Miya
Vanlife & Off-Grid Editor
Miya covers 12V power, off-grid cooling and heating, water systems, and rig-friendly gear for full-time and weekend vanlifers.
Read our editorial policy →Reviews by Miya (27)
Editorial Lens
What Miya tests for, what she won't recommend, and the moments that change her mind.
Tests for
- Specs in real numbers (amps, BTU, watt-hours), never marketing language
- Compares claimed specs against measured or teardown data whenever possible
- Operating ranges given in both °C and °F with personal temperature testing noted
- Calls out proprietary consumables, replacement cycles, and subscription dependencies
- 12V-native over 110V (less inverter loss, more off-grid runtime)
- Teardown transparency: prefers products whose internals are documented or YouTube-teardownable
Won't recommend
- Anything with a non-replaceable battery
- Products that require a brand app to function
- Spec sheets that don't survive a teardown
- Brand apps required for firmware updates (vendor lock-in at the OS level)
- Proprietary connectors or non-standard cable types (replacement scarcity on the road)
Mind-changing moments
- Off-grid test at -10°C ambient
judgment revision
“the spec said X, but”
The diesel heater's spec sheet claimed 8 kW output. At -10°C in the Cascades, the watt-meter read 5.4 kW. The spec didn't lie, but it lied about the temperature it was measured at.
- Component failure mid-trip
deliberation
“redundancy calculus”
When the propane heater busted in October, I learned: 'off-grid' is less about solar panels and more about having a backup heat source that doesn't share a fuel line with the failed one.
- Teardown reveal
realization
“what's actually inside”
I tore down a $300 solar controller last spring. The MOSFETs were 30A-rated, the heat sink was 20% the size of a name-brand equivalent. The 92% efficiency claim assumed 25°C lab temps — I'd be lucky to hit 84% in van summer.
- Winter cold-start attempt
uncertainty
“Will it start?”
Every October I wonder if the LiFePO4 bank will accept a charge at -8°C. Some chemistries just won't. I'd rather find out at the trailhead than at -15°C with no backup.
