Buying gifts is rarely easy, but gifts for van lifers can be extra tough. With minimalist lifestyles and limited storage space, van life gifts have to meet some very particular criteria.
10 Gifts for Van Lifers
Thankfully, we’ve made a guide to help you with your holiday shopping. With these 10 best gifts for van lifers, you’ll be sure you’re getting a gift they’ll love!
1. Fuel Gift Cards
Fuel is one of the biggest expenses of van life. Travel is one of the best parts of van life (often the primary motivator in becoming a van lifer), but it doesn’t come cheap! Especially now with the rising cost of fuel and the diesel shortage at the pumps.
With a fuel gift card from a gas station, you’ll help your favorite van lifer travel more while paying less at the pump. Plus, this is one of the few gifts for van lifers you can be 100% sure they’ll use!
2. US Park Pass
Looking for an exciting gift for van life? How about an all-access pass to over 2,000 national parks and federal recreation sites?
A US Park Pass will give them just that! For a full year, pass holders will have free entry to all national parks and federal recreational lands. Even better, pass holders also get free entry for up to three accompanying adults!
National parks are one of the biggest attractions for van lifers, so they’ll be sure to love this gift. With entrance fees of up to $35 for some parks, the savings will add up quickly for your special nomad!
3. A Hammock
Van lifers might not have much space inside their vans, but when it comes to outside, the whole country is like their backyard. There are few better ways to enjoy the great outdoors than lounging around in a hammock.
This is one of the best van life gifts because you can use it almost anywhere. Just find two sturdy columns (preferably trees) to tie it to and enjoy swinging in the breeze!
With a double-size hammock, two people can enjoy the hammock at once. That makes it the perfect gift for van life couples!
4. AAA Membership
It’s an unavoidable fact of van life: breakdowns happen. When they happen suddenly, they can leave van lifers stressed out and stranded. Want to buy them some peace of mind for breakdowns and other unexpected issues on the road? Gift them a AAA membership!
With AAA RV coverage, they’ll get:
- Free tows
- Flat tire services
- Discounted locksmith services.
Plus, AAA can deliver fuel if they run out and even extricate a stuck RV from ditches and snow.
5. National Geographic Road Atlas
With the rise of apps like Google Maps and RV LIFE Trip Wizard, many people think that the physical road map is a thing of the past. But that’s just not true! In fact, physical maps have a ton of advantages; for one, they don’t need an internet connection!
With a National Geographic Road Atlas, you get high-quality road maps of all of North America. Even better, it also includes guidebook-style recommendations and extra resources like info for local tourism offices.
This is one of the most useful gifts for van lifers that love adventure. No matter where they go, they’ll have directions and recommendations at their fingertips!
6. Cell Phone Signal Booster
Van lifers frequently rely on cell phone connections for internet access and staying in touch. But when they’re on an adventure, far from it all, that necessary cell phone signal can become unusably weak.
That’s where a cell phone signal booster like the weBoost Drive Reach OTR comes in. These handy devices take distant, weak signals and amplify them. That way, you get a strong signal no matter where you go!
Pound for pound, this is one of the most useful gifts for van lifers out there. With this gift, your favorite van lifer will never have to worry about being stranded without service again.
7. Kindle
As satisfying as it is to read a good book, a decent book collection can quickly take up space (and add weight). And space is at an extreme premium for van dwellers!
Gift your favorite van lifer a Kindle and give them a whole world of books to read in a tiny little package. Add a Kindle Unlimited membership and give them access to over 1 million titles with no limits!
Few gifts will provide as many hours of entertainment as a Kindle. Combined with a hammock and what better way is there to spend an afternoon?
8. Cozy Stuff
Even with great insulation, things can get chilly inside a van – especially in the colder months. Because of that, gifts for van lifers that keep them cozy and warm are a guaranteed hit!
Deck your nomad friend in cozy materials like merino weel which is a great insulator that stays warm even when the wool is wet or the wearer gets sweaty.
- Merino wool socks are a classic gift they can use around the van or for a cold weather hike.
- Wool camp blankets are another classic for snuggling up on a cold day or adding an extra layer at night.
9. Practical Stuff
Maybe you’re more of a practical gift giver and looking for something that will really come in handy. Lend a hand with your van lifer and give them something handy to assist with their latest DIY project or in case of an emergency with things like:
- Gift cards to their favorite hardware store to pay for project materials.
- A head lamp to illuminate their path in the dark.
- Packing cubes for easy, organized storage.
10. Subscriptions and Memberships
Looking for gifts for van lifers that are super useful without taking up space? Consider subscription services and memberships.
When you gift a subscription to a service like Netflix or Spotify, you provide hours of entertainment. Plus, every time your favorite van lifer enjoys those services, they’ll think of you!
Looking for something even more useful? An RV LIFE Pro subscription will help them plan the best camping trips by showing campgrounds and routes, even offline. Give them access to three powerful apps, all rolled into one bundle: RV LIFE App with a van-safe GPS and so much more, RV LIFE Trip Wizard for planning epic road trips, RV LIFE Maintenance for keeping track of the maintenance of their home.
Happy Holidays are Guaranteed!
Finding gifts for van lifers might seem tough but it doesn’t have to be – there are tons of amazing van life gifts to give this holiday season!
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