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Van life essentials… the real ones. Things that have multiple purposes, make life on the road easier, and are truly what everyone traveling and/or living in a van needs!
You won’t see a list of 100 van life essentials here, cause after all.. would all 100 things really be “essential”? We’re sharing things we can’t live without in the van. Items we had or wished we had in our van while living in it in Scotland for 2.5 years, and items we now have in our new campervan!
11 Van Life Essentials | the real must have items for van life
1. Kühl Clothes | find them here
Lightweight, easy to wash, and literally perfect for any occasion, Kühl clothing is our go-to VANLIFE clothing brand!
We both have one pair of pants and one shirt from Kühl, and we can, without a shadow of a doubt, say they are our favorite, most worn clothes. They’re comfy, can be worn multiple times between each wash, and are fit for the trails or a night in town.
Heather’s pants Heather’s shirt Jay’s pants Jay’ shirt
2. Darn Tough Socks | grab some here
Just like the Kühl clothes above, Darn Tough socks are our go to socks for not just van life and travel, but for every day use as well. They can be warn over and over again and due to the science being the fabric, they don’t smell! The best when you’re only doing laundry every other week!
Purchasing Darn Tough socks seems like an investment for socks because that’s just what they are. With their higher price tag for the original purchase, you get a lifetime warranty for each sock!
We’ve had to replace a couple of socks, and it’s a super easy process! Simply start a claim, send in your socks, and then use the gift card they send you within a year to get a brand new pair! Seriously, can’t talk highly enough about Darn Tough.
3. Buff | grab one here
The streets of Chile brought us a love for Buffs, or at least something similar to a Buff. These head warmer, sweat bands, scarf, eye mask, window cleaners.. literally the use for these things is endless… are one of the most multipurpose items on this van life essentials list!
We bought our knockoff Buffs from a person selling the on the streets in Chile. And honestly, if we knew how much we would use them, we would have bought more! Don’t hit the road without one of these in the van with you!
4. Microfiber Towel | check prices here
Small, quick drying, and easy to store anywhere a microfiber towel is the towel you want when living in a van.
Honestly, using these type of towels take some getting used to. However, once you start using it, you’ll realize how nice they are!
We have the Paqrak brand of the towels, which in our experience takes longer to get stinky than other brands we’ve tried. With that said, we bought ours years ago, and can’t find them online anymore. Luckily, there are so many new companies making microfiber towels.. and hot dang, some of them are super cute!
5. Trowel | check prices here
Yes, even if you include a toilet in your van build, a trowel is a van life essential! When you’re out in nature, you’ll likely want to do your duty outside too. Trust us on this one, it’s often much more convenient to go outside than in the van toilet.. and less stinky for the van too!
Trowels are also fantastic for when you get stuck in snow! Maybe fantastic isn’t the right word, since it still took us over three hours to dig out.. but hey, better than having nothing!
6. Hand Sanitizer | grab some here
Years before COVID19 came around this would be on our van life essential list. Hand sanitizer is so nice to have in the van for not only after using the bathroom, but any time you touch things that could be full of germs. Think, door handles, picnic tables, and park benches. They all are waiting to get you sick.. and you don’t even want a sniffle when living on the road — so hand sanitizer is a must!
7. Luci Emergency Solar Light | check prices here
Luci is a solar light from the company MPowered. They are super simple lights that take up no extra space. They’re inflatable, water resistant, and hold a charge for a really long time. We love the Lux version of the Luci lights, as it’s a softer white than the others. However, for the essential side of this list, we’d recommend the Emergency Luci.
The Emergency Luci is a solar light that also has a red SOS flashing light option. So if you’re ever in a real pickle and need to call for help.. you’ll have an option for sending an SOS message! This is great for vanlifers that are planning on doing back country camping or truly being off grid for long periods of time.
8. Water Pump / Filter | current price here
We have run out of water so many times while being in the van. I reckon part of this is because we know we have the option to filter water, however, I bet it would happen even if we didn’t have a filter. There will always be times where you find a fantastic camp spot that you just want to stay at longer than expected.
In those moments, it’s nice to be able to filter your own water keeping you from having to leave to find fresh potable water. A perfect example is when we found eight hot springs down one road and wanted to stay in the area for longer than we had water for. Or the times on this past trip heading into winter where it seemed like everywhere we turned water refill stations were closed for the season! So glad we had the ability to pump and filter drinking water!
READ MORE | staying in the Boise National Forest for longer than planned
9. Dr. Bronner’s Soap | snag some here
We can’t speak highly enough of Dr. Bronner’s Soap! It’s biodegradable and has 18 different uses.. making it the perfect soap for the van. We use ours for dishes, washing our bodies and hair, laundry, and wiping down the counters! It’s really an all in one soap!
There’s a liquid version and a bar soap of Dr. Bronner’s. We use the liquid for dishes, but really like the bar soap for laundry and washing our bodies and hair. The bar soap suds up better and after I finish washing my hair with it, it honestly feels cleaner and not waxy!
10. Essential Oils | grab yours here
Essential oils are on this list for reasons you may not really think of. I mean, yes, they’re nice to have, but how are they a van life essential? Let me tell you… Using essential oils in your camper van toilet makes a night and day difference in the smell! We drop a couple drops into the actual black waste section each time we flush, and then also let s few drops sit in the clean, empty toilet bowl too!
This little van life hack makes you not gag every time you use the toilet in the van! Grab some oils, and thank us later… this may be the most important thing to pack!
11. Fire Extinguisher | check prices here
In some countries in Europe, carrying a fire extinguisher is required for any kind of vehicle. It’s honestly a really good idea. While it’s not required in the states, it’s a cheap purchase for that extra safety. It’s especially important to have a fire extinguisher in a camper van or RV, as a fire is more likely to happen with you cooking inside your camper van.
More on Van Life
All Things Toilet | different toilet options and alternatives to having a toilet in the van
How to Choose the Best Stove For Your Van Build
DIY Campervan Insurance in the United States
9 Mistakes to Avoid With Your Van Floor
Van Life Apps That Just Make Vanlife Easier
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