10 Essential Tech Gadgets for your best #vanlife

With skyrocketing rents and more people working remotely with greater flexibility, it has inevitability lead to more people living out a van. Yes believe it or not the #vanlife hashtag is getting more mentions on social media as people learn about the freedom of movement that comes with living out of the van. When you take a look at some of the #vanlife pictures I pulled from social media and posted at the bottom of this post, it is easy to see why this new way of living is taking off. What happens when you need to stay connected and mobile? This is I why I came up with a list of the top 10 must-have accessories for #vanlife.

1. Mobile Phone

When you start living out of a van, you will no doubt use your mobile phone more. With the increased use, comes an increased risk it will be broken or damaged. For this reason, it is essential to keep your important information backed up. I keep my contacts, calendar, and email backed up through a secure email account. My photos are backed up to ownCloud. If I lose my phone or it becomes damaged I can rest assured that all this information can be quickly and easily restored just by setting up my email account. Also keeping a backup device is a good idea. I have an old BlackBerry Bold available if I found myself in a desperate situation without a phone.

2. Mobile Phone Mount

When you live out a van you will also spend more time driving, it only makes sense to ensure you can still see your phone screen without putting your safety at risk. Whether you are getting directions from a GPS map app or need to see who is calling before answering the call, these mounts are easy to install and fit most modern smartphones. Even a a simple air vent mobile phone mount will help you navigate maps and keep your eyes on the road. Take a look at all our available mounts here.

• Ideal of Sweden 360 Degree Magnetic Air Vent Mount
• Nite Ize Steelie Car Mount Kit
• Nite Ize Steelie Vent Mount Kit

 

3. Solar Powered Battery Pack

This solar powered battery pack can be charged via a plug socket in a few hours or charged by the sun in around 4 to 5 days. With a dual USB port, two devices can be charged at the same time. This can prove very useful when you spend long periods of time without a plug socket or do not wish to always rely on the van battery to charge your device.

- IP67 Dustproof/Shockproof/Waterproof (submersible) - 16,000mAh battery: Charge 5-6x - Super bright quad LED-4 function flashlight - MicroUSB input (charging) - Dual USB output (charge 2 devices)

4. In Car Charger

When you are on the road, you can easily keep your devices charged up. It is worth while get a good quality in-car charger as some of the cheaper chargers struggle charging many modern smartphones. These charges from Tough Tested have all been tested and work great to power the latest smartphones.

5. An OGIO bag

Living in a van is a significant lifestyle change, you will likely need to reduce the clutter from your life. I am always looking to reduce clutter and streamline what I carry. I purchased this Ogio Renegade RSS and the abundance of pockets helped me organize everything I decided I had to keep. I then dedicated a pocket to that item, ensuring I could always find it.

6. Mobile Signal enchanter for your van

There are a number of remote 3G/4G signal enhancers on the market. They are designed specifically for the van and can make the difference of not having a call dropped or being able to stream Netflix in a remote location.

7. Jump starter for the van

If you plan on being the only vehicle for some distance, you need to be sufficient as jump-starting the van if the battery ever fails to start the van. Having this remote jump starter in your kit can make a big difference if the need comes up.

8. Mobile Internet Stick

These often come as a USB drive-type device that you plugin to your laptop. You will need a plan from your mobile service provider to allow for data usage. Here are some deals I found currently available in Canada.

9. Backup Charging Cable

It is always a good idea to keep a backup charging cable in the van. If you are off somewhere remote and lose your charger, you can lose access to phone, Internet and email until you are able to recharge your device.

10. Cases and Screen Protection

With the added time you undoubtedly be spending outdoors in your new #vanlife, it will increase the chances of your devices becoming damaged. Wwe have you covered with a variety of screen protection products and cases to fit any device. Thanks for reading this post and if you do end up ordering any of these products, be sure the enter the 'vanlife' coupon code at checkout for ten percent off your order.