Gabriel and I are minimalists. Some might say we’re just frugal. If choosing experiences over the latest smartphone makes us frugal, then so be it. But when it comes to good food, unique experiences, and quality essentials, we know how to treat ourselves.

After spending months on the road, we’ve realized there are certain items we’re really glad we packed. Whether they enhance comfort, safety, or the overall functionality of our camper van, these essentials have made van life smoother and more enjoyable.

This isn’t a one-size-fits-all shopping list. Not everything here will be useful for everyone. Instead, it’s our personal experience—what we consider the must-have van life essentials for any camper van adventure.

Self-Sufficiency: Our Top 3 Van Life Essentials

If you’ve been following us for a while, you know we’re passionate about self-sufficiency—whether it’s energy independence, food sustainability, or financial freedom. We’ve spent time learning how to make our daily life on the road more autonomous.

And for us, it all started with investing in a reliable solar power system that perfectly meets our needs.

1. Solar Panel

VOLTEC TARKA 400W FULL BLACK

✅ 25-Year Warranty
✅ Dimensions: 72.2 x 41 x 1.4 inches
✅ Monocrystalline
✅ Weight: 46.7 lbs

Buy on MyShop Solaire

Choosing the right solar panel is one of the most important investments you can make to gain energy independence and avoid relying on paid campgrounds.

In the U.S., many campgrounds charge for electricity, and those costs can add up quickly. Here’s a breakdown of how much you could save with a good solar setup:

• No solar panel, no battery storage → You’ll need to pay for electricity at campgrounds daily.
• No solar panel, but a battery with a 3-day capacity → You’ll still have to pay for electricity regularly, but less frequently.
• Solar panel + auxiliary battery → You can be fully off-grid, eliminating the need for paid electricity altogether!

Of course, your energy needs will vary depending on where you travel. If you plan to explore the Pacific Northwest or other low-sunlight regions, solar might not be the best solution.

To help you find the perfect solar setup, we’ve created an RV solar calculator that estimates exactly how much power you’ll need to stay off-grid.

Auxiliary Battery

Having a solar panel is great, but without the ability to store the energy it generates, it’s not very useful.

On Objectif Vie en Van, we’ve tested three different types of batteries for van life:

• Two 100Ah GEL batteries that came with our camper van when we bought it.
• A 100Ah LiFePO4 lithium battery from Creabest.
• A 100Ah LiFePO4 lithium battery from Power Queen.

Each type has its pros and cons, but having a reliable auxiliary battery is essential for staying off-grid and making the most of your van life essentials.

100Ah 12.8V LiFePO4 Battery for RVs, Campers, and Boats

✅ 100Ah capacity
✅ Built-in Bluetooth with mobile app monitoring
✅ On/Off switch
✅ BMS (Battery Management System) for safety

Buy on Creabest

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Before buying, you can also read our review of the Creabest battery.

Power Queen 100Ah LiFePO4 Auxiliary Battery

✅ 100Ah capacity
✅ Built-in BMS (Battery Management System)
✅ Weight: 24.2 lbs
✅ 5-year warranty

Buy on Power Queen

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.

Before buying, you can also read our review of the Power Queen battery.

3. Orion-Tr Smart DC-DC Charger

To round out our self-sufficiency setup, we have to mention this charger. It allows us to supplement our energy production while driving.

Simply put, your vehicle’s alternator supplies power to your starter battery whenever the engine is running. With this DC-DC charger, you can take advantage of that energy to fully recharge your auxiliary batteries while on the road.

💡 We invested in this charger specifically for the months when the sun is lower in the sky, meaning our solar panel can’t generate enough power to fully charge our auxiliary battery.

Orion-Tr Smart DC-DC 12/12-30A (360W) – Victron Energy

✅ Charges your auxiliary battery bank using your vehicle’s alternator
✅ Compatible with GEL, AGM, Lead Carbon, and Lithium batteries
✅ Built-in Bluetooth with mobile app monitoring

Buy on Amazon

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Safety Accessories for Your Camper Van

There’s an ongoing debate about van life security, and we’ve already covered this topic in detail in a dedicated article.

