Last Updated on 04/07/2024 by Glynn Willard
Campervan Accessories and Essential Items
Putting our campervan through the paces has helped weed out unnecessary accessories.
If you follow any of our other videos or blogs, you know we’re adamantly against waste.
So I figured it was time to post a blog to help you quickly find the best campervan accessories.
We squeeze a family of four into a Roadtrek Zion Slumber, so we don’t have much room for “stuff we don’t need.”
Of course, we’re enjoying the agility of the van life experience and experimenting with different camper accessories.
If you just bought a campervan or are shopping, go through this list with one thought in mind. “How many people will be sleeping in the campervan?”
This will help you zero in on just the essential campervan accessories that will fit into your limited storage space.
I’m using affiliate links and photos to make it easier for you to a) know what I’m talking about and b) help you make an informed decision. We also appreciate the small commission that does not cost you any extra.
No Wasted Time: Let’s Get To The Best Camper Van Accessories
This is always a work in progress as accessories get upgraded.
For the most part, this list should be helpful for:
- Big-name manufacturer campervans.
- Professionally custom-built campervans.
- Your own van conversion/
Onward!
Campervan Outdoor Gear
First, the outdoor gear and accessories that will make your campervan life easier.
Most manufactured and custom campervans already come with solar panels and some kind of roof rack, so those aren’t listed.
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Camco Levelers
I kept ours when we sold our travel trailer’s and immediately put them to use on our campervan.I’m so glad I kept them!
When we towed, they even got us “unstuck” from the mud several times. No doubt, they will play the same role with our campervan.
I consider them a must-have accessory.
And they fit well in the limited space of the van.
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RV Water Filter
We’ve encountered a lot of water on the road that, let’s just say is not the best tasting.We solved this issue by using two separate water filters.
Since we consume a lot of water out of our freshwater tank, I had no choice but to make space for the filters.
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Compact Sewer Hose
Our campervan has an inline macerator and a standard gravity outlet.If the macerator fails, we must have a backup system, so we don’t get “backed up.”
If you don’t have outside storage space in your van or a specific place for the pipe, you’ll need a small airtight tote bin for storage in the garage area of the van.
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Water Pressure Regulator
I mistakenly left mine in our old trailer. Fortunately, they’re inexpensive.We rarely ever hook up to city water, but still need one for those occasional times.
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Collapsible Hose
Storing two larger hoses in our Outdoors RV travel trailer was never an issue.Sadly, those are too big for a campervan, so I found the hose listed below.
For the most part, the reviews were okay.
So far it’s fine. If it fails early, it’s coming off this list.
Regardless, I consider a collapsible hose a campervan essential!
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Adaptors For Your Shore Power Cord
Most manufactured class B campervans have a 30 amp plug.But not every campground or driveway you’re moochdocking in has a 30 amp outlet.
You’ll need an adapter for situations where you only have 15 amps or 50 amps as an option.
The smaller the adapter, the better!
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Small Camping Chairs
Several of our chairs that spent the first two years on the road had to be retired due to wear and tear or size (too big).So, the search began for collapsible chairs that wouldn’t break the bank and stand up to our abuse.
The two below are what we settled on and, again, if they don’t hold up, they’re coming off this list.
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Outdoor Portable Hammock
I don’t need to tell you how little space there is in a campervan to kick up your legs and spread out.The beautiful thing about a portable hammock is it stores well in a small space and pays dividends when spread between two trees!
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An RV Brush For Washing
I was kidding myself when I thought I could wash the whole van off a 4-foot ladder. Nope!I had to break out our brush left over from the trailer. If you don’t have one and plan on washing the van yourself, buy one.
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Torque Wrench
I make room for this in the back of the van. At first, I wasn’t going to bring one, but then checked the torque on the lug nuts shortly after purchase.They were way off and mismatched. I take wheel maintenance very seriously after the incident in the travel trailer and everything we learned.
