Sam, Hannah & Bonnie the dog
Sam & Hannah’s journey so far
Sam and Hannah have an adventurous lifestyle, running a unique series of UK triathlon events called SUPBIKERUN. These events combine stand-up paddleboarding, cycling (both road and mountain biking), and trail running, making them truly one-of-a-kind. Much of the year is spent traveling around the UK, with Sam, Hannah, and their dog Bonnie exploring event locations, testing courses, climbing mountains, and meeting with landowners.
For some time, Sam and Hannah have dreamed of having a fully off-grid van that would allow them to travel comfortably without depending on Airbnb or expensive hotels. Fortunately, Sam’s seasonal work schedule gives him the winter months to take on projects. This latest van conversion is the third one Sam has tackled, and it’s by far the most complex and advanced build yet. Starting in October 2023, Sam completed the project within 12 weeks. Follow the build and their journey on Instagram @northtwinadventure.
What inspired the design of your van?
Hannah & I wanted the van to have a super cosy almost boutique hotel feel to it. We also decided (being a little selfish) that this conversion would be just for us (sorry no kids!)… so the design focus was on maximum comfort and luxury for two. With this in mind the North Twin was developed.
Tell us about your new van conversion
Our newest van conversion is built on a Peugeot Boxer L3H2 2020, we decided to call this conversion North Twin. The name has a double meaning. It’s based on the North Twin mountain range in New Hampshire due to our love of mountains and also North Twin is a nod to the fact it’s a twin berth conversion.
The key objective of this fully off grid conversion was keeping it as luxury but light as possible. With this in mind I researched for months on which materials would work best. Acoustic sound panels are brilliant because they are easy to work with, look like real wood but are super lightweight. Our shower tray was a brilliant find, low profile at 40mm and only weighs 7kg. We were blown away on our trip to the weigh bridge, the North Twin fully loaded with our weekend kit comes in at just 2.8T.
Bed
We decided on a fixed standard double bed at the rear, most of the bed-pod area is encased in an acoustic sound and insulation sheet that looks like premium oak cladding but weighs next to nothing. The bed-pod is finished in faux leather automotive fabric, not to everyones taste but again gives a real touch of luxury, and the memory foam mattress is super comfortable and 186cm length meaning my 6ft frame fits easily without feeling cramped. To complete the bed-pod we installed warm tone LED strip lighting that we can fully adjust to soften or brighten the mood.
Finally, we wanted as large as possible skylight over the bed (700 x 500) so we could either lay in bed and gaze at the stars or be super nosey and stand with a drink in hand for a panoramic view of our surroundings.
Shower
The main feature of our van and probably the bit we are most proud of is the wet room / drying room. We wanted a nice big space to use as a conventional bathroom and toilet but we also wanted a nice space to climb into after a wet day in the mountains to strip off and dry kit. This room is heated by the Combi heating system so we can blow hot air through vents in this room to quickly and efficiently dry kit. Not wanting a toilet on full time display and again to save on space, we designed and built a toilet that slides away when not in use. It’s a simple thing but certainly the one part of the conversion that gets the most use and makes us smile the most.
Kitchen
For the kitchen area, we opted for IKEA Metod units. We settled on these for a few reasons. They were available in the colour we wanted, they were available in a shallow 48cm depth, and we could pick and choose our cupboard / draw layout. The kitchen has a 45litre fridge / freezer, a Nespresso coffee machine, double gas hob, and small sink and tap. Since heading around the UK in the North Twin we have only ever used the kitchen for food prep and making hot drinks, any cooking is done outside under the awning using our CADAC cook system.
Lounge
Finally, we have the lounge area. It’s a simple L-shape seating area with loads of storage under the seats. Our cushions were made by Sarah at the Skull Shed, she is hugely talented and created seating for us that is just so comfortable and practical.
Why did you choose to use Nohma?
Our engineer Paul at Nohma had not only listened to what we wanted, he offered us choice with our build and supplied us with a step by step installation guide that quite frankly anyone could follow with ease. This made the entire electrical setup and installation simple and I’m amazed to say… enjoyable.
Proper customer service. Not just a digital, faceless company… Nohma really care about what you are doing and always go the extra step to help you.
Sam & Hannah, @northtwinadventure
Components used in Sam and Hannah’s electrical system ⚡️
