Winter Van Life Essentials

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Van life in the winter poses a whole new set of challenges on top or normal van life. Below is our list of winter van life essentials to keep you warm and safe in the cold and snow.

Rugs or Slippers

Even with properly insulated floors, the floors of your van still get cold in the winter. We put down rugs in our van so the floor isn’t as cold on our feet. We also keep slippers in the van for an extra layer of protection. You can get basic slippers from the store or if your feet get extra cold you can spring for down slippers.

2. Heater

Espar diesel heater under the passenger seat

A heater in your van is a must have if you plan on spending a lot of time in cold climates. Not only will it keep you warm, it will also prevent your water lines from freezing. We have an diesel Espar heater that is connected to our diesel tank. It keeps our van toasty warm in the cold weather. If you don’t have a diesel vehicle, there are also gas heaters that work the same way. The gas and diesel heater tap into your vehicle’s fuel tank.

Propane heaters are another good option, but you will need to a propane tank in your vehicle. Hydronic heaters are becoming more popular and a great option that uses a heated fluid to transfer heat to things like the air, your shower, or a heated floor. The last option is a portable heater which typically runs on propane. These usually need to be vented because a buildup of carbon monoxide can happen.

3. Insulated Window Covers

A lot of heat is lost through the windows in your van. Insulated window covers help prevent this heat loss. We have insulated window covers for our windshield, front windows, and back windows. We also have insulated blinds for the other windows in our van.

Since insulated window covers can be pricey, we made our own DIY winter window covers using leftover insulation before we bought some. We cut Thinsulate and Ez-cool Reflective Foam Core Insulation to the size of the windows, then used a spray adhesive to join them together. The covers staying in place by pushing the edges behind the van walls around the windows.

4. Grey Water Tank Inside the Van

We have 2 water jugs that we use as grey water tanks under the sink so we don’t have to worry about the tanks or lines freezing in the winter. If you have a grey water tank under your van, you can always rig up a water jug to act as a grey water tank in cold climates.

Some people use tank heater pads to prevent freezing but these don’t always work and the lines leading down to them can freeze in very cold climates. If you have the space, moving grey water tanks inside the van is the best solution.

5. Extra Blankets or Sleeping Bags

In case your heater stops working or you just feel extra cold, keeping extra blankets or sleeping bags in the van is a must to help you stay warm. We keep sleeping bags inside the van just in case we need an extra layer of warmth at night or if we are extra cold after a day of skiing.

6. Backup Power

If you solely rely on solar to charge your house batteries, we highly recommend having a second power source in case your solar panels get covered in snow or ice. We have a DC to DC charger as well as a shore line, but if you don’t have those we recommend getting a Jackery Portable Power station for backup power.

7. Extra Water

We recommend carrying extra water jugs with you just in case your tank freezes or you can’t find a place to refill your tank. Campgrounds and other water refills close in the winter since they have to winterize the lines. You can get extra jugs from the store or get refillable jugs that you can fill at grocery stores. We also refill water bottles at public water fountains to help extend the water in our tank.

8. Recovery Boards, Tow Straps, and a Snow Shovel

If you plan on spending time in cold snowy climates, you need to prepared in case you get stuck in the snow. YRecovery boards, tow straps, and a collapsible snow shovel should be kept in your van to get you out of sticky situations. A snow shovel is also useful if you are in deeper snow and need to clear snow away from your exhaust or diesel heater exhaust to keep carbon monoxide out of your van.

Those are our winter van life essentials. Check out our full post on van life essentials for more.

Rugs or Slippers