here was a time when being “down in the boondocks” carried a bit of a negative connotation. It was slang for an isolated, rural environment that was often difficult to access — the backwoods — and, sometimes, just as hard to get out of. It was a place where the trappings of civilization usually ended and you were on your own.
Today, “boondocking” — RV-speak for camping off-grid — is perhaps the fastest-growing segment of the RV lifestyle as Millennials and Gen-Zers, the biggest group of new RVers through the past five years, look beyond campgrounds and RV resorts for “experiential” outdoor adventures.
Not surprisingly, the RV industry has embraced these younger buyers by tooling up to design and manufacture everything from single-axle “adventure” trailers to fully outfitted truck campers and Class B motorhomes designed to function for days — and sometimes weeks — without hooking up to sewer or electrical connections. Indeed, even fully electrified higher-end fifth-wheels are now offered with enough solar panels and batteries to meet camper demands when heading off into the outback.
Granted, some owners may never take their off-road-capable RVs beyond the nearest campground, but the point is they could if they wanted to. For others, the call of the wild includes the comforts of home, and that’s what an adventure camper offers. These smaller, more compact RVs can be easily taken into remote locations that may require 4-wheel-drive to reach. Additionally, with the advancement of technologies like lithium batteries, inverters, water filtration and electronics, these off-roaders can stay out for a longer time. And the onset of 12-volt DC televisions, refrigerators and other components has only added to the adventure trailers’ capabilities.
Did we mention that many also have expanded storage, from garages to exterior rack systems designed to carry a raft of outdoor toys and equipment? Of course, many of these new RVers — of all ages — are spending a great deal of time on the road and are choosing to live full-time in their RVs. The four-season capabilities now being built into these RVs help them accomplish that, as well.
Another reason for the skyrocketing popularity of these smaller trailers is their weight, which allows them to be towed by smaller pickups and SUVs. But there’s more to these non-traditional campers than their tow vehicle; many Millennials and Gen Zers are using their trailer as a basecamp while they pursue outdoor adventures from rock climbing to kayaking.
We couldn’t cover every single adventure RV built but have highlighted a cross-section of the off-grid RVs on the market. For anyone seeking the path less traveled, the choices have never been better.
he Coachmen Apex Tera 16T, noted the product manager for Apex and the Tera line of off-road-ready adventure trailers, is a one-stop-shop for adventure. New for 2021, the Apex Tera comes with everything in the mandatory Wilderness and Tera packages, including 100-watt solar, bike rack, tank heater pads and more.
Available to two floorplans, the 16T is designed for adventurous couples who want to have a comfortable flop while still bringing all the toys in a compact, rigid, lightweight package with a GVWR of 3,800 pounds. A unique feature of the 16T is the rear garage door. The rear queen bed lifts for large-item storage from the back door. At under 20 feet long, the 16T has an MSRP of $23,765.
ll-new for 2021, ultra-light travel trailer manufacturer Cruiser RV is introducing the Hitch. According to the company, Hitch is an ultra-lite travel trailer built to handle extreme terrain but towable with lightweight vehicles and equipped with unique features for today’s adventurous camper. The industrial-built travel trailer will include an all-aluminum superstructure, Azdel composite walls and plywood floors.
Hitch will feature four-floor plans approximately 18-22 feet long and weighing between 3,500-4,000 pounds dry. One of the smallest and lightest units Cruiser RV has made, each unit features 15-inch tires with a torsion axle and European two-toned designer cabinetry. In addition, it will come with a solar package, Wi-Fi, stainless steel appliances, larger showers, and full-size beds. Base MSRP in the mid-$20,000s.
ance is one of the oldest and most respected truck camper manufacturers in the business and offers a wide range of models designed for everything from half-ton pickups to one-ton duallies. Its latest model is the 960, which the company said was created based on input from experienced truck camper owners from across the country. Designed for simplicity, comfort and functionality, the 960 is a long-bed (8-foot), non-slideout camper with essentials like a wet bath, roomy closet, full galley with large pantry and space-saving swiveling chairs and table(s) instead of a traditional dinette. Or, you can opt for theater seating with dual tables and an armrest. Up top is a queen-size inner spring mattress, another closet and storage cubbies. An AM/FM/DVD stereo is standard, and 28-inch, 12-volt DC LED television is available.
