Year: 2023

The Importance of a Well Designed Van Life Kitchen Though you basically live outside when you live van life, you should not feeling like you are camping everyday! You should absolutely have some “home” comforts in your camper van.  One of those home comforts is a proper van life kitchen that allows you to make delicious, and cozy meals. This guide will dig into all of the components to a well designed van life kitchen, and some general cooking ideas that we have learned over the years as van lifers.  Quick Navigation: Van Life Friendly Appliances Propane vs Induction for Cooking Fridge Options + Sizing Oven Options Camper Van Storage Suggestions Sinks Van Life Friendly Meals Van Life Kitchen Appliances Starting with the basics: What components do you need, and can you have, in a kitchen on wheels? Most folks at least have a: Stovetop (propane or electric) Fridge Some van lifers opt to add a: Microwave Oven Instant Pot Rice Cooker Blender Espresso Machine Generally, deciding which appliances to add is a personal decision around how you like to cook and what you like to cook.  Choose what is best for you, and make sure your electrical system is capable of handling your chosen appliances. Stovetop Options: Propane or Induction? In order to choose the proper camper van stove top, there are two major decisions to make: Propane vs Induction Fixed vs Temporary Propane vs. Induction Stovetops for Camper Vans Propane stovetops offer a more reliably “classic method” of cooking over a flame.  They differ from induction stove tops in that:  Minimal electricity is needed Most all cookware is compatible There is a need to carry a propane tank which adds weight and can create storage challenges Additional considerations need to be made to vent the fuel tanks and your cooking Fuel needs refilled periodically Induction stoves are newer to the van life scene and offer precise temperature control. They differ from propane stovetops in that: A decent amount of electricity is needed Your inverter will need to be sized to match the AC power draw Venting is not needed Less condensation is produced due to the lack of an open flame Compatible cookware is required Off the bat, most van lifers will have a strong preference to carry propane, or to not carry propane, and this is generally the leading decision maker between the two.  If you don’t have a preference, we encourage you to think about your willingness to size your electrical system up to match the needs of an induction cooktop and your desire to find propane as you travel.  Van Life Stovetop Recommendations Portable Induction Stovetops Portable induction stovetops are great because they free up counter space and can be used anywhere, including outside! Generally, we recommend getting 2x individual burners for easier storage, but we’ve also seen van lifers with dual burners. Shop Single Burner Shop Dual Burner Drop In Induction Stovetops If you would rather have a built in induction stove top to save

Do You Need a Van Life Tool Kit? Absolutely. Every van lifer should have some level of “van life tool kit” on board.  Our homes on wheels go through an earthquake a day as we drive around, especially off road.  This makes things prone to loosening, or even breaking.  We guarantee you that there will come a point that you are off grid, and something goes wrong (big, or small!).  Being able to fix things on your own will not only save you money, but also time and stress of having to find someone who can fix your specific van build. Our Van Life Tool Kit In this guide, we are sharing what we personally carry as van lifers. Your specific van life tool kit may vary depending on how you travel as well as, what you are comfortable working with.  We will leave comments along the way to help you decide what is best for you to carry in your personal van life tool kit. Tool Kit = Packout In order to keep our basic tools organized, we made space for a Packout in our garage.   For us, this works great as we often do fixes, or travel van building gigs that require taking all our tools out.  Our Packout carries all of our tools except our recovery, and campsite gear. General Tools for Your Van Life Tool Kit Screw Drivers  [ Magnetic Tipped Flat Head and Phillips ] Scissors 3M Double Sided VHB Tape Headlamp  Tape Measure  Needle Nose Pliers Socket Wrench Set [ Craftsman, Dewalt ] Drill Bit Set Cordless Drill [ Ryobi, Milwaukee, Dewalt ] Cordless Impact Driver [Ryobi, Milwaukee, Dewalt] Extra Battery + Charger for Drills Travel Sewing Kit Utility Knife Tools for Electrical System Electrical Tape Handheld Wire Stripper and Crimper tool  Spare GFCI Outlet Yes, we’ve replaced one of these while boon-docking!  WAGO connectors Be sure to get the right number of connections. We use 3 a lot. Multimeter Spare wire We carry 16/2 because this is what we use in a few places. Use this electrical calculator for your needs Spare ring terminals (left over from your build) 16-14 12-10 Related Reading: DIY Camper Van Electrical System Guide Tools for 80/20 Allen Wrench Set  [ US & Metric ] Thread Locker Spare connectors Spare Bolts and T-Nuts Related Reading: 80/20 Van Building Guide Tools for Plumbing Systen Spare water filters Plumbers Tape Spring Clamp Tools Only if you have a hydronic heating system. Related Reading: DIY Camper Van Plumbing Guide For Off Roading / Emergency Situations Traction Boards GoTreads (we like these because they double as leveling blocks) MaxTrax Portable Air Compressor (we use the VIAIR 300P-RVS) Tire Deflator We use this to control our airing down.  Portable Jump Start Kit Sometimes there isn’t someone around to jumpstart a dead battery! For Setting Up Camp Often times, we need tools at campsites for firewood collection, clearing trees, and splitting wood.  Here is what we keep on board for making campsites more home-y: Axe For wood splitting Silky Saws Tsurugi Curved Handsaw – for firewood collection Katanaboy 500mm – for

Heaters, insulation, parking, filling water, and more. We dive into everything you need to know to succeed at Winter Van Life.

Why do you need a camper van security system? If you are anything like us, you will never want to leave your camper van unattended because well, everything you own is in it.  When someone breaks into a van life rig, it is essentially a car and house break in all-in-one.  We want to do everything we can to deter that potential break in.  Or, in worst case scenario, have video evidence to bring to the authorities.  Our Choice for a Comprehensive Camper Van Security System: SimpliSafe We chose SimpliSafe as the best choice for a camper van security system because of their wide array of sensor options, ease of install, and large range of self and professional monitoring for your system.   Prerequisites There are a few things you need to get started with a SimpliSafe security system that most conversion van rigs will already have: 1x 120V AC outlet (turned on at least one hour a day*) Consistent internet connection** (see our Mobile Internet Solution for our recommended option) ** Without internet, your SimpliSafe security system will still alarm if triggered, but will not allow for remote monitoring or video recording of cameras. For this reason, we recommend consistent internet to realize full system capability.  Our Emoji Rating Key ✅  Highly recommend! 🤠 Conditional upon type of travel / rig  ❌ Only if desired Building Out Your Camper Van Security System You will have full control over customizing your camper van security system; however, you must first start with the “Base Station” that will serve as your communication hub. ✅ SimpliSafe Base Station (required to get started) Before we dive in to selecting the proper sensors for monitoring your camper van, you will need the brains of the SimpliSafe operation: the Base Station.  The SimpliSafe Base Station will serve as the communication hub of your security system, as well as the primary alarm siren. Although the Base Station runs on 120V AC power, it has a built-in rechargeable 24 hour battery backup.  This recharges in about an hour, which means as long as your inverter is on at least an hour a day, your base station will remain active.  When plugged in, you can expect your base station to draw 1-4W. Please note: if we do not have the base station alone linked, it is out of stock, and we recommend purchasing the 5 piece starter kit and building off of that. Security Sensors for Your Camper Van Once you have your base station, the fun starts! You can mix and match the below sensors to fit your budget and your camper van security needs. We added ratings underneath each one to help you decide what you need. ✅ Open Door Sensors Our Rating: Best “Bang for Your Buck” We use them: Driver and passenger doors, slider door, and rear doors (garage!!) When you are in “home mode”, entry door sensors sound a chime when you open, or close, a door.  Of course, when you are in “away mode”, entry door