I love gawking at cool 4x4s and campers, and I also love a good deal. I have a buddy who suffers from the same affliction, and we have a text thread going back several years that鈥檚 filled mainly with Craigslist links to cool vehicles we鈥檝e found online. This affinity for adventure rig classifieds is how I ended up with a 2006 Power Wagon a few years ago and how he scored a killer deal on an even rarer truck and camper. Mostly, though, surfing the web for adventure mobiles is just a fun way to pass the time when we鈥檙e bored.

So, in an attempt to do something useful with this goofy habit and put all that time spent scrolling to good work, I鈥檓 going to start highlighting some of the coolest rigs and best deals I鈥檝e found recently in an installment I鈥檓 calling 鈥淐raigslist Finds.鈥�

Keep in mind that these things sell like hotcakes, so these exact listings may no longer be available by the time you鈥檙e reading this. The hope here is to provide some insight on what to look for and how to find a good deal on a rig.

Don’t miss: The Best Trailers, Campers, and Van Conversions of 2025

There are all sorts of amazing rigs sold around the world that we never got in the United States, like the Mitsubishi Delica, 70-Series Landcruiser, and a whole host of JDM, or Japanese Domestic Market, campers sold only in Japan. Case in point, this 1998 Toyota Camroad 4WD.

The Camroad was based on a Toyota Toyoace truck chassis and sold by different Japanese manufacturers in the 鈥�90s. This one, a Champ model, has a fiberglass camper affixed to the back of it and is about 16-feet-long and 6.5-feet-wide鈥攆or perspective, that鈥檚 shorter than many full-sized trucks and Sprinter vans on the market today. Japanese campers are renowned for their efficient use of space and excellent build quality, and this one certainly looks like it lives up to that.

It has a pass-through cab, meaning you can access the camper portion of the vehicle without needing to go outside, and looks like it sleeps at least four (two above the cab and two on a convertible dinette). The seller鈥檚 description isn鈥檛 the most detailed, but from the looks of things, it鈥檚 very well-equipped with a shower and cassette toilet inside, a 20-gallon water tank, a microwave, and more.

Like all JDM vehicles, this one is right-hand drive, which may take a bit of getting used to but is legal to drive in the U.S. This rig has an automatic transmission, which makes things a bit easier, and is powered by Toyota鈥檚 legendary 3-liter diesel engine. It even has push-button four-wheel-drive.

Because it鈥檚 nearly 30 years old and was never sold in the U.S., it鈥檒l take the right kind of buyer to fully appreciate and enjoy this rig. But, if you鈥檙e into well-made, quirky adventure vehicles with four-wheel-drive capability and Toyota reliability, this could be a really cool choice.

A Sportsmobile has always been an absolute dream rig in my mind. If you鈥檙e not familiar, the company has been making some of the most . The ones I鈥檝e always been most taken with are those built on the Ford E-Series platform鈥攖hey鈥檙e the old-school, boxy Ford van that was the predecessor to the modern-day Transit. Its truck-like, body-on-frame construction made it more suitable for off-road travel and all the modifications and accessories that go along with that, like suspension lifts, larger tires, steel bumpers, and winches.

These vans were never sold with four-wheel-drive from the factory, but a few companies, including Sportsmobile, , , and , converted them to four wheel drive, turning them into true adventure rigs. Sportsmobile is perhaps best known for their pop-top conversions, which allow for a ton of standing room and extra sleeping space when parked, but retain all the benefits of a low roof van on the highway.

While cool, Sportsmobiles don鈥檛 come cheap鈥擣ord stopped selling E-Series cargo vans in 2014, so even and hold their value. You can sort of still buy from Field Van (formerly Sportsmobile West), who has created their own custom fiberglass body that fits on an E-Series cutaway chassis, but it鈥檒l cost you north of $200K.

All that to say, this particular Sportsmobile is actually a pretty good deal. It鈥檚 a 2013 (so one of the last years of the E-350) with a Quigley 4WD conversion, and it has the sought-after 6.8L, V-10 engine with only 40K original miles. Lots of folks think the diesel engines are the way to go in these vans, but the V-10 is nearly as powerful and costs significantly less to maintain鈥攜ou鈥檒l just be buying a lot of gas because the engine is not known for being efficient.

The seller says the van鈥檚 interior was updated in 2018 by Field Van (formerly Sportsmobile West) and now has a quartz countertop with an induction cooktop. There鈥檚 also 200 watts of solar panels on the roof and four AGM batteries. Should those run out, it also comes with a Yamaha generator.

It鈥檚 loaded with extras like an onboard air compressor, front and rear, heavy-duty bumpers, an outdoor shower, and one of the cleanest interiors I鈥檝e seen in a long time. I鈥檓 a big fan of the floorplan on this one, too, which gives you more seating in the back and space to walk though to the back of the van. All in all, it鈥檚 about as drool-worthy as it gets.

This one is the most turnkey of the three vehicles, and a killer option for anyone looking for a true go-anywhere, haul-anything adventure rig. The Ford F-250 is a very popular truck for hauling a camper and doing serious work, and this particular one has two of the best options available for the model: the . The 7.3L V-8 puts out 430 horsepower and 475-pound-feet of torque and is a great alternative to a diesel engine, both for the lower maintenance costs associated with it and because regular unleaded is easier to find while traveling internationally. It鈥檚 also designed to be an exceptionally long-lived engine, so 76,000 miles shouldn鈥檛 scare anyone off.

The means the truck gets a slight lift, a locking rear differential, Ford鈥檚 Trail Control drive mode selector, a special rock crawling mode, and 35-inch tires. The seller also installed an onboard air compressor for quickly airing up those big tires.

The model鈥檚 max payload is 4,210 pounds, which means it likely doesn鈥檛 even know that camper is in the bed. As for the camper, this Four Wheel Campers Hawk looks to be a fully loaded, front-dinette model. It sleeps four, and the seller says it has every option available, including an 85L Isotherm fridge, a Thetford cassette toilet, inside and outside showers, 230 watts of solar on top, and Victron charging components, among other things.

If I were looking for a slightly used three-quarter-ton truck and slide-in camper combo, this rig has just about everything I鈥檇 be looking for. You鈥檙e getting a lot of value here, too, considering a new F-250 Tremor and a new, would be north of $40K.

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The post Craigslist Finds: Our Favorite 国产吃瓜黑料 Rig Classifieds this Month appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

I鈥檓 driving a brand-new through the jungle of Puerto Rico, and I have the vehicle at such an awkward angle that one of my tires is hanging in the air. The rock obstacle I鈥檓 traversing on this particular four-wheel-drive trail is steep and off-camber, forcing the nose of the SUV down and the back right wheel to completely abandon the ground. I鈥檓 a 鈥渇our tires on the ground鈥� kind of driver, so I panic about how expensive rolling this vehicle will be. It still has that new car smell. I also think about the location of the nearest hospital. Typically in this situation, reason would take over and I would let off the gas, roll backward, and attack the obstacle at a safer angle, but a voice coming through my walkie-talkie tells me to trust the vehicle and apply steady pressure to the gas.

Watch: Test Driving the 2026 Honda Passport Trailsport SUV

I do what I鈥檓 told, powering through the rock slab (and my discomfort) only to come down smooth and safe on the other side. This is the beauty of the new Honda Passport Trailsport: Like a finely tuned full-suspension mountain bike, it irons out difficult terrain, making off-road trails more approachable for the masses.

This little debacle is part of my two-day test drive of the 2026 Passport Trailsport in Puerto Rico, where I had the opportunity to drive the mid-sized SUV over a variety of terrain, from winding two-lane roads to deep sandy beaches to an off-road course through the jungle designed to show off the vehicle鈥檚 adventure prowess. Honda is hoping the Passport Trailsport will win over hardcore fans of the Toyota 4Runner and Jeep Cherokee, and to be honest, the car made a hell of a first impression. Its rugged exterior, comfortable ride, and user-friendly off-road capabilities certainly won me over.

2026 Honda Trailsport Passport Specifications

Price: Starts at $48,450
Power: 285 horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine
Transmission: 10-speed automatic with paddle shifters
MPG: 18 city/23 highway

I am not a rabid off-road enthusiast. I don鈥檛 spend my weekends rock crawling through the desert, and my expendable income isn鈥檛 earmarked for after-market skid plates and suspension kits. But I do appreciate what a four-wheel-drive vehicle allows me to do. I鈥檝e driven open-aired ATVs on multi-day tours across Utah and Nevada, and spent countless nights camping out of the back of four-wheel-drive vehicles. I鈥檝e owned Jeep Cherokees, Toyota 4Runners, and Nissan Pathfinders. I currently drive an F-150 with an FX4 off-road package that includes a lift and enhanced suspension.

I鈥檝e liked all of these vehicles because they can get me deeper into the backcountry while carrying the gear I need. I like to camp deep in the forest away from the crowds, so I need a vehicle that can handle rough trails. But the truth is, I mostly use my truck for running errands on paved roads around town.

In short, I am the target audience for the new Honda Passport Trailsport鈥攕omeone who spends 90 percent of my drive time on paved roads, but occasionally wants an SUV that can handle snow, beach driving, and four-wheel-drive trails. Honda鈥檚 Trailsport development team says it was designed to be a daily driver that doubles as a gear hauler and off-road workhorse. Honda is touting the Passport Trailsport as their most capable off-road vehicle to date. It鈥檚 also damn pretty to look at and a super comfortable ride.

Off-Road Performance

Honda gave the Trailsport plenty of power with a standard V-6 engine and enhanced off-road capability with a new front and rear suspension system with increased lateral stiffness and forged-steel arms; the all-wheel-drive system also boasts 40 percent more torque than previous models. The Trailsport also has 8.4 inches of clearance, about a quarter inch more than the previous model, that鈥檚 maximized by a front overhang that is set back to increase clearance on steep terrain. The undercarriage has beefy protection from ground contact thanks to steel-armored plates protecting the fuel tank, transmission, and oil pan. Wide, 18-inch all-terrain tires (the biggest tires Honda has ever used on an SUV) and front and rear recovery hooks round out the standard off-road package.

I drove this vehicle across terrain that I normally would not attempt in any of the four-wheel-drive vehicles I have owned in the past, navigating a jungle course and trails through rock, off-camber angles, steep ascents and descents, and deep sand, all of which tested my own off-road skills. I think I was cantilevered with a wheel in the air more often during my two-hour jungle drive than in my entire adult life. And the Trailsport not only outperformed my expectations, but did so in total comfort, and with a user interface that is intuitive, even if you don鈥檛 have much experience driving off-road.

Simply use a button to choose which off-road mode you want (Trail, Sand, Snow, Mud), all of which calibrate the suspension and torque based on the conditions. For instance, if you鈥檙e in Trail Mode, which is the general four-wheel-drive setting, and you lose contact with the ground on one or more tires, 75 percent of the torque will be sent to the wheels that are still in contact with the ground; the system maintains 25 percent of potential torque on the airborne wheels, so there鈥檚 an immediate transfer of power once ground contact is regained. This is what allows you to carefully throttle through certain obstacles.

And while you鈥檙e in Trail Mode, the Trail Watch camera system is activated on the 12.5-inch touch screen, engaging four cameras so you have a complete view of what鈥檚 around your vehicle while you鈥檙e navigating the trail. This enhanced view gives uneasy drivers more confidence that they鈥檙e keeping their vehicle safely on the trail and allows them to see obstacles that might be hidden from their natural point of view. Gauges on the dash track your elevation, pitch, and rollover status on the driver display so you can keep an eye on key factors that keep you safe in rough terrain.

I also really liked the Downhill Descent feature: Click a button on super steep terrain and the Trailsport goes into 鈥渁utopilot,鈥� maintaining your speed on the downhill. A similar Brake Stop feature will keep you from sliding backwards on steep ascents.

None of this is ground-breaking technology, but the fact that it all comes standard in the Passport Trailsport is incredibly enticing, especially to a casual off-road enthusiast who isn鈥檛 quite sure what features he/she should add on to their purchase.

On-Road Comfort

That鈥檚 not to say the Trailsport is only an off-road workhorse. The truth is, most people that buy this SUV won鈥檛 test its limits the way I did in Puerto Rico. It is an easy, comfortable car to drive, whether you鈥檙e heading deep into the desert or taking kids to their Saturday soccer game. The cabin is plush, with synthetic leather seats that wipe clean, a panoramic roof that comes standard, and lots of easy-to-navigate tech with a large touchscreen as the infotainment hub. The seats are heated and there鈥檚 even a built-in wireless phone charger in the front console.

Cargo space is off the charts, too, thanks to the almost 84-cubic-feet of hauling space when the second row seats are folded down. That means you can fit two adult mountain bikes inside the vehicle. There鈥檚 also under-floor-storage that holds a spare, and is big enough for folded camping chairs or other camping gear even with the spare stored inside. Large side storage bins add dedicated spots for smaller items too. Even the cupholders between the two front seats are big鈥攍arge enough to fit 32-ounce Nalgene and Hydroflask bottles.

One of my favorite details is that every model of the Passport Trailsport comes standard with all-season rubber floor mats, which is typically my first purchase after I get a vehicle.

国产吃瓜黑料 Ready

Honda also created a new line of accessories that can be added at the factory or dealership, giving you a handful of packages that enhance certain aspects of the vehicle. There鈥檚 a Pet Package that includes seat covers and a separation barrier, and a Tow Package that adds a trailer hitch, hitch harness, and ball mount. My favorite is the Trailsport 国产吃瓜黑料 Package, which includes a platform roof rack, Molle storage panels in the trunk, a rear LED cargo light, and a cargo shelf that increases the hauling capacity in the trunk and can be converted into a picnic table with the screw-on legs that are stored next to the spare tire.

Another cool detail that won me over: There鈥檚 a garnish on the tail end of the roof that鈥檚 made of a resin material that allows you to lean skis or fly rods against the vehicle without scratching the body.

Final Thoughts on the Honda Passport Trailsport

Honda built the Trailsport to compete with the Toyota 4Runner, in hopes of gaining some die-hard 4Runner fans with its combination of off-road prowess and top-of-the-line styling. Normally, I鈥檇 say there is no chance that a new SUV would win the hearts of 4Runner devotees because of their cult-like enthusiasm for that rig (I say that as a card-carrying cult member myself). But I know that a lot of 4Runner fans are upset that Toyota has abandoned the V-6 for a 4-cylinder turbo engine, so I think there鈥檚 a window for Honda to pick up some ground in the mid-sized SUV category.

My two-day test drive of the Passport Trailsport was a winning experience, and if I were in the market for a new SUV, this would be at the top of my list. But the Trailsport is not perfect, at least not for my personal requirements. First and foremost, Honda is not producing a hybrid version of the Passport Trailsport. I want my vehicle to do three things: take me into the backcountry, carry my gear, and do as little environmental damage as possible. Hybrids and electric vehicles aren鈥檛 a silver bullet, but I do believe they鈥檙e a step in the right direction, and I think my next vehicle will be a hybrid (if not fully electric). That鈥檚 a personal preference, and I鈥檓 sure many will disagree with me in the comments.

Another thing to consider: the Passport Trailsport only has two rows of seats. This is less of an issue for me now that my kids are driving their own vehicles, but I know plenty of people who simply will not buy an SUV that doesn鈥檛 have third-row-seating. That鈥檚 a non-starter for them.

But the Honda Passport Trailsport is a badass vehicle. It will take you deep into the backcountry, handling a variety of terrain along the way. And with its superior cargo space and smart accessories, it will carry the gear you want to use once you reach your destination. And isn鈥檛 that exactly what we all want from an off-road vehicle?

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The post How Rugged Is the New Honda Passport? I Drove One Through the Jungle to Find Out. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

There was a time when you had to choose between comfort and off-roading chops when it came to pulling your adventure home along with you. You could spend a week in a luxury trailer as far as the pavement would take you, or sleep off-kilter in a Jeep pop-up camper deep in the wild. Now, whether you chase your motor-powered thrills at a gravel campground or 500 miles from the nearest interstate, your options are better than ever.

Our favorite slide-in, pop-up, and tow-behind equipment of the year keeps your storage space usable, maximizes sprawl鈥攜es, there’s a short-bed camper that fits a king-sized mattress鈥攁nd promises as much off-road prowess as you can dream of.

