Best Van Camping Gear

If you are considering buying a cargo van to convert (or have already taken the leap), we'd strongly recommend you begin with a list of priorities before getting started.

In my opinion, other than its primary job of getting you from point A to point B, the most important function of any camper van is to provide a safe and comfortable place to sleep. Yes, I do value my sleep a LOT, but I always feel miserable after a day or two of bad sleep and that can really ruin a good time- which is the whole POINT of adventure van life. So my recommendation is to make sure you have a comfortable mattress that is big enough for you and whoever will be sharing it with you. We opted for a full size foam mattress that I modified to work as a bed in "bed mode" and as cushions for our bench seating in "lounge mode"- and is very comfortable!

Next, think about basic needs: we've got "shelter" covered, so you'll need to think about your food and water situation and bathroom needs. If you want fresh perishable food, you'll need a refrigerator or at least a cooler with ice. Are you okay bringing jugs of water, or do you want a sink and faucet? Are you okay using pit toilets or going in the woods, or do you want the convenience of a toilet in your van?  We opted for the latter on all counts and it's made life so much easier (as compared to our experience car camping when we didn't have all the modern conveniences).

Finally, you'll need to make a list of all the extras that are important to have with you. For example, things like bikes, kayaks, fishing gear, art supplies. While the smaller items will just need a designated space inside, the larger items will probably require you add a rack on top of your van or a hitch on the back. We've added both.

Below is a detailed list of the items we consider essential for van camping to get you started, with a summary of the advantages of each and links to the products we purchased wherever possible. 

Please Note: We've also used several of these items while car-camping. Here's a link to our Car Camping 101 page, where we provide sketches of our packing plan and a summary of the how we did that. Also, we are currently working on a DIY Van to Camper course that will include a full parts list of everything we purchased to build out our Metris, as well as drawings and video tutorials so subscribe (on our home page) to be notified when that is available.

Below are what I would consider to be specialty gear items that I'd absolutely recommend investing in to make your initial experiences positive ones.  Of course, you'll need additional basics like bedding, food, and water, but these are included with the things that you probably already have, or can get from 'non-specialty gear' sources.

4 Inch Trifold Memory Foam Mattress with Ultra Soft Bamboo Cover,  Full Size

Comfy and folds up for easy transporting and storage. We did need to squeeze this a bit to make it fit between the wheel wells, but it was well worth the effort to have the full size width we needed for two adults and a little dog.

Reflectix 24-Inch by 25-Feet Bubble Pack Insulation

You can spend a LOT for custom window covers, or you can buy a roll of Reflectix and make a simple set yourself. We made brown craft paper templates for our front side windows (they are mirror images so you can use the same templates for both) as well as the rear passenger side window, traced them onto the Reflectix and cut them out. These are the size of the exposed glass so they tuck into the window frames and stay secure without any special fasteners.

Jetboil Zip Camping Stove Cooking System, Carbon

Since this is a true specialty camping gear item, it may seem a little pricey for what it is but trust me, it's worth it. It's super light and compact and it's all you really need if you don't mind limiting your diet to coffee and freeze dried camping food meal packs... and of course, granola, nuts and trail mix! We bought our Jetboil individually at a local camping store, but if I had to do it over again I'd go with this option because it comes with the cooking cup and a cover that serves as bowl/measuring cup (and we likely paid more for the combo).

(For those needing a "proper grill" recommendation, we include that in the Next Level section below.)

VILLEY Tall Folding Camping Chairs, Supports 350 LBS, Green

This is the closest I could find to the chairs we started with. This style is easy to set up (just pop it open) and it has storage pockets and a pop up tabletop on one side. They are also very comfortable. The only drawback is the size and weight, but if you're not planning to backpack with it and are okay leaving it outside when you camp for the night, this is a nice option.

MARCHWAY Lightweight Folding Camping Chair, Supports 330Lbs (Black)

These camping chairs are more like the chairs we later purchased for the van because they are extremely small and light and will pack away neatly in our cabinets. The trade off is they are not as comfortable as the chair style we linked above, and they take more time to set up. So if you are planning to stick with car camping and the bigger ones fit nicely in your vehicle for travel, you may prefer those.

