Couldn't find his dream popup micro-camper, built it instead
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
- Jurgen Jas makes things- a mini Smart bike/car for his nephew, a fully-furnished mini-camper for another, a backyard workshop, and many Bowers-&-Wilkins-inspired speakers for himself- so when he couldn’t find a popup micro-camper that he liked, he built one.
Beginning with just a donated chassis, he began to build all the components of his future micro mobile home. “I have been a carpenter for a company that builds exhibition stands so I am used to working with plywood - making very thin and beautiful things without any weight - so I saw how extremely strong it is.”
On top of the trailer base, Jas installed an insulated plywood floor, wooden ribs for framing, plywood with insulation for walls, and sheet aluminum for cladding. Despite his degree in technical engineering, Jas admits he didn’t calculate anything. Instead he relied on his familiarity with other campers- particularly Airstream and Basecamp- and his belief that “seeing is knowing”. Fortunately, the camper came in under the weight limit for towing by his Suzuki Alto (total weight is under 500 kilograms).
The finished camper rivals any off-the-shelf micro camper, complete with popup top and popout side, full kitchen (Dometic refrigerator, 3 burner gas stove, sink, toaster oven), a drop-down dining table that slides/retracts into several positions/sizes, a couch that transforms into a king-sized bed and plenty of storage.
The total cost was 8,500 euros, including all appliances (650€ for the refrigerator, 350€ for the stove, 185€ for the sink). As a comparison, an Airstream or Basecamp in the same model would be about 34,000 euros. Jas spent 2 years crafting his tiny mobile home, but he didn’t do it to save money.
“It’s nice to make your own environment. People have lost a bit the feeling of making things for yourself,” he explains. “A lot of things are made in a factory just for somebody else. So perhaps people go to the factory doing their job without them really wanting to do their job. They make things for somebody they don’t know. And it’s nice to make things for yourself, you enjoy it more, it’s more fun actually.”
Jurgen's website (in Dutch): jasman.home.xs...
Original story: faircompanies....
This guy is a genius.. Ive watched a lot of micro camper video's and this one is the best ive ever seen. He needs to go into business making these..
tigerbaitcom true, agree!
tigerbaitcom genius is correct.
Agreed, although Airstream might take a run at him for copying their design.
He said he didn't copy their design. I agree on his genius too
I agree, 100% unique. : )
World's greatest uncle!! What a sweet man! Love the mini camper he made for his nephew...that is uncle-ing done right!
His camper design is really smart. Thanks for sharing!
Jurgen is so good at communicating. I loved the way he answered your questions. 😘
Thank you so much for sharing this video of Jurgen Jas's brilliant camper. It is beyond wonderful in the hand crafted luxury of a design and production of beauty combined with total practically and utility. What an amazing man! His charming pleasure in having given his partner and himself this extremely well-designed and produced recreation trailer is disarming and lovely. Bravo!
The pride of someone who built it with his own hands
WOW Simply WOW, Having worked in the RV Industry for a number of years and seeing some of the home built RV's that i have I have got to say that this person has some mad skills and some very ingenious ideas, Thumbs up to you my man, Your attention to detail and you're rock solid building of this unit leaves most American factory manufactures of RV's looking bad...Nice job.
This bloke took two years to build just one. That would not translate into a viable company that makes economic caravans.
@@TheAstroflight : I agree that he did an excellent job on that camper. However, manufacturing is a *lot* different than a hobby.
Gubbah agree
@@lesliefranklin1870 I think 2 years is pretty amazing for development of a prototype - If a company had intended to put it into manufacture they would have been designing the methods of manufacture alongside the prototype in order to determine costs. Of course, they also would have made changes along the way that were effected by the cost to manufacture (he mentioned the curved door) so it is unlikely this exact camper would make sense financially for the manufacturer - usually the financial risk forces them to keep initial costs as low as possible.
Simply fantastic. The only thing he may want to do is store water in the front for long trips. The camper is balanced, which is great but the tongue weight looks too low to properly stabilize it. At highway speeds it may develop an oscillation which could tear it apart.
Things just kept coming out from all sides. Need the table for one? move it, now for two. The screens, the cross ventilation, the pop out, everything was so incredibly creative. Inspiring!
Wow this is such an amazing little camper!! It doesn't look D. I. Y at all!! It is so perfect! Well done! I would buy one!! 👏 🏆😊
This has got to be the most impressive camper I've seen so far. Everything was so wonderfully planned and each time he pulled out another feature I just had to do a double-take...
He has dine a lovely job on this camper. So I took him 2 yrs I think it was worth the time. He seems to like what he has done. And why not it is great. A quintessential little camper. I would love one this size.
