Favorite accessories for my Sprinter 170 camper van

One of the most important (and expensive) pieces of camera gear I own is a fully customized 2025 Mercedes Benz Sprinter. This off-road, off-grid vehicle not only gets me where I want to create landscape images, but also provides shelter for the night wherever I may be. Here's a list of some of the best, most helpful accessories I would recommend to others.

Disclaimer: Everything linked on this page was purchased with my own money. Some links are affiliated, which means I'll earn a small referral fee at no additional cost to you if a purchase is made.

Van security and safety

Recovery gear — Last thing I want to do is get stuck when driving off-road, so I carry a number of recovery accessories including soft shackles and a tree strap for use with my Warn winch, a foldable saw to take down branches, plus a foldable shovel to dig out sand and mud. I also have a pair of black Maxtrax recovery boards mounted to the roof rack.

Safe Jack 6 ton RV jack — Sprinters come with a bottle jack for lifting the van and fixing flat tires, but are not tall enough for lifted/converted vans with bigger tires and higher ground ground clearance. This jack also comes with a U-mount for lifting the van from its axle instead of the outer frame (which could cause damage).

NOCO Boost GB50 — Battery jump starter with more than enough power to jump a Sprinter's engine battery, if needed.

First aid kit — One of those when you need it, you need it kind of things. Nice to have everything self-contained and organized in one kit.

Automotive tool kit — Speaking of single kits, this provides all the major tools I need, including a hammer, screw drivers, pliers, wrenches and more. Love that it comes with a durable hard case and can be easily packed away.

Van kitchen

Dustpan and brush — Van floors get dirty, quickly. This broom is nice and compact and easily fits in a drawer/cabinet when not in use.

Black & Decker Pivot vacuum — Bought this model because it's foldable, compact, and wireless. Does a good job of keeping the interior clean.

Ninja 5-in-1 Foodi grill and air fryer — Electric do-it-all cooker for use inside and out. Expands the range of meals that can be made beyond a single induction cooktop. One of the best and most useful accessories I purchased for the van!

Expandable sink strainer/basket — Expands and fits inside the sink. Great for storing sponges, drying mugs, or other small things.

OXO dish brush and case — The perfect dish brush for a van! Easily stores in a drawer or cabinet without leaking soap or water.

Silicone trivets — Can be used as pot holders, counter protectors for hot pans, or surface for drying utensils.

Silicone collapsible storage containers — These are fantastic, for they're lightweight, easy to clean, and collapse way down when empty and with food inside. The latter is especially helpful when using the containers in a small fridge, where space comes at a premium.

Swedish dish cloths — Reusable dish cloths. Can be machine washed multiple times. Helps cut down on paper towel usage.

Water bottle and bladder cleaner — Without a dishwasher, it's hard to effectively clean backpack water bladders and water bottles. These help keep them from getting smelly and unpleasant to drink from.

Ice cube maker — Simple, cheap way to get small ice cubes.

Coffee maker and grinder — Fresh coffee is a must for me. This OXO coffee maker is compact, easy to use, and the grinder has hidden cord storage to keep things neat when stored in a cabinet.

Van organization

Wolf Pack Pro storage boxes — I have two of these Front Runner boxes, plus their two Flat Pack canvas boxes which fit inside or can be used independently. Great size, water and dust resistant.

Owl Vans Monster Box — Rear-door utility box made entirely of aluminum with lockable doors and plenty of interior space (approx. 6.7 cubic feet) for tools, gear, or anything else. Very popular add-on in the camper van world, and with good reason. Extremely rugged and well built.

Pelican Air 1595 — Hard shell storage case containing all my camera gear. Great case providing plenty of room, and it can be checked when flying.

Roam 83L Rugged Case — Additional roof-top storage for less frequently used gear, out-of-season clothing, etc. Low profile, sits inside the roof-top rack.

Himal spare tire bag — Decent exterior bag that straps onto the spare tire mounted on the rear door. Less expensive than other options. Plenty of space to store excess trash when camping off-grid (in areas where bears don't live), carry firewood, muddy shoes and boots, or anything else. Interior is lined with plastic for cleaning, drainage holes in the bottom.

Offroam phone mount — Best option I could find which mounts securely and grips a phone when driving on bumpy roads. I especially like that it doesn't block the air vents and utilizes a space in the Sprinter dashboard which otherwise doesn't serve much purpose.

Sidekick seatback organizer — Finding a spot to store dirty clothes and trash can be challenging in a van, so I picked up a couple of these and hung them on the backs of the front driver/passenger seats. Hand-made, solid construction, plus a magnetized closure so it doesn't hang open.

Van exterior

Coleman camping table — Sturdy fold-up outdoor table for two that packs away easily. Surprisingly large when set up.

Kijaro XXL camping chairs — Comfortable full-sized outdoor folding chairs with armrests that pack down nicely when not in use. XXL size is great for taller/bigger people than average, like me.

CGEAR RV camping mat — Quality mat with a two-layer design, allowing sand and dirt to pass through the top. Especially good in sandy desert environments.

Camco RV leveling blocks — Simple way to lift and level the van on uneven terrain, which can be annoying when sleeping and cooking inside. I use a bubble level app on my phone to gauge how many blocks I need.

Camco water filter — You never know what you're going to get when using fresh water hoses at campgrounds, gas stations, or elsewhere so I mount one of these to the end of my hose plus a shut off valve whenever I fill up my 35 gallon tank.

Fire building — Who doesn't like a campfire at night? I use this electric lighter because it's windproof and USB-C rechargeable, plus these fire starters to get a blaze going quickly.

Lighted outdoor extension cord — How I connect my Ninja and other electronics when outside the van. Lights up when power is on, so it's easy to check whether an electrical hookup is operable.

Miscellaneous things

JACO ElitePro-X tire pressure gauge — Better than a basic tire gauge because I can measure tire pressure while deflating to reach my target PSI.

North Face Thermoball slip on shoes — Part shoe, part slipper. Sole is durable enough for use outdoors. I keep a pair of these in the van at all times so I always have dry, comfortable shoes to wear in and around the van.

Athlon Optics binoculars — Keep these on the shelf above the driver's seat so I can get a closer look at hard-to-see subjects at a distance.

Rain poncho — For when it's pouring down rain and I absolutely need to go outside.

Biodegradable wet wipes — Perfect for in-between showers when I'm dusty and dirty.

Wet clothes drying — If I need to hand wash some clothes, I mount magnetic hooks and a clothes line between the rear van doors to air dry my wares.

Camping towels — Quick dry microfiber weave towels. Perfect for showers, way thinner and easier to store than bulky household bath towels.