4 Things You Need Before Taking a Van on a Road Trip

Sponsored Post – Taking a van on the road with you and your family is different than glamping or staying in an Airbnb; you’re able to get closer to nature, decide where you want to park up and stay the night.

Whether you’re thinking about a UK road trip or a trip abroad in the future, it pays to plan ahead as much as possible. This avoids you forgetting something important and needing to scour around for a temporary solution when you’ve already set off.

Here are 4 van essentials to consider…

Get Good Insurance

When you’re living the van life, it’s important to have decent van insurance. You’ll be traversing many narrow country roads, and possibly roads that aren’t well-maintained, so picking up damage here and there is almost a rite of passage.

There are fewer van insurance companies than car insurance providers, so it pays to use a price comparison site to compare them all in one go. To get started, simply enter your reg here and the Quotezone.co.uk site will display the best deals available today.

Don’t Forget Reliable Pots and Pans

When you plan to go self-catering and cook inside your van, it’s easy to forget to bring a decent set of pots and pans. A cast-iron skillet is an excellent option that is quick to wipe down after use and provides reliable cooking results. A saucepan or two is ideal for cooking vegetables or soups too.

Also, if you’re using a camping stove that’s powered by Butane, then ensure you have at least one spare canister besides what’s already installed in the stove. Canisters can fail on you, and it’s useful to have a spare on hand.

Shop for a Decent Fridge

A decent fridge is extremely beneficial in a van to keep produce fresh for longer. Vans can get hot in the summertime, allowing food to perish quickly, so a cold box is really useful. However, a full-blown fridge will achieve a colder temperature overall (most only reduce their internal storage temperature by a certain number of degrees below the ambient temperature).

Not having a working fridge for anything longer than a single day trip becomes inconvenient very quickly. It’s also more expensive because it leads to more meals out and trips back into town.

Privacy Curtains

While fitting a screen in a van is too restrictive because of the space needed, putting up privacy curtains between the front cab and the living quarters of your van is very handy. Also, it’s worth investing in a door screen that pulls closed. It allows you to leave the van door open with the screen attached, but keeps flies and other creepy crawlies out, so you can still enjoy extra ventilation.

Going on a trip in your van is very freeing. Out on the open road and staying at campsites shakes off city living with a true break in nature. Just ensure you’re adequately prepared before you go.