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Tire Pressure Gauge
As I mentioned above, I take wheel and tire maintenance very seriously.Staying ahead of problems can be the difference between a blow-out and a smooth trip.
Learn the proper tire pressure for your van based on its weight loaded and make sure to check regularly.
Most already have a built-in TPMS, but I still trust my gauge more.
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Tire Repair Kit
Our van came with one since it does not have a spare tire, which seems to be the norm in many campervans.Since they’re small and inexpensive, it’s a great idea to travel with one.
I even keep a DC-powered air compressor up to 100 psi in the van. Perhaps overkill for you, but I like to be prepared.
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Gloves
I keep a pair in the driver’s door for leveling, maintenance, wood collection, and dumping.If you don’t have an old pair lying around, pick a pair up locally or use the link, which I found to be of solid quality.
Campervan Indoor Gear
It’s easy to get carried away by all the things you might need in a campervan.
Please do yourself a favor and hold off on the “maybes” until after you do your first shakedown trip.
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Small Broom
We forgot one of these on our first shakedown trip and quickly realized the value when four people were coming in and out of the van.Lightweight, small, and inexpensive with a lot of value in a campervan!
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Command Hooks
Command hooks find their way everywhere.
I feel like Command Hooks are the number one priority for RVers. We have them all over the van and could still use more!They’re a tiny financial investment with a huge ROI.
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Packing Cubes
I didn’t use packing cubes in the trailer, but Rose did, so the concept trickled down to the van.They’re a great solution for getting a lot of clothing into a small space.
And it’s easy to pull out from an overhead shelf and find what you need.
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Turkish Towels
Space matters and the smaller you can pack something in a van, the better.Terrycloth is wonderful, but too big for a van. We started using these Turkish towels in our travel trailer years ago and loved them.
This particular brand listed has stood the test of time through both of our RVs.
Look for a variety of hand towels and bath towels.
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Shower Squeegee
If your campervan has a wet bath, you’ll need to get it dry after showering, so that it may comfortably serve its other purpose.At first, we dried it with a towel, but then it occurred to us that a squeegee would work better.
It’s a great addition and a brilliant way to dry the walls of the shower faster.
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Bamboo Or Teak Shower Mat
We use one of these in the shower when not showering to prevent our feet from getting wet when brushing or sitting on the toilet.It comes out when we’re showering to stay dry.
Measure several times before hitting the order button. We had to send our first one back for being just a hair too big.
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Lightweight Dishes
We moved all of our lightweight dishes from the trailer to the van since they performed so well over the years.These listed have definitely stood the test of time!
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Silicone Drying Mat
We place ours over the induction cook top (when it’s cool) to place wet dishes on after washing.
One has to make smart use of the space.
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A Good-Quality Water Bottle Or Several
Since there’s less storage space in the van, we tend to drink out of our water bottles instead of cups.Also, we’re outside more often, which a water bottle better accommodates than a cup.
The bottle shown below is a favorite of our two boys.
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Induction Pots/Pans
If your van’s cook top uses propane, this is not necessary. Our van has an induction cook top, so we had to upgrade just to use the cook top.I still prefer cooking over a gas fire, but that’s not the hand I was dealt for our van.
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Trash Can
A small trash can that can go between the bathroom and cooking area is the key.We use a flip top that fits nicely in the bathroom when driving and remove it when stationary.
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Nightlight
It’s the little things like this that one forgets until being out in the van a few times.I suggest a 12-volt LED nightlight so that you don’t have to keep your inverter on all night.
You can also use one that is rechargeable or uses rechargeable batteries.
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Mattress Topper
Most likely, you have some kind of retractable couch or Murphy Bed in your campervan.The only mattress we found that didn’t need modification was in the Storyteller.
Otherwise, they all needed help.
It was easy in the trailer. We ordered a queen short mattress and it was great.
But for the van, we needed something that could roll up and store since our bed is also the boy’s seat for every road trip.