This man gets coolest man (and Uncle ) of the year award 🥇
I love this because my SUV doesn't have a very large towing capacity so I could totally use something like this. I was going to buy a shasta but it was right at capacity with nothing in it and big. This is great. THE KITCHEN IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Beatifull camper, you are a Geny. Thanks for show it. From Canary-Islands- Spain.
I remember watching a video of this guy build and been searching for a week to find it again... I'm seriously impressed
Kirsten, I LIKE the "repeat shots". This is yet another brilliant video. I really look forward to seeing them and the previous one about shanty boats was fantastic, beautiful and enlightening. Thanks so much for all the work you put into these, and for posting them. Cheers!
This puts all home made trailers to shame the ones made out of utility trailers. People don't take pride in their work anymore. 1000 thumbs up!!!!! ***** rating!
Not hard to tell how much skill and dedication went into this project..
Talk about "MAD SKILLS", this guy has them in spades!! Beautiful Job!!
A multi-talented guy. He's obviously proud of his craftsmanship and deserves to be.
I can breathe so much easier after watching the video on that truck a float contraption...this is wonderful and those architects on the other video could learn from this man ( my esthetics mind is still traumatized)...so glad for form and function minded creators.
I literally said to my self "wow this guy thought of everything except a screen door." Then he slides a screen door from within the walls. So impressive.
I can build things until I saw this. I wouldn't have the time nor money to build this.
Well done my friend, this is fantastic 👍😁
Terrific! This guy is a genius and obviously a master carpenter. High quality build.
I wish this guy was my uncle! Great design. And...how could ANYONE dislike this? Having a bad day, humanity?
I wish this guy was my neighbor. The noise would just get me excited to see the results of whatever rolled out of that shop next.
And I could have first dibs on buying it!!
Uour neighbor is 1 smart cookie😉 Tell him for all the years of noise he could build you one for compensation lol . Good day!
I miss read that lol I thought he was .😊
Exactly my first thought, genius! This man is a master at his craft. Something I know I would love to be able to camping and to build myself. I'm on a mission to build myself a mini micro camper and I've been watching videos on how to. When I came to this video and was floored by his creativity attention to detail his Superior skill at his craft. If This Were Out on the market I would give my left arm to have one but then I couldn't pop it out. Thank you for the video it is a beautiful camper home-away-from-home
Thanks for your enthausiastic reaction. Good to still have both your arms ;-)
This is amazing. Fine details and the craftsmanship is brilliant. Can hardly believe how lightweight it looks. He really has thought of everything!
Such a gifted man! Like a genius chef who cooks food without measuring stuff, you need not calculate before building it! And you built it so brilliantly and with joy. You're one of a kind sir! I salute you👍👏👏
_I'm only two years late but very glad I was able to watch this one. He did a great job, I really like it!_
This is a man who has his act in gear......Well done!
As soon as I saw the things he made for the kids, I thought, "I want to be friends with this man". (No, not so he can make me things too!) He just seems like a rad guy. That mini camper is the sweetest this I've ever seen. So much time and love put into that.
I'm speechless. This guy knocked it out of the park. Incredible!
The sliding folding table was very unique. It is wonderful to know he only used a jigsaw as the only electric power tool.thumbs up!
He used a sander too.
I admire all people that willing to build anything with their bare hands~
The design is very clever and beautiful inside and out. I'm sure if this guy mess produce it people would want to buy.
Pyrrhic Victory mess?
Kristen, How do u find these AMAZING people?! All ur vids blow me away:) I have an electric scooter (very strong). It's awsome, it's FREE, no registration, no insurance, no smog. Goes 20mph for about 45mls, & doesn't even show on my electric bill! Now, imagine introdicing Jurgen to Paul Elkins, to see what they came up with for the E-scotter market?! Trust me, we're out here, waiting...
WOW! Another incredible video and look into a life. BRAVO! 8-)
I think this might be my favorite tiny camper that I have ever seen. I really appreciate the love and attention he put into the design especially the pop top and the addition of the slide out.
When living in Japan I drove the same vehicle that he is driving and I can attest that it is quite amazing that he is pulling this tiny camper with a Suzuki Alto which only has a 660 cc engine!
The lines are also so pleasing...
I've seen a lot of mini campers and this gotta be one of the best.
Ingeniosa, Practica, Aerodinamica, Comoda, Detalles de Calidad, Muy Ocurrente, Hermosa . Felicitaciones .
It's so beautiful. His knowledge and craftsmanship is so apparent.
Absolutely beautiful. I was totally amazed when you said you hand built this and the only electric tool you used was a jigsaw. Loved the toys you made for your nephews. What lucky little boys and what great memories they will have.
He's amazing! The kiddie bike/car and pop up mini were so cute and clever
This man is extremely talented, and I'll bet it's better than any commercially made camper!
The Paul Elkins of Holland. Genius with his hands!
That slide out can also function as a shower stall. Leave bottom open. place wood mat below and use a bucket shower. What a smart design!
Passion speaks louder than words, love this guy.
Thanks Kirsten for letting us know about this guy and his amazing camper. I'd love to have one. I'm sure there are tons of people who feel the same.
I have looked at hundreds of campers for the construction details they all reveal because what I want does not exist. I want a hard side pop up camper that I can tow behind something in the Goldwing class of motorcycle. Seeing this guy is one hell of an inspiration to me. I'm on a long ride now and going down the road I ponder what mine would look like. After seeing this. I will redouble my efforts on the design so I can start working when I get back to the house. Amazing work1
I was proud of the Dog house I built. After watching this I went outside and kicked it!
Greg Appelgren everyone start from the bottom. Not me though.
Bad dog house! Bad!
Greg Appelgren 😂
hahaaa
😂😂😂
Sweet micro-camper! When I rebuilt an RV in the '90s, I fabricated many things in the same manner. One BIG problem, though -- he has no safety chains when towing. If the hitch should break, the trailer would run wild and could cause damage/injuries to others.
Run wild on flat ground? He built it for local conditions.
Love the passion he has put in this work !
wow!!! This is one of the best camper i have ever seen. i don't think even big companies can think of this crafting ideas.
wow bravo!
It was great seeing some of the other projects that led up to the mini camper which is brilliant! I just love what you have made with your mind and your hands Jurgen Jas. Thanks Kirsten for sharing
This guy needs to come and live with me!!! Amazing!!! What a talent for engineering! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
One of the most pleasing accents, to my Canadian ears, is the Dutch accent, and hearing a conversation in Dutch is for me a delight. An amazing mind has Jurgen Jas - a man among men, who is about as far from the systemized consumer-man as freedom could wish to find.
Excellent! Very efficient use of space. I noticed that the material around the pop-up roof allows light to enter.
I am so very impressed with the home made camper .it will stand the test of time.
Also how great
Dan Phillips is...I love the fact he salvaged most of the building materials.. it should be a crime all the dumpsters that are full of perfectly good still useible building materials I have seen so much that should
have been reused didn't have any way or place to do myself . although 95% of all of my projects & materials I found. Anyway thank you Kristen & family 4 documenting so many great & creative people . Chandra
Thank you, Kirsten
I have watched this video several times and not getting tired of watching it. I absolutely love listening to this man explaining his camper build so beautifully. I truly appreciate this vid, probably my favorite video you have on your channel. Hope it gets millions of hits. : )
I am absolutely speechless :-)
To say Excellent - is not enough.
Great job, man! I just don't understand the people who dislike it. I wonder if they ever make anything in their lives at all.
Simply put...INCREDIBLE! Good to see your hubby involved in the interview too. Great vid Kirsten!!!
Incredible! And this guy is so laid back and funny and still concentrated!
This camper looks better than anything I have seen before, beautiful!
What a lovely bloke!
Very elegant.Just beautiful.
Very cool design and build. His experience building light, portable structures shows, along with his experience working in lightweight modern materials. Looks like a bought one, well designed and original.
What an amazing camping trailer. He is one very talented man.
True Craftsman! He's right if you see how things are made you can replicate it.
Clever guy. Cool camper.
The start was brilliant.Dumbfounding the Authorities takes unique specialness.
Man Lil the authorities are stupid even here in United States of America
World Coming Down 5777 I couldn't care less ☺
FTFY: Especially here*
Jude:7
You are an asset. Very creative.
Absolutely brilliant. As someone who struggles to knock a nail in successfully, I cannot imagine how much work went into this. The man is a genius.
Super nice for such a lightweight unit. Looks professionally built. You can tell he's got excellent finish carpentry skills. Very handy that he can maneuver it by hand.
Kudos to the generous neighbor for providing the chassis.
some great craftsmanship there!!
Brad R agree!
His camper is better built than some of the overpriced campers I see in the US. I thought about buying one but was amazed by how BAD the construction was: flimsy doors, weather seals that will rot very quickly, creaky paneling, cheap fabrics, etc. And the brands averaged $8-9,000!
TOTALLY AGREE!
You comment made me curious if you would complain about the cost of a camper constructed to your quality expectations.
