9 Vanlife Essentials For The Ultimate Life On The Road

Over the last several years, there’s been a growing movement to live a nomadic lifestyle that allows for travel and exploration. The van has become the vehicle of choice for this endeavor and vanlife is now a widespread trend all across the globe. No longer is living in a van down by the river a bad thing, it’s quite the opposite actually! Many are choosing this lifestyle to broaden their horizons and experience a unique way of living.

While this experience helps in teaching you to live with less, there are a few essentials items that every vanlifer should have with them to be comfortable and safe along the way. Here’s a list of 9 essential items you can expect to use everyday on your vanlife journey.

Also be sure to check out The Wanderer Supply Co.’s vanlife themed apparel and more to show off your love of travel and exploration! We’ve also got two free checklists you can download at the end of this article.

1. Power

For a comfortable living situation, having electricity is an essential component that allows you flexibility on where you can stay. If you’re a full time vanlifer, investing in a solar panel can worthwhile for living off-the-grid and not depending fully off your vehicles alternator. 

If you do decide to run off the alternator, a second battery is a must in order to stay charged for long durations. The alternator can give you plenty of extra power when you’re driving, provided you drive often, as this is the only way to charge your battery. This method can be great for anyone who travels frequently for long distances.   

Other electricity options include using RV hookups to plug into a reliable, gridded power system or using a gas powered generator. These can be great for anyone only looking to do vanlife part-time since they can be costly over time. 

“Not allowing for wasted space in the layout of your van will ensure you have room to keep everything you need.”

2. Storage 

This is especially important for those living on the road full time. Having enough space to store your other essential items means you must be smart about the storage configuration. Not allowing for wasted space in the layout of your van will ensure you have room to keep everything you need. 

For bigger items or items you don’t use as often, a cargo box for the roof of your car can be a great option for storage. It allows for a large amount of storage so it doesn’t take up space inside the van and comes in all shapes and sizes to suite your needs. 

3. Lighting 

Tying in with power, lights are essential to have in order to see around the van after the sun goes down. There are many different options to choose from when it comes to lighting. Most people build interior lighting into their van, especially those who do vanlife full time. They’re a relatively cheap investment and pay off tremendously in the long run.

Most modern campervan lights are LED meaning they’re extremely efficient and operate with very little electricity. If you’re looking for the simplest way to install lights, you can buy stand-alone models that don’t require any wiring. 

However, you can wire your lights to connect with whatever power source your use. These will function much like home lighting after they’re installed and are extremely cost effect and energy efficient. This type of lighting almost always need to be done during construction of your van interior as they require you to run wires along the ceiling.  

“Every basic tool kit should have a set of wrenches, sockets, screwdrivers, pliers, hammers, knives, duck tape and zip ties.”

4. Tool Kit

When you live in a vehicle, it can always be expected that regular maintenance will be need. While any serious repairs should be handled by a certified mechanic, there will plenty of problems you can fix with a simple tool kit. It’s also important to have if issues arise while you’re in a remote location to prevent you from getting stuck. 

Every basic tool kit should have a set of wrenches, sockets, screwdrivers, pliers, hammers, knives, duck tape and zip ties. It can also benefit you to brush up on your repair skills as you may not always have access to the internet to look up your questions. 

5. Propane Stove

A reliable way to cook while on the road is essential as it gives you the ability to make your food anywhere you go. With a propane stove, you won’t need to draw power from your van. As long as you have propane, your stove will work, making it extremely reliable and portable. 

The only caveat to these is proper ventilation. Taking precautionary safety measures like opening windows and installing carbon monoxide detectors ensure there’s no leaking or build up. A fire extinguisher is also essential to have nearby (and not just for cooking).

A great place to start when figuring out what type of stove to get would be a portable trail stove. These are normally intended for backpacking trips, but can make a great starter stoves for any new vanlifers. Eventually, you can upgrade to a two burner stove for the ability to cook more things at the same time.     

6. Cooler

Being able to keep food fresh for longer is very important while you’re out on the road. While you can buy a regular cooler for storage, filling it up with ice every few days can get costly. This can be a viable option if you plan to only live in the van part-time, however, for any full time vanlifer, an electric cooler is an essential item to buy. 

While an electric cooler can be an expensive investment, it will be well worth it in the long run. You’ll be able to save money and eat healthier with the ability to cook your own meals. Just be sure to check that the cooler you purchase doesn’t draw more power than your vehicle can handle.  

7. Pots And Pans

In order to cook the food you’re storing in your cooler, pots and pans are an important item to take along. It’s important to remember to buy only the essentials in order to save space. There are also many options that can be compacted and stored away to keep your van clutter free. 

When it comes to anything kitchen related, be sure to avoid any breakable dishes. Even if you have a good system for securing your items while on the move, non-breakable dishes are your best option for traveling.

“A reliable internet connection can come in handy, especially if you’re living in the van full time.”

8. Internet

Vanlife can be a great way to disconnect from the digital world and find some solitude out on the road. However, a reliable internet connection can still come in handy, especially if you’re living in the van full time. 

The best option for this is a cellphone data plan as it’ll allow you to access the internet from almost anywhere you can get a signal. You can also buy a mobile hotspot device that give you the ability to connect multiple devices at once. 

If you plan to spend less time living remotely, you can find free public Wi-Fi in many different places. Libraries, coffee shops, malls and even grocery stores tend to have free internet access. If you’re only taking the van out for short periods of time, this can be a great option rather than purchasing a whole hotspot setup. 

9. Heater

This can be an essential item for anyone who lives in their van full time or takes a lot of trips to colder climate places. While some people can get away with just a winter sleeping bag, for everyone else, a heater can keep your van warm and comfortable. 

A good heater can warm up a van in about 10-15 minutes. Most of them run on propane so safety is important to keep in mind when they’re running. Making sure you have proper ventilation and propane detectors will ensure any possible leaks are safely dealt with. 

For those with a more adventurous side, you can get a mini wood burning stove. They’re much more maintenance than a propane heat, but if you’re going for aesthetics, they can be a great addition to your van.

Conclusion

These are our picks for the 9 essential items you should have for vanlife. While there are many other smaller items that will increase your level of comfort, these items should get you started on journey! Also don’t forget to download our free interactive and printable checklists that go over every item in this article and more.