What are your best small accessories or gadgets for your van that you would recommend?

NMmonkeyman

Active member
I am curious what small items have you added to your van that where easy and you would recommend to others? Three items that where cheap and improved my van where the following. What are other things you all recommend.

USB charged bug zapper-quickly kills small bugs and mosquitoes that get in the van and easily recharges using USB. To small for moths but gets rid of that pesky mosquito that will torment you at night.

12 volt Road Pro Oven. I don't have a microwave but this small oven reheats food well. Takes about 30 min to one hour but perfect for reheating food or making a hot sandwich while driving draws 15 Amps and plugs in to cigarette lighter outlet.

Weather tech window wind deflector. I don't have any opening windows so these allow me to have some airflow thru van especially when the roof fan is on.

Any easy additions or appliances to your van that you would recommend?
 

NMmonkeyman

Active member
Bought it on Amazon has small blue light that attracts the bugs and has small metal wire that zaps the bugs, does not kill big bugs but if you leave it on it will clear an enclosed space of small flies, mosquitoes etcs, but would not do much for bugs outside, charge last all night. There are a few different types that all look similar for $25 dollars well worth it :
RUNACC Camping Bug Zapper LED Flashlight - Portable IP66 Waterproof Outdoor Tent Light Camp Lamp with 2200mAh Rechargeable Battery.
 

elemental

Wherever you go, there you are.
Camping hatchet, folding camp saw, entrenching tool, and shock-corded collapsible camp lantern tripod. Matches. Fire starter. Decent first-aid kit with deet-based insect repellant, antibiotic cream, stinging insect balm, bandaids, trauma scissors, and some larger bandages/compression pads. Curtain rings that have a little spring-loaded clamp to hang the curtain from; they also work great for hanging trash bags and towels from hooks (or, if you have l-track, from l-track rings). A nice pair of chocks so that you don't worry about the van rolling on hills. Stackable, covered storage totes from Costco (big and small sizes) that hold groceries, equipment, etc. both short-term and long-term. Ratchet straps for securing cargo. A little round collapsible nylon trash container that can hang off an armrest and provides a target for little bits of trash that I want to dispose of while driving. A nice air pressure gauge (with short hose and bleeder valve) to help make sure tires are at the right pressure when filling air on the road. A pair of mechanics gloves stored in the driver door pocket to use when putting tire chains on or other performing other cold weather maintenance tasks (like filling air on the road). A Leatherman supertool stored in the driver door pocket to use for whatever. A pair of beefy winter gloves and a wool hat I keep in the overhead storage shelf in case of an unplanned winter exposure. No rinse alcohol-based hand sanitizer in the driver door passenger (originally for cleaning up after diesel fill ups, now for COVID cleaning too - and added one to passenger door pocket for same reason).

Not so cheap but well worth it: A Garmin nav system with lifetime maps that I keep updated and store in the glove compartment for times when dealing with the van's "Becker Map Pilot" isn't worth it.

Cheap and well worth it: A paper copy of a USA road atlas showing each state on its own page/pair of pages, stashed in the passenger overhead shelf. Adds perspective to planning routes on the run.
 
D

Deleted member 50714

Guest
Shoot the little bastards.

CAUTION
Keep away from der wife.

 

cc_windsurfer

Active member
Bought it on Amazon has small blue light that attracts the bugs and has small metal wire that zaps the bugs, does not kill big bugs but if you leave it on it will clear an enclosed space of small flies, mosquitoes etcs, but would not do much for bugs outside, charge last all night. There are a few different types that all look similar for $25 dollars well worth it :
RUNACC Camping Bug Zapper LED Flashlight - Portable IP66 Waterproof Outdoor Tent Light Camp Lamp with 2200mAh Rechargeable Battery.
That widget is a $20 lightning deal on the evil Amazon right now FYI
 

Wrinkledpants

2017 144WB 4x4
Put a bright light by your fan with the screen off, let the moths and bugs take a ride out through the fan :). I'm working on a bright LED to wire up to the fan frame just for this reason. Works so good.
 

LindaDV

New member
The little bug zappers are great, the bigger bugs and moths fall to the floor. We have a Clam traveler ( not a small item, but I love it) the zapper and light make a nice retreat in the evening.
The Elbow Friend on the too low arm rests.
Luci light for a night light.
 
D

Deleted member 50714

Guest
Beauties! Much more elegant than the disk magnets I'm using. :hmmm:

I guess I know why we're called "hosers" up here in the Great White North.
Those are USD $13.99 a pair on amazon.com and CDN $47.35 (USD $35.50) on amazon.ca.

We are getting HOSED.
:doh:Socialism-universal healthcare has consequences. Apparently expensive consequences. :thud:
 
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D

Deleted member 50714

Guest
Next up, Homeless Placement lottery program mandating all Canadians receive by lottery a homeless person for care custody feeding and neutering.... social nurturing.
 
D

Deleted member 50714

Guest
Beauties! Much more elegant than the disk magnets I'm using. :hmmm:

I guess I know why we're called "hosers" up here in the Great White North.
Those are USD $13.99 a pair on amazon.com and CDN $47.35 (USD $35.50) on amazon.ca.

We are getting HOSED.
They are nice and just ordered some.
 

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