In this section, we’ll discuss essential gear for:

• Protecting yourself against break-ins, theft, or potential threats.
• Handling unexpected situations on the road.

GPS Trackers

Unfortunately, the theft of camper vans, RVs, and motorhomes is becoming more common. For thieves, these vehicles are easy targets. 🐱‍👤

So how can you protect yourself?

First, always trust your instincts. If a parking spot feels sketchy, move—far away if necessary. Also, never leave valuables in plain sight. Don’t make your van an easy temptation.

The reality is that thieves know camper vans are expensive, easy to sell, and often filled with valuable belongings. 💰

A stolen vehicle is hard to recover…

…unless you have a hidden GPS tracker installed in the cabin or living space. This van life essential lets you track your van in real time and increases your chances of getting it back.

We’ve tested several options and have a few recommendations for you.

1. AirTag

✅ No subscription required
✅ Affordable
✅ Easy to use and hide

Buy on Amazon

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.

The first option is both the simplest and most affordable (with no monthly fees).

It involves placing an Apple AirTag inside your van. Thanks to Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology, this small tracking device helps you locate lost or stolen items. However, keep in mind that you’ll need an iPhone to use it. Since we have a Huawei and a Samsung, this solution wasn’t a good fit for us.

The biggest advantage? AirTags rely on Apple’s vast global network. Every internet-connected Apple device can act as a relay beacon, meaning the more iPhones around, the better your chances of tracking down your stolen van.

However, if no iPhones are near your AirTag, you won’t be able to get an exact location of your vehicle.

2. Tile Pro

✅ Works similarly to AirTag
✅ Affordable solution
✅ Bluetooth range up to 400 feet (122 meters)

Buy on Amazon

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.

If you don’t have an iPhone and use Android, the Tile Pro is a solid alternative.

It works the same way as the AirTag, but with a few drawbacks:

• If your van is far away (which it likely is if it’s stolen), you’ll have to rely on the Tile network to locate it. The problem? There aren’t nearly as many Tile users as there are Apple users, making tracking less reliable.
• The Bluetooth signal reaches up to 400 feet (122 meters), but let’s be honest—how many smartphones have a Bluetooth range that strong?

While the Tile Pro has some limitations, it’s still a useful tool that could (theoretically) help recover your stolen van. That’s why we felt it deserved a place in this van life essentials guide.

3. Real GPS Tracker

While AirTag and Tile Pro might give you hope in case of theft, the Invoxia GPS tracker provides precise, real-time tracking of your camper van’s exact location and movement.

For example, imagine you’re grocery shopping and suddenly receive a notification that your van is on the move—you’ll know it’s time to start sprinting! 🏃‍♂️

This GPS tracker is about 2.5 times more expensive than the previous options, but it’s also 100 times more effective. It comes with a three-year subscription to the LoRa low-power network, after which it costs $10/month starting in the fourth year.

Self-Defense Spray

REDimpact Pocket-Sized Self-Defense Spray

✅ Compact size: 1.57 x 1.49 x 3.54 inches
✅ Range: 13 feet (4 meters)

Buy on Amazon

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We hesitated before including this item, but we truly believe it’s an essential. To be honest, we’ve never had to use it—and we hope our luck continues for many years.

In the meantime, carrying self-defense spray offers a sense of security, like a little comfort blanket. 😄

Keep in mind that this is still a weapon. The spray we recommend here is fully legal to carry and use for self-defense. However, it remains a weapon, and you are solely responsible for how you use it!

Key Lockbox Safe

If a thief manages to break into your van, they’ll want to get in and out quickly. Make their job harder with a key lockbox safe.

This small safe is perfect for storing valuable items, cash, important documents, and anything else you want to keep secure. Of course, the key is to hide it well and, if possible, securely attach it to your van to prevent thieves from simply taking it with them.

