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North America's Total Composites Achieves the Unthinkable: Campers at the North Pole

It's not every day that you hear of somebody crossing the North Pole in a damn camper! Well, it's time to bring to light a couple of crews responsible for just that. Put on some clothes and bring your checkbook because this one will be wild.
Various Total Composites Units 20 photos
Photo: Total Composites / Arctic Trucks / Edited by autoevolution
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Folks, building a habitat that can endure the world's most treacherous landscapes takes hard work and know-how. Well, one crew from North America specializes in building and crafting machines that can survive terrains ranging from Death Valley to the North Pole.

If the name Total Composites is new to you, it means you've never really needed their expertise. The name of the game for this crew? Nothing but designing and crafting nearly indestructible habitats. They also achieve this by crafting each and every unit out of nothing more than composite materials, just like this brand's name would suggest.

But, to build a machine that can survive such extreme temperatures, even the composites need to be a bit different than what we would typically use in an average camper. Well, upon learning about how Total Composites likes to roll, I discovered that not only do they build thermal transfer-free extrusions for their shells, but FRP (Fiber Reinforced Polymer) skin wraps blocks of polyurethane foam and shoved in those extrusion channels.

Oh, and because of the techniques used to mount cabinetry and route wiring, there's nothing to give rise to any condensation in your unit. And yes, this stuff is made in China, but it's this crew's family-owned factory, and everything is built to "European Standards." Why European, I don't know. Best of all, if you ever order a camper from this crew, you'll get it shipped to your destination, and after 2-3 days, you're ready to hit the road. Yup, it's a sort of DIY unit.

Arctic Trucks
Photo: Arctic Trucks / Youtube Screenshot
Now, over the years, Total Composites has been supplying countless adventure and outdoor lovers with the kits they need to adapt to ever-shifting landscapes. But, a recent video popped up online where we're shown just how these babies stand up in what can be considered one of the most unforgiving terrains on our planet, the North Pole.

Here, we can spot a different crew making good use of a Total Composites unit, none other than Arctic Trucks, a brand and team known for focusing their attention on Arctic domination. In the process, they tune trucks to withstand adventures through this frigid landscape. As the base vehicle for the shell, nothing other than a Ford F-350 with 6x6 traction and a platform based around massive 44 in tires. Yes!

Sure, the two beasts spotted in the gallery have seen significant upgrades and modifications to ensure a safe passage, but on the back of one of them is a Total Composites unit. Oh, and according to the presenter, seven people are using this thing to survive in the Arctic. You can imagine how chaotic things are inside. Which brings me to my next point: what does the interior of these buggers look like?

For that, we need to understand a few things, and the first is that these units are DIY, as I mentioned. This also means you can adapt the interior to fit your needs and wants. Actually, I encourage you to tell Total Composites all your plans. That way, you'll get precisely what you want. But, to give you an idea of what's possible, I've added a few images to the gallery.

Total Composites Units \(F\-550\)
Photo: Total Composites
Some units are built around a cab-over design, much like the Arctic Trucks version, meaning a bedding space is most likely found up there, or you can repurpose the area for storage. Down below, campers are typically fitted with a modular dinette, and the rest of the features need to brave the wild world around them. Other versions are more block or container-like and are mounted onto massive trucks and overland vehicle chassis.

Just check out the image of that F-550 towering over that smile human. Some of these campers even have motorcycle platforms integrated into the chassis. Wild stuff, man! Not into off-road motorcycles? How about a bike rack with up to four two-wheelers hanging on for dear life? Again, the final product typically depends on your needs, wants, and budget. But, by the looks of things, the sky is the limit.

Speaking of limits, try and imagine what your life may be like with something like this. Imagine yourself waking up in the depths of Death Valley, where everything around you is literally cooking in the day's sun. A few days later, you're crossing the Rockies through frozen, snow-covered valleys. Next stop? The friggin North Pole! All the while, your composite camper is taking a beating and loving every minute of it.

But how much is something like this going to run you? It all depends on your needs and wants. That said, expect prices that are sure to help you understand why these habitats can achieve the living standards they do. Go ahead; pick up the phone and find out what you're about to blow the kid's college fund on.

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Editor's note: Images in the gallery showcase an array of campers and overlanding habitats.

About the author: Cristian Curmei
Cristian Curmei profile photo

A bit of a nomad at heart (being born in Europe and raised in several places in the USA), Cristian is enamored with travel trailers, campers and bikes. He also tests and writes about urban means of transportation like scooters, mopeds and e-bikes (when he's not busy hosting our video stories and guides).
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