Large and in Charge Mantis Trailer From Taxa Meets All Your Family Getaway Needs

Folks, the towable you see here is known as the 2021 Mantis from none other than Taxa Outdoors, the same Taxa that has been featured on autoevolution before. If you have no idea who this team is, not a problem.

Taxa has been around for a few years now and it all started when founder Garrett Finney decided he had enough of the classic societal norms of everyday life. With a dream and engineering experience granted through his time at NASA’s Habitability Design Center, this gentleman set out to create mobile homes like the Mantis.

Now, this vehicle is the largest the Taxa team produces for the non-overland series, so expect to see a whole lot of what this crew can achieve when given am empty chassis. Speaking of chassis, you’ll find a powder-coated steel frame with torsion axle suspension and electric brakes. 15-inch alloy AT tires, steel spare, quad stabilizer jacks, and powder-coated steel gravel guards make up the base you see.

An exterior length of 19 feet (5.8 meters), width of 7.5 feet (2.28 meters), and a closed exterior height of 6.75 feet (2.05 meters), keep things nice and compact considering the Mantis can sleep four or more adults. With the top up, this towable stretches to a height of 9.83 feet (3 meters). All in all, this translates to a maximum interior height of 7.83 feet (2.38 meters), more than an extra foot of height compared to similar vehicles.

In total, a dry weight of 2,972 lbs (1348 kg), means your grandma’s Camry won’t be able to tackle this one. A GVWR of 4,200 lbs (1905 kg) gives you an idea of what sort of features you might find inside.

Unlike other brands, Taxa doesn’t offer more than one floorplan for their builds. Why? Because each towable has been optimized to include all features and space you may need and even want. Some exterior features include acrylic insulated windows with screens and shades, 8-foot awning, pre-wired solar input, roof track, and LED lighting.

It’s inside the Mantis that things really get fun. You’ll find everything from a kitchen, dinette, two sleeping areas, and even a bathroom. There aren’t many towable vehicles of this size on the market that can achieve all that. Some will give you one thing but leave out another, while here, nothing is compromised.

To help you cook meals for friends and family, a two-burner stove, sink with lid, and 16-gallon (60.5-liter) trash can for waste are available. Two storage towers take care of any utensils or spices you may need. For keeping things cold, a cooler platform is provided with the possibility to install a Truma C44 fridge and freezer.

At the rear of the Mantis, a full-size bed that can easily transform into the dining area and even includes a coffee table that can be lowered or raised depending on your needs. Overhead and underbed storage is also plentiful. At the front of the vehicle, another sleeping area is found, this time with a folding couch and bunk bed system with, you guessed it, even more storage space.

Finally, the bathroom. I was quite surprised to find out that this camper includes a wet bath with cassette toilet and shower. Nothing about a sink, however. Simple and equipped with the necessities.

12-volt USB outlets, digital voltmeter, 8,000 BTU AC unit, 22-gallon (83-liter) gray water tank, and 20-gallon (75.7-liter) freshwater tank will cover your comfort needs, while a Truma Combi Eco furnace provides hot water to both the interior and exterior showers.

Personally, for the $41,950 MSRP, sign me up for one of these. I'll figure out a way to get the cash later. Worst comes to worse, I'll just sell the house and live out of this for a few years. Never mind, I don’t own a truck...yet.