Forest River —
Palomino RV Pause Hiatus
The Pause extreme overland trailer from Forest River’s Palomino RV division is, quite frankly, new, different — and groundbreaking. Available in two models — the 26-foot Hiatus XC20.2 and Hiatus XC20.3, with two more models coming soon — both are adorned with overland-specific features, right down to a boot rack on the exterior where a consumer could hose off muddy boots and then move the rack to an interior mounting bracket to let them dry.
The side of both angular-styled units features a stylish Pause logo with the words “Reboot” and “Restart” as a nod to the onboard Garmin O.N.E. Control technology that not only ensures travelers find their way on off-grid adventures where there are no roads, but also controls the trailer’s systems, including one-touch leveling.
According to Maynard Miller, product manager for the Pause, the trailer has an all-aluminum proprietary frame with composite materials throughout. There is no wood to degrade over time and there are no welds to crack as everything is huck-bolted together. “The walls and the ceilings and the floor are all made of a composite material that is so strong you can hit it with a sledgehammer and not damage it,” Miller pointed out.
An automotive-grade bumper in the rear gives the Pause an almost Jeep-like appearance, and the bumper is fitted with two swing-out spare-tire carriers, a handyman jack and recovery board. Above the bumper is a 63-cubic-foot storage area that wraps around the rear bathroom and offers a rack to hold fishing rods. Up front, an industry-first articulating coupler developed with MORryde allows movement in three directions for off-roading. The A-frame box behind the hitch houses two 30-pound LP-gas cylinders, extra storage and Roto-Flex brackets to accommodate extra fuel or water tanks.
The underbelly of the unit is covered completely in diamond plate, while all-around brush guards protect the rest of the exterior.
Full independent suspension equipped with an airbag system not only means all four wheels are individually controlled, but also, once at the campsite, the rig can be lowered up to 12 inches to bring the fully featured outside kitchen to a comfortable height. That expansive outside kitchen — under a 14-foot Thule legless awning — includes a grill/griddle combo, sliding pantry, spice rack, refrigerator/freezer combo and hot-and-cold water. Up front a Truma dual-zone cooler slides out from under the interior queen bed.
An onboard air compressor allows off-roaders to lower tire pressure for the trails and re-inflate to highway pressure. Security cameras give a 360-degree view of the exterior. Meanwhile, a Renogy solar package includes a 200-watt solar panel, two 60-amp charge controllers, a 3,000-watt inverter charger and 400-amp-hour battery. (An upgraded package adds 700 watts of installed solar panels and a 300-watt portable panel.)
On the inside are white, power-coated aluminum cabinets and a bowl sink. A second refrigerator is tucked in a cabinet beneath the sink so campers can grab a cold drink without heading to the outside kitchen or cooler. A full-sized shower features a body-wash fixture. A central vacuum system is included. A large storage area is found behind the swing-out television bracket, which is controlled electronically by the Garmin system. A Fusion entertainment system and Wi-Fi Ranger components round out the tech.
The Pause holds 76 gallons of fresh water, 30 gallons of gray water and 30 gallons of black water. The overall length is just over 26 feet, with a GVWR of 8,700 pounds and a $130,000 MSRP.