I’ve Lived in Vans for Years. Here Are 22 Gifts Van Lifers Actually Use (and What Not to Buy)

I’ve been living in vehicles since 2015. First, a Toyota Prius in the San Francisco Bay area to pay off my debt and get ahead. Then a Chevy Astro in 2018, upgraded to a Sprinter van in 2021.

Our campervan is FULL of stuff. Sometimes, I wonder how we got so much stuff, and how it all fits in such a small space. So when someone asks me what I want for Christmas or my birthday, my answer is usually: “Not more stuff!”

I usually tell my family to get me consumables, things I love like Oregon wine, food, or gift cards. But there still are some cool van life items that people might enjoy, too!

Finding the perfect gift for a van lifer can be tricky. People who live in vans full-time prioritize minimalism and have limited space for extras. So here are 22 gifts a van lifer will actually use. Next to each one, I’ll tell you if it’s in our van.

Gifts for the van kitchen

Cooking is a big part of van life, given that we spend most of our time boondocking or in campgrounds.

1. A pressure cooker. We use ours daily. I cook with two pots, and this is one of them. It cooks food very quickly, which means we use less fuel.

2. A cast iron skillet. My other pot. Ours is a Staub cast iron skillet, which costs a lot more than the Lodge below. Both work on a propane stove and on induction.

3. One good knife. Yes, I carry the same one knife between my two tiny homes. I’ve had this knife for over ten years and get it sharpened once or twice per year. Many van lifers won’t spend the money to buy themselves a good knife, so it makes a great gift.

4. A cutting board. Mine is a large Epicurean. These boards are thin and light, which is what you want in a van kitchen.

5. An induction cooktop. Inside the van, we cook on a one-burner induction cooktop. We chose the Zavor. Ask before you buy this one: induction only works in a van with a big battery bank and an inverter. Here’s what I’ve learned cooking on induction in a van.

6. A two-burner camp stove. Outside the van, we cook on a two-burner propane stove. We really love our GSI Outdoors 2-burner camp stove.

7. A portable espresso maker. When I’m craving some espresso, I do have a Nanopresso portable espresso maker, which I LOVE. I bought the Nespresso adaptor, too. It’s a hand pump, so all it needs is hot water.

8. A roll-up camp table. We love our Camp Roll table by REI. It rolls up into its own bag.

Gifts for staying clean

9. A solar shower. I’m totally obsessed with our Sea to Summit solar shower, and would never go on a van life camping trip without it. It’s made for backpacking, so it folds down really tiny. We use this on both our sailboat and in our campervan. (Here are all the other ways I find a shower on the road.)

10. Turkish towels. Turkish towels are absolutely amazing for van life – way better than microfiber. We use these exclusively because they are quick-drying, soft, lightweight and really portable.

11. A laundry wash bag. At the boatyard, we are STILL using our Scrubba. You fill the bag with water, add your clothes and soap, and rub them against the washboard inside. It’s SO nice not needing to find and pay for a laundromat. We’ve used dry detergent strips with ours, and sheets like these pack flat.

12. A gym membership. Planet Fitness is how I typically shower on the road. They are everywhere. If your van lifer doesn’t have a membership, offer to pay for a few months. Check which membership level lets them use clubs away from home, because that’s the one a traveler needs.

Gifts for sleeping and staying warm

13. Blackout window shades. We use the VanMade Gear blackout shades every night wherever we camp. Even though they’re on the pricey side, I love my VanMade Gear window covers and recommend them to everyone. They’re made for each van model, so you need the exact make and year before you order. (Why we picked them for the Sprinter.)

14. An electric heating pad. We keep an electric heating pad for the bed on cold nights. It’s small, and it’s the cheapest warm gift on this list.

15. A tiny electric heater. For cold nights we run a tiny Lasko electric heater when we’re plugged in. That’s the catch. It’s for campgrounds with hookups, not for boondocking.

Gifts for the road

16. A tire plug kit. One time we were on a remote road in the Mojave Desert and popped TWO TIRES at once. Tom patched both tires using Fix-a-Flat and a tire patch kit, and we drove 65 miles to the nearest tire repair facility. Both are cheap and small.

17. A satellite communicator. We use our Garmin when we’re out far in nature without phone signal. It sends texts and an SOS from places a phone can’t. It needs a monthly plan to work, so tell them that part.

18. A Starlink Mini. This is the splurge. We absolutely love the Starlink Mini as it’s just the right size for a campervan, and we can put it on the dashboard when we are driving. It also needs a monthly plan. Here’s why I chose the Mini.

19. A Kindle. A whole library that takes up less room than one paperback. When I absolutely couldn’t sleep, I’d put my Kindle on the lowest setting and read underneath the blankets.

20. A National Parks pass. The America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites, and it’s good for a year from the month it’s bought. It’s the size of a credit card.

Gifts that take up no space

21. A camping membership. With Harvest Hosts, you pay one yearly membership fee to camp at wineries, breweries, distilleries and farms. Keep in mind they must have a self-contained campervan to use it, so ask first. (A hotel company just bought Harvest Hosts, and here’s what changes for members.) The Dyrt Pro is a camping app that works offline, which matters where van lifers camp. And if they’re brand new to van life, my own Van Life Parking Playbook teaches where to park and stay safely.

22. Gift cards, and things we can eat or drink. Gift cards take up zero space and they are something van lifers use. Here are our gift card recommendations:

• Starbucks
• REI
• Truck Stops like Love’s or Flying J
• Gas stations
• Trader Joe’s
• WalMart
• Camping World
• Target

Consumables like alcohol, coffee and food are great ideas for someone who lives in a campervan. I love a good IPA at camp. Here are a few of our consumable ideas:

• Beer or wine (cans preferred!)
• Spirits – our favorites are rum and whiskey
• Good chocolate
• Hard cheese, or a cheese sampler
• Coffee – either ground or coffee “tea bags”
• Freeze-dried food (great for emergencies)
• Hot chocolate packets
• Specialty flavored popcorn

What not to buy a van lifer

When we do buy something, we get rid of something. So a gift that needs a shelf means something else has to go.

We don’t carry books in our campervan. Instead, we read everything on Kindles. So definitely don’t give books to van lifers unless they ask for them.

Nothing big or breakable, or anything that needs a massive power supply to run like an espresso maker or hair dryer.

And don’t buy anything made to fit the van (window shades, bug screens, a roof rack) without asking for the exact make, model and year. A lot of van gear costs more than it should, too. I wrote about the most overpriced van life accessories and what to get instead.

Ask before you buy

Want to make sure the van lifer in your life will actually USE the gift? Ask them what they want! My mom does this every year, and she usually ends up getting me bottles of wine or liquor, a consumable I really appreciate.

Van lifers: what’s the best gift you’ve ever gotten for your van?

Van life gift questions

Every item here is one I use in the van or name as a recommendation, as stated beside each. Product boxes show current prices; links checked November 2026. Some links are affiliate links.