Though truck campers are inherently designed for back country camping, the 960 (like most truck campers in Lance’s lineup), is available with serious off-grid equipment like two 100-watt rooftop solar panels, two lithium batteries, charge monitor, CumminsOnan RV QG 2500 watt LP-gas powered generator and Truma Combi Eco Plus water and comfort heating system (the latter is available on 960 only). If cold weather camping is in your future, you’ll be glad to know that the 960 is also available with the Lance Four Season Comfort Technology package, which includes insulated hatch covers and battery/propane compartments, heated holding tanks and junction valves, water heater bypass/winterization valves and an insulated cabover bed mat. You may also opt for the Lance Load Roof Rack system to make carrying extra gear easier. With generous holding tank capacities (45-gallon fresh, 30-gallon gray, 28-gallon black) two 5-gallon LP-gas cylinders and a floor length of 9 feet, 11 inches, the 960 is great choice for truck camper living off the grid.
Length: 19’ • Weight: 3,331 pounds (base model with fresh water and LP-gas cylinders full) • Base MSRP: $44,460
n its debut year, the 2021 Ibex is, according to Regional Sales Manager Derek Massing, designed to account for more camping situations, offering all-terrain tires with increased ground clearance, an enclosed underbelly with heat pads on the tanks, a 15K A/C, on-board solar and invertor, and customizable Rhino Rack rooftop storage.
More of a standard size travel trailer, the 20BHS is a bunkhouse model with added features for adventure camping like heated and enclosed tanks and termination valves, solar, inverter, all-terrain tires, Rhino Rack RVT tracks and an outside “bush kitchen.” At 25 feet long and a GVWR of 7,510 pounds, the IBEX 20BHS is designed for family adventure RVing while still being at home in the campground. Starting MSRP’s in the low $30,000’s.
he elder statesman of trailer manufacturing has a unique model for adventure travel: the Basecamp. Adventure seekers generally want to be connected to nature, and the Basecamp delivers with its aerodynamic, heavily windowed design. A small trailer with four available floorplans with GVWR’s from 3,500 to 4,300 pounds, BaseCamp is towable with many smaller trucks and SUVs. The off-road capabilities come with the optional X-package, which adds 3 inches of lift for ground clearance, 15- or 16-inch Goodyear off-road tires and stone guard protection for the front end. Add to the living space with an optional fully enclosed inflatable tent; a lithium power system and 180-watt solar package are available as dealer-installed options. MSRP for the new Basecamp 20 is $45,900.
ntroduced in 2020, the Sonic X by Venture RV is ideally equipped for extended off-grid living. Starting at the front, a black rock guard transitions to a one-piece fiberglass front wall, roof and back wall. An LCI Jack-It bicycle rack is attached to the front power tongue jack; a fold down rack on the back of the trailer is designed for kayaks and other gear.
The sides and back of the trailer are protected by rugged tubular steel nerf bars and rear bumper, while off-road tires and wheels (fitted with 3,500-pound torsion axles) add to the aggressive stance of this full-body-width trailer. If that’s not enough, standard “hi-definition” LED front and rear bar lights put out enough light to signal the space station. Underneath, the front third of the frame is protected by a full-size skid plate, which then transitions to the coroplast underbelly material. Being a “four-season” unit, this is all sealed up with electric heaters applied to all the tanks.
A large exterior hatch reveals a utility garage that’s home to a 2kW inverter system powered by a 250-amp hour lithium battery, which is charged by four 100-watt roof mounted solar panels. The Go Power! system, when coupled with the low-
consumption 11,500-BTU air conditioner, is said to provide up to five hours of air conditioning before a recharge is required.
There’s also a Boondocker water filtration and purification system built by Clearsource in cooperation with No Dirty Water. This system, which is unique to the Sonic X and optional for 2021, has the ability to draft water from a static source, purify it and fill the two 45-gallon fresh-water tanks. Above this, the wall is fitted with garage wall racks that can be fitted with hangars and baskets for all kinds of gear. Four power stabilizer jacks with independent motors take the bounce out of the parked unit.
Length: 27’ 6” • GVWR: 7,285 pounds • Base MSRP: $47,555
oy haulers are for any toys, and KZ paid attention when the company came up with the Escape Hatch line of travel trailers. The Hatch is just like the bigger toy hauler travel trailers, only on a small scale — and with a hatch door that raises instead of a ramp door that lowers.
