With the upcoming holiday season, you might be wondering what to get your outdoorsy or van life friends and family. When you travel in a tiny home on wheels, every square inch matters. Being able to gift something that is practical, fun, and van life ready, is a great joy. If you don’t camp or live in a van though, coming up with something can be a challenge.
After living full-time on the road for over a year, these are our top recommendations for gifts that will actually get used, instead of being shoved in the back of a cabinet. We’ve split it into low, medium, and high price tiers, so there’s something for everyone. Whatever your price range, this guide will give you some inspiration for what will surely be the most popular gift received this season.
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Low-Cost Picks (under $50)
These are affordable, easy to slip into a stocking or box, and perfect for everyday camping and van life adventures.
Solar Outdoor String Lights (~$20)
When you’re camping in the dark woods or moonlit beach, having string lights around camp or in the van can instantly shift the vibe. These solar-powered string lights means no plug required — which is ideal for boondocking or setting them up in a tree. The also double as a lantern, are easy to stow, have a couple of different light settings, and are weather proof to keep the party going rain or night.
Our Pick: Vecoter Solar Camping String Lights
Microflame Butane Torch (~$30)
Get a fire started quickly and easily without burning your fingers on a traditional lighter. This microflame butane torch is refillable and gets things going even when conditions are less than favorable.
Our Pick: Benzo-O-Matic Microflame Butane Torch
Compact and Quick-Drying Towel (~$30)
These super-absorbent, quick-drying, and compact towels are great to have in the van or camp box. It’s one less bulky towel to stow with limited storage and dirt comes off really easily. They also come in some pretty fun colors for a great gift.
Our Pick: Nomadix Ultralight Towel
Electric Air Duster (~$40)
If you’re outdoorsy or love van life, you probably don’t mind a little dirt. However, a little dirt can quickly turn into a mountain of unwanted mess when you live in a tiny space. This powerful little electric air duster is great for getting dirt out of hard to reach places, blowing dog hair out of of the van, and stoking the fire (which might actually be our favorite use for it).
Our Pick: WOLFBOX Compressed Air Duster
eTip Gloves (~$45)
Everyone needs a good pair of eTip gloves in their lives. Gone are the days of having to remove your gloves every time you need to access something on your phone or take a picture. These gloves are made from sustainable recycled materials and have eTips on every finger, so you don’t have to just rely on using the index finder.
Our Pick: The North Face eTip Recycled Gloves
Mid-Range Picks ($50 – $100)
These items cost a little more, but deliver a ton of value for the campers and van lifers on your gift list.
Coffee Press (~$50)
Camping and coffee go together like peanut butter and jelly. Most people want an easier way to make coffee at camp through than lugging around their Keurig and making sure that they have power. That’s where the travel AeroPress comes into play. All you need is some hot water and coffee for that fresh cup of joe on a chilly camp morning.
Our Pick: AeroPress Go Travel Coffee Press
National Park Packing Cubes (~$55)
Do you know someone who could use a little more organization in their life? We sware by these packing cubes to keep all your clothes stored and organized by clothing type. The different patters allow for easy identification of what’s in what, which is huge when everything is in a small cabinet. The fact that they come in National Parks prints is a bonus.
Our Pick: Compression Packing Cube Set
Cozy Slippers (~$69)
Nothing says “classic holiday gift” like a pair of cozy slippers. These ones up the anty by adding a layer of puffy material, a tough sole, and warmth around the ankles. They are the true camp slippers and keep your feet warm on those cold van and tent floors.
Our Pick: The North Face ThermoBall Slippers
Rechargeable Headlamp (~$70)
Headlamps are essential for doing anything around camp after dark—making s’mores, grabbing a beverage, or cleaning up before bed. These ones are absolute favorites because not only are they really bright with a few different settings, but they are also rechargeable. Gone are the days of making sure you always have AAA batteries lying around.
Our Pick: Black Diamond Spot 400-R Headlamp
Camp Puffy Blanket (~$100)
If you know someone who is constantly chilly, warm them up with this cozy camp blanket. It adds that extra layer of warmth around the campfire, in the van, or even at home. It also packs down super small (perfect for van life), is easy to clean, and comes in super cute National Park patterns.
Our Pick: Rumpl National Park Original Puffy 1-Person Blanket
High-End Gifts ($100 and up)
For that really special person in your life, these gifts serve as the main event, bringing big smiles on Christmas morning and all year long.
Tire Deflators (~$110)
The off-road enthusiasts in your life will love the ability to deflate all their tires at the same time. Traditional methods require deflating tires one-by-one, but these automatic tire deflators allow you to release air simultaneously, so you’re not wasting precious time you could be using to have fun on the trails.
Our Pick: JT Brooks Automatic Tire Deflators Pro II
Leatherman Multi-Tool (~$140)
This tried and true tool lets anyone play MacGyver. With 19 different tools in one small device, you can do everything from shaving kindling to cutting wires to starting a fire with the built in farro rod.
Our Pick: Leatherman Signal Multi-Tool
Axe (~$235)
Give someone the gift of being their own Paul Bunyan with an axe that everyone at camp will want to try. This isn’t just your standard hatchet, but an axe crafted for the long haul. We love that it’s the right length to easily split wood, but also versatile enough to make kindling.
Our Pick: Gransfors Bruks Scandanavian Forest Axe 25 inch
Bluetti Elite 100 V2 (On sale ~$400)
One thing is for sure, campers and van lifers can never have enough power. Lucky for us, this portable power bank packs a punch, but is still compact and storable to bring along on every trip. It allows you to quickly charge up cell phones, cook meals on an induction cooktop, connect through Starlink, and even mix up some margaritas in a blender.
Our Pick: Bluetti Elite 100 V2 (use code ADVENTURE5 for 5% off)
Skottle Grill (~$500)
For the camp chef in your life, the TEMBOTUSK Skottle Grill is sure to bring a smile to their face (and everyone else they cook for on it at camp). This is by far the one piece of gear that we get asked about the most, and our favorite thing to cook on. It’s well-built, compact, and makes everything from breakfast scrambles to fajita (and tacos) to popcorn.
Our Pick: TEMBOTUSK Original Skottle Grill
Final Thoughts
Giving someone the perfect gift shouldn’t be stressful, it should be fun! If you’re picking out gear that is useful, compact, and cool, you’re sure to hit it out of the park. So when you’re choosing a gift (for yourself or someone else), ask:
- Does it save space or add meaningful comfort?
- Does it carry for the long haul (durability matters in a moving home on wheels)?
- Does it serve more than one purpose (multi-tool, multi-use, etc)?
- Does it align with the lifestyle — adventure, mobility, minimalism?
If yes to most of the above, you’re onto a winner.
Happy gifting and have a wonderful (and adventurous) holiday season!
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