Fire Extinguisher

PS2-Y ABC Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher (2kg)

✅ Range: 13 feet (4 meters)
✅ Discharge time: 12 seconds

Buy on Amazon

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A fire extinguisher is an absolute must-have for van life. Luckily, we’ve never had to use ours—but it’s always better to be prepared.

If your camper van has a gas or electrical system, having a fire extinguisher on hand is a smart precaution. After all, your home on wheels carries similar fire risks as a traditional house.

The model we recommend is a dry powder extinguisher, capable of putting out fires caused by solids, liquids, and gases with no problem. 🔥

Carbon Monoxide Detector

If your camper van has a gas system, a carbon monoxide detector is a must-have for safety. It will alert you if carbon monoxide levels reach a dangerous threshold inside your van.

If the model we recommend doesn’t suit your needs, you’ll find plenty of other options online.

X-Sense Carbon Monoxide Detector

✅ LCD screen
✅ Dimensions: 4.9 x 4.9 x 1.5 inches
✅ 85 dB alarm

Buy on Amazon

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Jump Starter Cables

We’ve had to use ours when our alternator failed and stopped charging our battery. Traveling in a van without jumper cables is like skiing without a helmet—you can do it, but it’s risky. 🎿

You might only need them once every four or five years, but when your battery dies, it’s always at the worst possible moment—trust us.

And since you’ll be spending a lot of time on the road, chances are you’ll come across other travelers with a dead battery. When that happens, they’ll be grateful for your help. That’s how great road friendships begin. 😉

Toolbox

Breakdowns, water leaks, electrical issues… van life comes with its fair share of challenges.

Without tools, even minor repairs can turn into a nightmare. At the beginning of our van journey, we couldn’t swap out a gas bottle simply because we didn’t have the right tool to unscrew it. Not a big deal—we had a backup camping stove—but it was a good reminder of how essential a toolbox can be.

If you ever need to make basic repairs, having a well-equipped toolbox is a must. That’s why it deserves a place on this van life essentials list.

Budget vs. High-Quality Toolbox

Depending on your budget, we recommend two options:

• Budget-friendly toolbox – Decent quality, but the tools may not withstand heavy use.
• High-quality toolbox – More durable and reliable for serious repairs.

💡 The best approach? Build your own custom toolbox with the essentials you actually need:

✔ Multi-bit screwdriver
✔ Adjustable wrench
✔ Allen key set
✔ Duct tape (gaffer tape)
✔ Zip ties
✔ Assorted nails and screws
✔ And more!

Mini First Aid Kit

Whether we’re working on repairs, hiking, or cooking, little cuts and scrapes are inevitable. Sometimes it’s just bad luck, sometimes it’s clumsiness—but either way, we always keep a mini first aid kit in the van. And to be honest, we use it quite often—especially since I’m a big fan of knives, and like any enthusiast, I keep them razor-sharp!

This compact kit contains all the essentials for everyday situations:

✔ First aid manual
✔ Cotton swabs
✔ Scissors
✔ Elastic bandage
✔ Emergency tourniquet
✔ Various types of bandages
✔ Medical gloves
✔ Tweezers
✔ First aid tape
✔ Safety pins
✔ Sterile pads and gauze
✔ Emergency thermal blanket (surprisingly useful in winter! 😊)

We also added disinfectant and a few basic medications, turning it into a portable mini pharmacy—ready for anything!

Headlamp

Our headlamps serve multiple purposes:

• When we start a hike before sunrise to catch an epic view.
• When we’re camping in the wilderness at night and hear suspicious noises around us.
• When we need to work on the van’s mechanics.
• When we’re having dinner outside late at night.

For mechanical work, a headlamp is a game-changer—it keeps your hands free while providing the light exactly where you need it.

On hikes, it’s just as useful—even if it’s just to see where you’re stepping. 😜

And when it comes to security, it’s mostly about peace of mind. Most of the time, those « suspicious noises » are just nature doing its thing, but since we love scary movies and ghost stories, we tend to freak out over nothing!

