Going off the beaten track doesn’t have to mean ditching the comforts of (a luxury) home. For the very rich but still very badass adventurer, Colorado-based wanderBOX has developed Outpost 35.
Outpost 35 is a 4x4 RV of the most luxurious kind, sitting on the chassis of a Ford F-600 Super Duty, powered by a 6.7-liter PowerStroke diesel engine that produces 330 hp and 750 ft-lbs / 1,020 Nm of torque. It’s burly and mean-looking, and it’s both these things on purpose, because it’s meant to convince that same rich adventurer to part with a lot of money for the promise of off-road and off-grid capabilities, and plenty of luxury.
Outpost 35 is actually wanderBOX’s first model. The Colorado-based company, spearheaded by Mike Barnwell, boasts a team of “technology industry and lean manufacturing veterans” whose only goal is to deliver the perfect RV, handbuilt in the United States. They’re all passionate, lifelong campers, so collectively, they’ve tried every model and make out there. Outpost 35 is meant to be the one that delivers the best of everything – for a matching price, of course.
With sleeping for four people in absolute comfort, Outpost 35 is more of a rolling luxury apartment than an overlander. The exoskeleton is made with durability and low maintenance in mind, from aerospace-grade aluminum honeycomb panels from a part supplier for the International Space Station.
Photo: wanderBOX
Outpost 35 features a sizable bedroom with king-size bed and a secondary queen bed in the cabover, and both these beds actually have double functionality. The former folds up and turns into an office (because even rich people have work from home), while the latter integrates a slide-out four-person bar that becomes the main dining and socializing area. When not needed, this entire “area” slides from view, underneath the bed.
In keeping with the idea of offering home-like comforts on (and off) the road, Outpost 35 has seven-foot (213-cm) ceilings throughout the habitat, the only exception being the cabover loft. The galley is almost a chef’s kitchen, with stainless steel sink, refrigerator with ice maker, three-burner induction cooktop, convection microwave, trash compactor, heavy-duty cabinetry and solid-surface countertops, and even a washer and drier combo unit. It’s the little things that make the difference, and you can never go without clean clothes.
The bathroom has a walk-in shower with a massage showerhead, a marine-style toilet, and a sink with vanity. Throughout the cabin, you get plenty of storage space, from the wardrobe in the master bedroom (a phrase that doesn’t feel forced in this 36-foot / 11-meter-long RV) to the cabinets and drawers in the kitchen. Styling is consistently utilitarian, almost deliberately macho, but it’s exactly what you’d expect from a vehicle of this kind. And it’s not inelegant, truth be told.
There’s an entertainment center with premium audio system, while all the controls for the habitat are accessible on a single touchscreen display for the utmost ease of use. Outdoor speakers allow you to take the party outside; to that same end, Outpost 35 comes with a propane-powered gas grill and auxiliary hot plate, and a 22-foot (6.7-meter) awning that offers shelter from the elements and will retract automatically when sensors pick up increasing winds.
Photo: wanderBOX
Outpost 35 has multi-zone HVAC air conditioning and diesel-powered heat, backed by a best-in-class Mitsubishi mini split, guaranteeing a comfortable temperature inside regardless of how hot or cold it is outside. The walls and floor are insulated. Long-range off-grid stays are possible thanks to a 2,800-watt rooftop solar array and a 24 kWh lithium battery bank, as well as sizable tanks: a 200-gallon (909-liter) one for fresh and a 125-gallon (568-liter) one for gray water, and 75-gallon (341-liter) for black water.
“Freedom and independence mean something different to everyone,” Mike Barnwell, CEO of wanderBOX says, explaining how the company started so he “didn’t have to compromise comfort when [he] craved adventure.” Indeed, Outpost 35 is just the kind of RV that allows you to indulge your adventurous self with zero compromise on comfort. That said, with pricing starting at $399,000, it’s definitely not for everyone.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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