Rustic Camper Co: meet Rory & Henry wanderers

Meet best mates and hippie-at-heart wanderers, Rory and Henry that after years of travelling the world on four wheels have launched their campervan rental business through Camplify.

Tell us more about you...

Rory and Henry here - We have been good mates since high school. I am from a business/sales background, and Henry is an experienced electrician. We've both spent years travelling around South America, Europe and North America and we found doing it on your own four wheels was by far the most cost-effective (and most fun) way to do it. During these trips we were subconsciously building a 'sh*t yes we need that' list for the ultimate campervan. In early 2020 we started building campervans to rent and have never looked back.

Tell us more about your vans...

We have four vans - two complete and two in construction. All vans are handcrafted by us (Rory & Henry) using locally sourced materials. It starts with selecting the van, completely customising it, then adding the finishing touches.

Bernie:

Bernie'sa 2011 Volkswagen Crafter and one laid back individual.

He's essentially the motorised lovechild of a handcrafted Canadian cabin & Coromandel beach shack (think rustic vibes mixed with fresh coastal touches).

That being said, Bernie's also our most sophisticated van. He's strong, stylish, large and in charge - with all the trimmings to match. From his large fridge/freezer (complete with ice trays to help you create the perfect evening cocktail) to his outdoor hammock and super-luxe memory foam bedding, Bernie will welcome you home with open arms after a long day of exploring.

Pam:

Pam'sa 2009 Ford Transit adventure wagon and a bit of a tree hugger at heart. She enjoys lazy coastal drives and being parked up amongst nature, but she's also a pocket rocket - she runs like the clappers and loves to explore the road less travelled.

A self-contained beauty with everything you need to feel at home on the road, Pam was actually named by her first renter from Dunedin. They took a particular liking to her understated elegance & cheeky rough edge and she's been known as 'Pam'ever since.

Where does your passion for van life come from?

Waking up under a mountain. Skinny dipping in the ocean. Sizzling up some bacon and eggs before setting off on a hike or surf - vanlife is the best way to explore new places. It was in Canada though where I fell in love in the rustic wooden tree cabins which appear to be scattered all over British Columbia. Not only that, but I started getting exposed to other travellers that have taken this same cosy wooden aesthetically pleasing characteristics of cabins and fitting out their vans in the most incredible ways. This really inspired us to start building our own.

Who do you usually travel with?

Friends generally - either loaded in or in convoy. You're also never short of making new ones when you're on the road!

Tell us some of your favourite spots in New Zealand

Anywhere along the Coromandel is awesome. Lot's of camping spots, secluded beaches, good surf and plenty of seafood around for a dive.

Why did you decide to join Camplify?

When you put so much time and effort into building your dream van, the reality is that you also need to work a 9-5. Instead of having the van collecting dust, you can enable other like-minded travellers to have an epic time and get paid for it too.

How do you plan to invest the money you earn via Camplify?

Into building our 3rd (and largest van) Juno ;)

What do you enjoy most about sharing your van?

The people you meet. I'm not sure if it is our style of vans that have attracted so many rad people, but every customer we have had has been a dream to deal with. They share stories with us about where they took Pam or Bernie, and it inspires us to get back out there on the road and explore some new places.

You can hire Rory and Henry's vans for your next adventure here. Pick up in Hamilton or Auckland, or enquire about delivery options.