15 Essential Items for Boondocking in a CamperVan

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Essential items for boondocking

Camping for a couple nights or a whole month requires planning ahead to make sure you have the needed items to make boondocking enjoyable and safe.

I created this list as a guide for you of items we have found useful while boondocking in the middle of nowhere. We have each of these items in our van and use them when we are camping. We have taken a couple month long trips and have found each of these items useful and needed.

I hope your camping trips are enjoyable and that these items help make it much easier for you to enjoy your time camping.

Generator

When I finished the build of my van and was looking for a generator to charge my batteries someone suggested a WEN generator. This model is comparable to a Honda but much cheaper. It is pretty quiet and easy to use. Once filled with gas it will last about 10 hours until the gas runs out. It also has outlets on it so you can charge your cell phone or plug something in as it is charging. I have had really good luck with this generator and would highly recommend it.

Water Canisters

I needed to have water for cleaning or emergencies while traveling so I purchased two 6 gallon water jugs. The ones I purchased are no longer available on Amazon but you can find them through Wal-mart. They are two slim canisters that I sit side by side under my sink. They are only $16.88 per jug as of June 2023.

Fans

I bought a couple different fans for our van. One plugs in so we can use it if we have power. The other is battery operated that we can use if we run out of power and still need a fan to sleep at night. The battery will last for a while depending on the heat. If it is super hot, over 100 degrees, the battery will only last 4-6 hours. But without the extreme heat this battery will last for months. This fan is similar to the one we bought or you could purchase this one from Amazon that hangs from the ceiling also.

DON’T FORGET EXTRA BATTERIES FOR THE FAN AND FLASHLIGHTS

Flashlights

When we are out in the middle of nowhere it can be so dark. This is great for stargazing but then you’re going to need a flashlight to see where you are going when outside. I am always cautious of animals, snakes, cactus or other people so I like to be able to shine a light wherever I might hear a noise. We carry a couple different flash lights and keep extra batteries with us at all times.

Portable Shower

We use a shower bag to take a shower when traveling, more so to just wash our hair or the sand off of our feet but it works good for that. See more details of our shower HERE. We purchased two of these shower bags for washing off our feet or washing our hair when camping. I like to have two in case one runs out of water before we are able to fill them up again. My review of the bag is found on the link above.

Pop Up Tent

I use a pop up tent that we can take a shower in with our shower bag if needed or to change clothes in. We have only used this a couple of times but it works well when needed. If comes with stakes to put in the ground if needed as it could blow away in the wind. I love this tent but it takes some figuring out to close the tent to put back in the bag. I had to YouTube it to figure it out. Other than that I recommend this tent.

Toilet/Shovel for poo

We bought a Camco portable toilet to keep in the van for emergencies. We have not had to use it yet as we go to the restroom every time we get gas. This method has worked good for us so far. I like having the option in case we need it. If we stayed at a location for an extended amount of time then we would most likely use it during that time. With our summer travel we tend to move almost daily to a new location so do not have to rely on the portable toilet.

I also have a travel shovel in our van that we can dig a hole to poo into if needed. We have used this a couple times and it has worked out great. There is a small ledge on one side of the shovel to make it easier to push into the ground to dig a hole. I also like this shovel because it folds up and fits into a small bag for storage and convenience.

Traction Boards

I bought traction boards for safety in case we get stuck while in the middle of nowhere. I am happy we haven’t had to use them yet as I do pretty good research of an area and use reviews to determine soft spots at boondocking locations. I recommend getting some just for peace of mind.

Fridge/cooler

I have a mini fridge in our van that we use when we have power. I love this fridge and it has worked great. It has a small freezer as well which does actually keep the food frozen. The sides of the fridge do get warm but it hasn’t caused any problems. When we do not have power we use our RTIC 65 quart hard cooler. I like this cooler, I really do but it only keeps ice frozen for a little over 24 hours.

Foldable chairs

I love these foldable chairs. They fold down so compact and are very easy to put together. They fold into their bag which is only 14x5 inches and weighs about 2 pounds. You could easily strap them to your backpack to use while hiking to provide a place to rest when you need a break. They sit low to the ground and it says they can hold up to 330 pounds.

Blankets/pillows

Make sure to have plenty of blankets and pillows. You never know what the temp might be where you are sleeping at night so have plenty of blankets. Nice wool blankets Here and Here are perfect for those cooler nights.

Sun shade

I love our sun shades we have for the van. The front sun shades works wonderful. The side window shades (sold separately) are good but the suction cups don’t stick after two years of using them so I have to lean something up against them to stay on the window. (if you have a solution to help the suction cups stick again can you please leave me a message in the comments). I can definitely tell a difference of the temp in the van when I use all the shades in the front of the van. It still gets warm in the van but definitely much cooler than not using them. They also provide privacy at night when you are sleeping.

Laundry bag/Laundry soap

On our travels we take time to do our laundry at least once or twice. Having a mesh laundry bag to put our laundry in while we transport it into the laundromat has made it so much easier. We can put dirty laundry in the bag as we need to so it is ready to go when we are at the laundromat. The first time we did this we wrapped the clothes in a bed sheet but the bag has been much easier so I don’t have to undo our bed each time. We also carry laundry soap with us for convenience. Also, make sure you have coins for the machines. We have done our laundry and needed quarters, dimes and at one location had to purchase a laundromat card to do our laundry.

Pots and pans/Plates/Cups/Silverware

While traveling we cook most of our meals in the campervan. We need several items in order to cook meals. I purchased a medium sized skillet, like this Rachael Ray nonstick skillet, to use for cooking our meals. I bought a campstove, brand new in the box, at a thrift store to cook our meals on which has worked great. The small propane bottles are needed for the stove. It’s ideal to have plates, cups and silverware to eat on as you travel. There are many options out there from disposable to reusable.

Clothesline

We have used our clothesline several times while we travel. We use it to dry out our swimsuits or towels. We have even washed clothes in the van sink and have been able to hang them up as well. It is easy to use and makes drying our clothes easier. Just know that some campgrounds do not allow things to be hung from trees so check the campground rules before you hang this up.

Bonus items:

Mace

You need some sort of protection while traveling in the middle of no where. If you do no have a gun or need something to protect yourself. You could use mace and also have some sort of whistle/alarm to call for help.

I wish I could share with each of you in person how much I love boondocking and how much I know you will love it too. It is so peaceful and most of the time we are camping by ourselves with no one around or they are at a distance. I want to be able to share my experiences with each of you and encourage you to get out and go. My theme is Dream it, then do it!!

I truly believe if camping is something you want to do then you should make the plans and take the trip.

Enjoy your next journey,

Follow me on social media so we can connect and I can teach you about more boondocking tips.

@adoptinglifesjourney