Taegan Lion
When you pack up your life to live in a van there’s not much that you can take with you. However, there are some things that will make this drastic change a little easier. Including items used for cooking, washing and using the bathroom, there are plenty of gadgets that will make the transition into van life a lot simpler.
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#1 The Camper Van Cookbook by Martin Dorey
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Who suggested this product? The The Camper Van Cookbook by Martin Dorey was recommended by Jill Wheeler from Outside Nomad. |
Living in such a small kitchen can stunt creativity. Here’s a great way to gather some new and different ideas to spice up your cooking. Say goodbye to roughing it and HELLO to a new found freedom in cooking!
#2 Dr. Bronner’s Castile Liquid Soaps
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Who suggested this product? The Dr. Bronner’s Castile Liquid Soaps was recommended by Jill Wheeler from Outside Nomad. |
Anything from Dr. Bronner’s is a must for Vanlife. They even have a sampler pack if you’re not sure what you want.
#3 Adventure Awaits Door Mat
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Who suggested this product? The Adventure Awaits Door Mat was recommended by Jill Wheeler from Outside Nomad. |
Every van needs a welcome mat so why not get a fun one.
#4 RockDove Women’s Down Slip-On Camper
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Who suggested this product? The RockDove Women’s Down Slip-On Camper was recommended by Jill Wheeler from Outside Nomad. |
Nobody likes cold feet especially in a van. Keep those little piggies stoked with some down slippers.
#5 Collapsible Silicone Measuring Cups
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Who suggested this product? The Collapsible Silicone Measuring Cups was recommended by Jill Wheeler from Outside Nomad. |
Space is always tight in a van but don’t let that hurt your culinary skills. These collapsible measuring utensils will make Martha Stewart jealous.
#6 Vitamin Coffee
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Who suggested this product? The Vitamin Coffee was recommended by Haley Gibbs from The Abbi Agency. |
Vitamin Coffee is packed with 13 essential vitamins and provides 50% of your daily vitamins in each serving. Whether you like it hot or cold, it’s ready in seconds and is perfect for the on-the-go spirit who needs a little extra help getting their daily performance-enhancing nutrients.
#7 Mimmo Caddy Organizer
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Who suggested this product? The Mimmo Caddy Organizer was recommended by Ivy from Mollie Ollie. |
Mimmo Caddy Organizer a beautiful open-top caddy that makes packing and picking items out a breeze. With everything organized in plain sight, it makes things easy to locate.
Mimmo is the portable top drawer your van needs, holding up to 50 pounds (22.6kg) of weight. With Mimmo, there is no need for constant fumbling and repacking when you get off the road to bring it for that quick dip in the sea or the necessary trip to the showers. It holds its own photogenic shape while being flexible enough to sit snugly between seat rests.
With adjustable inner compartments, you can separate electronics from edibles, or segregate each person’s belongings. Best of all, it can flat-pack when you need to tuck it out of the way.
#8 SURIN Black Yoga Wheel
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Who suggested this product? The SURIN Black Yoga Wheel was recommended by Lawrence Teoh from Surinworld. |
Living a van life is incredibly tough, especially if one is doing it for a prolonged period of time.
One gift idea that I would recommend is the SURIN yoga wheel, as it helps one to be able to stretch their muscles, relieving the tension between the neck and shoulders, bringing one to a point of relaxation. Through practicing yoga, made easy with our yoga wheel, one would be able to reach a state of mind that is calm despite the uncertainties in life.
#9 BenQ GV1 LED Portable Projector
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Who suggested this product? The BenQ GV1 LED Portable Projector was recommended by Shelby Westbrook from BenQ America. |
BenQ recently released its “GV1 Portable Projector,” a brand new wireless, portable and travel-sized projector and Bluetooth speaker that is the perfect gift for anyone that travels. It can be easily set up with a convenient tilting hinge lets GV1’s high-mounted lens produce 100” images anywhere, and the auto keystone feature keeps the picture perfectly squared.
The GV1’s 3-hour battery life gives you plenty of time to enjoy full-length feature films with friends and family, catch up on your favorite shows, tune in to the big game, or even play one yourself on the big screen.
#10 Bluefin SUP Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board
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Who suggested this product? The Bluefin SUP Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board was recommended by Charlotte Smith from Bluefin SUPs. |
Get out on the water wherever you are, without taking up any room in your van. This paddleboard kit includes; an inflatable SUP, paddle, kayak seat, leash and fin, all in a handy backpack. It’s a portable adventure, on Europes #1 Paddleboard (available worldwide).
#11 Vyaime Car Diffuser Essential Oil Aromatherapy Diffuser
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Who suggested this product? The Vyaime Car Diffuser Essential Oil Aromatherapy Diffuser was recommended by Caleb Backe from CalebBacke. |
It’s no secret that living the van life will probably get smelly sooner rather than later. That being the case, do your friend a favor and buy them this simple essential oil diffuser for their van to keep things smelling clean and fresh. This won’t just improve the air quality in the car, the essential oils will also help your friend feel healthier as they breathe in the infused air.