No matter what, for us, light means safety. And based on feedback from our newsletter subscribers, we’re not the only ones. That’s why we consider a headlamp an essential for van life.

Everbeam Headlamp

✅ Beam distance: 413 feet (126 meters)
✅ 650 lumens brightness
✅ Battery life: 2.5 to 30 hours

Buy on Amazon

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Storage Accessories for Your Camper Van

If you’ve decided to live in a van full-time or at least for a good part of the year, you already know how important a well-thought-out setup is to keep things organized.

Because in a small space, mess piles up fast. After just three or four pairs of pants tossed around, it’s already chaos.

If you don’t want to make any major changes to your van’s interior (we totally get it!), you can at least add a few smart storage solutions to help you:

✔ Stay organized
✔ Keep your living space tidy
✔ Prevent items from shifting, moving, or falling while driving

Storage Net

A storage net is hands down one of the most underrated van life accessories of all time!

We have two:

• One for storing fruits and vegetables that we don’t put in the desert fridge.
• Another for all the random stuff that doesn’t have a designated place, like:
  ✔ Our curtains (they’re small and easy to misplace).
  ✔ Books and our e-reader.
  ✔ Board games.

Basically, it eliminates our excuse of “It’s lying around because it doesn’t have a place” and helps keep our van somewhat tidy.

Our storage nets came with the van when we bought it, so we don’t have a specific link to recommend. And since we only share gear we actually use, we won’t suggest anything we haven’t tested ourselves.

That said, you’ll easily find plenty of options with a quick online search. 💻

Cutlery Tray

Our van’s cabinets are made of wood, and sometimes when we put away our cutlery, we don’t dry it as carefully as we should. On delicate wood, moisture gets absorbed, creating the perfect conditions for mold growth.

Judging by the mold we found in one of our drawers, it seems the previous owners of Hermès had the same issue.

Not great.

That’s why having a cutlery tray (or drawer insert) is such a useful van life accessory. Besides keeping our cutlery and utensils organized, it also protects our cabinets from moisture damage.

One last bonus? It’s super easy to clean!

Laundry Bag (for Your Dirty Clothes)

When designing a camper van layout, people think about storage, kitchen space, and sleeping areas—but they often forget about where to put dirty laundry. The problem? You only realize it once you’re on the road.

(That’s why we always recommend doing a few test road trips—even if your van isn’t fully built yet!)

To keep our dirty laundry from piling up everywhere, we repurposed a large burlap potato sack and hung it on one of our rear doors, right next to our bed.

There’s a reason for this strategic placement:
✔ The bed is usually where we get changed.
✔ When we get tired of sleeping next to dirty clothes, we finally do laundry.
✔ It was literally the only place we had space for it.

💡 Pro tip: Fill a small fabric pouch (burlap, linen, or cotton) with baking soda and place it at the bottom of your laundry bag. It’s our go-to trick to prevent the van from smelling like a locker room after three days on the road.

Magnetic Knife Holder

As you’ll see throughout this article, we have a deep love for knives.

For us, a magnetic knife strip is the perfect and most hygienic way to store them. When knives are tossed into a drawer, they constantly bump against each other, which dulls the blades over time.

Some magnetic strips are made of steel, which can also wear down the blade when it rubs against the surface. That’s why the knife holder we recommend is made of bamboo with a magnetic core—it protects the knives while keeping them sharp.

Plus, it’s not just practical—it looks great too!

Glass Jars for Food Storage

Beyond their aesthetic appeal, glass jars are one of the best ways to keep food fresh in a camper van. Their airtight seal prevents moisture from getting into pasta, rice, sugar, spices, or seeds, keeping them dry and well-preserved.

They also help maximize storage space in creative ways.

For example, we securely attached the lids of a few small jars to the ceiling in our camper van kitchen. By storing spices in these jars, we created extra storage space, freeing up room in our cabinets!

Glass jars are also a must-have if, like us, you’re trying to reduce waste and live more sustainably.

