On the final stretch home, On the final stretch home, after nine days of living out of our VW van I found myself having two very conflicting feelings: I was ready for a little more space- and I was already sad that our adventure was ending. At the exact same time, I was getting excited about where we might go next.
This was our longest van trip yet, and from the very beginning, we wanted it to feel like a celebration. Why? Because it’s our birthday month! Three of the four of us have birthdays this month, and we’ve decided that to have just one day of celebrating puts too much stress on everyone, so we just celebrate all month long.
For nine days, we adventured, relaxed, swam, ran, mountain biked, explored, camped and generally tried to squeeze as much fun as possible out of every single day.
Originally, Revel had asked if we could take a trip across the country. But after explaining just how much there is to see right here in Oregon—and how different each part of the state can feel—he was all in. And honestly, it ended up being pretty amazing to rediscover our own backyard through their eyes.
Jason mapped out an incredible route that took us through state parks with beautiful mountain biking, unexpected wildlife encounters, and rivers begging to be jumped into and some seriously fun places to explore. We mixed in roadside camping, including one night where we slept right above an incredible swimming hole, and somehow managed to make nearly every day feel completely different from the one before.
But their favorite morning of the entire trip might have been the one that started very early.
We woke the boys up before sunrise to walk through Lost Boy Cave—a cave that is normally underwater. With the tide and conditions just right, we were able to explore it on foot, discovering sea stars, sea anemones and all kinds of little treasures tucked among the rocks. Watching the boys experience something so wild and unexpected was one of the many moments that makes all the logistics, packing, driving and van-life chaos completely worth it.
Nine days later, we pulled back into the driveway tired, sandy, a little dirty, very happy… and already talking about the next trip.
And after a few van adventures now under our belts, we’ve figured out something else too: what gear is actually worth permanently taking up precious space in our van. Because in a VW van, everything has to earn its spot.
These are the things that have officially earned their spot.
Yakima EXO OpenRange Camp Kitchen
And then there’s the EXO OpenRange—which has essentially turned the back of our van into a tiny mobile kitchen. It has 85 liters of storage, an internal shelf, utensil drawer and a fold-down front door that doubles as a prep surface. The rugged enclosure keeps our cooking gear protected from weather, dust and critters, while the EXO system lets us move our kitchen setup outside when we’re ready to cook. After a few trips of trying to balance cutting boards, stoves, food and utensils on whatever flat surface we could find, having an actual camp kitchen feels downright luxurious.
YETI Tundra 45 Hard Cooler
Our YETI Tundra 45 has become our road-trip food and drink headquarters. It’s big enough to hold the provisions we need for the four of us, but still manageable enough to move around when we’re setting up camp. The rotomolded construction and serious insulation mean we can pack it up and not worry about everything immediately turning warm, even when Oregon decides to throw some serious summer heat at us. It holds up to 54 cans or 37 pounds of ice and even comes with a removable dry-goods basket, which is perfect for keeping things organized. We managed to keep everything we needed nice and cold for 4 days before needing to get more food and ice.
LifeSaver Jerrycan
Water is one of those things you don’t want to mess around with when you’re bouncing between remote campsites, swimming holes and little roadside stops. The LifeSaver Jerrycan gives us 18.5 liters of water storage and filtration in one rugged container, removing 99.99% of viruses, bacteria, parasites and microplastics. The filter is replaceable and can purify up to 20,000 liters, so it’s become one of those pieces of gear that gives us a lot more freedom to explore without constantly worrying about where our next source of drinking water will come from. It also is really easy to use, just pump it a couple times, turn the cap and water flows out much like a weak drinking fountain. We leave ours right by where the kids sit so if their water bottles turn dry on the drive, they can easily refill them while staying buckled.
Luno Magnetic Can Cooler
This is one of those little things that seems almost silly—until you have one. The Luno Magnetic Can Cooler has four built-in magnets, so we can stick a drink to the van, a camp kitchen, a cooler or another metal surface instead of inevitably knocking it over. With kids, bikes, cooking and general campsite chaos happening simultaneously, having a designated parking spot for everyone’s drink is surprisingly useful. It’s insulated, lightweight and fits a standard 12-ounce can.
Luno Camping Fan
A fan might not sound like an adventure essential—until you’re trying to drive in a van without air conditioning or sleep in it on a warm summer night. The Luno Camping Fan gives us a little airflow when the van gets stuffy, and we love that it can be mounted in different ways depending on what we’re doing. It has a flexible arm, suction cup and headrest mount, so it can work inside the van, or wherever we need a breeze. It’s also designed to run quietly, which is a very important feature when you’re trying to get four people to actually sleep.
Gregory Alpaca Gear Basket 70
Van organization is an ongoing battle, and the Gregory Alpaca Gear Basket 70 has been a huge help in keeping that battle somewhat under control. It holds 70 liters, has a lightweight aluminum frame that keeps the basket open and accessible, and then collapses down when we don’t need it. We throw all of our dried food into it or use it as our gear bin for climbing or paddling. Instead of having it all in multiple places, its nice to have it all in one designated spot that is easy to pull out when needed. At 2.6 pounds, it’s also light enough that it doesn’t feel like we’re sacrificing precious van weight just to stay organized.
Patagonia Lightweight Towel
With as much swimming as our family does, towels are essential—but bulky towels are not exactly ideal for van life. Patagonia’s Lightweight Towel solves that problem beautifully. It’s a 66-by-39-inch organic cotton/hemp towel that weighs just 11.7 ounces and packs down small. And because it’s more than just a towel, it can double as a blanket, shade, beach cover-up or even a little tablecloth at camp. Basically, it’s a tiny piece of fabric doing a ridiculous amount of work.
Goal Zero Yeti 300 Power Station
The Goal Zero Yeti 300 has become our little mobile power hub. With a 297Wh LiFePO4 battery, 350W of AC output and USB-C/USB-A ports, it gives us a way to keep all the little electronics that accompany a family of four adventure-ready. Phones, cameras, laptops, lights and other essentials can all get charged without needing to find an outlet. It’s compact enough for the van but rugged enough for actual outdoor use, which is exactly what we need.
Goal Zero Nomad 50 Solar Panel
The Nomad 50 is what makes the Yeti 300 even more useful for longer trips. It’s a 50-watt, four-panel folding solar setup that packs down for travel but opens up at camp to collect some sunshine and keep our power station topped up. We can set it out while we’re off biking, swimming or exploring and let the sun do some of the work. For longer stretches away from home, that little bit of independence is huge.
And honestly, what we’ve learned from these trips is this: the best van gear isn’t necessarily the fanciest gear—it’s the stuff that makes getting outside easier. The things that save space, solve little problems, keep the kids comfortable and make camp feel a little more organized—so we can spend less time fussing with stuff and more time swimming, biking, exploring and saying, “Where should we go tomorrow?”