Tecrawl Mercedes G-Camper leaves Sprinter 4x4 vans choking on its dust

The all-wheel-drive Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has become an American overland and van life icon, but it isn't by any means Mercedes' most off-road-capable vehicle. The new Tecrawl from Terracamper takes advantage of one those superior Mercedes off-roaders, the G-Class, in offering buyers a small, nimble micro-camping platform designed to plunge into Mother Nature's farthest and highest reaches. A smart, high-efficiency indoor/outdoor amenity set ensures that campers take full advantage of their surroundings while always having a place to retreat from the elements to.

After covering Flowcamper's impressive Dog Van last week, we got to wondering what its former sister company Terracamper has been up to. Last we saw, it was updating its longstanding VW Terock 4x4 adventure camper to a T6.1 base back in 2020. It didn't take long to play catchup, as a photo of the baby blue Tecrawl G-Camper greets one the moment they land on Terracamper's home page.

Terracamper officially introduced the new Tecrawl earlier in 2023, positioning it as a small, minimalist 4x4 micro-camper for exploring remote spaces around the globe. Though the G-Class is commonly thought of as a luxury SUV – and rightfully so given a US$140K+ MSRP that exceeds the Range Rover's base price – it remains a stout, capable body-on-frame 4x4 with military roots. It boasts three locking differentials, a 9.5-in (24-cm) ground clearance, 27.5-in (70-cm) of wading, and the ability to climb up 45-degree slopes – whether on the Iron Schöckl, the real Schöckl or elsewhere around the natural alpine world.

The G-Class' capability makes it an intriguing base for a go-anywhere camper build, and Terracamper presents one of the simplest packages we've seen outside of the Ququq G-Box. Instead of mounting a motorhome module to the G's bare rear chassis the way EarthCruiser, ICC Offroad and others have, Terracamper installs most of its camper equipment directly into the G-Wagen's factory cabin.

The two/three-person longitudinal Tecrawl floor plan includes a passenger-side sofa across from a flip-up dining table/desk. The convertible sofa can drop into a 79 x 39-in (200 x 100-cm) solo bed at night, but the main overnight accommodations come by way of the two-person hardshell rooftop tent above.

A single rear passenger seat allows the rig to carry its three overnight occupants to and from camp. The remainder of the rear seating is replaced with camper modules that house kitchen equipment, electrical hardware and general storage space. Instead of a more common tailgate slide, the Tecrawl kitchen slides sideways out the driver-side rear door below the 270-degree awning. It brings with it a portable dual-burner gas stove, a small pantry and a foldaway worktop. The 31-L compressor fridge box stores in the rear driver-side corner, where it can be accessed from inside or outside via the flip-up rear window.

The interior buildout also houses a pressurized water system with 20-L fresh water canister and an available "Xtreme Pott" portable dry separating toilet. The Tecrawl then offers pretty much all the equipment of a larger camper van, only in a smaller indoor space that teams with the roof and area just outside the vehicle to create a proper base camp.

Terracamper offers additional options to improve comfort, including a thermal insulation package, auxiliary air heater, full electrical system with 150-Ah lithium battery and solar charging, and interior LED lighting. The Tecrawl conversion package starts at €11,000 (US$11,900) and mounts to a secondary floor that secures to the rear G-Class floor. The hardware is compatible with five-door G-Class models from 2018 to present.

We'd love to see the addition of a pop-up roof option to create more interior headroom and the ability to move between the lounge, upper bed and driver's cab without going outside, but Terracamper just offers the rooftop tent for now. Its VW T6.1 Terock and Tecamp vans do come with two available pop-up roof options.

Source: Terracamper