Essential Hygiene Items for Van Life

In this section, we’re not going to talk about toothbrushes, soap, or toothpaste—we know those are already essentials for you too, right? 😉

Instead, we want to introduce you to a few less common accessories that you don’t always see in van life guides but that, for us, are absolute must-haves for staying clean and comfortable on the road.

Pressurized Solar Shower

We have a shower in our van, but since we haven’t installed a water pump yet, the water flow is just a small trickle when we shower.

That’s fine for washing our bodies, but washing our hair? That’s a different story—we need a bit more pressure.

That’s why we bought a pressurized solar shower with a 10-liter (2.6-gallon) tank.

An added bonus? It heats up in the sun! However, it takes about three hours of direct sunlight to reach temperatures above 86°F (30°C)—so while it’s nice, it’s not exactly instant hot water.

Microfiber Travel Towel

Super convenient, but not without flaws—microfiber travel towels go everywhere with us.

Why? They’re thin, ultra-lightweight, and dry incredibly fast. Since drying things inside a van is often a struggle, that’s a huge advantage, making them our go-to daily towels.

That said, the texture isn’t for everyone… and to be honest, we’re not big fans of how they feel.

Ours are from Au Vieux Campeur, a brand we trust for high-quality gear.

Dry Shampoo

Washing your hair every day isn’t necessary—and thankfully so, because in a van, it takes quite a bit of effort!

Dry shampoo is our go-to solution for refreshing our hair without using water. It’s a simple yet essential van life hack for staying fresh on the road. 😉

Dustpan and Brush Set

When you live in a van, you spend more time outdoors than indoors. That means leaves, dirt, and dust inevitably find their way into your tiny home on wheels.

That’s why we sweep regularly—well, more like use a small brush and dustpan, since it takes up much less space than a full-sized broom.

This compact set does the job perfectly!

Kitchen Essentials for Your Camper Van

For us, cooking is one of the most important aspects of van life. It’s where we spend a lot of our time—because we love to cook. 😋

And since we started traveling in a van, we love it even more! After all, we get to cook almost every day with a brand-new view. 🚐🍳

Water Jerrycan

Our camper van Hermès has a 100+ liter (26+ gallon) fresh water tank, but we don’t use it for cooking or drinking.

Here’s why: When we bought our van, it had already been converted by multiple previous owners. For hygiene reasons, the best option would have been to replace the entire water system.

For now, we’ve thoroughly cleaned the tank with specialized products and decided to use it exclusively for:
✔ Washing dishes
✔ Showering
✔ Doing laundry

For everything else, we rely on a water jerrycan.

The seller linked above offers two sizes:

• One holds 10L (actually closer to 12L / 3.2 gallons).
• The other holds 22L (5.8 gallons).

💡 Pro tip: Buying two 12L jerrycans is actually cheaper than one 22L, saving you a little under $1. Not a huge savings, but hey—every penny counts!

Insulated Water Bottle

We use our insulated water bottles so often that we couldn’t leave them off this list. Without them, van life would be… well, way too difficult.

Okay, maybe we’re exaggerating just a little. 🙊

That said, they’re super practical—keeping tea or coffee hot in cold weather and water ice-cold on long hikes.

We won’t go on and on about insulated bottles, but for us, they’re absolute must-haves for van life.

Camping Stove

Under our bed, we store two large 13kg (28.6lb) gas bottles, which are more than enough for all our cooking needs. 🍽

If we ever took the time to repair it, our gas setup could also power a small propane heater. And it’s even powerful enough to run a mini fridge—though we don’t actually need one. Our desert fridge (which works without gas or electricity) already does the job perfectly.

That said, we still invested in a small camping stove as a backup solution in case our main gas bottles run empty.

But that’s not its only use! ☝

Since it’s compact and lightweight, we always take it with us when we go camping. Given that hiking is our main activity in van life, this $30 investment easily earns a spot on our van life essentials list.

Pocket Knives

As we mentioned earlier, we’ve developed an unconditional love for knives.

