Hiker Trailers Demolishes the Competition With the Mid Range XL: Off-Roading for Just $10K

Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Mid Range XL camper from Hiker Industries (AKA, Hiker Trailers), a habitat that starts at just $9,700 (€9,000 at current exchange rates). That's a sweet deal no matter who you ask, but the rest of this machine is built to handle all the abuse off-road use throws at it. Buckle up because we may have found what should be on our lists for this year's outdoor season.

Before we go on, let's get to know a little bit about the minds and hands behind the machine. Hiker Trailer is their name, and this Colorado-based crew has been in the industry for quite a while. We've featured some of their models before, so I'm not sure how this one got away. Okay, you got me! I've been holding off for just the right time.

When I first ran across this camper and saw how much it costs, I may have thought that, you know, just how capable it can be. To my surprise, a base 5x8-foot unit is built rather damn well; it's only missing a mattress, battery, and inverter - you can bring portable solar panels - and a water jug. Grab your knife and get ready for the most raw living. Sure, some of us can't and won't live like this, but if you're into hardcore outdoor experiences, read on.

Oh, and those of us who want a bit more comfort in our experience need not worry; Hiker Trailer crafts custom machines, too. Best of all, the average completed unit fetches around $17,712 (€16,300). The largest of the available layouts has a projected cost of $21,286. That would be the 5x10-foot model, which starts at just $11,700.

Overall, each XL starts off with a GVWR of 2,200 lbs (998 kg), but if we consider that Hiker throws on a 3,500-pound torsion axle, you can understand how much room there is to spare and what else you can throw into your XL. Did I mention that this manufacturer also adds a standard 2-inch frame lift to the construction? Yup, in all, 18 inches (46 cm) of ground clearance is standard.

Once that base is set in place, Hiker goes to town crafting a shell reminiscent of a teardrop, albeit a bit more squared off, so not as aerodynamic. But it doesn't need to be as you trudge through rivers, muddy banks, and over stones. Oh, and while the galley setup is found at the rear, it's accessed by an actual door, so there are no air springs or overhangs to protect you while it's raining outside. Nonetheless, plenty of features can be added, so you won't have to worry about this.

Speaking of features, that's yet another thing that blew me away about Mid Range XL: when your unit is finally in its final form, it can show up to the game with awnings on both sides, gas tanks, cargo options mounted all over, even solar panels, but, most importantly, it can even accommodate a roof-top tent. Yes, it's a teardrop that can let small families take up this timeless activity.

Come to think of it, let's try that for a moment; let's pretend we own one of these babies and that the summer season is here. Because you read this article over the winter season, you've had time to order a new shell, stuff it with all the features you need and even want, and hitch it up behind your truck. Give a good strong whistle, load the kids up, and off you go.

On the open road, one of the benefits of this unit is the fact that at a moment's notice, you can simply veer off the tarmac and start moving through places where roads don't yet exist. Don't get me wrong, you shouldn't be rock crawling around with a torsion axle, but with a bit of attention and expertise, you should be able to reach some pretty darned wild places. Thank god for lift kits!

I'm talking about in the middle of the woods by some flowing brook, on the edge of a beach, maybe that forest itself, or on the edge of some mountain ridge overlooking a valley below. Quick! Set up camp, gather firewood, and get ready to catch one hell of a sunset and tell stories until the kids pass out by a fire with fingers sticky and covered in chocolate from the best S'mores.

Sure, by the time you're done adding some of those essential off-grid systems and a roof-top tent - typically big money items - you'll be looking at a unit that costs a bit more than what I described above, but there's plenty of room to play with to find your balance of cost and capability; Hiker just gives us one hell of a base to do all that with.