These are all the things we initially purchased for car camping. The great part is that we were able to use just about everything here in our newly completed Mercedes Metris camper van so even though we ultimately "upgraded", practically nothing was a wasted purchase.

Portable Camping Toilet with Lid and Carry Bag

Okay, so our van has a custom-designed toilet compartment that sits inside one of the bench cabinets. But it's not a bad idea to have one of these little guys as a back up. It's especially nice to have if you do a lot of wild camping and/or you camp with a partner and don't want to have to kick them out (or be kicked out) whenever 'nature calls'.

This portable toilet is similar to the one we bought. It is basically a little potty seat with an open area below. It's designed to to be lined with a trash bag but I think you could also dig a hole in the ground and place this on top.

If you do not like the idea of doing your business out in the open, be sure to pair this with a pop-up privacy tent (linked below).

If you use the tent and set up a little outhouse for yourself, we suggest bringing along some composting material (like coconut coir). Keep this in a bucket with a scoop, right beside the toilet. After using the toilet, sprinkle a scoop or two of coconut coir on top. This will cover everything up discreetly (solids only, better to divert the liquids) and absorb the moisture, helping to dry it out and eliminate the odors fairly quickly. This process might make it possible to leave the same bag in place and use it more than once. (Full disclosure: since we were not camped in the same place for multiple days we did not try this- but it seems feasible.)

Pop Up Portable Camping Privacy Tent 6.2 FT Tall with Carrying Bag

Pop up Privacy tent. Great for a makeshift outhouse but also great to use as a changing room (changing inside the car can be challenging). Pops open and stores compact and flat.

Portable Refrigerator Freezer 20 Quart 12 Volt /110-240V AC

Either this or a good cooler would be considered a necessity if you want to bring perishables like fresh fruits, veggies and dairy on your trips. We love to start the day with kefir and end the day with wine and cheese so it was a necessity for us.

Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 240 (Solar Panel Not Included)

We purchased this for car camping, and our van is built out with a full electrical system, but this is great to have as a back-up and portable power supply. We charge this portable power station up before leaving home but you can also purchase solar panels to charge this up off-grid.

Electrical System Components by Renogy

Renogy is a company with a strong reputation for selling solid solar/electrical components. We are working on a complete list of the components we used in our build to go along with our van-build course, but for those who are ready to do this on their own, we'd suggest starting here.

Coleman Tabletop Propane 2 in 1 Grill/Stove, 2 Burner

For those needing a bit more sustenance than processed snacks and freeze dried meals, this will do the trick. We have a special sliding drawer for this in our van. We pop up a couple of shelves, slide this out and have an instant outdoor kitchen!

60" x 22" Hitch Mount Cargo Carrier, Aluminum

This is similar to the cargo carrier we have. If you have a hitch, you should get this. Pair it with a big storage box like the one we linked below and you will have room for everything you need. We bought this for our car but just added a hitch to our van and are thrilled to have the extra storage capacity.

Rubbermaid ActionPacker️ 48 Gal Lockable Storage Bin with Lid

This fits nicely in our trailer. We added some weather stripping to keep any rain out and it works great for carrying tools and "dirty" items we want to keep outside the car.

Napier Backroadz SUV Tent | Grey & Green | 10'x10' 

We purchased this car/SUV tent for car camping, but we picked up our van shortly after so we haven't tried it out yet. However, we just did a test fit on the back of our van and it fits! We are able to open the back doors with the "connecting tunnel" attached so this will be perfect addition for our upcoming trips where we may need a safe space if we camp in areas with mosquitoes or biting flies.

Also, we do think it would be a great addition to any camping setup, especially for longer trips. This tent provides a place to keep supplies safe and dry even in bad weather and a nice place to change or even hang out. It can also be used as a stand alone tent, so it can be left in place to reserve your campsite if you ever need to take your car into town for a supply run.

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