Updated April, 2025: We added a new pick鈥攖he Wayfarer Vans Walt Conversion鈥攖o this list, and updated other pricing and product info throughout.听

At a Glance

• Best Van Conversion:
• Best Minimalist Camper:
• Best Off-Road Trailer:
• Best Luxury Rig:
• How to Choose a Trailer or Camper
• How We Test
• Meet Our Lead Testers

Best Van Conversion

Wayfarer Vans Walt Conversion

Type: Van Conversion
Material: Laminated composite wall and ceiling panel; Havelock wool insulation; 9-ply solid-core baltic birch plywood

Pros and Cons
鈯� Simple, high-quality build
鈯� Modular layouts
鈯� Will convert used vans
鈯� 2-3 day install time
鈯� Conversions only available for Ram Promaster and Ford Transit
鈯� No custom work

Watch: Inside Look at the Wayfarer Walt Van Conversion

Van conversion companies are a dime a dozen these days. The vast majority offer expensive, fully custom buildouts loaded with complicated electrical and plumbing systems that can easily cost six figures鈥攕ometimes even without factoring in the price of the van itself鈥攁nd take weeks, if not months, to build.

That鈥檚 not the case with Colorado Springs-based Wayfarer Vans: their largest conversion, built on a 159鈥� High Roof Ram Promaster cargo van platform, starts at $25K. While that price can climb to around $55K if you add every optional accessory possible, like a 12V air conditioner, bug screens, 400 watts of solar, and a Propex Heater, it鈥檚 still an incredible value in today鈥檚 campervan marketplace. Wayfarer also completes the installation in just 2-3 days.

The value is what originally caught our attention, but what stood out during a multi-week test last summer was the quality and functionality. There鈥檚 tons of storage space for gear throughout, and the Baltic Birch cabinets and furniture felt solid and didn’t rattle loose鈥攅ven after we drove on miles of washboard roads in Montana. A simple hand pump and removable, five-gallon fresh and grey water containers meant we didn’t worry about built-in tanks leaking or accidentally leaving the water pump on while out fishing for the day.

An over-bed shelf with bungees kept things like extra layers and blankets out of the way without adding the additional weight of more cabinets. The built-in, insulated partition that separates the cab and living area made for a great privacy screen while changing at trailheads, and quickly rolled up and out of the way during travel.

We also loved the modular interior: all the furniture simply bolts into cargo track on the floor, which meant we could move things around to accommodate multiple bikes and other bulky items. Most other vans with modular interiors we鈥檝e tested feel more like camping in a mobile erector set, whereas the Walt felt like a cozy, minimalist cabin with the added benefit of modularity. It鈥檚 the perfect blend of #vanlife and practical work van functionality.

Despite the reasonable price point, the brand still uses proven, premium materials throughout, like Havelock Wool insulation, 9-ply solid-core Baltic Birch plywood, and laminated composite wall and ceiling panels. Translation? They鈥檙e built for the long haul, and you鈥檇 be hard-pressed to find a better-built, more adaptable, and well-thought-out campervan for the money.

Best Minimalist Camper

Tune Outdoor Tune M1

Type: Canopy-style popup truck camper
Weight: From 387 lbs (short-bed Tacoma)
Material: Aluminum/Composite

Pros and Cons
鈯� Incredible space-to-weight ratio
鈯� Sleek
鈯� Retains bed utility
鈯� Heavier than some wedge campers
鈯� Expensive

Watch: Tour of the Tune M1 Truck Camper

True innovation has been tough to come by in the lightweight, shell-style truck camper market lately, but that changed when Denver-based Tune Outdoors launched its Tune M1 in 2023.

Instead of releasing just another wedge camper or traditional slide-in, Tune combined some of the best existing features on the market, like building with aluminum extrusions and honeycomb composite panels, and added its own twist: The Tune M1 rests on a truck鈥檚 bed rails, but the side walls flare out at the bottom to provide far more interior living space than anything else out there. That extra width also provides more standard sleeping space鈥攊n fact, an optional bed extension platform accommodates a nearly king-sized mattress on a short-bed Tacoma.

The Tune M1鈥檚 starting price includes features that cost extra at many other brands, like built-in lighting, a 4-inch memory foam mattress, and 440-plus feet of T-Track. All that T-Track means you can bolt nearly anything to the camper, and easily build out the interior if you wish.

Bonus: Side awning panels fully open for gear access. Our favorite option is the tempered glass side panels, which not only look fantastic, but also let more light inside and allow for panoramic views. 鈥淭he packed-down silhouette is so tight that we never held back on even the burliest roads,鈥� says Aaron Gulley, a longtime 国产吃瓜黑料 contributor and gear tester. 鈥淏ut it has so much popup space that the truck bed felt roomy for two people even with coolers, a generator, and requisite camping gear.鈥�

The perfect cross between a fully featured slide-in and a wedge camper, the Tune M1 is ideal for families who need more space, or anyone who wants a truck camper but also wants to continue using their truck bed for truck things.

Best Off-Road Trailer

Boreas Campers EOS-12

Type: 4-Season off-road travel trailer
Material: Composite and metal construction
Weight: 3,750 lbs (dry weight)

Pros and Cons
鈯� Incredibly capable off road
鈯� No-wood construction (no mold, rot, etc.)
鈯� 50-gallon fresh water capacity
鈯� Expensive
鈯� No indoor sink/cooking option

Watch: Inside the Boreas EOS-12 Trailer

We鈥檝e followed Pueblo, Colorado-based Boreas Campers closely since it debuted its AT and XT models, both class-leading off-road teardrops, a few years ago. The EOS-12 builds on the solid foundation of those campers and takes everything to a new level鈥攍iterally.

The EOS-12 is a 20-foot, overland-style pop-up travel trailer built to go anywhere and keep you comfortable off-grid for extended periods of time in any weather conditions. Composite panel construction keeps the rig well insulated and light on its feet with a dry weight of 3,750 pounds.

The trailer features a slim canvas pop top that keeps it aerodynamic, a well-appointed outdoor kitchen, and a full indoor wet bath. With one queen-sized main bed and a dinette that folds out to about a twin sized bed, we found it could sleep three adults comfortably, and appreciated the copious amounts of storage inside.

The EOS-12 really shines when it comes to its mechanical and electrical features. It rides on a Cruisemaster XT鈥攁n independent trailing arm suspension with airbags and auto-level, capable of handling much rougher terrain than you鈥檙e likely to experience鈥�540 amp hours of Battleborn lithium batteries, Victron electrical components, and 400 watts of solar panels.

Everything on this camper, from the exterior rock lights to the air compressor and the furnace, are operated by a portable Garmin O.N.E. tablet, which, despite our initial hesitation, performed flawlessly.

鈥淲e loved using the EOS-12 on a 5-day mule deer hunt,鈥� says Eric Ladd, a mountain biker, hunter, skier, and all-around adventure seeking ER doc based in Santa Fe, NM. 鈥淲e never worried about where we were towing it, it didn鈥檛 come close to running out of power or water, and we ate like kings thanks to the amazing outdoor kitchen鈥攄espite being off grid the entire time.鈥�

Best Luxury Rig

Airstream Trade Wind

Type: Travel Trailer
Material: Aluminum
Weight: 6200 lbs (dry weight)
Length: 25鈥� 2鈥�

Pros and Cons
鈯� Fully off-grid power system
鈯� Gorgeous interior design
鈯� Roomy floor plan
鈯� Expensive
鈯� Not as off-road-capable as others

Watch: Tour the Airstream Trade Wind Trailer

The reintroduction of the Trade Wind model shows that Airstream is listening to consumers. While the Basecamp models have been marketed towards younger generations looking to get a little further off the beaten path, the Trade Wind is the first of the company鈥檚 iconic, silver bullet-shaped travel trailers to come off the factory floor with everything a boondocker needs鈥攁nd, as it turns out, everything our testers have added to their personal Airstreams.

It comes with a robust solar system, Battleborn lithium batteries, a 3-inch lift kit and all-terrain Goodyear Wrangler Workforce Tires. When you combine the system upgrades with a stellar floor plan that sleeps up to five, gorgeous interior design, and other smart features like a recirculating water heater, optional composting toilet, and an optional rear hatch that lets you easily load bulky gear, it all adds up to an incredible, luxurious, off-grid basecamp.

鈥淲e have owned an Airstream for nearly a decade and modified it for heavy, backcountry, boondocking use. The new Trade Wind is everything we always wanted ours to be鈥攁nd much more,鈥� said Gulley. 鈥淭his is a rig built to go anywhere and do everything, and to do it in classic Airstream style. We definitely see an upgrade in our near future.鈥�

How to Choose a Camper or Trailer

Buying a camper of any kind is a big investment, so it鈥檚 best if you can try one out or at least see one in-person before pulling the trigger. Visiting a dealer is great, but a lot of today鈥檚 best rigs are sold direct-to-consumer, which means that events like Overland Expo are a great way to see a camper up close.

Even better, try renting the type of rig that interests you on to get a real feel for it. Even if they don鈥檛 have the specific model you鈥檙e looking for, you鈥檒l get an idea of whether you鈥檙e a van, trailer, or truck camper person.

What Kind of Camper Should I Buy?

The short answer is, it depends. In general, we think most folks are better served by buying a tow-behind they can pull with their current vehicle. Trailers have more space than a van or truck camper could ever provide, and they don鈥檛 have engines, transmissions, and other expensive parts to maintain.

How Much Should I Expect to Spend?

For a new rig, you should budget anywhere from $100-250K for a van, $10-30K for a truck camper (sans truck), and $30-130K for a trailer, depending on your tastes and needs.

How Much Solar Do I Need?

It all depends on how much luxury you want off grid. For most weekenders, around 200-300 watts of solar and 100-200 amp hours of lithium batteries will be more than enough.

How We Test

• Number of testers: 6
• Nights Spent Camping: Over 20
• Number of campers/trailers tested: 7
• Longest Stint Spent Off-Grid: 7 days
• Most Challenging Test Drive: 23 miles of rugged, New Mexico washboard

Between attending overland expo shows to tour the latest rigs and testing demo trailers on extended trips, category manager Bryan Rogala spends over 30 nights camping in everything from rooftop tents to Airstreams every year.

Because evaluating adventure rigs isn鈥檛 as simple as testing a pair of running shoes, our testing criteria looks a bit different. We look at build quality, standard features and components, pricing, and availability, as well as details like trailer suspension and camper wall construction methods, in an effort to find a broad array of what we think are the most well-made and value-driven rigs on the market.

Meet Our Lead Testers

Bryan Rogala is a longtime contributor to 国产吃瓜黑料 and has been reviewing trailers and campers since 2018. He covers overlanding gear and rigs in his regular column, and his 101 video series for 国产吃瓜黑料 Online. As a hunter, mountain biker and skier, he鈥檚 in a constant search for the perfect adventure rig.

Aaron Gulley and Jen Judge, both former 国产吃瓜黑料 contributors and gear testers, spent 3.5 years living full-time in their 2014 Airstream Flying Cloud 23FB. Their travels as cyclists, hikers and hunters have taken them and their Airstream all around the U.S., and provided serious insight into the world of travel trailers.

Corey Leavitt is a filmmaker, truck nerd, and adventure rig enthusiast. He鈥檚 filmed and helped produce all of Rogala鈥檚 101 videos, rehabbed a truck camper, and spends more time on Craigslist seeking the next rig than anyone should.

Eric Ladd is a mountain biker, hunter, skier, and all-around adventure seeking ER Doc. He鈥檚 modified his own travel trailer for off road and off grid use, and takes his young family of four camping all over the Western U.S.

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The post The Best Trailers, Truck Campers, and Van Conversions of 2025 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Overlanding seems to have become all about creating the most ultra-luxurious or ultra-accessorized rig possible. If I鈥檝e learned one thing in all the camper and trailer testing I鈥檝e done, it鈥檚 simpler is better. Less stuff to break means more time having fun outside.

People spend stupid amounts of money building adventure rigs, and pour tons of their own time and energy into creating luxurious mobile dwellings for themselves. They鈥檙e effectively creating an AirBnB on wheels, and I fear they鈥檙e missing the point of why they got into it in the first place鈥攜ou know, to go camping.

Attend an Overland Expo show these days, or arrive at a popular dispersed camping area like Moab, Utah or Fruita, Colorado, and you鈥檒l see what I鈥檓 talking about. In a capitalist society that values consumption, and at a time where we鈥檙e constantly fed a barrage of content designed to make us want to buy things, it鈥檚 easy to get sucked into the whirlpool of wanting more.

The point of overlanding, to me at least, is to use a vehicle to better enable human-powered adventures and make camping a little easier and more comfortable. We鈥檝e now gotten to a point where ease and comfort have morphed into luxury and excess, and it鈥檚 time to take a hard look at that.

“The Most Advanced Systems and Premium Components Money Can Buy”

Before I go any further, I want to make clear that I鈥檓 guilty of this too鈥攈ell, I write about campers and trailers for a living. My wife and I ended up with our most recent adventure rig, a 19-foot Airstream trailer, because we kept seeking out more and more amenities in a camper. Like a lot of folks, we wanted something that would make boondocking more comfortable during longer trips鈥攁nd the Airstream had all the bells and whistles, like a three-burner stove, an oven, a toilet and shower with hot water, A/C, and more.

Watch: Bryan Rogala’s DIY Truck Camper

This weekend, my wife and I went camping with friends at a gorgeous, off the beaten path state park near White Sands National Park. The campground is pretty standard, consisting of a couple of paved loops with a few tent sites and some with water and electric hookups. Our neighbors were some folks camped in a built on an industrial, military truck chassis with huge, mud-terrain tires that was clearly purpose-built for off-road exploration.

There鈥檚 an abundance of awesome dispersed camping in the area, and we couldn鈥檛 help but wonder why anybody who owned a nearly half-million-dollar expedition rig designed to stay off the grid for extended periods of time鈥攃omplete with its own water-filtration system鈥攚ould stay on a paved campground loop in a state park, or use the campground bathroom when I can guarantee you the one inside that vehicle was nicer. But hey, at least they rode their dirt bikes to the bathroom each morning.

When I see rigs like selling for over $530,000 fully kitted out with features like heated floors and a full bathroom, a 14KW lithium battery system, 70 gallons of water capacity, and 鈥渢he most advanced systems and premium components money can buy or skilled hands can craft,鈥� I can鈥檛 help but wonder what happens when one of those systems fails on the road.

I鈥檝e witnessed water tanks leaking and pumps failing in fancy Sprinter conversions, and stood in the booth of a major overland trailer manufacturer at Overland Expo West as customer after customer came up to complain about cabinets falling off the walls, tank sensors failing, suspension components breaking, and more.

Is There No Middle Ground?

Rather than make campers and trailers that are as high tech and comfortable as possible, I want to see more manufacturers focus on simplicity and durability鈥攁fter all, we already have the RV industry if we want cheaply-built 鈥渓uxurious鈥� rigs. It鈥檚 as if there鈥檚 no middle ground in the camper and trailer space these days鈥攜ou either have to spend huge sums of money in the overland space to get something that鈥檚 truly well-built and won鈥檛 rattle apart on you, or you have to buy a cheap RV and cross your fingers.

To me, 鈥渙verlanding鈥� has always been more akin to car camping than extended, off-road journeys. It鈥檚 about having a rig capable enough to reach remote campsites without worry, and one that provides at least a bit more comfort during your stay than a traditional tent setup (especially in bad weather). That way, you can stay longer, sleep and eat better, and have more fun doing the other activities鈥攍ike biking, hunting, fishing, etc.鈥攜ou鈥檝e traveled for in the first place.

The Skyloft Van is obviously an extreme example, but if you take a walk around an show, it feels like the whole industry is shifting towards luxury and complication and away from its sleeping-in-the-back-of-a-Land-Cruiser roots. Even traditional RV brands like have gotten into the overland game in recent years with the series of trailers.

While I fully support the notion of an RV being built for off-pavement use, I sometimes wonder what the point is of spending $120K on a trailer with features like a pass-thru slide out kitchen, on-demand hot water, ducted heating, and a tablet that remotely controls every system on the trailer. When you zoom out a bit, the whole point of a trailer, especially an 鈥渙verland鈥� trailer, is to go camping and spend time outside.

While all those luxuries will make you more comfortable, I鈥檇 bet a lot of money you still won鈥檛 be as comfortable as you would in a nice Airbnb or fancy hotel room somewhere.

Let鈥檚 say . You could book 480 nights in an Airbnb for the price of that $120K camper. If you camp a lot, say 50 nights a year, it鈥檇 take you 9.6 years of Airbnb stays to break even. That鈥檚 a lot of vacations.

Keep It Simple (and Functional)

My point isn鈥檛 to chastise anyone for having a lot of money to spend on a camper, or to suggest we should all just toughen up and sleep in a bivvy; it鈥檚 to remind folks, and the overland industry at large, that the goal of this hobby is to get outside and go camping, and that oftentimes unnecessary luxuries can get in the way of that. You can make camping extremely comfortable while still keeping things simple, after all.

Rather than overcomplicated rigs with fancy systems and every amenity under the sun, I鈥檇 like to see the overland industry and camper manufacturers focus on building simple, durable rigs with an emphasis on reliability and quality.

Give me an insulated box鈥攚ith some lights, a heater, a basic hand-pump sink, and a Goal Zero for charging things鈥攖hat鈥檚 able to withstand washboard roads and light off-roading than a luxury apartment on wheels with leather-wrapped dinette cushions and a washer and dryer (seriously). After all, nobody will care how warm the in-floor hydronic radiant heat system keeps their feet in the morning if it quits working after a year or needs constant maintenance to keep running.

I鈥檇 rather have a rig that鈥檚 easy to deal with, requires minimal maintenance, and enables my other hobbies and passions versus an overcomplicated Airbnb on wheels that in itself becomes an all-consuming hobby to maintain.

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New cars and trucks are more expensive than ever鈥攖he average price of a used car was just shy of $50,000 in January, according to Kelly Blue Book. Interest rates to finance a vehicle are as well. To this car enthusiast, out of control costs sounds like a good argument for hanging on to your current vehicle, and taking care of it so you can keep driving safely and comfortably. And while maintenance often sounds intimidating, it really doesn鈥檛 need to be.

With 35,000 miles of off-road driving, plus big trips like last year鈥檚 three-month epic through Baja under its belt, is starting to feel a little beat. Like anyone whose truck is squeaking, driving poorly, and becoming a pain to use, I started to plan on buying a replacement. I pondered my options鈥攎aybe a little bigger truck, probably with a more comfortable camper, definitely brand new. But with interest rates still exceeding seven percent, vehicle prices at an all-time high, and creeping in, the thought of adding an expensive payment to my monthly budget just no longer seems prudent. So I鈥檓 doing something else: I鈥檓 keeping my truck.

But choosing to keep my truck does nothing to eliminate its squeaky bearings. So I decided to give the Ranger a makeover. And even if you鈥檙e not a truck enthusiast, here鈥檚 how you can do the same.

1. Make a List

You don鈥檛 need to be an expert to do this. Just write down everything you don鈥檛 like about how your vehicle is performing right now. Every creak or problem or task you can come up with.

Mine looks like this:

• Sticky ginger-ale explosion residue all over windshield, headliner, seats, dashboard, buttons
• Goose Gear Seat Delete plate system squeaking. Smoothie residue in nooks and crannies
• Dog hair everywhere
• Headlamps bulbs older than one year
• Intermittent check engine light
• Worn/squeaky suspension bushings on all four corners
• Oil/filter change overdue
• Differential fluid front/rear probably needs changing
• Fog lights have rattled out of alignment
• Camper interior lights broken
• Solar panel(s) broken
• Broken bumper swingout retention pin
• Bent bumper swingout latch
• Apply yellow film to rear work lights so people can see me during blizzards
• Intermittent clunking over bumps
• Decked drawer system loose and clunking, filled to brim with mess

2. Diagnose Problems

Even if you鈥檙e not an amateur mechanic, you can likely tackle more of these jobs than you think. But, you have to figure out what鈥檚 wrong in order to fix it. Don鈥檛 be intimidated;听diagnosing your car’s issues is easier than you think.

Any car or truck听made since 1996 includes a standardized electronic Onboard Diagnostic port called an OBD-II. Diagnostic ports were mandated as part of a drive for more stringent vehicle emissions standards鈥攃heck engine lights are typically related to a vehicle鈥檚 intake or exhaust systems鈥攚ith the intention of keeping these complicated parts owner-serviceable. OBD-II readers can be purchased for as little as $20. But odds are good one of your friends or neighbors already has one.

To use an OBD-II scanner, just plug it into the port below the steering wheel while the vehicle is fully off, then turn the key or push the ignition button to turn the car on in accessory mode, without starting the motor. Then follow the instructions on the screen.

Some modern vehicles may also push fault codes out to a smartphone app, along with a brief explanation.

Once you have that code or smartphone alert, all you need to do is perform a simple search. Put your car or truck鈥檚 year, make, model and trim (i.e. 2021 Ford Ranger XLT) into Google, along with the fault code or name, and you鈥檒l find help immediately.

My OBD-II scanner pointed me toward an exhaust gas pressure sensor, and a search sent me to a thread on the vehicle鈥檚 owner forum detailing the problem: the sensor can fill up with moisture created during fuel combustion. A new sensor costs $19, and following instructions on the forum meant replacing it was as simple as removing and re-tightening two bolts. The entire job took about half an hour, and the only speciality tool needed was a step stool, so I could comfortably reach all the way into my lifted truck鈥檚 engine bay.

Mechanical problems are even easier, but they typically require help from another person.

For noises, start by parking the car safely, with the engine off and parking brake engaged. Then crawl underneath your vehicle while a helper bounces whichever front, rear, or corner you think might be home to the problem. Once you can track down the noise to a specific area, like the suspension controlling a single wheel, then you鈥檙e ready to diagnose the specific component. Grab a can of penetrating oil鈥擶D40 will do in a pinch鈥攁nd carefully squirt it into and onto any part that moves, until the noise stops. When it does, you know the last component you hit with that oil is the culprit. Anything made from rubber or plastic鈥攍ike bushings, rubber isolators that reduce noise and vibrations鈥攚ill need to be replaced. Anything metal can likely be loosened, lubricated, and adjusted.

That鈥檚 what my mechanic (who鈥檚 also a friend) and I did to diagnose issues with my bushings. I鈥檓 running a complete Old Man Emu BP-51 suspension system, and it turns out the lower bushing up front, and all four bushings for the rear leafs,听were totally shot. We also found the source of that occasional clunk off-road: relocating my spare tire to the bumper swingout left the under-bed pulley with too much length in its chain, and that was whacking the underside of the body. Lefty loosey on four bolts and that鈥檚 now riding in my giant box of spare parts.

3. Decide What to Handle Yourself

Working on your own vehicle is often much easier than you think it might be. Consult owners forums and YouTube for help, invest in new tools as you need them, and the only significant cost should be to your own time.

Of course, some matters are better left to professionals. Even if you technically know how to fix something, doing so is not always convenient. Since it鈥檚 cold and snowy here in Montana, and my truck won鈥檛 fit in my garage, I let my mechanic handle those suspension bushings himself. And, try as I might, I couldn鈥檛 free the seized collar holding in the broken swingout retention pin (I have an aftermarket rear bumper that carries tools and the spare tire on a pivot), so I handed him that task, too.

I have a great relationship with an independent mechanic, and you can too. Read reviews, ask around for referrals, and chat with a few in your town until you find one that makes you feel confident.

4. Create a Maintenance Schedule

It doesn鈥檛 matter what you drive, components on your car or truck will wear out over time. Manufacturers provide maintenance schedules for their vehicles that must be followed to retain warranty coverage. Keeping yours up-to-date is probably a lot more affordable than you think it鈥檚 going to be.

Car owners tend to neglect two important maintenance principles. The first is failing understand and manage your vehicle鈥檚 maintenance schedule yourself. By relying on your dealer to tell you what work is needed, you end up paying for a ton of stuff that鈥檚 either completely frivolous or which you could do yourself for free. A real maintenance schedule includes year and mileage intervals suggesting when it鈥檚 time to change out fluids and filters, or replace items like belts. But if you just trust a dealer, they鈥檙e going to bill you for the time it takes to check your tire pressure, top up your washer fluid, or change your wiper blades鈥攁ll easy tasks you can do yourself.

For my truck, I try to change the oil and filter every 6,000 miles. I clean my aftermarket air filter with compressed air after any off-road trip, check my fluid levels whenever I think to do so, and swap my summer and winter tires once every fall and spring. Once my truck reaches 60,000 miles it鈥檒l be time to change the spark plugs, and at 100,000 miles I鈥檒l do a coolant flush. Aside from stuff like my bushings that I beat to hell off-road, that鈥檚 it.

The second principle鈥攁nd this is doubly important for us outdoor enthusiasts鈥攊s understanding that maintenance schedules are based on normal driving cycles, and not heavy use activities like towing, hauling a heavy camper around, or driving off-road. So we need to use our judgement, and bring forward certain maintenance to suit the additional wear added to some parts.

Those of us who drive off road tend to abuse our axle differentials. Any time you ask your truck to move a lot of weight, climb steep inclines, or manage traction off-road you鈥檙e asking your differentials to work hard. Drive through deep water, and your diffs may also suck in a little bit of moisture, slowly polluting the oil that lubricates them. Replacing that lubricating oil more often than the normal maintenance schedule suggests may help your differentials last longer and work more efficiently. I鈥檒l spend an hour swapping mine out once I have a dry driveway to work in.

Hard driving will have similar effects on brake pads, tires, transmission fluid, your battery, and more. Start with the manufacturer鈥檚 suggested service intervals, then modify the timing to suit how hard you use your vehicle.

My Ranger had been feeling pretty worn out. It was squeaking loudly everywhere I went, and had become a real challenge to use daily between all that ginger ale, the broken bumper, and the combination of all the other small issues. But now, after completing my to-do list? I took it out during a blizzard the other night just to play around in the snow, and my truck is back to being the smooth, controllable, extremely capable vehicle I built it to be. Heck, I can even see out of the windows. I think I鈥檓 in love with my truck again.

Wes Siler has been writing about topics like cars, trucks, and the outdoors since the early 2000s. You can find more of his work and get his help on .听

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Truck campers are some of the most popular rigs for outdoorsy folks, for good reason. They鈥檙e designed to slide into or sit on top of just about any truck bed, are relatively simple, and can go anywhere a pickup can haul them.

So far this year we鈥檝e seen the release of three new truck camper models from established manufacturers that have us even more excited about the category than usual. Those include the new series from Four Wheel Campers, Scout Campers鈥� , and Supertramp Campers鈥� new . While we haven鈥檛 had a chance to test these new campers just yet, here鈥檚 a quick breakdown of each.

Also check out: Our Favorite Campers and Trailers of 2024

(from $25,995)

The CampOut is the first new model from Four Wheel Campers since they launched the in 2019. Instead of preset interiors, the CampOut is completely modular, allowing customers to take an 脿 la carte approach to designing their own interior and only adding 鈥渕odules鈥� they think they鈥檒l need, rather than being stuck with things they don鈥檛 want.

Taking a cue from some of the newer camper companies on the market, like and , Four Wheels has also updated the look of the interiors: all the cabinetry is now made from extruded aluminum framing with black composite paneling and has bamboo countertops. It鈥檚 much more overlandy and modern feeling than their old interiors.

Standard features include a power module with one lithium battery, a modern 12v power system with USB outlets, a DC port for a Starlink Mini, lighting throughout, a queen-sized bed, exterior L track, a utility module with internal and external storage, and more. That gives you a great starting point that鈥檒l work right out of the gate, but you then have the option of adding additional accessories, like a Truma furnace or portable two-burner stove, and additional modules to outfit the camper to your liking.

What鈥檚 cool about this approach is that you can mix and match different modules and layouts, creating what鈥檚 close to a custom camper. Already have a stove and a fridge? No problem, just use the ones you鈥檝e got. Need more floorspace? Keep the open layout of the standard model.

My take: Four Wheel Campers is a legendary truck camper manufacturer whose products have stood the test of time, but the propels them into the modern era and will appeal to a lot of younger buyers. If I were buying a model from Four Wheel Campers, this is the one I鈥檇 buy, probably opting to keep it as simple and lightweight as possible.

(from $29,990)

In many ways, the CampOut is an answer to Scout鈥檚 Pop Up series of campers, the first of which launched last summer. Originally known for their very popular, made from composite panels, Scout entered the pop-up game last year with their Yoho Pop-Up, and just launched its bigger brother, the Olympic Pop Up, on February 19.

Scout carried over the modular mindset of their hard-sided campers for the popup versions and kept the focus on simplicity and usability. The Olympic Pop Up is designed to fit full-sized trucks, like the Ford F-150 or Toyota Tundra, with a 5.5-foot-plus, and will very likely be their most popular model based on the number of those trucks on the road.

Given their history with hard-sided campers, they chose to team up with the pop-up experts at when it came to designing the tent walls. They came up with their own, patent-pending lift mechanism for the pop-top, as well, which looks to be located on the sides of the camper versus the front and back like most other pop-ups. I鈥檒l be curious to see how this works in practice.

The interior looks gorgeous, with panoramic windows, multiple color schemes available, bamboo countertops, and resin-reinforced, recycled paper cabinetry. Notable standard features include two solar panels and a 127-amp hour lithium battery, USB charge ports throughout, a dinette that converts to a bed for sleeping up to four people, and more.

My take: Scout has infused all of the simplicity and quality people love about their hard-sided campers into these pop-up versions. Buy a hard-sided version if you want to save a bit of money or plan to camp in bad (or cold) weather often. Buy the pop-up if you value fuel efficiency and maneuverability, want to park in a garage, or prefer the look.

(from $65,975)

The latest launch comes from Golden, Colorado-based . Their Flagship LT (Lift Top), introduced in 2021, has long been one of my favorite slide-ins for its roomy interior, gorgeous design, high-end components, and durable composite construction. The new Flagship HT (Hard Top) takes everything people love about the LT and replaces the soft-sided pop-top with a hard-top.

The base of the camper is the same as the LT, but adding hard sides means the HT is better insulated since the 2-inch thick composite walls now extend all the way to the ceiling. Those walls also allowed Supertramp to add more storage to the HT, including cabinets and a Molle gear wall that give the camper a total of 38 cubic feet of storage. There鈥檚 also a storage compartment under the queen-sized bed, which is an incredibly rare feature in a hard-sided camper.

It鈥檒l fit in any full-sized truck with a 6.5-foot or 8-foot bed, and surprisingly, the HT only weighs 50 pounds more than the pop-up LT. It has a dry weight of 1,400 pounds to 1,750 pounds depending on options, which is all thanks to the camper鈥檚 vacuum-infused, one-piece composite construction. That makes for a lightweight, yet extremely durable rig. I鈥檓 a big fan of composite campers for the aforementioned benefits, and the fact that there鈥檚 no wood to rot over time.

I really like that Supertramp kept the interior as open and airy as possible by including six large windows. You still get 360-degree views when you want them, and with 6鈥�6鈥� of interior standing height, it looks a lot brighter and more open than other hard-sided campers on the market.

My take: makes a premium product that comes with a premium price tag. In my book, their Flagship LT has been one of the best pop-up truck campers available since its launch, and I have no doubt the Flagship HT will be a big hit for anyone who wants the benefits of hard walls.

I’m excited about each of these new campers and hope to spend some time in them later this year for proper testing.

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The only thing more important than enjoying the off-roader鈥檚 paradise that makes up the Longdale Trail System? Putting in the work to maintain the 45,000-acre space just outside of Las Vegas. Madi Carson links up with Vegas Valley 4 Wheelers to rally the new 2025 Toyota 4Runner and discover what goes into preserving this epic trail system.

For generations, Toyota has built durable legends destined for greatness. Whether you鈥檙e conquering off-road trails, hauling heavy loads, or seeking the versatility of an SUV, there鈥檚 听that鈥檚 just right for you.

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If you asked me to name the best bike brand, it would be impossible. Dozens of brands make top-shelf bikes that are an absolute pleasure to ride and full of creative technologies. However, naming the best bike rack brand is easy: 1UP. Several other brands make totally competent racks, but none are as unique, well made, thoroughly designed, or beautiful as what 1UP constantly pumps out.

Case in point is 1UP鈥檚 new Super Duty bike rack. I鈥檝e been testing it for the past several months on the back of my 2024 Toyota Tundra and there is not one thing I can find wrong with the design.

