Happy Holidays! Here's a list of the gear we use and LOVE in the van! If you're looking for some gifts for anyone this holiday season, or just for yourself (treat yo'self!) all of the items below are what we have with us. We get asked randomly about different products, so we decided to compile it all into one page. I will add more as we go if there are more products people are curious about.
kayaks
We have two Oru Kayak "Bay" origami style folding boats. THEY ARE AMAZING! They pack down to a size of about 30x34x14 and fit perfectly under our bed in the van. You can purchase the case/backpack as well to hike them up to alpine lacks, protect them for storage in the van or at your house, etc. The backpack has a padded hip belt as well, which is a bonus when going long distance with a kayak strapped onto your back.
Paddleboards
Thats right, we have two kayaks AND two paddleboards under the bed. You can never have enough toys for playing on the water! Giddi and I both have Jobe inflatable SUP boards, and they're much better than the first boards we owned. These are 6 inches thick, plenty wide for balance, but still do well tracking and turning. They come as a complete kit with everything you need, even a pump. Word to the wise... get yourself an electric pump and save the energy and pumping these up to 20psi every time you pull them out.
Our "patio furniture"
This is a pretty simple setup, but SO PLUSH to have when you're in one spot for a little while. The awning and lights are great for day/night chilling outside the van. Our favorite is the chairs. We even took them with us when we flew to Hawaii because they're so small, light, and comfy:
Camping gear
This is what we use when we are not sleeping inside the van. Its versatile and durable. We've had all these items for years.
Tent, pads, and bags
Hammock and blanket
These are all pretty lightweight and meant for backpacking. We use them for both traditional "car camping" and backpacking and love each one. The blanket is our main comforter on the bed in the van as well. Super cozy!
Camp Cooking
We do a lot of cooking inside when the wind is bad, or its raining. But when its good weather we use these items outside:
SHOWERS
Ya, you read that right. Its plural. We have three showers. Not all van hippies are dirty... gotta srubba-dub-dub!!
Roadshower 2
camera Gear
photo by: Colby Brown
Camera bag, tripod and microphone:
Camera body and lenses:
We used to have a Canon t5i as our backup camera, but recently sold it. We will now be getting a Sony rx100v very soon instead.
travel friendly baby gear
If you have a little baby, we seriously can't recommend enough the Doona carseat/stroller. The wheels fold out to become a stroller, they are airline approved and such a space saver. Same goes with the Guava Crib...packs super small and can carry like a backpack. They’re a rad company you can also learn more about HERE.
The Tula is great for around town and short strolls (and packing light), but for anything longer, we recommend a Deuter kid carrier:
