Having the right kit can make or break your trip. Here’s an inside guide to the best campervan accessories so that you can make the most of your trip.
See also the our guide to the best campervan routes in the UK here.
The Best Campervan Accessories
Your campervan trip is only as good as the kit you have with you. I’m sorry if that sounds materialistic, but when you carry your home on your back/wheels, that’s the way it is.
With the right campervan accessories, you will have the time of your life. With the wrong ones, well, you’ll be dirty, dejected and down on your luck in no time.
So without further ado, here is our guide to the best campervan accessories and packing hacks so that you can have a great time on the road.
- See also our game-changing Road Trip Planner & Toolkit © here.
Where to Hire a Campervan
Before you take the plunge and buy your own campervan, it makes sense to test out the experience with a rental. And even if you don’t ever plan to buy, it’s easier to hire a motorhome in the UK, for example, than to work out how to ship your vehicle across from the US.
A good place to start looking is Camptoo UK Ltd. They have over 2000 RVs available to rent in the UK direct from owners and around 7000 or so across mainland Europe. For more options, see our guide to campervan hire in the UK.
Fun Van Life Accessories
Let’s start with the fun stuff! While these may not be true van life essentials in the strictest sense of the phrase, they make life a lot more fun. And that’s the point of your campervan adventure, isn’t it?!
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Hammock
Once you’ve mastered the fiendishly foxy method of getting into a hammock with any kind of style and panache, it’s the ultimate in relaxation. While normal folk struggle to find two suitable trees to hold their hammock up, with van life, you only need to find the one. Tether the other end to your vehicle and you’re away!
Personalised Mugs
Why not stamp your personality on your campervan accessories with these outdoor mugs. Made of stronger stuff than your home kitchen ceramics, they’ll fare better with all the ups and downs of the road.
Wireless Speakers
Sure, you like your campervan. But you don’t need to be tethered to it forever.
When you find a wild spot for a picnic, a read or to stare at the sky, a set of wireless speakers can add the atmosphere you’re searching for.
Just be mindful of other people and don’t be too annoying, though. Right?!
Outdoor Table and Chairs
A set of folding table and chairs form the backbone of any self-respecting list of campervan accessories. Whenever you see a beautiful spot, you can pull over for a picnic, drink tea beneath the stars and watch the waves crash on the horizon of your cornflakes. All without getting a dusty and dirty bottom, as long as you pack a set of table and camping chairs.
Twinkling Lights
Fairy lights can be fun. That’s it. They also make it more atmospheric in the evening when the sun goes down. And they make for an unmistakeable instagram vibe, let’s face it, too. Van lifers living the dream.
Solar Lantern
Boost your eco credentials with a solar powered lantern like this. Charge it up by day and enjoy the soft and welcome glow by night. All thanks to magnificent solar panels.
Head Torch
I always find a head torch invaluable on any campervan trip or glamping holiday. It frees up your hands and takes away any fear of the dark. You can find a head torch on Amazon, like this.
Safety Campervan Accessories
I’m normally a safety first kinda girl after my time spent working as a doctor in A&E. So, please. Promise me this: that you will take the safety gear you need with you on your campervan trip. Put together your own emergency kit. Pretty please!
First Aid Kit
Always take your prescription medication with you, plus a doctor’s letter or prescription just in case. After that, it’s handy to have a first aid kit with basic analgesics like paracetamol and ibuprofen, plus plasters, blister protection, a bandage, some antiseptic wipes, a thermometer, scissors and bug spray and bite relief cream. Consider sunscreen as part of your first aid kit too.
Reversing Camera Kit
Campervans are big and subsequently more difficult to manoeuvre than your standard city car. Make life easy on yourself by investing in a reversing camera kit to help guide you around any tight spots. You can find a reversing camera kit like this one on Amazon.
Safe
Some swear by taking a portable safe with them for locking up passports and other valuables while on the road. I’m on the fence about it. Firstly, try not to take any valuables with you on the road. And second, I find hiding things in the dirty laundry bag a better way to ward off opportunistic thieves. The decision is yours.
Water Bottle with a Filter
With no running water, it’s handy to have a water bottle with a filter pre-fitted just in case you run out of the drinkable stuff. You can easily pick up a water bottle with filter on Amazon, like this one.
Inverter
Inverters connect to a 12V DC supply and convert it to a 230V AC output. Why is this of any interest? It means that you can use some of your usual creature comforts, like a hairdryer, while on the road via your van life battery.
Fire Extinguisher
Small and portable, there’s really no excuse not to have a functioning fire extinguisher in your campervan. Again, you can easily buy one from Amazon like this fire extinguisher.
Breakdown Cover
Sure, it’s not sexy. Travel insurance never is. But make sure you have suitable breakdown cover for any campervan trip. Check out this policy from the AA, for example.
Comfort Campervan Accessories
Now, to get cosy.
Pop Up Tent
A pop up tent? Wait, isn’t the point of vanlife that you carry everything you need with you?
Sure, but sometimes it’s handy to have your space on the beach or in the forest that is protected from the sun and tree sap, yet which frees up space in the campervan.
Pop up tents are also great for protecting young children from the sun and for stashing your stuff in on the beach or in public areas while you swim or go for a stroll.
Thermal Insulation Blinds
Keep the heat inside your van by bringing some thermal insulation blinds with you (they also work well for keeping heat out if you’re travelling somewhere baking hot.)
You can buy internal thermal insulation blinds like this, which are more lightweight and easy to fit. You can also interchange them between vehicles if you’re regularly hiring a different van.
Or, if you have a campervan of your own, it may be worth trying to buy external thermal insulation blinds. These work like a giant tea cosy for your vehicle slash home. However, they’re bigger and bulkier and a bit more of a faff to set up.
Campervan Awning
While not an essential campervan accessory, an awning can bring shade on a hot day or shelter from a light drizzle. And so, for those reasons alone, they have earned their place on this list.
More About Road trips and Campervan Trips
You’re in road trip heaven here. We love road trips and have everything for them. Check out…
- The road trip essentials you need to know about
- The Ultimate Road Trip Planner with printables and handbook
- 101 fun road trip questions for your next drive
- Inspiring road trip quotes for your instagram caption ideas.
- The perfect glamping packing list
- The best campervan routes in the UK
- Campervan Hire in the UK: The 10 Best Campervan Rentals You Need to Know