1UP racks have long had a cult-like following because they鈥檙e the best rack out there for safely transporting your expensive bike. Their design uses two arms that secure your wheels by reaching over them and putting downward pressure on your tires to keep the bike locked in place on a metal tray. By locking on the tires, the arms never touch your frame and therefore won鈥檛 rub the paint or damage the bike, while still keeping it completely planted and safe.

This design also has the added benefit of a super clean aesthetic. The two arms sit nicely on the wheels, creating a symmetrical design, and everything is made from polished or simple black aluminum. When folded up and not in use, all the 1UP bike racks tuck against the back of your car more cleanly and efficiently than any other rack out there, almost blending into the car or the tailgate.

Testing the 1UP Super Duty

The version I tested is an upgrade over the standard 1UP rack in several important ways. The biggest talking point is that each tray can now hold up to 100 pounds (compared to 50 pounds per tray on their standard rack), and each tray and lock-down arm is wider so you can now safely carry the heaviest e-bikes or even a wide-tired electric dirt bike like those made by Super 73.

The electric dirt bike capability is a big deal because lots of overlanders are buying these adventure bikes as add-ons for their rigs. They鈥檒l find a remote camping spot, set up their truck with all its accessories, and then jump on their Super 73 to explore, or even run back into town for groceries. Without something like the 1UP rack, overlanders have had to stuff their adventure bikes into vans and truck beds, or build custom racks.

Additionally, the Super Duty is compatible with what 1UP calls a wheel chock, a v-shaped device that slots into the tray and holds the front wheel of your bike as a third point of contact. I loved this because during my testing I carried expensive carbon bikes up a series of gnarly, off-grid roads that had my truck bouncing around to the point where my family threatened to get out and walk. The normal arms kept my bikes in place, but the wheel chock was a nice piece of insurance. I like knowing that no matter how much time I spend bouncing on a dirt road, it鈥檚 almost impossible for my bike to fall off.

Another smaller but important update is the one-handed arm adjustment feature. Other 1UP racks require two hands to open the arms on the tray, but the Super Duty allows you to open the arms one handed so you can keep your other hand on your bike.

Like all 1UP bike racks, the Super Duty was effortless to install. It slid into my two-inch hitch, I decided how far I wanted it to sit from my tailgate, and I tightened it down with a couple of twists of the included wrench. Over several thousand miles of driving, including several hundred miles of dirt roads, the hitch is still as secure as when I installed it and there isn鈥檛 a milliliter of wobble. I鈥檝e tested many other bike racks from big-name brands, and all of them have eventually come loose, so it鈥檚 an absolute pleasure to not ever have to worry about the 1UP.

As you might guess, the Super Duty is not cheap. My double trays cost a hearty $900, and the single comes in at $600. But the saying 鈥渂uy once, cry once鈥� is as true as it comes here because this will be the last bike rack you鈥檒l need for years, if not decades, and will only become obsolete if bikes change in some crazy way. Knowing how good the Super Duty is at protecting your bike also takes the pain away as you drive around confident that your $4,000鈥攐r $14,000鈥攚hip is totally locked down and safe.

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Next time you drive anywhere鈥攖o work, school, your local ski area鈥攃heck the tires on the vehicles around you and more than likely you鈥檒l see a set of BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrains (ATs) rolling by. Long loved for their performance and looks, the KO2 is the most ubiquitous all-terrain tire on the market, and for good reason.

Made to perform well in all conditions the KO2 has helped thousands of drivers plow through snow, mud, and sand on the way to their next adventures. Here at 国产吃瓜黑料 we鈥檝e hammered home many times that a quality tire is the most important upgrade you can make for off-road performance, and we鈥檝e always rated the KO2 as a good investment.

After 10 years of KO2 popularity, BFG , which moves the tire forward in several ways. I鈥檝e been testing the tires for months on my 2024 Tundra in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and also had the chance to drive them during an off-road adventure in Alaska. I鈥檝e been impressed with the performance over thousands of miles of pavement and every off-road condition imaginable. Whether tearing up muddy roads, crawling up high-clearance 4×4 routes, trying to park my car in deep snow banks, or cruising freeways at 75 mph, the KO3 has always felt like a good choice.

To learn how the BFG engineers took an already top-performing tire like the KO2 and made it even better, I sat down with two people who were instrumental in the design and launch of the BFGoodrich KO3鈥擝randon Sturgis, BFG鈥檚 global product manager, and Jon Jewell, one of the company鈥檚 product design and industrialization engineers. Sturgis and Jewell started the conversation by listing all the spots where they wanted to see improvement: wear, road noise, and performance on gravel, snow, mud, and wet spots.

Improved Durability

Better wear was a key focus for two reasons. First, the BFGoodrich KO3s are expensive so buyers want their investment to last. Second, KO3 buyers use the tires hard and don鈥檛 want them to fail because of uneven or fast wear. BFG made the KO3 15 percent more durable than the KO2 by using a new rubber compound and packing the lugs closer together to create a denser contact patch where they meet the road. The rubber compound is formulated for supposed to be better at absorbing the contact from the road, which creates less wear, and the denser contact patch reduces the stress on the individual lugs.

The KO3 comes with the same 50,000-mile warranty as the KO2, but thanks to the more durable build, the KO3 is rated for today鈥檚 increasingly powerful trucks and SUVs that put extra wear on tires鈥攍ike my Tundra.

With the explosion of overlanding in the U.S. and across the world, BFG saw that the KO2s were spending increased time on rough dirt roads. For the KO3s they wanted to cut down on what鈥檚 called 鈥渃hip and tear,鈥� where parts of the lugs get sliced by the gravel and eventually tear away, reducing the tire鈥檚 effectiveness and longevity. BFG鈥檚 new KO3 rubber compound allows for increased elastic deformation in the lugs so that they can conform to gravel in the road instead of getting shredded. The lug pattern is also designed so that no one individual lug takes a particular beating鈥攁ll the grouped lugs on each section of the tire work together to absorb the impact.

Sidewall durability is important on an all-terrain tire because sidewall punctures are pretty much impossible to repair. To ensure drivers don鈥檛 get stranded with the KO3, BFG built an extra-burly sidewall into the tire that uses technology from their Baja T/A KR line of tires that are used on high-powered, off-road race vehicles.

More Versatile Performance

Those of us who love to ski, or just enjoy exploring in winter, will be happy to hear that the KO3 improves snow traction thanks to a new sipe design. Sipes are the slits in the lugs that open as the tire makes contact with the ground, allowing the lug to bite into the snow. The sipes on the KO3 go the full depth of the lug, creating a large bite. Inside the sipe there鈥檚 an egg carton-like structure that keeps the two sides of the lug from deforming when it hits the road, enabling a better bite and more even wear that allows the lugs to last longer.

鈥淲e wanted to make sure we created a tire that performed just as well in the Texas summer as it does in the Canadian winter,鈥� Jewell said.

BFG makes a tire called the KM3 that鈥檚 designed specifically to excel in mud, but the multiple-use KO3 does amazingly well鈥攕omething I saw as we powered through puddles in Alaska. That鈥檚 thanks to a more aggressive lug pattern on the side of the tire and mud-phobic bars between the lugs that help release the suction that builds up when mud gets pushed in between the lugs so that it can fall out and the lugs can go back to biting into new mud down the road.

To ensure the KO3s stay planted on wet pavement, the lug pattern was designed to push water out of the way when the rubber meets the road. The new rubber compound, along with the sipes, also help create grip so that you can cruise down the freeway safely, rain or shine.

Reduced Road Noise

Since most drivers spend the majority of their time on pavement and don鈥檛 want to listen to a constant hum, BFG engineers created a pattern where not all the lugs hit at the same time, designed lugs that give off variable pitches, which creates a less ferocious noise, and tuned some lugs to cancel each other鈥檚 noise out. In my testing, I found the tires are louder than a regular street tire, but not by much.

All of this engineering takes time, of course, and Sturgis said BFG first started developing the KO3 back in 2015. The KO03 also builds on the 10-year run of the KO2, and the 15 year run of the original KO before that.

