I went off-road RVing for the first time in a $375,000 Ford-based EarthCruiser RV and saw why people are ditching traditional road trips for this luxury tiny home on wheels

Brittany ChangNov 20, 2022, 19:09 IST

Brittany Chang/Insider

I tried overlanding for the first time with EarthCruiser in its $350,000 Terranova RV.
EarthCruiser's team and I spent a night in Oregon's backcountry where they taught me how to operate the vehicle.

One of the reasons I moved from Southern California to New York City was so I would never have to test my lackluster driving skills on a bumper-to-bumper freeway again.

Shutterstock

I can't stand driving.

Brittany Chang/Insider

So don't ask me why I thought it would be a good idea to try overlanding for the first time with EarthCruiser and its luxury Terranova RV …

Brittany Chang/Insider

… a fully capable Ford F350-based home on wheels with a price tag higher than my four-year college tuition.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I didn't even have any RV experience to prepare me for this trip.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And despite all odds, my nervousness, my jetlag, and whatever other excuses I can come up with, the experience and guidance from EarthCruiser's team left me missing driving ...

Brittany Chang/Insider

And despite all odds, my nervousness, my jetlag, and whatever other excuses I can come up with, the experience and guidance from EarthCruiser's team left me missing driving ...

... and thinking I too could switch my cozy city apartment for a giant overlanding RV.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I know, I'm shocked too.

Brittany Chang/Insider

In the late summer, overlanding vehicle maker EarthCruiser invited me to visit its headquarters in Bend, Oregon to experience what it would be like as a customer about to take delivery of their new build.

Brittany Chang/Insider

In the late summer, overlanding vehicle maker EarthCruiser invited me to visit its headquarters in Bend, Oregon to experience what it would be like as a customer about to take delivery of their new build.

Ordering an EarthCruiser isn't like going to an auto dealership to buy a traditional car.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Instead, the company works with the buyer to customize their overlanding vehicle.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Throughout the construction process, the team will send updates its customers.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And when it's finally complete, the future EarthCruiser owners can travel to the company's Oregon headquarters and manufacturing site …

Brittany Chang/Insider

… where the team will take them out for a test drive and an overnight overlanding experience in their new home on wheels.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I wasn't able to present EarthCruiser with $350,000 to buy my own overlanding RV.

Brittany Chang/Insider

So instead, they let me spend a night in their demo Ford F350-based Terranova RV, which has seen "significant demand" since it was first unveiled in the spring of 2021, Mary Balk, the director of marketing, told Insider in an email.

Brittany Chang/Insider

So instead, they let me spend a night in their demo Ford F350-based Terranova RV, which has seen "significant demand" since it was first unveiled in the spring of 2021, Mary Balk, the director of marketing, told Insider in an email.

Before my trip, the company sent me a full itinerary detailing my daily expected schedule, drive, and mileage, similar to what real customers might receive before they visit.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Before my trip, the company sent me a full itinerary detailing my daily expected schedule, drive, and mileage, similar to what real customers might receive before they visit.

I used to drive 90 miles daily for my commute when I was still living in California. With traffic, that was six hours of my life wasted every day.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Now, the thought of driving over an hour makes me shudder.

Brittany Chang/Insider

So imagine the nervous dread I felt when I opened the itinerary and saw that my second day would include driving 47 miles for up to 3.5 hours, some on off-road paths.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But I reassured myself and my anxiety that I would be in good hands with EarthCruiser.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Overseas, the company has been building overlanders in Australia since 2008.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Here, EarthCruiser has been a mainstay in the US overlanding market since 2013.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And lately, business has been booming as more travelers learn about overlanding.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The company hit record sales during the last two years and has continued to see "strong" demand this year, Balk said.

Brittany Chang/Insider

She said EarthCruiser has sold "well into the hundreds" of its bespoke overlanding RVs that each take between six to eight months to build.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And the company predicts this will only continue to increase as more travelers explore the off-grid, off-road lifestyle.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Unlike traditional RVing, overlanding vehicles can bring travelers to remote destinations that typical RVs can't access.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And over the years, more people have begun taking interest in the off-grid promise: 75% of EarthCruiser's customers ditched traditional RVs for an overlander.

Brittany Chang/Insider

In Kampground of America's (KOA) annual 2022 North American Camping Report, 27% of surveyors said they went overlanding for the first time in 2021.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And KOA expects this public intrigue to grow with 46% of surveyors saying they wanted to try overlanding this year.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I now see why the intrigue has been growing.

Brittany Chang/Insider

After arriving in Bend, Oregon to warm greetings from the team, I was given a quick tour of my tiny home on wheels and EarthCruiser's manufacturing site.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And before I could register the events ahead of me, I found myself in the driver's seat of the giant Terranova RV.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Just hours after landing in Oregon, I was off on a roughly hour-long drive into the Deschutes National Forest with Ellen Wayte, EarthCruiser's adventure manager, in the passenger seat ...

