of privacy. Whether alone or with company, having a solid boundary between you and unsolicited people, elements, activities, and even animals will help you remain comfortable and safe.

Similarly, keep your valuables out of view. Instead of leaving your wallet or purse on the dashboard, have a couple of hidden spots to stash your most valuable items and cash. Even better, spread out each of your valuables so that they are not altogether in one place.

Traveling in a road vehicle is safer than many people think, but it does require a solid combination of common sense, heightened awareness, and increased caution. Living in a house grants you the luxury of being consistently familiar with your surroundings. With the constant change involved in van life, however, you do have to sweat the small stuff.

Leverage Gadgets & Gear

Alongside behavioral strategies, another key line of defense is your gear. Your gear includes the tools you have on hand for keeping van-life safe, efficient, moving along, and free of any bumps in the road.

Speaking of tools, it’s worth mentioning that some people feel better with having a tool at the ready–specifically for self defense. And what’s a more reliable roadtrip travel companion than a firearm?

While some people choose to carry pepper spray, a knife, taser, or baseball bat, other folks feel strongly that having a gun is a more secure alternative for self-defense while living on the road.

Aside from firearms, though, there are several other categories of gadgets and gizmos you may consider employing to amp up the security of your van home.

Removable Window Bars

Similar to houses, most vehicles have both doors and windows. All it takes is a hard throw of a rock to break the glass of your vehicle’s windows. Therefore, you can install metal rods along the center of your van’s windows to prevent anything large from breaking in, even if the glass gets broken.

GPS-Tracked Alarm Systems

For every van dweller, probably one of the worst possible scenarios would be having your mobile home stolen. If this ends up happening, and someone manages to take off with your van, you would likely be able to retrieve it with a pre-installed GPS-tracking alarm system.

Many vehicle alarm systems on the market today can be linked to your mobile phone, allowing you to receive instantaneous updates. With real-time GPS tracking the current location of your vehicle, it is much easier for the police to recover your van before it’s too late!

Chain & Bolt Locked Doors

People are smart, but unfortunately, locks aren’t.

Lock-picking is nothing new, and it’s an extremely common way for burglars to enter your van. A preventative measure you can take for this is installing a metal chain on the inside of one door and connecting it to the other. This way, if the locks do get picked, it’s virtually impossible for someone on the outside to manually pull open either door.

Secure Safe Boxes

Safe boxes act as hidden vaults for your valuable items. Whether you bring along a pre-purchased safe, or find a usable compartment in your van to transform into a safe box, these concealed nooks are perfect for storing your valuables.

Security Cameras & Motion Detecting Lights

For an even tighter grip on your mobile security, you can install individual motion-sensing lights and cameras on the exterior of your vehicle to keep track of activity outside of the van’s walls.

Road Tripping with Your Firearm

Carrying a gun while living the van life is certainly possible, however, you must take care to become familiar with the gun laws of every state you’ll be traveling in. Gun laws vary from state to state, and you’ll need to be aware of any regulations regarding carry or storage of your firearm and ammo.

Once you have figured out where you can carry your gun and how, the right firearm carrying gear will make the trip safer and easier. A handgun jabbing into your hip while sitting for long periods of time would feel pretty uncomfortable. A solution to that problem would be supplementing your firearm with high-quality accessories–such as holsters, car mounts, cleaning supplies, etc.

Since you may not always be close to an urban area with stores where you can load up on ammunition, make sure you stock up right here at Ammo Planet before driving too far off the grid!