For Gia Hellwig and her partner Arin, living full-time in their Tune M1 topper has given them the freedom to build a lifestyle around travel, remote work, and the outdoors.
For over a year now, the couple has called their Tune home while exploring public lands across the western United States. Along the way, they have found that full-time travel is about more than visiting new places. It has given them more flexibility to spend time outside, visit family, and travel on their own schedule.
From Rooftop Tent to Tune M1
Like many people, Gia discovered overlanding in 2020 through YouTube and started exploring with a rooftop tent on her Toyota 4Runner. What began as weekend camping trips gradually grew into longer adventures and eventually sparked a bigger question: what would it look like to live on the road full time?
"Rather than subscribing to the 'wait until you're retired' mindset, we wanted to try a different lifestyle," Gia said.
Before purchasing their Tune, Gia and Arin spent time living on the road with their rooftop tent while figuring out whether full-time travel was right for them. Over nearly two years, they researched different camper options, planned their finances, and thought carefully about what they wanted from a long-term setup.
They also decided to keep their home, which they now rent to traveling professionals while they travel, giving them a home base if they ever wanted to return.
After months of research and experiencing different styles of camping firsthand, they found the setup that fit their lifestyle. Moving into a Tune gave them the comfort, flexibility, and workspace they needed to make full-time travel a long-term reality.
Watch Connor’s 2-year Tune Review: Thinking about making the leap to full-time travel? Connor Scalbom shares what he's learned after living in his Tune for more than two years, including what has held up, what he'd do differently, and why the lifestyle continues to work for him.
Why They Chose a Tune M1
Like many Tune owners, Gia and Arin spent months researching campers before making a decision. Everything changed after stepping inside a Tune for the first time at Overland Expo.
"When we stepped inside the Tune, we were like, 'Oh yeah...this feels different than all the other ones,'" Gia said.
The layout, large windows, and DIY-friendly design immediately stood out. Since they were building on a short-bed truck, they wanted a camper they could customize to fit the way they travel. Another advantage was how easy the Tune was to operate, allowing Gia to confidently set up camp, pop the roof, and handle day-to-day tasks on her own when Arin wasn't around.
Meeting the Tune team made the decision even easier.
"Once we met Sean and talked to everybody at the expo, that sealed it for us,” Gia said. “The people are awesome."
Daily Life in a Truck Camper
Living on the road still includes meetings, grocery runs, cooking, laundry, and everyday routines. The difference is where and how those routines happen.
Gia works remotely using Starlink, solar power, and a custom-built workstation inside the truck. She even built a flip-out workstation that lets her work comfortably from camp throughout the day.
As they settled into full-time travel, she reorganized her work schedule by grouping meetings into two days each week, giving them more flexibility to travel, explore, and move between campsites without planning every day around work.
Arin handles much of the driving and cooking, making full-time travel a shared effort.
"This is very much a team effort," Gia said.
When choosing campsites, they usually look for places near lakes or rivers so Arin can spend some time fishing while dinner is cooking.
See another setup: Full-time living is about more than just where you travel. It's also about creating a space that feels like home. Delaney Michels shares how she turned her Tune M1L into a cozy space where she can unwind at the end of each day while living life on the road.
The Reality of Full-Time Travel
Living on the road comes with its challenges. Winter means less solar production, outdoor showers become less practical, Starlink occasionally needs a clear view of the sky, and finding drinking water sometimes requires a little extra planning. Every destination brings different conditions, so flexibility becomes part of the routine.
Over time, those challenges have become part of a routine. Laundry days often happen at KOAs, while Planet Fitness locations provide reliable showers during colder months. They've also learned how to manage their power usage, plan ahead for water refills, and choose campsites that balance scenery with practical needs like internet access and solar exposure.
Rather than feeling like inconveniences, those routines have simply become part of everyday life on the road.
An Unexpected Benefit of Living on the Road
One of the biggest surprises has been spending more time with friends and family.
Instead of trying to fit visits into a limited amount of vacation time, they now have the flexibility to travel to the people they care about. Last year, they spent five weeks in California helping Gia's mom recover from hip surgery, which is something that would have been much more difficult with a traditional work schedule.
"We've seen more of our friends and family over the last year than we normally would have," Gia said.
For Gia, that flexibility has become one of the most rewarding parts of living on the road.
Advice for Future Travelers
Gia encourages anyone interested in full-time travel to start small.
Take local trips. Learn your equipment. Figure out what makes you comfortable before heading across the country. If you are traveling with a partner, talk openly about expectations and routines before you leave.
"Get really clear about what makes you comfortable while you're out so you're thriving instead of surviving," Gia said.
Meet beginning full-timers: Zack and Lina Riley just moved into their Tune M1 x Tundra full-time with their three dogs. Follow along as they learn how to live on the road.
More Than a Topper Camper
Gia says one of the biggest advantages of owning a Tune has been the support behind it.
"It's not just about the product,” Gia said. “It's about the people."
That support became especially meaningful after Tune helped resolve a water intrusion issue while they were living on the road full time.
For Gia and Arin, their Tune has become much more than a place to sleep. It's the foundation for a lifestyle that gives them the freedom to work remotely, explore new places, and spend more time doing what they love.
FAQ’s
Can you work remotely while overlanding?
Yes! With the right setup, many people successfully work remotely while living on the road. Gia works full time from her Tune using Starlink internet, solar power, and a custom-built workstation inside the camper. She also adjusted her work schedule by grouping meetings into two days each week, giving her and her partner more flexibility to travel, explore, and move between campsites throughout the week. We’d recommend our interior systems to make working remotely even easier.
Where can you shower and do laundry while living on the road?
There are plenty of options for staying clean while traveling full time. Gia and Arin often use KOA campgrounds for laundry, while Planet Fitness locations provide convenient showers during colder months. In warmer weather, many travelers also use outdoor showers or public shower facilities at campgrounds and recreation areas. Over time, these routines become a normal part of everyday life on the road.
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