The picture is a suggestion of where to start if you need one. Not every situation and bed is the same.
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Air Mattress For Cab (If You Need To Sleep Additional People)
We have a pop-top for our oldest and our youngest sleeps with us for now.We will be buying an air mattress specific to the Promaster chassis for the cab for our youngest.
It’s a great way to give him his own space.
This is the bed we will most likely purchase for him.
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Extra Sleeping Bag
Okay, it may seem strange to pack a high-quality sleeping bag in a campervan, but let me clarify my rationale.Most campervans from mainstream manufacturers are not well-insulated.
The Storyteller we were considering was the best out of the bunch, but I even questioned the long-term settling of the Havelock Wool, minimizing the thermal barrier over time.
I digress… If you find yourself in a cold environment and temperatures drop below the norm, your heater and blankets may not keep up.
I’ve used my zero-degree bag once in this situation and was so glad I had it!
Overkill? Maybe. But again, I’m a prepared Boy Scout.
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Thermal Insulation Blinds
Most of your heat loss or gain will come from the cab of the van (front windows).If you want to be comfortable in your van, your priority should be good insulation.
You may not be able to control the type of insulation in the walls, but you can control what you place over the windows.
Our Roadtrek came with an acceptable thermal blind, but they could be better.
We will likely upgrade soon. Make sure you shop for your specific van.
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Portable Heater
Yes, you can safely use a portable heater in a campervan or any RV.I wrote a whole article on the subject that you may find helpful.
We use ours exclusively if we’re plugged in and intermittently when running off the lithium during the winter months.
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Portable Power Station
If you have a lot of devices to run and boondock a lot, you might find a portable power station invaluable.Since there are four of us and we all use power-hungry gaming laptops, our onboard 600 amp hours are not enough.
We keep an additional 200 amp hour Bluetti on hand that we recharge while driving as a backup.
It was used in our travel trailer to run the heat lamps in our bearded dragon’s cage when boondocking in cooler environments.
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Scepter Can For Additional Water
I’ve said it many times. When the water runs out, the party’s over!You can have all the unlimited power you want when boondocking, but water is your limiting factor.
We carry additional water in a Scepter can in case our water tanks run dry.
We carried three cans in our tow vehicle but only had space for one in the van due to obvious space constraints.
Also, if you ever pick up bad water, you can use your Scepter can water for emergency backup.
Ask me how I know!
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Fire Extinguisher
If you bought a production (or are buying) campervan, it already has a fire extinguisher.But if you built the van custom yourself, make sure you have a fire extinguisher within easy access.
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First Aid Kit
It should go without saying that every RV and vehicle should pack a good first-aid kit.We use ours a lot with two boys in the RV with us.
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baby Wipes
Yes, another staple for every RVer.There are times you may not be able to shower and you just need to hit the “hot spots.”
Baby wipes are the answer.
We have packs stashed in the nooks and crannies of the van.
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Clorox Or Lysol Wipes
Seriously, these are lifesavers when it comes to cleaning the RV part of the van.I use them for the counters, bathroom sink, toilet, and even the floors (after sweeping).
I can have the whole campervan clean in under fifteen minutes.
Keep a pack under your kitchen sink.
Soft Sided Storage Bins
Just about everything that goes into a cabinet or shelf needs to be in some kind of bin.
Otherwise, it moves around too much and falls out when opening.
Soft-sided and hard-sided storage bins are a great option to manage this issue in small vans.
The variety of sizes make for great storage solutions and organization.
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Heavy Duty Mods And Bolt On Van Accessories
We have not yet modified our van, but when we do, I believe we’ll order from Owl Vans.
When we were shopping for campervans, it came down between a Storyteller Stealth Mode and the Roadtrek Zion.
The Roadtrek was not as “cool,” but better suited for our family.
Owl Vans supply a lot of the mods to Storyteller and I found the products to be of high quality.
And I think they do a great job of filming and explaining their products.
Did I miss anything that you have in your campervan?
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