From the latest 2018 September/October issue of Sporting Classics Magazine, on newsstands now! Not a subscriber? Click Here!
Going off-grid just got a bit more luxurious with this go anywhere base camp.
When the grim reaper finally figures out that I gave him a fake name and address after my last close call and tracks me down again, obliging me to take that fateful dirt nap, I would like St. Peter to be waiting at the Pearly Gates with a set of keys to an EarthRoamer XV-HD.
St. Peter will flip me the keys and say, “Dude, take this baby for a spin around heaven and check things out while I send your files to the main office for final approval.
“Remember, son: We could have any RV in the galaxy up here, and we chose the EarthRoamer. You dig?”
I will just nod, jump behind the wheel, pop her into four-wheel drive and head for the nearest trout stream. Of course, once the main office gets a good look at the files covering my teenage years, they could pull my keys but, in the meantime, I will literally be in heaven cruising around in the amazing Xpedition Vehicle.
In 1998, EarthRoamer’s founder, Bill Swails, set out to build a camper-style vehicle capable of taking him to the most remote places on the planet, as well as helping him pursue his passion of wildlife photography. His Colorado-based company has since grown from two employees to more than 50 and now builds 25 trucks per year, with a six-month lead time when purchasing a vehicle.
When I spoke with EarthRoamer’s president and co-owner, Tyler Tatro, he was excited to explore a whole new market of sportsmen in which these vehicles would be perfect for. Until recently, the majority of the company’s customers have been off-the-grid and rock-crawling enthusiasts, mostly residing in the western states, but it’s evident that these EarthRoamers also will appeal to hunters and anglers around the country.
To call the EarthRoamer a top-of-the-line RV is simply not doing it justice. These machines are so much more advanced than anything out there right now that it’s like comparing Justin Bieber to the Beatles.
Tough and luxurious is hard to pull off in a self-contained, off-the-grid vehicle, but EarthRoamer has done just that in their two Xpedition vehicles: the XV-HD and XV-LTS. Its bread-and-butter unit is the XV-LTS, with close to 200 trucks on the road now—impressive, since it’s only been producing them since 1998. The XV-LTS is built on a Ford F-550 Super Duty, four-wheel-drive platform and Ford’s new aluminum body. Their newest elite machine, which debuted in 2017, is the XV-HD, built on an F-750 Super Duty, four-wheel-drive chassis.
Both Xpedition vehicles are powered by Ford’s 6.7-liter Powerstroke Turbo diesel, shifted by a TorqShift G-select-shift, six-speed automatic transmission. With the engine’s 330 horsepower, 750 pounds of torque and a GVWR of 19,500, the XV-LTS gets a decent eight to 11 mpg. The HD just a bit less.
After the stock platform and drive train, all hell breaks loose on the upgrades, starting with air-ride suspension and a hydraulic leveling system. This delivers excellent off-road handling and easy in-camp leveling, with its system controlled by a touchpad on the dash.
The trucks have three heights they can run, depending on if you are on the highway or crossing a river. The Baja LED light bar mounted above the bumper is a Baja Designs off-road lighting system, adding some cool to the toughness.
The Warn winch on the XV-LTS, rated for 16,500 pounds, comes standard. You can get the same winch on the back as an option. The XV-HD has a huge 30,000-pound Warn winch on the front, with remote controls for both the winches and spare tire. There is an array of cameras onboard, including an infrared camera in the front bumper and another camera that displays the undercarriage of the truck.
The rubber on the XV-LTS is a Continental 41-inch Military with beadlock 22-ply, and the XV-HD baloneys are an amazing 47-inch Michelin XZL tire mounted on Hutchison dual-beadlock wheels, giving you 12½ inches of clearance. The rear end is equipped with 4.88 gears, heavy-duty King shocks, and a sway bar twice the diameter of the factory bar, making these vehicles capable of some extreme rock crawling.
EarthRoamer’s spacious, intelligently designed interiors feature hand-crafted elements and custom finishes. Each XV-HD is a fully loaded, luxury expedition vehicle. Their team of designers will work with you to create a custom floor plan suited to your specific needs; all other features are standard, including things like lithium batteries, radiant floor heat, washer/dryer, dry bath, and much more.
When it comes to the interior of EarthRoamers, that’s where the luxury truly kicks in. The one-piece, molded composite camper body is designed and manufactured in the EarthRoamer plant. It’s well insulated, making for a true four-season vehicle. The foam-insulated fiberglass living module is the first to be built using a vacuum-infused molding process that optimizes strength and weight, improves R-value, eliminates condensation and provides for lots of freedom in its exterior styling. These space-age structures are designed to keep you comfortable from -30 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. And, the EarthRoamer carries 115 gallons of fuel and 250 gallons of water enabling you to explore more than 1,000 miles without worry.
Solar panels on the roof and the engine generate 12-volt power, which is stored in a 20,000-watt battery bank built into the vehicles. There are no noisy generators onboard. The XV-LTS battery bank consists of four AGM batteries, while the HD has four lithium-ion batteries. The entire electrical system is controlled by a futuristic-looking control center neatly built into an over-head cabinet within the living pod.
The XV-LTS offers five different interior floor plans, with choices of maple or alder wood for cabinets and four types of stain. EarthRoamer will custom-build an interior on the XV-HD for each client’s individual needs. Countertops are available in a variety of materials, including granite and stainless steel.
The onboard entertainment system is off the charts, with Bose surround sound, built-in DirecTV satellite, and Sirius radio. Onboard Wi-Fi is available as well. There can be as many as three Samsung TVs on board, including an optional outside television. EarthRoamer has designed an ingenious swing-out bracket that allows the TVs to rotate 360 degrees, enabling you to view them from anywhere in the living space.
The vehicles’ high-efficiency fridge and induction cook tops are powered by self-generated electricity. The only propane onboard is found in small tanks used in the outside kitchen, consisting of a single burner, propane burner and infrared grill.
The premium XV-HD has in-floor radiant heat, a full walk-in shower, an ice-maker and a washer and dryer. The touchscreen Ghost security system has four cameras covering the outside of the truck.
Talk about thinking of everything—they even offer a pistol-size gun safe and built-in knife rack stocked with signature EarthRoamer knives and wine glasses. All this, and I’m still barely scratching the surface when it comes to options available for these amazing vehicles.
I particularly love the fact that EarthRoamer has not cut any corners in producing their trucks. Cost was not the consideration; creating the best is EarthRoamer’s foremost goal and they’ve done that in spades.
The LTS starts at $438,000 and can run up to $570,000, while the XV-HD runs a cool $1.5 million. From what I’ve seen of these beasts, though, they are worth that kind of green. And as pricey as both of them are, they hold their value much better than even the top-of-the-line RV, making the price much more digestible. Tyler informed me that if an EarthRoamer customer does decide to sell, EarthRoamer will even sell it for them. In some cases, they have resold the vehicle for more than the owner originally paid. Find me another RV that can make that claim!
Editor’s Note: For more information visit earthroamer.com.