Looking for unique campervan gift ideas that are actually useful? Look no further!
It’s that time of year, and we are all wondering what on earth to buy people for the holiday season. I’ve previously written a list of great travel gift ideas, but what about when your loved one or friends travels in a van?
Well look no further than this ultimate gift guide for van lifers. Whether they live in a van full time, or to take weekend camping trips, these gifts are perfect for van life, camping and so many more outdoor adventures.
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Campervan Gift Ideas That Are Actually Useful
Jet Boil
By far the best investment I’ve ever made for adventures in our van. This van life gift is perhaps on the more expensive side, but an absolute game changer for any camping enthusiast. Particularly if their van conversion is not yet complete or won’t have a hob / stove.
The Jet Boil can bring water to the boil in a matter of seconds, making it the perfect gift for making cups of coffee and tea in the van, on the beach or literally anywhere in the world.
Sliders
Socks and sandals? A fashion sin for certain, but a camping saviour nonetheless. Lightweight, easy to pack and useful in many camping scenarios. Whether hopping out in the morning to run to the shower block on the campsite, or running to grab a refill of water. Initially, we bought them for a sunny holiday abroad, but very quickly they’ve become a staple packing item on all our camper van trips.
Collapsible Table and Chairs
These are not just any table and chairs, these are the smallest and most compact portable table and chairs you’ve ever seen. Not to mention incredibly comfortable to sit on. We initially bought full-size camping chairs, and very quickly replaced them with this fold-able set. Worth every penny and an absolute game changer when packing into such a small space like a van. Give the gift of space saving and comfort with this campervan gift idea.
Collapsible Dishware
There is a running trend to write this list of great campervan gift ideas, collapsible and foldable things. Collapsible bowls, and dish-ware in general helps save a ton of space. Not to mention it’s all non-breakable, an essential feature for anything that will be transported in the back of a van!
Ridge Monkey
It may just look like a pot, but the Ridge Monkey is an incredibly versatile van life gift. We have two, and they can be used to make almost anything. Including replicate an oven in vans that do not have them. We’ve made endless pasta & curries in the larger pot, and the XL Toastie Maker is a makeshift oven for things like bread and pizza. A total game changer for van life cooking and an excellent gift for any camping enthusiast.
Collapsible Kettle
What’s that… another collapsible item on the list of campervan gifts!?! This kettle is perfect for making a cup of tea or boiling water, but without taking up the space of a conventional camping kettle.
The Comfy
Whether for staying cosy inside the van in the winter months or for sitting outside in your camping chairs, a Comfy is a perfect gift for any van lifer. Honestly, this is the perfect gift for anybody anywhere. I am obsessed with mine. It even works for moving around campsites and going to and from shower blocks etc. Everyone needs one of these in their camper-van. Especially anyone doing van life in cold climates!
Campervan In A Box
When the winter months set in, and van building becomes a little more challenging, keep your van life enthusiasts occupied with a miniature “build your own campervan in a tin”. I got one of these for Christmas last year, and I love putting it together. If you’re buying a gift for a campervan fanatic, they are probably interested in building things. Not to mention this makes a perfect addition to their home, to remind them of van life all year around.
Books
There are so many wonderful campervan related books, it’s hard to know where to begin. Instead of listing each separately, here are some great campervan book ideas to buy your budding van lifers. Even if they don’t have a van yet, books can be a great way to seek out inspiration, learn how to convert a van or live vicariously through others.
In no particular order here are some great van life related books:
- Take The Slow Road: England & Wales Inspirational Journeys
- Campervan Travel Log Book
- The Camper Van Cookbook
- Self Build Campervan Conversions (a very practical guide)
Bohemia Organic Clothing Line
This clothing line is sustainable, queer and female owned. What more could you need? The gorgeous array of van life related clothing is an absolute must buy gift for any camper-vanner in your life. I have the hoody and long-sleeved T-shirt. But there are so many options to choose from and they’re all incredible quality. Support local, and buy from this wonderful sustainable van life clothing business.
Personalised Keyring
One van related gift that I bought for us last year was a personalised keyring. Whether your van has an Instagram account & logo or not, have some fun and personalise a keychain to put the van keys onto. Of course, be cautious not to put anything on the design that would give away the vehicle, should they fall into the wrong hands. But have some fun with it and give a van life gift that’s really special.
Head Torch
A super practical van/camping gift idea, but brilliant nonetheless. Head torches can come in handy for allsorts of things when camping, whether you need to fix a problem outside in the dark, or just find your way to the bathroom at night. For bonus points, look for a head torch that can be solar powered or recharged should they’re not be any access to batteries in the event that it runs out.
Life Straw
Practical, sustainable and safe. Lifestraw is a clever invention that allows you to use water from anywhere, safely. With special filters, these portable water bottles can come in handy in the trickier of camping situations.
Packing Cubes
Van life is all about space-saving whenever possible. And that comes when packing clothing for van life as well. Packing cubes are a great campervan gift to save space, and compartmentalise your clothing into different categories (tops, bottoms et cetera). Gifting packing cubes is a wonderfully practical gift for van lifers that they will certainly appreciate.
Kindle
Perhaps a more expensive van life gift, but much of the beauty of camping or travelling in a van is disconnecting from the Internet. Buying a kindle allows you to give the gift of 1000 (and more) books and adventures without the space that conventional books require. Lightweight, usable off-line and a portal to endless stories. This is a real one-of-a-kind van life gift.
Hammock
Perhaps one of the most fun campervan gift ideas on the list. Hammocks allow you to take your van living from inside, out into nature. Whether you buy one that can be hung up between two trees (or really to solid structures of any kind) or a standalone hammock with its own base, this is a great gift for those with a little more space in their vans for storage. Especially if the recipient is doing van life in warmer climates.
And there you have it, over 16 perfect gifts for van life enthusiasts. If I missed anything, drop me a DM on Instagram and I will be sure to add it to the list.
