Which Yama Model is Built For Life After Kids?

May 21, 2026

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Rebecca Casey

From Pine Magazine
This article was originally published in Pine Magazine. Pine is a Yama publication featuring people, places and products that will ignite your inner adventurer.

For the better part of two decades your schedule wasn't really yours.

The 6am ice times. The tournament weekends in cities you wouldn't have chosen. Dance classes, swimming lessons, soccer games – the summers that filled themselves before you had a say. Then all of a sudden high school graduations, university tours, move-in days. And one spring, you looked at your calendar and saw something you hadn't seen in a while: white space.

Those two decades were everything. Of course you wouldn't change a thing. But this new chapter? It's got your name on it. The trips that lived in browser tabs and saved Instagram posts and half-finished conversations over dinner are no longer hypothetical. They're just waiting for you to book them. The schedule is yours again. Or at least, more yours than it's been a long time.

You've got a lot of road left. The only question now is: which Yama Van gets you there? 


Most couples land in one of three models: the Robson01N, the Teton01N, or the Blanca01N. Not all – some have needs that sit outside of this lineup entirely, and we'll get to those – but after years of conversations with couples at exactly this stage, a clear pattern emerges.

Before we get into what makes each model different, here's what each of these three models have in common. Here's what's table stakes across all Yama Vans:

  • Four-season capability. Each of our Signature Models are built with premium insulation and our signature 21k BTU hydronic system, delivering cabin air, on-demand hot water, and radiant in-floor warmth. Yes, you can take it skiing. You can take it everywhere else the rest of the year, too.
  • Off-grid capability. Our Signature Models run on an 11.8kWh lithium power system – enough capacity for two weeks off-grid with typical use and driving, no hookups required. When you’re off-grid, 200W rooftop solar and a high-output 280A secondary alternator keep you changed. A 30A shore input tops you up when you’re back on grid.
  • All-terrain capability. Every Yama Van is built to handle whatever’s between you and where you’re going. With custom-tuned suspension and all-terrain wheels and tires, your ride stays stable, controlled, and comfortable on everything from highway to backcountry roads. The trailhead parking lot is just the beginning.
  • Optimized gear storage. We know you’re not a one-sport household. With at least 85 ft³ of dedicated gear storage in the rear gear garage, you’ll have enough room for your bikes, skis, and whatever else your weekend demands. And if that’s not enough, there are options to add more gear storage on the rear doors or roof rack.
  • Comfortable living space. Each Signature Model is equipped with a comfortable sleeping area, a proper off-grid kitchen, and space to hang on rainy days – configured differently depending on the model, but present in all of them. These aren’t compromises. They’re the reason people stop staying in hotels or sell the cabin and opt for more nomadic adventures.
  • Shower & toilet facilities. Every Signature Model comes with an outdoor hot and cold washdown station – good for rinsing off after a long day, washing down muddy gear, and yes, cleaning the dog (the kids may have flown the nest, but the fur babies are still logging miles). A cassette toilet is standard across the lineup too, and if you want an indoor shower, that’s an available upgrade.
  • Built to be yours. Every Yama Van starts from the same strong foundation, but no two are exactly alike. Add on upgrades that suit the way you travel – Starlink, for example, is a popular one for couples who want the option to work remotely from wherever they’re parked – and choose custom finishings that give it a flair of personality.

The exact model that's right for you comes down to how you like to travel, who's coming with you and what gear you're bringing. Read on to find your fit.


Robson01N

Best for you if: you want all the galley and living storage space you can get in a small footprint.

It’s a Tuesday afternoon and you’re pulling into Squamish. Not a Friday, a Tuesday, because your schedule has a little more flex these days. Sea to Sky weather being what it is, you packed everything. It all fit, thanks to Robson01N’s ample storage. Bikes out of the gear garage, and you’re on the singletrack before noon.

Back at the van, you slide open the door, settle into the bench seat with your laptop, and let Starlink do its thing. A few hours of work between runs, then back out at it. Later, you’re both in the kitchen – actually cooking, not elbowing each other out of the way – because the extended counterspace has room for both of you.

Seats 2
Sleeps 2
Wheelbase 144"

Featured Highlights

  • Most interior storage of our 144" models
  • Extended counter space
  • Bench seating with a sliding door view

Teton01N

Best for you if: sometimes it's just the two of you, and sometimes it's not.

It's a long weekend on Kootenay Lake. The SUPs are on the water, someone's claimed the best camp chair, and the 90L fridge is doing exactly what a 90L fridge should do on a Saturday afternoon in August. Friends joined this trip. Last weekend it was just the two of you. Next weekend, the kids are tagging along.

That's the thing about the Teton01N. It doesn't ask you to choose. The dual sleeping zones mean your guests aren't an afterthought – and when it's just the two of you, the space doesn't go to waste. Built for four, it works just as well for two. Whatever the weekend looks like, it's ready.

Seats 4
Sleeps 3+
Wheelbase 144"

Featured Highlights

  • Large chest-height fridge
  • Two sleeping areas
  • Most popular Yama model

Blanca01N

Best for you if: you're tall, your gear is long, and you want a bed you can stretch out in.

The alarm goes off at 6:30 in Revelstoke and nobody groans. One of you slides out of bed – lengthwise, so there’s no climbing over anyone – while the other steals five more minutes. Long skis loaded in the extended gear garage the day before, no problem. By the time the lifts open, you’re already there.

By early afternoon you’re back, boots off, cold outside and warm in. The open concept layout gives you both room to move, stretch out, and actually exist in the same space. You make a hot toddy (it is après, after all) and enjoy each other’s company after a solid bluebird day.

Seats 2
Sleeps 2
Wheelbase 144"

Featured Highlights

  • XL lengthwise bed
  • XL gear garage
  • Open-concept layout

One thing worth noting: the scenes above are just examples. Any of these vans will get you there. The difference is in how you want to arrive. You can ski in your Robson01N, go to the lake in your Blanca01N, or bike in your Teton01N. The van you choose says more about how you like to live than where you’re going and what exactly you’re doing.

That said, some couples land outside these three entirely – and that’s worth knowing, too.

If you and your partner are serious gear haulers (the kind who refuse to leave anything behind), the Gear Bus™ might surprise you. It’s built primarily for families, but with over 100 ft³ of configurable gear space and a modular interior that never asks you to choose one adventure over another, it’s become a quiet favourite among couples who want to bring it all. 

And if space is the only thing on your mind – you want the largest footprint, a full-height, designated interior shower, and room to truly spread out for weeks at a time – the Logan01N is worth a look. It’s our biggest build, on a 170” wheelbase, and it doesn’t ask you to compromise on comfort. 


More than one of these resonating? That’s what we’re here for. Choosing the right adventure van is a big decision – most couples in this chapter have been thinking about it for years. Our team has had this conversation more times than we can count, and we’re happy to have it with you. Start the conversation and let’s talk it through. 

Rebecca Casey

Sales & Marketing Coordinator at Yama Vans