The E17 Hatch has an overall length of 22 feet but has a GVWR of only 4,000 pounds. The rear dinette floor plan has removable tables for each side, which opens up the floor to carry various toys inside. The Off-Grid/Off-Road package adds 100 watts of solar, a 1kW inverter, A-frame-mounted bike rack, griddle, mud tires, extra ground clearance and electronically controlled heated holding tanks. MSRP is $22,133.
he Bushwhacker Plus is bigger (18 feet) and bolder than the traditional teardrop trailer offered by Braxton Creek and provides adventurists with more sleeping spaces and convenience features. The queen-size bed folds down from the E-Z bed/dinette system in less than 60 seconds and the dinette table swivels both ways, making coming and going easy. Nestled in the front cap are bunk beds for the kids.
The 2,360-pound (GVWR) teardrop trailer also features a private toilet/shower enclosure inside the unit, a fully featured kitchen with two-burner stove — and a host of standards and options including a TV antenna with Wi-Fi prep, Go Power! solar prep package, 12,000-Btu furnace, rear BAL stabilizing jacks, LED interior and exterior lights and an expanded wet bath. MSRP: $16,052.
escribed by Winnebago as “a towable built for beyond,” the Hike travel trailer is on the larger side, with five floorplans and two lengths — 20 feet, 7 ½ inches and 25 feet — in both single- and tandem-axle designs. Built into the exterior design is a patented tubular exoskeleton that not only makes the unit stand out aesthetically but also functionally as a gear-hauling adventure trailer.
The upper bars are designed first as a rack system upon which to attach any variety of outdoor equipment like kayaks and skis, as well as provide some limited protection to the body. The belt line is equally protected by a series of tubular bumpers that can help in the event of a “close brush with damage.”
The front gear garage was changed for 2021. The original box created problems for turning radius as well as attaching weight-distributing hitch brackets. The new box is slightly smaller in size, still allowing for storage of propane cylinders and batteries plus a little extra gear. Additionally, a riser system was attached to the frame below the box to hold it up, giving freer access to the A-frame for WD hitch bracket attachment. On the rear, a strong, frame mounted 2-inch receiver is standard.
The narrow body design, while slightly reducing the interior footprint, makes the unit much more stable in rough terrain. Diamond plate wheel skirts sit atop all-terrain wheels and tires, and an electric awning provides cover in sun and inclement weather.
Inside, the interior sports water-resistant woven vinyl flooring. Other amenities include stainless-steel sink, microwave, gas range, and an LED TV and audio system for entertaining. It also comes ready for solar panel and Wi-Fi integration. All the materials inside the Hike are rugged and easy to clean.
Length: 20’ 7.5” • GVWR: 4,200 or 6,000 pounds • Base MSRP: $27,978
or 2021, NOBO has seen some updates to its line to align the product with current adventure trends. With more than a dozen floorplans, NOBO has offerings for most adventure-seeking families.
Enhancements for ‘21 include a new outdoor “bush kitchen,” additional aluminum framing in the construction process and more dry-camping features — including increased solar capacity, 12-volt refrigerator and Showermiser shower system. The NB19.6 is a couple’s floor plan with a front queen murphy bed with couch, sofa slide out, and rear corner kitchen. At 4,200 lbs. dry weight and GVWR of 7,490 pounds, the NB19.6 is towable by a truck or SUV that many customers may already have. At under 25 feet, the standard build MSRP for the NB19.6 is $35,975.
he TAB Boondock Edition is a teardrop trailer on steroids. Around the exterior, a molded black guard rail with built-in grab handles surrounds the body. In front, aluminum diamond plate is used to make a utility platform and stone guard; out back, a Yakima roof rack is for attaching the toys while a custom aluminum rear cage provides protection while off-road. All this sits atop a heavy-duty pitched axle with 15-inch off-road tires.
The 2,082-pound (dry) Boondocker also features acrylic dual-pane windows, air conditioning and Alde heat and hot water. The Nautilus water management system by B&B Molders has all the utility connections and valves in one convenient spot. A solar package is included to extend the off-grid time as well. MSRP is $31,809.
ayco’s new Jay Feather Micro taps into both the demand for off-grid capabilities and the ability to be towed by smaller vehicles. The Micro trailers have floorplans ranging from 13 to 23 feet long and dry weights starting at 1,500 pounds. The light weight of these models is, to some extent, a result of using Azdel composite panels for assembling the box.