So much so that it’s unthinkable for us to travel in a van without a pocket knife—whether in a backpack, a pocket, or one of our kitchen drawers.

Of course, we carry the popular Victorinox Swiss Army Knife, which saves us from needing a separate bottle opener or can opener (a small but useful space-saving trick 🎁).

For our other knives, we prefer to buy from artisan knife makers, so unfortunately, we can’t provide direct links.

And because a dull knife is a dangerous knife, we always carry a sharpening stone to keep our blades razor-sharp.

Table Knives

In addition to our pocket knives, we also carry a set of quality table knives.

If you’re looking for well-crafted, reliable knives, we highly recommend La Fourmi.

You might not have heard of them before—it’s a lesser-known French brand, but the quality is outstanding. These knives are a pleasure to use, making every meal in the van even better.

Simply put, we love them! Especially when they’re properly sharpened (yes, we like our knives razor-sharp).

Making Coffee in a Camper Van

In a previous article, we shared the best coffee makers for RVs and camper vans.

In our van, we keep it simple. First, we don’t use anything electric—it would consume too much power, and we need our energy for working on our laptops.

Instead, we use a classic Italian stovetop coffee maker on our gas stove. As for the coffee itself, we buy whole beans and grind them fresh every morning with a manual coffee grinder.

The result? Freshly ground coffee every day—and trust us, that’s a real treat! ☕

Airtight Food Storage Containers

Whether you’re into batch cooking, want to avoid food waste, or need to pack meals for a hike, investing in a set of airtight food storage containers is a smart move.

That’s exactly what we did—and we don’t regret it one bit!

A Set of Pans and Pots in Various Sizes

For cooking in our van, we use three frying pans and three saucepans of different sizes.

It might sound obvious, but there’s no point in using a large pan or pot if you’re cooking a small portion—that would just waste energy.

For both pans and pots, we highly recommend choosing models with removable handles. This makes them much easier to store in your camper van kitchen cabinets.

Other Must-Have Items for a Camper Van Kitchen

Some essentials are so obvious that we almost forgot to mention them!

Multi-Tool Essentials

✔ Can opener, corkscrew, and bottle opener – We use these daily, but they’re all built into our Swiss Army knife, which saves a lot of space!

Eco-Friendly Dish Soap

✔ Black soap dishwashing liquid – We’ve been using the same bottle since our first road trip in a converted car (before we even bought our van). It’s more expensive than regular dish soap, but it’s eco-friendly and highly concentrated—a little goes a long way!

Reusable Sponges

✔ Sponges – We don’t need to explain why these are essential! However, the ones we use are reusable. They cost about $5 for a pack of three, but they last for years. We simply toss them in with our laundry for easy cleaning.

Dish Towels

✔ Dish towels – Another must-have, whether for van life or daily life in general. We keep two: one for drying dishes, the other for cleaning.

Trash Can & Bags

✔ Trash can & bags – Ours holds 24 liters (6.3 gallons), which is actually larger than we need since we’re working toward zero waste. The upside? We don’t have to empty it as often.

Lighters

✔ Lighters – Without them, we wouldn’t be able to cook! We always keep several on hand so we’re never caught without one.

Van Life essentials for Sleeping in a Van

For our bedroom setup, we have a folding dining table that collapses between two benches. We cover it with foam cushions to create a bed. That means we set up and take down our bed every day. 🛏

(Except when we’re feeling lazy—which happens more often than we’d like to admit!)

There are a few accessories we use in our sleeping space that we couldn’t live without, and we’d love to share them with you.

Blanket

The choice of blanket is entirely personal, so we won’t recommend a specific one since we don’t remember where ours came from.

That said, we still wanted to mention it because ours is perfectly suited for van life.

Okay, maybe “optimized” is a bit of an overstatement—but basically, it has a high GSM (grams per square meter), which keeps us warm in winter. ❄

In theory, we should have a lighter blanket for summer, but since our van turns into an oven in hot weather, we usually sleep without one (or just under a duvet cover).

