Jim and Melinda of RVing with the Tanners usually stick to RV resorts in the winter. However, now that they have transitioned to a Battle Born Battery bank, they are able to boondock more than ever in any season they choose! The couple has recently gone to a remote area for 13 days and didn’t have to bring out a generator while remaining around 70% of power! It’s experiences like this that make the Battle Born team love what they do.

Everyone at Battle Born strives to meet customer needs. We want you to be stress-free and enjoy reliable batteries whenever you do go on those outdoor adventures. We take away the battery anxiety so you can get out there and stay out there!

Who are the Tanners?

Jim and Melinda Tanner met in college when they both attended Oregon State. They were both involved in the Greek life, which they truly enjoyed. One day their fraternity and sorority participated on a collaborative production of Grease. This production deemed to be an extremely meaningful college experience, as they are now married with kids. Currently, they roam all around Oregon to explore the amazing scenery and enjoy plenty of outdoor activities.

Together the power couple has two boys, who are currently nineteen and twenty-two years old. Before their kids started working and went off to college, Jim and Melinda took them out on outdoor adventures often. They recall a time where they went to Michigan for a 13-day trip and discovered how much they would enjoy living the nomad lifestyle. Now, they try to travel as often as they can with their new travel buddies, two black cats who they are slowly easing into traveling and boondocking for an eventual full-time transition.

Their passions have always involved traveling but aside from that the Tanners go dirt biking and camping. Their love for the outdoors has inspired them to help others by starting a YouTube channel, as well as consistently updating their followers on experiences through their blog and website.

Their website includes a Pre-Deliver Inspection (PDI) form that Jim created. This handy document has been downloaded over 15,000 times and help people everywhere distinguish the characteristics they need to look for when purchasing a new rig. Click here to check it out.

RV With The Tanners

The couple also has a very interesting YouTube Channel called “RV With The Tanners.” On this channel they enjoy making videos about products and ideas surrounding the RV industry. The idea came to them through the joy that Jim gains from tinkering and learning about RVs. He also noticed that friends would often come to him asking similar RV questions, therefore decided that this type of channel would help others and allow him to have fun learning more about what interests him. With the help of his wife, they have now produced plenty of helpful videos.

The Tanners really enjoy the YouTube platform and get inspiration from other nomads such as Gone with the Wynns and Battle Born Battery family members, Keep Your Daydream. “The freedom that this lifestyle provides is such a rewarding feeling and being able to see that through these YouTubers really helped us decide to eventually go full-time and share our experiences as well,” beamed Jim.

Going Full-Time

Once the Tanners do decide to go RV full-time they plan to sell their current home and hit the road on their 2015 Heartland Bighorn (316OEL) named Leo. This RV is about 35 ½ feet with a great kitchen that Melinda has jazzed up with vinyl tile.  They specifically chose this 5th wheel RV because the size is perfect for various boondocking spots and enough space for two.

So far, Melinda and Jim have remained within the Oregon & Washington region, which is where they currently reside as well. Their camping adventures are limited to vacation time. Despite the distance, they have still met plenty of new people who are now friends, “Even though it’s a big community, it’s really nice to run into people you’ve met before and catch up” explained Jim.

Battle Born Battery GC2s

Jim and Melinda have installed 6 Battle Born Battery GC2s onto their RV. They wanted to go lithium because not only does it help them go boondocking all year round if they choose to, they wanted ease of mind when it comes to the battery charge, “lithium in general requires less maintenance and allows more time to do things we enjoy.” Previously, they were using three 150 Ah batteries (450 Ah total) that only provided them with about 60% of their power. By choosing Battle Born Batteries, they now get 100% of the 600 Ah, as well as a quality product that reduces battery anxiety immensely.

Their current system includes:

• 6 Battle Born Battery GC2s
• Victron Smart Solar Charge Controller 150/60 MPPT
• Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor with Bluetooth built-in
• For detail on other components, check out their blog, “Battery Upgrade – 6 Battle Born Lithium Batteries“

Documenting Their Journey

Essentially, Jim and Melinda Tanner want the freedom full-time RVers get to experience. They plan on traveling around the United States (including Alaska), Canada and Mexico while documenting their journey as they go. In 2024, they plan to witness the Solar Eclipse in Texas like they did last summer when it passed through Oregon.

Until then, the Battle Born team looks forward to pictures and videos of their journey on their Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Jim and Melinda, thank you for all the support. We truly appreciate you two choosing our products for your rig and welcome you to the Battle Born family!

More information on our batteries, here.