After I was packing up my first Sprinter Van in 2016 for my first large journey, I struggled with determining what kind of van life gear I actually wanted to deliver with me on the street. It’s really easy to overpack when you’re residing in a small area, and in case you aren’t utilizing one thing no less than as soon as per week, it’s probably not definitely worth the valuable area that it takes up.
7 years and three Sprinter vans later, I’ve actually bought my gear and group dialed. On this weblog submit, I share the most effective van life gear I’ve gotten from REI that I nonetheless use on the street.
Sponsored by REI Co-op
REI Co-op is our favourite out of doors gear retailer and a long-time supporter of our work right here at Bearfoot Principle. We respect their 1-year return coverage, their Member-only coupons, and the truth that REI Members obtain 10% again on their purchases yearly. We solely advocate merchandise we actually love and assume you’ll love too.
Rumpl Blanket
I’ve been utilizing Rumpl Blankets since I bought my first Sprinter Van again in 2015, and I’m totally satisfied they’re the most effective van life blanket on the market. The two-person authentic puffy could be very heat and is barely bigger than a queen dimension.
It spans the width of a Sprinter Van, so that you received’t be combating together with your touring companion for covers. They arrive in a bunch of vibrant colours, however even higher, they’re machine cleanable and the fabric is ideal for many who have a canine that sheds. The canine hair doesn’t stick and you’ll rapidly give the blanket a very good shake exterior for a fast clear in between washes.
REI Co-op Fast Dry Multi Towels
It doesn’t matter what else you pack in your van, quick-dry towels are vital piece of van life gear. We now have 5 or 6 of them stashed all through the van in numerous sizes. We use them to dry dishes, our canine, our our bodies, and to stash in our day packs for lake hikes.
They don’t get a cool musty scent like common towels, and if you’ll want to clear them, you may rinse them with just a little Dr. Bronner’s cleaning soap and they’re nearly as good as new. Additionally they fold actually small, in order that they don’t take up a bunch of room like a cumbersome seaside towel.
Store Fast Dry Multi Towels at:
REI Co-op Expandable Packing Dice Set
Packing cubes are a straightforward option to keep organized when you’re residing in a van. In my Sprinter Van, Ryan and I every have two of those REI Coop Expandable packing dice units in numerous colours for our clothes. Pants go in a single giant dice, shirts in one other. Underwear, bras, and socks go within the small cubes. Get the gist?
Packing cubes imply every time you’ll want to seize a brand new pair of socks, you aren’t digging by way of an enormous messy duffel bag or drawer. One other large benefit is when you’re packing up your van for the primary time, the packing cubes enable you to set limits for the quantity of garments you’ll deliver. I like that they’ve handles so in case you are staying with household and mates, you may simply carry them into the home.
Store Expandable Packing Dice Set at:
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No Rinse Bathing Wipes
No bathe, no drawback. I had an indoor bathe in my first Sprinter Van, however I discovered I hardly ever used it…so I scrapped the indoor bathe in my second and third vans.
At the least as soon as per week, we discover ourselves at a campground with sizzling showers and swimming in lakes and rivers in between retains the dust at bay, however these No Rinse Bathing Wipes are additionally a very good van life staple to have round for in-between showers. They’re light in your pores and skin whereas wiping away the dust and dirt, making you are feeling simply contemporary sufficient whenever you’ve gone just a few days with no bathe.
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AeroPress Go Journey Espresso Press
Discovering the proper espresso maker for van life is usually a problem – your conventional espresso maker might be too cumbersome and a glass French Press is a recipe for catastrophe. That’s why I like the AeroPress Go Journey Espresso Press. It’s tremendous compact, light-weight, and simple to make use of, making it the proper addition to your van life setup.
The AeroPress Go comes with every little thing you’ll want to make a scrumptious cup of espresso, together with a scoop, stirrer, and filters, all of which match neatly contained in the press for simple storage. Plus, it’s comprised of sturdy supplies, so it could possibly face up to the damage and tear of life on the street.
