After I was packing up my first Sprinter Van in 2016 for my first large journey, I struggled with determining what sort of van life gear I actually wanted to convey with me on the highway. It’s really easy to overpack when you’re dwelling in a small house, and should you aren’t utilizing one thing not less than as soon as per week, it’s probably not well worth the treasured house that it takes up.
7 years and three Sprinter vans later, I’ve actually obtained my gear and group dialed. On this weblog put up, I share one of the best van life gear I’ve gotten from REI that I nonetheless use on the highway.
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 Idea. 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 suggest merchandise we really love and suppose you’ll love too.
Rumpl Blanket
I’ve been utilizing Rumpl Blankets since I obtained my first Sprinter Van again in 2015, and I’m totally satisfied they’re one of the best 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 along with your touring companion for covers. They arrive in a bunch of vibrant colours, however even higher, they’re mechanically cleanable and the fabric is ideal for many who have a canine that sheds. The canine hair doesn’t stick and you’ll shortly give the blanket a very good shake outdoors 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 have now 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 odor like common towels, and if you want to clear them, you may rinse them with a bit of Dr. Bronner’s cleaning soap and they’re pretty much as good as new. In addition they fold actually small, so that they don’t take up a bunch of room like a cumbersome seashore towel.
Store Fast Dry Multi Towels at:
REI Co-op Expandable Packing Dice Set
Packing cubes are a simple option to keep organized when you’re dwelling 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 massive dice, shirts in one other. Underwear, bras, and socks go within the small cubes. Get the gist?
Packing cubes imply every time you want to seize a brand new pair of socks, you aren’t digging by means 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 make it easier to set limits for the quantity of garments you’ll convey. I like that they’ve handles so if you’re staying with household and associates, 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 not often 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 a couple of days with out a bathe.
Store No Rinse Bathing Wipes at:
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 part you 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 constituted of sturdy supplies, so it will possibly face up to the damage and tear of life on the highway.
Dr. Bronner’s Gentle Liquid Cleaning soap
Do you know you need to use Dr. Bronner’s for dishes? Regular dish cleaning soap comprises a whole lot of nasty chemical substances that may hurt crops and animals the place you’re 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
Regardless that I’ve a small induction range within the van, I favor to outdoor as a lot as doable to have extra cooking house, 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 suggest it. It has superior fine-tune temperature management, is extraordinarily fast to arrange, suits two 12″ pans, and simple to scrub.
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 highway. It’s going to preserve your espresso sizzling for hours, stop it from spilling in your sprint, and prevent from utilizing disposable cups when getting your morning repair on the fuel station.
Store YETI Rambler Mug at:
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 lets you actually sit again and loosen up, which is good in comparison with among 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. Which means we by no means actually need to pack them down after we are transferring campsites and our chair is all the time 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 part out of your laptop computer to your roof fan. BFT staff member Courtney makes use of the RIVER Professional in her van to cost all electronics and it makes a fantastic backup energy supply even when you have home batteries.
The RIVER Professional is extremely simple to make use of and might 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 will 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 provides you a spot to place some appetizers and a drink whilst you benefit from the sundown.
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Garmin InReach Mini 2
Among the finest elements of van life is placing your cellphone away and going to areas distant from service. The one difficulty with that’s what when you have an emergency – whether or not that be a mechanical breakdown or a medical emergency – and your cellphone doesn’t work?
My accomplice Ryan is a Kind 1 Diabetic, so being ready after we are within the van or mountain climbing is all the time one thing that’s on my thoughts. One among our most necessary 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 critical 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 mountain climbing, 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 Equipment
Together with the Garmin InReach, having a fundamental first help package in your van is necessary. The Journey Medical Kits Mountain Collection Hiker Medical Equipment is an effective 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 package in all probability received’t save your life, it may get you thru a pinch till you drive your van again to civilization. As well as, it’s all the time a good suggestion to complement your store-bought first help package with something that you just would possibly want to your private medical wants.
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Geyser Methods Moveable Bathe w/ Heater
In case you don’t have a everlasting bathe arrange in your van however need the luxurious of sizzling water waters, look no additional than Geyser Methods Moveable Bathe w/ Heater. BFT staff 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 a wide range 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!
Store Geyser Methods Moveable Bathe at:
America The Stunning Annual Park Move
An America the Stunning Nationwide Park Move lets you 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 move can prevent some huge cash in entrance and tenting charges, which might add up shortly should you’re visiting a number of parks. The move is legitimate for one 12 months, so should you plan to go to 3 or extra Parks, this move is one of the best 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 offers each heat and mobility, permitting you to remain comfy and comfortable whereas additionally with the ability to transfer round freely. It’s excellent 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-Device 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 ensure you are following Go away No Hint when pooping outdoors, you want to dig a cathole utilizing a trowel (a shovel) and pack out any used rest room paper. I just like the Gerber E-Device Folding Spade as a result of it will possibly double as a shovel for digging your self out should 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 Wherever Moveable Rest room
In case you’re the form of van lifer that wish to arrange store for a couple of days in a single location, this Cleanwaste Go Wherever Moveable Rest room is another resolution 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 highway, you may merely throw the baggage into the trash, fairly than having to search for a dump to empty your moveable rest room.
By finishing up your waste, you may decrease your impression on high-use areas. The wag baggage are form of costly, so it’s not an on a regular basis resolution….however we feature this in our van simply in case.
Store Cleanwaste Go Wherever Moveable Rest room at:
Nationwide Geographic Street Atlas Journey Version
Google Maps tells you the quickest option to your vacation spot, however should you’re trying to take the scenic route, it’s good to have a paper atlas in your van. This Nationwide Geographic Street Atlas reveals aspect roads, public lands, tenting, and different websites of curiosity to van lifers and is one other good instrument to have when you’re out of cell service.
Store Nationwide Geographic Street Atlas Journey Version at:
What are your favourite van life gear must-haves? Or what questions do you’ve about van gear? Go away a remark beneath and tell us!
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