EarthRoamer Xpedition
You want to commune with nature atop a mountain or in the desert, but you do not want to hike to your camping destination, or sleep in a tent on the hard ground. No crowded campsite available? No electricity? No water? No problem! The EarthRoamer Xpedition camper will save the day—and the night.

Designed as a stand-alone, four-season, high-end unit by founders Michele Connolly, president and CEO, and Bill Swails, chief designer and COO, the EarthRoamer uses rooftop solar panels intead of electric connections or generators. Plus it can tote up to 100 gallons, using an optional 50-gallon tank.

The venture came about in 1998, when Connolly and Swails tried to satisfy their extreme adventure vehicle needs with a pickup and a pop-up camper. Today they transform Ford F-450 and F-550 turbo-diesel-powered pickups into the best expedition campers money can buy. And they test their energy-efficient solar-powered homes on wheels in extreme conditions.

The luxuriously appointed Ford pickups seat four and sport four-wheel drive. Their quiet and efficient 6.0-liter turbocharged diesel V-8—which runs well on diesel or nontoxic, renewable, biodegradable biodiesel fuel—pushes 325 hp and a pumped-up 570 ft lbs of torque through a 5-speed TorqShift automatic. You even can haul a trailer full of toys with the vehicle’s 10,000-pound towing capacity. The lightweight, thermal and acoustic insulated carbon fiber–reinforced composite camper body is attached with an innovative TriMount system that isolates most torsional (twisting) forces. The cleverly designed cabinetry is crafted from premium materials, and the commercial-grade upholstery is tough and easy to clean. Even the fasteners, connectors, and hardware are the finest available.

Aside from the gear, the living space offers 6.5 feet of stand-up height, a California king-size over-cab bed, an enclosed bathroom/shower with an expandable changing room, hardwood dovetail drawers on extension slides, granite counters, and fluorescent and halogen lighting. There is no need for propane, since all systems use diesel from the 19-gallon front and 40-gallon rear tanks or electricity from two 255-amp-hour absorbed glass-mat batteries, which are charged by twin 185-watt solar panels and dual 130-amp engine alternators. The heater is a 13,600 Btu diesel-fuel unit with a thermostat; air-conditioning is 5,500 Btu high-efficiency digital electric with remote.
 
The traveler goes for $139,332 above the sticker price of $42,500 to $46,000 for the heavy duty SuperCab or Crew Cab pickup. Other options include a 15,000-pound electric winch, HID driving and off-road lights, a backup camera with LCD display, integrated GPS navigation, and several audio/video systems, including satellite TV and rear headrest video screens with wireless headphones—everything you need to enjoy your away-from-it-all, life-altering expedition experience.

EarthRoamer Xpedition Vehicles, 720.304.3174, www.earthroamer.com