200 years ago he would have been building musical instruments by hand, 2,058 years ago he would have been building chariots for Cesar, hail Cesar, lol !!!!
Somebody give this man a medal for being so clever!
Amazing and built with one powertool, impressive 👍
Mattias Sandberg 7
Jurgen Jas, you are amazing!!!! I love your ideas!
Hate to say it, but this is better than a lot of the van / RV builds on YT. Not exactly a stealth camping option, but full marks for the work this gentleman has put into it.
Looks better, seems smarter than a lot of commercial variants!
Just wow! Only thing it needs is a solar panels on the roof + lightweight batteries and you could almost go wild with this!
Im now going to make a cup of tea......myself lol what a lovely bloke amazing human being
But will you use lemon?
Oh no not lemon ..i use full cream milk mmmm
I LOVE IT!! LOVE the design and I would buy one. What I love most about it is how "spacious" the kitchen is considering how small the entire camper is. Love that!!
My new saying for the summer in my fake European or Dutch accent, "NO, I MADE IT MYSELF." 😁😁😁 I really like that guy, he's was so funny & very self sufficient.
latishabrown801 Never seen acamper that you can pull by hand.
European accent? What is an European accent?
It's exactly what I typed, a European accent. An accent based from any country on the continent of Europe. In this case I believe his accent is Dutch. I typed exactly what I meant.
Oie d'etudiant I know right😁. I think it's awesomely sweet. #dopesimplicity #everythingineedinthepalmofmyhand
Its Dutch yes :) But European is not a thing you could say to accentuate on... Since there are so many languages here in the EU, starting from way different basis, it is too much to talk about here; in this little box.
Haha. I always find it so entertaining to hear Dutch people talk like this, even the richest people do this; like.. Almost not even trying to do the right accent, although this guy's English is pretty o.k. and he seems comfortably talking like this :) And wish you the best of luck putting up the accent :') Because, I'm Dutch myself and I can't talk like this Dutch/English even when I want it xD
And simplicity is dope yes; go for it :D
This mans genius! I grew up with grandparents and uncles that were do it yourselfers, out of necessity. These days most people dont know how to fix or make anything like our forebears did. This man is an inspiration. Hopefully he can help tutor a younger generation in his skills and knowledge. His caravan is the best homemade or d.i.y. one I've ever seen.
this is absolutely wonderful..what a beautiful job..
People creating small and tiny dwellings that work, and are pleasing to the inhabitants, are heroes to me.
Kirsten, your channel is my favorite on TH-cam. I long to create with my hands, but for some reason, I'm petrified of failure. Your profiles of these people's accomplishments keep my dreams afloat. Thank you!
It's hard to believe that two adult men will fit into a caravan that small, which makes it all the more impressive! Great build, Jurgen!
Jochem i
This is by far the BEST small camper I have ever seen. Thank you so much for this video!!!
Patent your design ASAP ! Some giant even mass manufacturer is sure to thieve this awesome design ( of course they would build a pile of skita and give it a 350%
markup)
This man should have his own design firm!
Yes, you are so right!
They'd take the design, apply for a registration or patent, and then sue him for copying them.
Then roll this YT video...and sue them, or settle for a big pile of money.
You should be making these for the public!!! Built with skill and the love of an engineer! Beautiful.
Great video, Kirsten. Thanks for sharing with us, Jurgen!
This is the BOMB!!! Congrats to Jurgen Jas for making what big RV camping companies could accomplish...please sell these!
Awesome Craftsmanship! Really enjoyed the video. Also, the two little cars he made for his nephews are really cool!
Painted Stork the camper was so cute, but the child camper was so cute... I threw up a tiny bit
One of the best did projects I've seen in a small camper. Granted he has a unique skill set, but the fact that he, basically, only used a power saw is incredible.
Absolutely gorgeous sir and you’ve earned your bragging rights.
Wow. Awesome. He's very smart. Great car for the kids.
Brilliant creativity! Congratulations Jurgen Jas, you are inspiring!
Jurgen Jas is my hero! That is just an amazing camper, lots of nice touches especially the push out bed. Love the ease of packing it all up and attaching it to the car when you're ready to go. Jurgen's nephew is a lucky little boy with that little car too.
What a clever guy The design is terrific ...* I would love such as this ...
Only comment I would suggest is to have a cover for that front glass when on the road...since it is so fragile, and road rocks etc, I would have a cover made for that section of the trailer...very well crafted unit sir!
This isn’t just craftsmanship it’s artwork, and it’s awesome . Respect ✊🏼 . 🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼.
excellent build