Looking for a gift for the van life enthusiast or camping nut in your life? Or maybe it’s time to treat yourself to a fun new bit of gear. Camper van accessories make perfect van life gifts – whether you’re looking for yourself or a friend.
We put together this list of the 8 best camper van accessories for off-grid adventuring, including some ingenious items you may not have seen before. These gifts cover a range of prices, so you’re guaranteed to find something for everyone, no matter your budget.
Let’s dive in a take a look at what we’ve got!
Table of Contents
CarGenerator 1000/2000
This neat little camper van accessory is a must-have for anyone who doesn’t want to carry a traditional gas-powered backup generator. Maybe you don’t have space in your van, don’t like the idea of carrying around additional cans of gas for it, or you simply don’t like the noise they make.
The CarGenerator gives you peace of mind and makes life off grid easier by providing you with an emergency backup generator no matter where you are. It’s basically a 1000W inverter that hooks up to your engine to turn the 12V DC current from your alternator into 110V AC.
The CarGenerator is sleek and takes up practically no storage space, weighs just 11lbs, and can power your electrical systems for up to 50-70 hours, depending on the size of your car’s gas tank.
Price: $899
Why You Want This
The solar panels on your roof rack won’t put enough juice in the batteries if you’re faced with two or three days of low sun, and there’s nothing worse than being out in the middle of nowhere and running out of power. Even if you do carry a traditional gas generator, you can never have too many backup energy solutions.
Advanced Elements Island Voyage 2
Transporting a kayak on your roof rack isn’t always possible – especially if you need that space for your storage box, camping chairs, foldable camping table, or other items. But having a kayak when you’re out on a van life adventure is so much fun! It really opens up possibilities for exploration and allows you to see places you never would have seen otherwise.
That’s why one of our favorite campervan accessories is an inflatable kayak like the Advanced Elements Island Voyage 2. It packs down small enough to store neatly in your camper van, inflates easily, and is sturdy and durable enough to take onto most rivers, lakes, and even the ocean in light conditions.
The removable seats make this either a one-person or tandem kayak and offer good back support. A removable fin provides stability and steerage, and the rear drain plug allows easy draining and cleaning. We recommend purchasing a 12V air pump with it for quick and easy inflation.
Price: $431
Why You Want This
Get out of your camper van and into the fresh air without having to lug around a rigid kayak. This kayak is light enough to take tent camping or even backpacking, and will provide hours of fun for you and your partner or even kids.
Matador Pocket Blanket
A good travel blanket is a must-have for any nomad, and we don’t think there’s a better blanket out there than the Matador when it comes to portability, comfort, and ease of use. The blanket is waterproof, puncture-proof, dirt repellent, and has integrated stakes and corner sand pockets to keep it from blowing away on windy days.
The blanket measures 63×44″ unfolded, but packs down small enough to fit into the palm of your hand! Not only that, it has an easy-fold pattern stitched right into the blanket to make re-folding it super simple.
Price: $40
Why You Want This
There are so many uses for a blanket beyond just staying warm during winter months. Spread it on the ground to keep grass and dirt away while sitting, hang it from your van doors in front of your outdoor shower or portable toilet for some privacy, or use it as a towel in a pinch.
Bottle Jack Buddy
A bottle jack is a type of hydraulic lift with a small base and a bottle shape. They are smaller and cheaper than regular floor jacks, and pack more power into that small space, making them a popular choice for van life.
The drawback to using a bottle jack over a floor jack is that the narrow base makes them less stable on all types of terrain, and the small point of contact between the jack and the vehicle means they are prone to slipping, especially off-pavement.
Enter the Bottle Jack Buddy. This device attaches to the top of a bottle jack, widening the contact point between the jack and the vehicle and making the jack less prone to slipping. It’s a game changer when it comes to using a bottle jack under your camper van in an emergency.
Price: $54.99
Why You Want This
A bottle jack is a convenient emergency camper van accessory that takes up little space, but using it can be tough or even dangerous in less-than-ideal conditions like gravel or off-road. This is one of those van life accessories that puts your safety first.
Omnia Stovetop Oven
Craving baked goods but don’t have an oven in your van? The Omnia Stovetop Oven turns any cooking surface into an oven so you can make cookies, brownies, bundt cakes, pot pies, and more. The Omnia works by heating air trapped between the oven’s base plate and interior, while the central chimney allows heat to rise up through the middle of the oven for even cooking.
The Omnia Stovetop Oven is one of the best camper van accessories for cooks and bakers, or for anyone who wants a little taste of home out on their adventures. It’s small enough to tuck away in a small camper van with limited storage solutions yet big enough to cook a meal for more than two.
Price: $89.99
Why You Want This
One word: cookies.
Do we really have to say more?
Guzzle H2O Stream
If you plan to take your camper van into remote areas, or plan to do tent camping or backpacking excursions from your van, then you know that carrying enough water is critical. But what if the unthinkable happens and your tanks run dry?
A water purifier like the Guzzle H2O Stream turns river and lake water into potable drinking water via a three-stage water filtration system that includes a Prefilter, 0.5 Micron Solid Activated Carbon Filter, and LED UV purifier. It has a pump powered by a lithium ion battery and can filter up to 32 gallons of water per battery charge. It pumps around 0.75 gallons per minute, so it can fill a 5 gallon jug in about 7 minutes.
The best part is it’s super portable and won’t take up much extra room in your camper van. The downside? It’s pricey. But for those serious about off-grid living, it’s an emergency backup system you may not want to be without.
Price: $ 1,195
Why You Want This
Your remote van life adventure is going to come to a pretty abrupt end without fresh drinking water.
Don’t get caught without it.
Hi-Gear Open Flame Toaster
A toaster is one of those van life accessories that many people find themselves going without. Why? Like a hairdryer and some other electrical appliances, it’s difficult to run one off an inverter. Depending on how many slices you want to toast at once, the power it requires can be downright impractical to make it worthwhile for off-grid living.
Enter the Hi-Gear Foldable Open Flame Toaster. This handy little device can be set up on any stovetop or camp stove and toasts up to four slices of toast at once. It can also be used to heat up tortillas, cookies, or other baked goods and snacks. With care, it can also be used over a campfire.
Price: $8.99
Why You Want This
We absolutely love toast with our breakfast and suffered for many years without it as we couldn’t justify upgrading our inverter just for that. This little stainless steel device has changed breakfast in an awesome way – and it takes up barely any space in the kitchen!
ZiZZO Ferro Foldable Bike
Much like a kayak, a folding bike opens up a world of opportunity for exploring the great outdoors, and it makes running errands in urban areas a breeze. There are lots of options for folding bikes out there, ranging in price from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, and all come with their own caveats and benefits.
For a fairly inexpensive option that will pack down small enough to take up very little space in your vehicle, we recommend the ZiZZO Ferro 20″ Lightweight Folding Bike. It weighs just 29lbs and folds down to 27x31x14″. It has 7 speeds, a wide, comfortable saddle, and a highly adjustable and durable aluminum frame.
Price: $269
Why You Want This
Those with limited storage options may not have room for standard bikes. A folding bike is one of those must-haves for the whole family that makes a great addition to your van life kit.
Final Thoughts
The best camper van accessories are ones that make van life easier and more enjoyable. It doesn’t matter whether that enjoyment comes from the peace of mind you get knowing you have a backup energy source for your solar panels, or the smell of toasting bread first thing in the morning. Treat yourself to a little luxury with one of these van life accessories – we guarantee you won’t regret it!
