Wilderness Vans’ Grid Series expedition truck has some features that make it better than the EarthRoamer itself. Its multiple gear garage holds everything from two mountain bikes to multiple ski mountaineering setups, luggage and camping furniture. So when roads get too narrow for a rumbling camper-laden Ford F-550 to pass, the Grid Series builds a base his camp and continues its journey under muscle power into the depths of the unknown.
The last time we looked at the Canadian Wilderness van, it was rolling out vehicles at the small end of the RV spectrum.The company’s Nissan NV200-based West Coast Mini Camper Van was the smallest and most affordable in North America at the time. was one of the campervan options.
After Nissan withdrew its NV200 van from the North American market, Wilderness finally had to slide the mini camper package into the Ram Promaster City and Ford Transit Connect base vans. But it won’t be long before both of these vans hit the market, so the company’s focus will soon shift entirely to larger vehicles, including the go-anywhere Grid series.
Like the EarthRoamer, the Wilderness Vans start with a super duty chassis cab version of the best-selling Ford F-series (in this case the F-450 or 550). It’s as clean and sleek as EarthRoamer’s vacuum-infused carbon fiber monocoque, but relies on a unique lightweight construction formula.
wilderness van
Wilderness Vans use a square tube frame aluminum body construction backed by 40 years of commercial and emergency vehicle manufacturing. With a peek at the underpinnings of its lattice frame, it’s not hard to see why the track is called ‘grid’ instead of ‘off-grid’.
The Wilderness’ interior is pretty good on its own, but the part of the build that grabs our attention is right behind the rear axle. Here, the grid will appeal to adventurers who aren’t simply interested in exploring on four engine-powered wheels, but want to pack extra gear and tools for navigating dark trails through stone, ice, and wood. The passenger side includes a heated gear tunnel with slideouts sized to carry two mountain bikes or other large oversized gear loads. A tall cabinet on the driver’s side holds skis, snowboards, fishing rods and more.
wilderness van
Older expedition trucks can hang bike racks in the back or store gear in a long central aisle, but the Grid’s dedicated gear storage has a distinct advantage. Dirty, wet gear is kept away from the living area yet completely safe, out of sight and protected from the elements.
Wilderness Vans have successfully created one of the best setups for safely transporting your gear anywhere. The living area contains everything an all-terrain adventurer needs to thrive off-the-grid, including a double bed above the cab and a convertible dinette, liftaway, expandable bed and more. There are additional sleeping options. A wet bathroom behind the dinette has a hot/cold shower and toilet behind a sliding door.
wilderness van
Across from the bathroom, a tall refrigerator/freezer sits next to the main kitchen block, where campers can find a stovetop and a stainless steel sink with a tall faucet and wooden cover. The electric hob and other on-board electronics are powered by a 540 Ah lithium battery connected to a 3,000 W inverter and a 400 W solar charging system. Mobile app control and monitoring makes the system easy to operate.
The grid is intended for four seasons of adventure travel, as indicated by the combination of ski lockers and mountain bike tunnels. That’s why a diesel heater, 12V air conditioner and closed cell foam insulation package are included in the build sheet. A combination of Maxxfan Deluxe 7500K fans, tilt-open windows and an open skylight allow for ample ventilation when needed. Fresh water is stored in a 68 liter tank and can be dumped into the toilet’s water tank with external access.
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Grid Series pricing varies by configuration, options, and specific truck year/model. The two builds pictured are featured on Wilderness Vans’ website and feature a 2021 F-550-based blue model for $350,000, with an extended cab and brighter than the 2017 F-550. The gray/white model with yellow/green accents is $270,000.
Source: Wilderness Van