Dr. Bronner’s Gentle Liquid Cleaning soap
Do you know you should use Dr. Bronner’s for dishes? Regular dish cleaning soap accommodates a number of nasty chemical compounds that may hurt vegetation and animals the place you might be tenting.
We use Dr. Bronner’s Gentle Liquid Cleaning soap for our dishes and located that it cleans simply in addition to Daybreak. And having physique cleaning soap that doubles as dish cleaning soap means you solely have to hold one cleaning soap bottle within the van.
Store Dr. Bronner’s Gentle Liquid Cleaning soap at:
Eureka Ignite Plus 2-Burner Camp Range
Though I’ve a small induction range within the van, I favor to outside as a lot as potential to have extra cooking area, reduce energy consumption, and keep away from overpowering meals smells within the van.
I’ve had the Eureka Ignite Plus 2-Burner Camp Range for a number of years and extremely advocate it. It has superior fine-tune temperature management, is extraordinarily fast to arrange, matches two 12″ pans, and simple to wash.
Store Eureka Ignite Plus 2-Burner Camp Range at:
YETI Rambler Mug
An insulated vacuum mug just like the YETI Rambler Mug is a must have van life merchandise for these early mornings on the street. It is going to hold your espresso sizzling for hours, forestall it from spilling in your sprint, and prevent from utilizing disposable cups when getting your morning repair on the fuel station.
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Helinox Sundown Chair
A strong camp chair is a should for van life, and the Helinox Sundown Chair has been our favourite for a few years. I like how supportive they’re and the excessive again permits you to actually sit again and loosen up, which is good in comparison with a few of the chairs on the market with decrease backs.
At lower than 3 ½ kilos, it’s very light-weight and packable. The opposite factor I like is that even when it’s put collectively, it’s not too cumbersome and we will retailer two of them on our mattress in chair kind. Meaning we by no means really want to pack them down once we are transferring campsites and our chair is at all times able to go.
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EcoFlow RIVER Professional Moveable Energy Station
The EcoFlow RIVER Professional is a compact moveable energy station that gives a dependable and environment friendly supply of energy for van lifers. With 720Wh capability and a number of charging ports – together with USB, USB-C, AC, and DC – you may energy every little thing out of your laptop computer to your roof fan. BFT group member Courtney makes use of the RIVER Professional in her van to cost all electronics and it makes an ideal backup energy supply even if in case you have home batteries.
The RIVER Professional is extremely simple to make use of and may be charged utilizing photo voltaic panels, a cigarette outlet whereas driving, or a wall outlet. What units the EcoFlow other than different energy stations is that it could possibly cost from 0-80% in 1 hour if plugged right into a wall outlet – so in a pinch, you may simply recharge at a espresso store very quickly!
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GCI Out of doors Compact Camp Desk
In case you planning on doing a bunch of off-grid tenting, then a lot of the campsites you keep at received’t have a picnic desk. This GCI Out of doors Compact Camp Desk is a cinch to arrange, breaks down flat, and offers you a spot to place some appetizers and a drink whilst you benefit from the sundown.
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Garmin InReach Mini 2
The most effective components of van life is placing your cellphone away and going to areas far-off from service. The one problem with that’s what if in case you have an emergency – whether or not that be a mechanical breakdown or a medical emergency – and your cellphone doesn’t work?
My associate Ryan is a Kind 1 Diabetic, so being ready once we are within the van or mountaineering is at all times one thing that’s on my thoughts. One in every of our most vital items of van life gear is a Garmin inReach Mini 2. It permits us to ship customized textual content messages irrespective of the place we’re or to name for medical assist if we’re in a severe state of affairs. It additionally has a GPS and a few useful navigation instruments for when your navigation apps in your cellphone received’t load.
