With winter about to set in, many Americans have already stored their camping trailers and motorhomes away. But that doesn't mean they've forgotten about RVs completely. Campers of all shapes and sizes were very much alive, well and ready for travel at last week's International Off-Road & UTV Expo in Scottsdale, Arizona. New Atlas stopped by and took a look at all the adventure camper vans, toy-hauling camping trailers, $200K expanding motorhomes, and other large and small camping vehicles spread out around the show grounds.
Patriot Campers brings the toys in time for Christmas
About two years after we took a look at the Australian-market Patriot Campers TH610 off-road toy-hauling camper back in 2015, Patriot expanded into North America, focusing first on its compact X1 and X2 off-road camping trailers. At this year's Overland Expo West, it told us it would be bringing over its toy haulers (TH610 and 730). It just didn't have them ready to show just yet.
Jump ahead half a year, and Patriot toy haulers are out and about on the show circuit. The US$49,990 TH730 is the full-size flagship of the toy hauler lineup, featuring a flatbed in back of a camper/utility box. The 730 comes standard as a very rugged but fairly basic toy/cargo trailer, but it can be built up into toy-hauling camper with options like the driver-side slide-out and James Baroud roof-top tent. The boat winch system we looked at back in 2015 is only available on the smaller $47,990 TH610, however.
Oklahoma's Exploration Outfitters is Patriot's North American distributor.
American Fastbacks gets you camping in the Jeep Wrangler
We've seen the American Fastbacks Badlands at other shows, including quite recently at the 2018 LA Auto Show. But it had previously been shut tight, and we mistook it for a basic Wrangler with roof-top tent. Big mistake.
In Scottsdale, American Fastbacks, an Erwin Hymer Group brand, flung the doors wide open, revealing a comprehensive off-road motorhome inside a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. This four-sleeper Jeep camper puts two people on the power-open roof-top tent above and two on the folding seats in the cabin. It also comes standard with a tailgate kitchen area with a dual-burner stove, stainless steel sink and mini-fridge.
Beyond the camper bits, American Fastbacks also ups the Badlands' game with a 2.5-in (64-mm) suspension lift, Fox shocks, 35-in A/T tires, a 10,500-lb (4,760-kg) winch and other upgrades. Long story short, the Wrangler becomes a proper go-anywhere, sleep-anywhere exploration machine. The company's website doesn't give a base price, listing it in "contact your local dealer" fashion, but the white model above wore a bright-yellow $69,343 sticker at the show.
Winnebago revels in the off-road
The RVs on exhibit were mostly trailers and fifth wheels, but there were a few camper vans scattered about, including a particularly nice version of the Mercedes Sprinter 4x4-based Winnebago Revel. The Revel was already among the most rugged North American camper vans available from a major manufacturer, and this particular model was upgraded with the chiseled chin of an off-road bumper. In back, it carried a set of Revel-badged boxes below the power-lift bed.
At $135,000, the Revel was already quite pricey when it launched last year, and it's only gotten pricier since, now sporting a base of $149,299. Winnebago doesn't skimp on standard equipment, though, outfitting the van with 200 watts of solar, an induction cooktop, a 71-L compressor fridge, a wet bath, hydronic heat and more. The 188-hp 3.0-liter six-cylinder turbo-diesel works with on-demand AWD with high/low range to keep the optional all-terrain tires spinning forward across the map. The 140-cu ft (4-cu m) storage garage below the power-lift bed ensures you have the gear you need to enjoy every natural playground along the way.
There were rows upon rows of additional trailers and motorhomes in Scottsdale, so hit the complete gallery to see them all.