The smallest model, the 12SRK, resembles a teardrop camper, featuring a rear-facing outdoor galley with a flat-screen TV, Dometic portable refrigerator and Blackstone griddle. Inside, a futon and some simple cabinetry allow adventurists to sleep up off the ground, while an optional Thule awning is attached to a roof rack for gear. A simple camper, the 12SRK has a 25.5-gallon fresh-water tank and no holding tanks, but there is an optional air conditioner for the cabin.
Like the 166FBS, the larger models have an optional customer value package with an 11-foot-long power patio awning with LED lighting. Standard are exterior speakers with LED effect lighting and an LCI Jack-It bike rack. There’s ample storage on the outside, an exterior refrigerator, and black tubular nerf bars guarding the lower edges of the body. Black fender flares further complement the unit’s aggressive stance atop Goodyear 16-inch off-road tires. The package rides on a single rubber torsion axle, which is lifted to improve ground clearance.
The 166FBS also features a slideout and all the features expected in a modern RV, including an inside galley, corner bath, front bed and a jackknife sofa. The relatively roomy interior of the 166FBS includes fold-up patent-pending table trays for the two outside seating positions and a well-equipped galley with a surprising amount of prep space and storage. The trailer’s rear holds the 6-cubic-foot refrigerator (an 8-cubic-foot, 12-volt model is optional), pantry and corner bath.
Length: 19’ 8” • GVWR: 4,995 pounds • Base MSRP: $25,950
he SylvanSport GO camping trailer hauls gear, transports equipment and provides spacious shelter. This ultra-light pop-up camper sleeps four, offering a tent pod, gear deck, equipment rack and storage box. In transit, the 11-foot, 7-inch GO folds down to a small tow-behind trailer — yet campside, it blossoms with a spacious waterproof pop-up tent that deploys and retracts from the hinged case mounted below the equipment rack. The accommodations allow setup for multiple dining and sleeping options, including either oversize twin beds (80 x 34 inches) or one 116-inch-wide king bed.
Built of high-quality, proprietary aluminum extrusions that create a strong, corrosion-free and lightweight frame, the $8,995 MSRP trailer also boasts a gear deck during travel that’s able to accommodate up to 960 pounds.
n development for nine years, the $23,449 MSRP Camp365 trailer is the “transformer” of adventure trailers. Folded down, the camper stands just 6 feet, 8 inches high and 4 feet wide. Campside, it expands into a 700-cubic-foot weekend cabin of durable Aqualon with a 7-foot, 6-inch ceiling — and offers hardwall R7 insulation, electric air conditioner and electric or propane heater. The interior also features a queen-size folding bed, two-burner pull-out stove, pull-out stainless-steel sink and faucet, 12-volt DC-powered refrigerator/freezer and 12-gallon freshwater and graywater tanks.
If all that wasn’t trick enough, the Camp365 is built with a patented expandable axle — on the road, it employs a 6-foot-wide wheel track, but can be adjusted down to just 48 inches when on trails.
he Geo Pro and Flagstaff E-Pro sit squarely in the adventure trailer category, each having 12 floorplans to choose from, ranging from 11 to 21 feet in length and weighing in with a GVWR range of 1,962 to 4,455 pounds. The Rockwood and Geo are towable by many of today’s smaller trucks and SUVs.
Both lines of travel trailers have received some notable updates for 2021, with the addition of three new floorplans each, including a new toy hauler model and two new slideout configurations. Underneath, Dexter TORFLEX axles have been added as standard with the off-road package. The body is aluminum-framed and laminated with Azdel on the side walls, rear walls, roof and slideout walls, and the aluminum framing now extends to the dinette and bed framing. A 190-watt roof-mounted expandable solar panel system is paired with a 1,000-watt inverter that powers all outlets except the microwave and A/C with 12-volt DC refrigerators.
New for ’21 is added technology, including a tire pressure monitor system and LCI One Control app-driven multiplexing system that powers all the lights, awning and slideout.
Length: 20’ 7.5” • GVWR: 4,200 or 6,000 pounds • Base MSRP: $27,978