#12 OneNine5 Eco-Conscious Travel Wash Bag
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Who suggested this product? The OneNine5 Eco-Conscious Travel Wash Bag was recommended by Alex Stewart from OneNine5. |
OneNine5 have reimagined a travel essential – the wash bag (toiletry bag). When you’re on the move and space is at a premium, the carefully considered compartments maximise space, to pack all your essential toiletries. Made from a water-resistant fabric, the durable bag is also manufactured with a lining constructed from 100% recycled plastic. Including a concealed hanging hook, it’s the perfect wash bag to stay fresh in tight spaces.
#13 WeBoost Drive Sleek (Cellular Booster)
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Who suggested this product? The WeBoost Drive Sleek (Cellular Booster) was recommended by Kyle Brady from Drivin’ & Vibin’. |
During our 4 years of full time travel in the USA we’ve relied on our cellular booster almost daily. In remote areas it gives us the ability to turn one bar into 4 bars – taking an unusable signal and making it stream-worthy. Van life is all about fulfilling our wanderlust, but we have to keep up with Queer Eye, too!
#14 Camco 58031 Portable Propane Camp Fire
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Who suggested this product? The Camco 58031 Portable Propane Camp Fire was recommended by Kyle Brady from Drivin’ & Vibin’. |
Natural campfires are overrated. They’re smoky, hard to start, and even harder to properly extinguish – not to mention the constant burn bans on federal campsites. The campfire in a can starts with a simple click, doesn’t produce smoke and easily stores underneath your bed. This gift is ideal for any van-life who carries wants the ambiance of a campfire without the hassle.
#15 Prodyne HH-360 Under Under Cabinet Veggie Hammock
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Who suggested this product? The Prodyne HH-360 Under Under Cabinet Veggie Hammock was recommended by Lisa Jacobs from Vacay Vans. |
Of all the fancy, expensive gadgets I have in my camper van, the one that all my van life friends absolutely LOVE is my hanging fruit hammock. This less than $15 item is an awesome storage solution for fruits and vegetables, just make sure you hang it at an angle so your apples don’t hit the walls when you drive and make applesauce!
#16 Daytripper: 60 Days on the Road Exploring America’s National Parks
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Who suggested this product? The Daytripper: 60 Days on the Road Exploring America’s National Parks was recommended by Kayla Clements from Daytripper The Book. |
Daytripper: 60 Days on the Road Exploring America’s National Parks is a woman-written, thoughtfully designed coffee table book exploring vivid photographs and compelling stories inspired by 60 days of #vanlife. The book comes with a gear list, route guidance, and first-hand stories from the road. Perfect to inspire your next adventure.
#17 Spiced Citrus Utility Bar
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Who suggested this product? The Spiced Citrus Utility Bar was recommended by Artie Januario from Beardbrand. |
Beardbrand’s Utility Bar is an incredible 5-in-1 product that can be used as hair shampoo, body wash, shave soap, beard wash, and face wash. It’s made from all natural ingredients and is gentle enough for everyday use on skin and hair. It’s also travel friendly for packing light. A true do-it-all product!
#18 Advanced Elements 3 Gallon Solar Shower
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Who suggested this product? The Advanced Elements 3 Gallon Solar Shower was recommended by Sparky Hazard from Vancognito. |
As a van lifer, we are always looking for reliable and clean spots to shower, and the Advanced Elements Solar Shower totally solves that problem. You can shower wherever you are without having to install a bathroom in your rig.
#19 Female Urination Device
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Who suggested this product? The Female Urination Device was recommended by Kelly Beasley from Camp Addict. |
For those girly van life moments when we are out in nature or can’t find a toilet to use in the city, we need a quick and easy way to go. A female urination device is the perfect answer. This allows us to go whenever, wherever. Just need an empty milk jug or similar container, and we can get business done in a jiffy.
#20 weBoost Drive Sleek 470135R Cell Phone Signal Booster
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Who suggested this product? The weBoost Drive Sleek 470135R Cell Phone Signal Booster was recommended by John Serbell from Gnomad Home. |
It’s something that we use every day on the road, and any vanlifer that makes a living via the internet (or just wants to stream Netflix in the woods) can make use of it. WeBoost Drive Cell Signal Booster One of the most difficult aspects of vanlife is finding strong, reliable cell service for internet. Many vanlifers are digital nomads who make their livings online, but many of the natural locations they prefer to hang out have spotty cell service (or none at all).
Finding a strong signal can mean the difference between knocking out work from a beautiful campsite and being forced to hump it into town. That’s where a cell signal booster really comes in handy. A cell booster pulls in spotty signal using an external antenna, amplifies it so that it’s usable, and rebroadcasts it inside the van, where you can use it to make phone calls or create a wifi hotspot from your phone. The best cell signal boosters are made by Wilson WeBoost, and they have different models to suit any budget.
Bennett Smith from US Freestyle Kayaking Team
Ivy from Mollie Ollie
Lawrence Teoh from Surinworld
Shelby Westbrook from BenQ America
Charlotte Smith from Bluefin SUPs
Caleb Backe from CalebBacke
Alex Stewart from OneNine5
Kyle Brady from Drivin’ & Vibin’
Lisa Jacobs from Vacay Vans
Kayla Clements from Daytripper The Book
Artie Januario from Beardbrand
Sparky Hazard from Vancognito
Kelly Beasley from Camp Addict
John Serbell from Gnomad Home