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Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket
Having a packable, light-weight, but heat jacket is a should for van life. I’ve worn Patagonia’s Nano Puff jacket for years and love how versatile it’s for mountaineering, lounging at camp, and on a regular basis put on. It packs down tremendous small so it doesn’t take up a ton of room in your van, both.
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Journey Medical Kits Mountain Collection Hiker Medical Package
Together with the Garmin InReach, having a fundamental first help equipment in your van is vital. The Journey Medical Kits Mountain Collection Hiker Medical Package is an efficient place to begin with fundamental meds, blister remedies, and wound dressings. It additionally comes with a pocket information for fundamental wilderness first help.
Whereas this equipment most likely received’t save your life, it might get you thru a pinch till you drive your van again to civilization. As well as, it’s at all times a good suggestion to complement your store-bought first help equipment with something that you simply would possibly want to your private medical wants.
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Geyser Programs Moveable Bathe w/ Heater
In case you don’t have a everlasting bathe arrange in your van however need the posh of sizzling water waters, look no additional than Geyser Programs Moveable Bathe w/ Heater. BFT group member Courtney has used the Geyser for over a 12 months and loves how versatile and simple to make use of it’s.
It may be used for quite a lot of functions, from washing dishes to rinsing off gear to bathing your self or your pets. And with an inner sizzling water heater, you don’t want to fret about chilly showers!
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America The Lovely Annual Park Move
An America the Lovely Nationwide Park Move permits you to entry to over 2,000 federal recreation websites, together with nationwide parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and extra, making it a superb benefit for van lifers who like to discover and spend time in nature.
Moreover, the go can prevent some huge cash in entrance and tenting charges, which might add up rapidly in case you’re visiting a number of parks. The go is legitimate for one 12 months, so in case you plan to go to 3 or extra Parks, this go is the most effective deal.
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Selk’Bag Wearable Sleeping Bag
The Selk’bag wearable sleeping bag is a must have for van life as a result of it gives each heat and mobility, permitting you to remain snug and comfortable whereas additionally with the ability to transfer round freely. It’s good for these chilly nights across the campfire and it packs down sufficiently small to simply stash away whenever you don’t want it.
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Gerber E-Instrument Folding Spade
Instruments for Leaving No Hint whenever you go to the toilet are important items of van life gear. I’ve not had a everlasting rest room put in in my final 2 vans, so this begs the query, the place do you go #2?
With the intention to be sure you are following Depart No Hint when pooping exterior, you’ll want to dig a cathole utilizing a trowel (a shovel) and pack out any used rest room paper. I just like the Gerber E-Instrument Folding Spade as a result of it could possibly double as a shovel for digging your self out in case you get caught or placing out campfires. Because it folds down, it’s simple to retailer in your van.
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Cleanwaste Go Anyplace Moveable Bathroom
In case you’re the type of van lifer that wish to arrange store for just a few days in a single location, this Cleanwaste Go Anyplace Moveable Bathroom is another answer for going #2. It’s a foldable rest room that you would be able to arrange behind a bush, and it makes use of a easy wag-bag system to gather waste. When you’re again on the street, you may merely throw the luggage into the trash, moderately than having to search for a dump to empty your moveable rest room.
By finishing up your waste, you may decrease your affect on high-use areas. The wag baggage are type of costly, so it’s not an on a regular basis answer….however we supply this in our van simply in case.
Store Cleanwaste Go Anyplace Moveable Bathroom at:
Nationwide Geographic Highway Atlas Journey Version
Google Maps tells you the quickest option to your vacation spot, however in case you’re trying to take the scenic route, it’s good to have a paper atlas in your van. This Nationwide Geographic Highway Atlas reveals facet roads, public lands, tenting, and different websites of curiosity to van lifers and is one other good software to have when you’re out of cell service.
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What are your favourite van life gear must-haves? Or what questions do you’ve got about van gear? Depart a remark beneath and tell us!
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