Pillows

Like our blanket, we don’t remember where we got our pillows. All we can tell you is that we have four of them.

We also have a few decorative cushions, but let’s be honest—they’re not exactly van life essentials.

Sleeping Bag

If you live in a van year-round, a sleeping bag will likely be an essential for you too.

Ours keeps us warm even when temperatures drop to 32°F to 50°F (0°C to 10°C) inside the van (which, thankfully, doesn’t happen too often). And if it gets really cold, we just throw our heavy blanket over it for extra warmth.

Earplugs for Sleeping

Our soundproofing is pretty decent, actually better than most, but it’s never perfect.

That’s where earplugs save us.

The ones we recommend are reusable and can reduce noise by 27 dB, which is a lot! You’ll still hear some sound (which is good for safety reasons), but they help block out disturbances for better sleep.

They cost more than disposable earplugs (around $10 more), but if you use them every night, they pay for themselves within two months.

💡 Bonus: The Loop Quiet earplugs also help us focus while working, especially by dampening the noise from our 12V to 220V inverter (though most of the time, we just use our noise-canceling headphones).

Tech Gadgets (Truly) Essential for Van Life

Okay, maybe we’re stretching the definition of “truly essential” a little. But hey, we’ll let you be the judge.

One thing’s for sure—the tech gear we’re about to share is stuff we use every single day. So for us, these items are absolute must-haves for van life.

Amazon Kindle E-Reader

We read a lot—between one to three books per month.

Without a Kindle, we’d probably be drowning in a sea of books by now. 📚

Aside from the huge space-saving advantage, the Kindle has incredible battery life. Even if you read for two hours a day, you’ll only need to charge it once every two weeks—pretty reasonable, right?

💡 Pro tip: If you read a lot, we recommend subscribing to Kindle Unlimited. For just $9.99/month, you get access to over a million eBooks.

You can try it free for 14 days using this link —just don’t forget to cancel before the trial ends if you don’t want to be charged!

👉 No Kindle? No problem! You can still read Kindle books using the free Kindle app on Android or iOS.

30,000mAh Power Bank

This is our backup solution when bad weather prevents our solar panel from generating enough power.

We also never go hiking without it. It’s not that we’re glued to our phones, but in case of an emergency, it’s good to know we won’t run out of battery for days.

With its 30,000mAh capacity, and considering that a typical smartphone battery is around 4,500mAh, this power bank can recharge a phone about six times.

👉 Not sure about your phone’s battery size? You can find it online or in that user manual no one ever reads. 😆

Bluetooth Speaker

Whether we’re cooking, working, chilling, or playing games, music is part of our daily life.

Sure, we could just use our phone speakers, but nothing beats a proper Bluetooth speaker for filling the van with sound.

We have two:

🔊 JBL Go 3 – We got this one for free when buying a new phone. We’ve trusted JBL for years, and they’ve never let us down.

🔊 Philips BT100W – This one was already in the van when we bought it. We actually discovered it 10 months later!

It’s older than the JBL Go 3 but still comparable in sound quality—and it’s $10 cheaper. 😊

Phone Mount

The #1 must-have on this tech essentials list: a phone mount.

You already know what it is, and you probably already own one. Ours attaches directly to the windshield, which is super practical when there’s no other mounting option.

12V to 230V Power Inverter

We could have just used a USB car charger to power our phones while driving, but:

1️⃣ They’re small and easy to forget when leaving the van.
2️⃣ They’re highly targeted by thieves.

So we switched to a power inverter instead.

Thanks to its built-in AC outlet, we can use our fast chargers for our smartphones.

Why is this awesome?

🔋 Fast charging extends battery life – It’s best to avoid using your phone or laptop while charging to prolong battery health.

🔋 Super fast charging – With my Oppo Find X5 Pro, the included charger fully recharges it in just 15 minutes. Johanna’s Huawei Mate 20 Pro takes 40 minutes.

