Overland Expo Shows the Possibilities of Getting Way Away – RVBusiness – Breaking RV Industry News
LOVELAND, Colo. – The Second Overland Mountain West Expo this past weekend continued to show more of the odd – such as Jeeps and Subarus with popup campers on top – but there was quite a bit more of the practical vehicles meant to get people as far off the road as they want to go exploring.
There even was a trailer meant to go rock crawling behind a Jeep if somebody was daring enough to give that a try.
There were some familiar names like Winnebago and nuCamp at The Ranch Events Center, but there also were plenty of underdogs who may have been familiar to the Overland enthusiasts, but not so much to RV dealers.
With so many to choose from, RVBusiness decided to turn the spotlight on some of those underdogs and the possibly unexpected features they offer to their owners to help them get away.
In no particular order, here’s a glimpse at some offroad vehicles on display at the show on Friday.
Sasquatch Xpedition Camper
These tough little trailers that have more sleeping space than they have any right to are built in southwest Colorado, although a new facility is being built in northwest New Mexico to provide greater manufacturing capability. They are all aluminum except the axles, making for a lightweight towing at 1,900 pounds. Keeping with the lightweight theme, but with a nod toward the needs of somebody in the backcountry, Sasquatch has 36 gallons of freshwater capability. Power is not a concern, as a large solar panel on top of the popup rooftop tent provides energy as well as two portable solar panels located in the Squatch Box on the back of the trailer. The panels feed power into four Redarc Alpha 150 batteries as well as the Redarc inverter on board. Kass Kremer of Sasquatch said the company has a small dealer contingent, but is seeking to grow.
Timber Leaf
Made in Grand Junction, Colo., the Timber Leaf models are teardrops all the way, but with the standard popup tent on top of the trailers. The models on display – the Kestrel, Pika and Classic – are 15 feet tip to tail with the inside of the trailer made up mostly of a full-sized mattress. In the rear on the outside is a galley under a lid that opens to reveal plenty of storage and food prep space. Co-owner Tom Pesek said the company is more than 10 years old and Timberleaf Serial No. 1 is still on the road and was recently sold. The new owner brought it in for a few upgrades, but the base of the trailer is still in good condition.
Turtleback
Turtleback is the ideal name for the product. In essence it is a small storage trailer that can be equipped with most anything your imagination can come up with. Standard, the trailers, built in Gallatin, Tenn., come with the ubiquitous popup camper on top and a hot water filtration unit holding 21 gallons of fresh water. They also come with a single Redarc lithium battery with an option for a second and a 2000-watt Xantrex inverter. A Redarc solar panel is mounted on the tent. Design Engineer Jake Reveal said the company has a limited dealer base, but is hoping to grow it.
Overland Explorer Vehicles
Take a Ford F350 chassis and add a large box camper. Fill that camper with creature comfort features and you’ve got yourself Overland Explorer. Different models feature different sized camper shells, but on display was a compact camper with four actuators to lift a section of the top, creating a sleeping area that can easily be unzipped to provide ventilation and 360-degree views. The model has a queen bed, a full kitchen set that runs off of gas and three storage compartments underneath. Build in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, it sleeps four with a poptop tent, has a 38-gallon freshwater capacity and 16-gallon gray water. Overland’s Arnold Baker said the company largely appeals to the off-road crowd. He said the company currently has nine dealers.
BRS Offroad
BRS has been manufacturing in the U.S. for three years after founder Ben Sutter moved the company from Australia to Hohenwald, Tenn. The new Sherpa Gen 3 is an aluminum teardrop, but the shape is somewhat different and eye-catching. It has a plate aluminum frame and independent suspension with an option to upgrade to a Terraform suspension. Power is supplied from a 12-vold, 20-amp-hour Battle Born battery system. A 270-degree awning provides plenty of shade. The inside of the trailer includes the large bed as well as an entertainment system that includes speakers inside and in the door. The 35-gallon water capacity provides more water than many offroad models. Dealer Josh Brown, who is the son of BRS’ owner showed the rear kitchen area, which includes a Dometic refrigerator, but provides pull-out drawers for a cooktop and storage areas for supplies.
Grounded
How far can you go to get away and how far would you be comfortable going if your vehicle was electrically powered? Grounded is making a name off its latest developments. CEO Sam Shapiro boasts that the Class B van officially can run 250 miles on a single charge. Some testers have achieved 300 miles in the Grounded van by traveling at slower speeds. Either way, solar panels on the roof charge while the vehicle is moving. That would not provide a significant amount of power, but a long-term stop using the panels would provide a charge. Currently Grounded is building the Zevo 400 and Zevo 600. Grounded is based in Detroit.
Trail Trailer
Trail Trailers are about as rugged and spartan as can be. The basic product is a small cargo trailer with plenty of places. While most choose to add a popup tent on top to provide a sleeping space, there are other options. Wade Pierson, engineering manager, said the independent suspension and 750-pound dry weight mean the vehicle could easily be towed behind a rock-climbing Jeep if the owner chose to do so. The solar batter power kid allows for lights to be installed on the trailer. It also includes electric brakes. Trail Trailers are built in Logan, Utah.
Storyteller Overland
Probably the best-known in RV circles of the offroad brands, Storyteller Overland had a trio of rugged vehicles on display under the GXV brand. The GXV Hilt and GXV Next have a mostly RV feel to them. Built on the Ram 5500 chassis, the pair have a go-anywhere, do-anything look to them. But it’s the GXV Epic – think the urban assault vehicle from “Stripes” – that probably got most of the attention. Checking in at 12-feet, 3-inches high on a Kenworth K370 chassis, the Epic has more of a can’t-be-stopped vibe. On the inside, it features a queen bed and large skylight. A front dinette that easily seats four converts into a full bed. A 15K BTU Truma Avanta Comfort A/C unit and Aqua-Hot hydronic heat system keep the temperature right for any season. On the power side, the Epic comes with an 18 kwh, 24-volt Mastervolt Power System, 4500-watt inverter, 1980 watts of solar power and an Onan QD 6000-watt diesel generator. Storyteller Overland is located in Birmingham, Ala.