BFG tested the KO3 for years before launching. The ultimate test comes when they sling their tires on buggies and trucks running the Score Baja 500 and the Baja 1000鈥攖wo of the world鈥檚 most famous off-road races. They鈥檝e had a lot of success: Over the years BFG-equipped vehicles have won 35 Baja 500s and 343 Baja 1000s. The KO3s were used on the Baja Challenge 1000-winning buggies that won the 2022 San Felipe 250 and the 2023 Baja 1000. 2021, 2022, and 2023 Baja 1000 races.

I didn鈥檛 get to ask Jewell and Sturgis about when BFG plans to launch the KO4, or whatever iteration of the all-terrain tire they have up their sleeves next. They both, however, hinted that, as product people, they鈥檙e always watching how the current product is performing, then weighing that with the development of vehicles and how people want to adventure.

鈥淚 can tell you that ideation never stops, and at BFG we think there is no reason to not apply what we鈥檝e learned as soon as we can,鈥� Jewell said.

The post The Most Popular All-Terrain Tire Just Got Better appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Despite being the of vehicles in the U.S., crossovers like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CRV get , especially in the off road and overland communities. They鈥檙e regarded as a poor compromise between a sedan and an SUV that tend to do nothing particularly well, and are often ridiculed for without actually possessing that capability.

Here鈥檚 the thing, though: crossovers are popular for good reason. They meet the needs of most people incredibly well, are fuel efficient and comfortable, and with modern all-wheel-drive systems and traction control, I鈥檇 argue they鈥檙e able to get most of us pretty much anywhere we actually want to go.

My wife and I own a 2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, which happens to be the in the U.S. and is one of the best-selling vehicles in the country year after year. It has been a phenomenal car for us, but we wanted to make it perform a bit better off-road, so we made some modifications.

How 鈥淥ff-Road鈥� Are You Really Getting?

Before I dive into what we did to our RAV4, let鈥檚 take a second to talk about what 鈥渙ff-road鈥� and 鈥渙ff-road capability鈥� really mean. For some folks, off-road capability might mean their vehicle needs to come equipped with large tires, front and rear locking differentials, a winch, and the ability to safely navigate a .

If that鈥檚 what you need out of a vehicle, then yeah, a crossover isn鈥檛 for you.

The thing about those types of trails is that you have to seek them out鈥攖here are not many of them, and most folks are not running trails in Moab very often. To most people, 鈥渙ff-road鈥� really just means driving off pavement, usually to get to a trailhead or campsite鈥攁nd for that, a crossover is more than enough, especially with a few simple modifications.

What Not to Do

There鈥檚 been a trend of people similarly to how one might modify a four-wheel-drive truck or SUV like a 4Runner: adding big, knobby tires, lift kits, rock sliders, heavy duty front bumpers, winches, and more.

Bolting all that stuff to your car might make it look cool, but it also affects the ride and your fuel economy. Here鈥檚 what I did to modify my crossover to make it more capable without ruining the way it drives.

Tires

The number one thing I recommend to anyone looking to give their crossover more capability is upgrading the tires. The first thing we did to our RAV4 when we bought it was swap the stock tires with a set of 听They鈥檙e an all-terrain tire specifically designed for lighter duty vehicles like crossovers. So, unlike fitting a traditional all-terrain tire designed for a truck or heavier SUV, these won鈥檛 ruin a crossover鈥檚 fuel economy or create an unnecessarily harsh ride.

What they will do is give your rig a lot more traction on dirt roads and slippery surfaces, like mud and snow, than the highway tires that are stock on crossovers, thanks to a more aggressive tread pattern. They鈥檙e also severe-snow rated, and while not as good as a true winter tire, we鈥檝e found them to work very well in the snow. We just put another set on the RAV4 after over 50,000 trouble-free miles on the first set. We鈥檝e taken the RAV4 on many adventures along dirt roads and haven鈥檛 had a flat yet.

If you want to use your crossover to get to a remote trailhead or gain some confidence in slippery terrain, I highly recommend investing in aftermarket all-terrain tires specifically designed for crossovers.

Recovery Points and Gear

Next, we added a receiver hitch. We don鈥檛 plan to do any towing with the RAV4, but we do want to be able to use a hitch-mounted bike rack and, more importantly, add a proper recovery point in case we get stuck.

You might think that requires a trip to the dealership, but if you鈥檙e even mildly handy, you can easily add an aftermarket hitch yourself with听a socket set. I went with a because it鈥檚 one of the lowest profile hitches on the market for crossovers, but still uses a 2-inch receiver (it also costs hundreds less than the ).

Most trucks and SUVs use a 2-inch receiver, so in our case, the bike rack and cargo rack we use on our Tundra fits the RAV4 without issue or adapters. Torklift is also a brand I鈥檝e used in the past for things like truck camper tie-downs, hitches for travel trailers, and more, and I鈥檝e always been impressed with the quality of their products.

The Ecohitch doesn鈥檛 require drilling, and, it took me about an hour to mount it. As for the actual recovery point, we carry a ($47) and a ($75) in our car. The shackle receiver slots into the RAV4鈥檚 hitch and provides a secure attachment point for the recovery rope.

We also got another, dedicated set of ($180) for the RAV4. Rather than mounting a set of the larger MaxTrax to the roof of the car like we do on the truck, we opted for the Minis and a carry bag. They鈥檙e a better size for the RAV4, and the carry bag lets us toss them in the back if we know we might be in a situation where we鈥檒l need them, like a camping trip or heading up to the ski area for the day.

Suspension听

One of our only complaints about the RAV4 has been the ride on rougher dirt roads. Ours is a Hybrid XLE model, so presumably Toyota meant for this thing to spend the majority of its time on pavement, and they specced the shocks accordingly. It rides nicely on the highway, but it鈥檚 uncomfortably stiff on dirt roads, and any sort of pothole or larger dip feels like听you鈥檙e riding a pogo stick. Some online research revealed this as a common complaint, and I noticed Toyota specs different shocks on its Woodlands and TRD Off Road RAV4 models.

When I looked for a suitable upgrade, everything I came across was part of a and specifically designed to give the vehicle more clearance. I wasn鈥檛 interested in lifting the RAV4 since there are a lot of vehicle with independent suspension and limited suspension travel. We鈥檝e also found the RAV4 to have ample clearance for what we do.

That鈥檚 when I found . I came across the brand while researching suspension options for our new camper van (more on that in an upcoming article), and realized they make . Koni is based in Holland, and while they鈥檙e somewhat of a new name in the U.S. overland market, they made a name for themselves in the heavy truck off-road racing world long ago.

Their line of Special Active shocks features what Koni calls 鈥淔SD鈥� or Frequency Selective Damping. In a nutshell, the shocks use low damping forces when the vehicle is traveling in a high frequency environment, like on long stretches of smooth road, but use high damping forces when traveling in a low frequency area like a road with a lot of bumps or sharp corners. It鈥檚 a simple design that doesn鈥檛 require any adjustment on the part of the driver, but works wonders to smooth out the ride on rougher roads.

These shocks have made a massive difference in how the car handles on rougher dirt roads. Washboard is significantly more comfortable, as are larger bumps and potholes on pavement. On-road driving feels about the same, with perhaps less body roll than before鈥攐ur RAV4 hasn鈥檛 turned into a desert racing machine, but getting to the trailhead is now a lot more pleasant.

Less Is More听

The list of modifications we made isn鈥檛 long, and it might not seem like much of an adventure rig 鈥渂uild,鈥� but that鈥檚 the point. As the old saying goes鈥攊f it ain鈥檛 broke, don鈥檛 fix it. A crossover like our RAV4 is already great at doing a lot of things, like daily driving duties, light dirt road touring, road trips, and more.

The only other modification I鈥檓 considering is adding a front skid plate from for more protection from rocks and other obstacles you鈥檙e likely to encounter off-road. I think adding skid plates is a much better idea than adding a lift for more clearance, and LP 国产吃瓜黑料 is a great source for things like skid plates, bumper guards, wheels, and tires for crossovers.

The improved ride, along with better tires and a dedicated recovery point in the form of a hitch, have significantly improved the capability of our little RAV4. It鈥檚 not鈥攁nd never will be鈥攁 Jeep Wrangler or a Toyota Tacoma, but for 90 percent of the driving we do, it works just fine.

The post 3 Easy Fixes to Make Your Crossover Vehicle More Off-Road Capable appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.