🔋 It works with regular power outlets – Our fast chargers require a standard AC outlet, and this power inverter provides one!

💡 Bonus: The model we use supports up to 150W, meaning you can even plug in a small fridge if needed!

Comfort Accessories for a Cozy Camper Van

Between finding the perfect parking spots, managing water, gas, and electricity, and dealing with the occasional breakdown, van life isn’t always as simple and carefree as it looks.

That’s why we’ve gathered a few game-changing accessories that make nomadic life even more enjoyable—helping us feel at home, safe, and comfortable in our little rolling cocoon. 🥰

Fairy Lights

We have two sets of fairy lights, and we turn them on almost all the time. They’re super affordable, yet they add a beautiful, cozy ambiance to our van setup.

With a bit of adhesive tape or mounting putty, you can stick them anywhere.

In our case:

• We have a decorative rope trim running along the ceiling, and we wrapped one string of lights around it.
• The second string is wrapped around our shower curtain rod.

Leveling Blocks for Camper Vans

At first, we thought leveling blocks were just for perfectionists. But after trying to cook on an uneven surface a few times, we realized they’re actually pretty useful—and they’ve saved us from a few laughs at our expense. 😆

However, be aware that:

🚫 According to French urban planning law (R111-37), camper vans, RVs, and converted vans can park anywhere cars can—as long as there’s no sign prohibiting it and no sign of camping activity. Unfortunately, this means that using leveling blocks in urban areas is technically not allowed.

✅ They are allowed in official RV parking areas and campgrounds.

Now, whether or not you choose to use them outside those areas is up to you. 😉

👉 If you’re unsure which leveling blocks to buy, check out our article: How to Choose the Best Leveling Blocks for Your Camper Van or RV?

Camping Table

We also have a small camping table that folds up super compactly and allows us to enjoy outdoor meals—especially in summer.

When we meet up with friends, it’s great for gathering around a table without having to squeeze into the van.

To go with it, we also have two folding chairs.

💡 Reminder: Just like with leveling blocks, check urban planning law R111-37 to avoid any unwanted surprises!

Hammock

An absolute must-have for any van life adventure!

Whenever the weather is nice and we’re parked in a spot that allows it, we rush to set up our hammock. It’s lightweight, ultra-compact, and super easy to install.

For the pure joy it brings us, it absolutely deserves a spot on this list!

Blackout Fabric

In Hermès, we don’t have windows—well, almost none.

We only have a skylight that serves as a natural light source and a small opening between the living space and the driver’s cabin. This setup works perfectly for us, offering several benefits and drawbacks, but that’s a story for another time.

Thanks to these two openings, we get plenty of natural daylight, meaning we rarely need to turn on our lights during the day.

But for those occasional lazy mornings, we use blackout fabric. We simply cut it to fit our openings, and now we can enjoy complete darkness whenever we want.

Other Must-Have Items for Extra Comfort in Your Camper Van

✔ Slippers – No matter how good your insulation is, your van’s floor will always be cold in the morning. To avoid freezing feet, you have a few options:
➝ Install carpet,
➝ Lay down a rug,
➝ Or simply wear slippers (we went with furry slippers 🦶🔥).

✔ Slide sandals – We’re constantly running in and out of the van to grab things, and we’ve reached a peak level of laziness—so we got slip-on sandals to avoid putting on our shoes every time. 😅

✔ Candles – Since we don’t have a wood stove in our van, candles help make our space warmer and cozier. We usually buy them from the supermarket, so we don’t have a specific link to share.

Final Thoughts

No matter where you are in your van life journey, we hope this essential van life gear list helps you figure out what you truly need. 👀

Maybe some of the items we mentioned don’t seem essential to you—and that’s totally normal! Everyone has different priorities and lifestyles.

👉 Our goal isn’t to tell you what to pack or pretend there’s a one-size-fits-all list.

We simply wanted to share our experience and show you what we genuinely use every day. It’s up to you to pick and choose what fits your needs! 👍

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