Gifts for Campers and Vanlifers – 17 Great Gift Ideas

Are you looking for the perfect gift for your camping friends? Whether it's for Christmas, a birthday, a wedding, or just a little spontaneous surprise—there are plenty of occasions to celebrate. In this post, you'll find carefully selected gift ideas for campers, vanlifers, and overlanders to suit every budget. We use many of these items ourselves on our travels, and others are at the very top of our own wishlist. Get inspired by our list of great gifts for campers and vanlifers!

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Gifts under 10 Euros

Cross Spirit Level

We received a small cross spirit level* as a gift from overlander friends. Since then, it has been in constant use and makes parking for the night much easier. For us, it is an absolute game changer and one of our favorite vanlife gadgets.

Microfiber Drying Cloth

A microfiber dish drying mat* for freshly washed dishes can be a real upgrade for the camping kitchen. A microfiber drying mat is particularly practical because you can store it very easily and it takes up hardly any space while traveling. This makes it especially ideal for small motorhomes with limited storage space, but it can of course also be a great kitchen utensil in large campers.

Gifts up to 50 Euros

Soap Container

Ein Soap Container* ist ebenfalls ein praktisches Geschenk für deine Vanlife Freunde. So kann die Seife auch in kleinen Campern oder Rucksäcken sicher verstaut werden. Ein tolles Geschenk für unter 20 Euro.

Camping Clothesline from Sea to Summit

More than once we stood in Globetrotter and considered whether we should take a special clothesline* with bead cords with us to South America. We ultimately decided against it because we thought a normal line would suffice. That's true, but we often had to buy new clothespins because ours kept disappearing somewhere in the car. That's why we would opt for the camping clothesline today.

Telescopic Camping Stool

One of our most useful camping utensils in our small mini-camper is our telescopic camping stool*. Whether as an extra chair when you have a visit from your camping neighbors or when you quickly need a stool to reach something from up high. Our telescopic stool surprised us with its stability and reliably accompanied us through South America for 15 months. The only thing that gives it trouble is sand, which can make opening and closing a bit difficult.

Camplight USB Fairy Lights from The Sunnyside

Since the beginning of our journey, we have installed the Camplight USB Outdoor Fairy Lights from The Sunnyside as lighting in our camper. It has been hanging there since May 2021 and still shines like on the first day. Initially, we were skeptical because of the thin copper wire, but it has proven to be extremely robust. Because we are so satisfied, we bought a second string of lights, which we use outside in the evening. With a length of 10 meters and 100 LEDs, it transforms any location into a cozy living room. The string of lights is dimmable, weatherproof, and consumes little power. In the meantime, it is also available with a red light mode, which attracts fewer insects. We often simply connect it to one of our power banks outside. For 100% vanlife coziness.

Beeswax Wraps

Beeswax wraps are a great gift for campers, because garbage and waste disposal can be a real challenge when traveling. They are perfect for wrapping food or covering bowls. After use, they can be easily rinsed off with cold water and are ready for the next use. You can find a large selection of beeswax wraps*, for example, at Avocadostore.

Biodegradable Products

Biodegradable products like soaps or shampoos are perfect gifts for people who enjoy spending time in nature. The general rule is: no products should end up in nature, not even biodegradable ones. They also have to be broken down, which puts a strain on nature. You can find suitable products in most outdoor stores or online.

Urine Cloth for On the Go

Ein Urintuch* eignet sich besonders gut als Geschenk für Frauen. Urintücher sind eine Alternative zu Toilettenpapier, denn sie sind saugstark und durch das im Tuch enthaltene Silber geruchsneutral. Du kannst sie nach der Benutzung ganz einfach an den Rucksack hängen und trocknen lassen. Zu Hause können sie dann ganz normal in der Waschmaschine gewaschen werden. 

Camping Cookbook

How and what you cook differs greatly depending on how you travel. Whether by camper, by bike, or on foot on a trekking tour? In the end, the available space and weight determine which cooking utensils and food you take with you. Camping cookbooks* are therefore mainly suitable for those traveling by camper or car.

A great, more personal alternative is to design a camping cookbook for your friends yourself.

UCO Candle Lantern

We love our little candle lantern from UCO*, with which we can really create an extra portion of coziness no matter where we are. Whether in the camper van, outside on the camping table, or in the tent. The candle lantern is small, handy, and a great gift for your camper and vanlife friends.

Practical Magnetic Hooks for indoors and outdoors

In a camper, you always have something that's in the way. You can attach these practical magnetic hooks* both inside and outside and easily hang small items like towels or bags on the wall.

Gifts up to 100 Euros

Scrubba Wash Bag & Travel Washing Machine

The Scrubba Wash Bag* is a real asset for us. Weighing only 145g, it is the world's smallest washing machine and fits even in the smallest camper. There are nodules on the underside that function like a washboard. Simply fill the bag with laundry, water, and detergent, close it, scrub the clothes for three minutes, and then rinse them under running water – and the laundry is clean again. We used the Scrubba Wash Bag on our trip and were very satisfied with it. An absolute Vanlife must-have.

Kettle from Sea to Summit

We also received the collapsible Kettle from Sea to Summit* as a gift, which mainly serves us as a water boiler. It is available in a 1.1-liter as well as a 1.6-liter version. Even before we were traveling in our camper, it was with us on every tent tour. The Kettle is foldable and takes up very little space. It is significantly faster to prepare coffee or tea water with it than in a pot, which saves you valuable energy on the road.

Gifts over 100 Euros

Therm-a-rest Poncho

Perhaps you are looking for gifts for a cold-sensitive person like me? Then this poncho from Therm-a-Rest* might be a good idea. Especially for campers who are traveling in a motorhome or car and have the space to take such a poncho with them, this can be a great gift. The poncho keeps you snugly warm, whether indoors or outdoors, and it can easily be pulled over your own clothes.

Voited Travel Blanket with Teddy Fur

The practical products from Voited are also perfect for van lifers. The practical Voited blanket with teddy fur* can easily be transformed into a pillow. This makes it easy to stow away and is also a great decoration in the camper.

Voucher Gifts for Campers

DIY store voucher

Perhaps you have friends who are currently building out their own camper van? Then a DIY store voucher can be a great idea. We honestly always needed something while we were converting our camper van and were constantly driving to our local DIY store around the corner. Whether it was wood, paint, screws, brackets, or some tool, we were truly regular customers at our local DIY store. 

Voucher for Camping Equipment

Vouchers for camping equipment can also be a great gift idea. This way, you can be sure that you are not giving something that won't be used in the end, and your camper friends can choose exactly what they need at the moment. Vouchers are available, for example, at Camping Wagner* or Fritz Berger*.