Wilderness Vans' Grid Mini Compact Overlander Is a Great Rig for Exploring Remote Areas

While it's true that truck campers are less spacious and sometimes less equipped than other bigger RVs, towable trailers, or camper vans, they offer plenty of other advantages. They are simple, readily available, and more affordable than other adventure rigs, and more importantly, they can give you easier access to off-road destinations that other RVs simply can't reach.

The Grid Mini truck camper from Canada's Wilderness Vans is built just for that. This compact camper measures just 22.5 feet (6.85 meters) in length and is specifically tailored for off-road adventures. It is built on a smaller chassis, which enhances maneuverability, and boasts a shortened motorhome box for better ground clearance. The nimble design, combined with some bulky 40-inch tires, makes the Grid Mini the ideal solution for exploring remote areas.

Wilderness Vans, a division of Truck Hardware Ltd, is a family-owned and operated business that was started in 2017. Headquartered in Alberta, Canada, the company specializes in building complete truck campers and camper van conversions based on a wide variety of vehicle platforms for both Canadian and American customers.

The latest proposition from the brand is a true beast with impressive off-road capabilities but packaged in a smaller form factor than the company's original Grid Series and most of the rigs offered by the competition. Just like its predecessor, the Grid Mini is built on the heavy-duty Ford F-550 cab chassis but provides a downsized platform for traveling farther into the backcountry, pushing the limits of what is possible.

To match the smaller truck chassis, Wilderness Vans has reduced both the length (by over a foot) and width (by 6 inches) of the motorhome box of the Grid Mini.

Though smaller, the two-door camper is still quite a capable and comfortable home on wheels, offering plenty of ground clearance, powerful towing capacity, and a well-equipped interior.

"We're tailoring to those that really need 4×4 capability, like a hunter that needs to set up camp for a week or two or someone who wants to haul their quads further into the backcountry," explained Darren Roberts, Wilderness Van's marketing director. "You can go anywhere with them. You're not limited like when you have a bigger, longer vehicle."

The interior layout, called GM1 by Wilderness, is versatile enough for those seeking a comfortable camper for overland adventures. It caters to the owner's every need with modern amenities like a well-equipped kitchen block, a two-seat dinette, a sleeping area over the cab, plus a retractable shower and a pull-out toilet. The Grid Mini is designed with a pass-through between that cab and the living quarters for a seamless transition between the two spaces.

The design is modern and minimalist, with a focus on functionality. The dark color palette of gray and black is only broken by some Hawaii Blue accents on the drawers' fronts.

The kitchen block is on the passenger side and comes accoutered with plenty of cabinets, bamboo countertops, and modern appliances. There is an induction cooktop, a rectangular sink, an optional overhead microwave, and a 139L Vitrifrigo fridge with a top freezer, so you can cook any meal no matter where you are. Because you can never have too much countertop space in your camper, a fold-down countertop extension is also included.

On the driver's side, you will find a two-person dinette with storage space integrated underneath the benches. It is a convertible unit that can transform into a single bed, enhancing the functionality of the space.

In terms of sleeping arrangements, the Grid Mini can accommodate three individuals with ease. Two adults can enjoy a good night's sleep on the large mattress above, while a third individual can sleep on the smaller one in the dinette.

Given the decision to go smaller with this rig, Wilderness had to make some compromises in terms of the interior floor plan, and the main casualty here was the bathroom. Instead of a wet bathroom (as included in the original Grid Series), the Grid Mini motorhome comes with a decentralized part-time bathroom that comprises a retractable shower with a fabric curtain and floor pan and a pull-out portable toilet that fits neatly under the dining bench when not in use.

Storage space is abundant inside the Grid Mini, with several overhead cabinets above the dining area, storage-integrated bench seats, and a full-height storage garage with pull-out drawers.

As for the electrical system, the Grid Mini comes with a Victron Stage 4 package that comprises a 271Ah 12V lithium battery, a 3,000W inverter, and 350 W solar panels. A 30A shore power hookup and a Cerbo GX touchscreen monitoring system with Bluetooth connectivity are also part of the package.

Pricing for Wilderness Vans' Grid Mini truck camper starts at around CA $305,000 (approx. US $225,000) but varies based on configuration, options, specific truck year, off-road upgrades, and other factors. The figure does not include the Ford F-550 truck.