Brittany Chang/Insider

Just hours after landing in Oregon, I was off on a roughly hour-long drive into the Deschutes National Forest with Ellen Wayte, EarthCruiser's adventure manager, in the passenger seat ...

... giving me the reassurance and fun small talk I desperately needed to distract myself from my own anxiety.

Brittany Chang/Insider

For the first few minutes, I was nervous as I followed Clive Watson, the company's customer experience and training manager, in his own EarthCruiser.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But after a couple of miles, I realized driving the Terranova was like driving any typical automatic car, just with some added elevation and weight.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And when we finally hit unfamiliar terrain — corrugated dirt roads that kicked up blinding dust — most of my anxiety had already dissipated, allowing me to feel comfortable as I navigated this new path.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And when we finally hit unfamiliar terrain — corrugated dirt roads that kicked up blinding dust — most of my anxiety had already dissipated, allowing me to feel comfortable as I navigated this new path.

The Terranova is the largest vehicle I've ever driven.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But somehow, it was intuitively easy to operate. If anything, its size — which easily passed over the bumpy roads — made me more confident.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I might be disrespecting EarthCruiser by saying this, but the vehicle was as easy to drive as my mom's Mazda SUV.

Brittany Chang/Insider

After venturing deeper into the forest, Watson eventually led us up a tall clearing with sights of the surrounding mountains and trees.

Brittany Chang/Insider

This secluded space became our home for the night.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And I quickly wondered why I opted to live in a big city when I could have views like this.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Like great hosts, Wayte and Watson quickly set up camping chairs, a table, and a variety of snacks and beverages shortly after we arrived.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And I was finally able to relax after driving an overlanding vehicle for the first time in my life.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I was admittedly nervous — this seems to be a theme — about spending the night with two strangers.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But Wayte and Watson were some of the most laid-back and amicable people I've ever worked with.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Despite spending almost 24 hours together, I never found myself stuck in an uncomfortable conversation lull with them.

Brittany Chang/Insider

They reminded me of my Californian friends who constantly sought out the outdoors and new travel opportunities, a common thread I noticed with other EarthCruiser employees.

Brittany Chang/Insider

They reminded me of my Californian friends who constantly sought out the outdoors and new travel opportunities, a common thread I noticed with other EarthCruiser employees.

And this familiarity instantly put me at ease and made me feel secure during my unconventional work day.

Brittany Chang/Insider

It was clear they were passionate about EarthCruiser.

Brittany Chang/Insider

As we watched the sunset, stargazed, and ate our delicious salmon dinner — expertly prepared in the other EarthCruiser — Wayte and Watson reminisced about EarthCruiser owners like they were talking about their old friends.

Brittany Chang/Insider

As we watched the sunset, stargazed, and ate our delicious salmon dinner — expertly prepared in the other EarthCruiser — Wayte and Watson reminisced about EarthCruiser owners like they were talking about their old friends.

The employees will sometimes stay in touch with their customers, they said.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And the "family" is so tight-knit, many owners now go on "EarthCruiser Adventures" — led by the company — together.

EarthCruiser

Like I said in my previous review about the vehicle itself, it's easy to see why these travelers have flocked to EarthCruisers and stayed dedicated to the lifestyle.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The Terranova has the same amenities as a studio apartment, just in a more condensed space with a pop-top roof.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Inside, there's a living and dining room that can turn into a separate bed …

Brittany Chang/Insider

… a kitchen ...

Brittany Chang/Insider

… a raised queen bed surrounded by outlets, reading lights, and windows …

Brittany Chang/Insider

… and a toilet and shower hidden by the entry door.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The vehicle's well-designed amenities, like all the hidden storage units …

Brittany Chang/Insider

… the entry stairs that lower when the front door is opened …

Brittany Chang/Insider

… and the secret stairs that pop out from the kitchen to help travelers easily access the lofted bed …

Brittany Chang/Insider

… made me appreciate EarthCruiser's craft and attention to detail.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And all these amenities helped me settle into the Terranova quickly.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The home's functions — like adjusting the temperature and turning on the lights and water — were intuitive using the touchscreen control panel behind the kitchen.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The home's functions — like adjusting the temperature and turning on the lights and water — were intuitive using the touchscreen control panel behind the kitchen.

I was asked to not use the demo vehicle's toilet, but at least the option is there for travelers who buy their own EarthCruiser.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I'll spare you the details of my alternative bathroom.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But at least the lofted bed was fairly comfortable.

Brittany Chang/Insider

It certainly doesn't compare to my bed at home. But it's definitely better than a sleeping bag on the hard floor.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And I still quickly drifted to sleep.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I certainly needed this rest.

Brittany Chang/Insider

When I woke up, I was greeted with a homemade breakfast made by Wayte and Watson, coffee, a sunny day, and my day's assignment: learning how to off-road and winch. I was truly starting with the bare basics.

Brittany Chang/Insider

When I woke up, I was greeted with a homemade breakfast made by Wayte and Watson, coffee, a sunny day, and my day's assignment: learning how to off-road and winch. I was truly starting with the bare basics.

After securing our belongings, I took the wheel as Watson jumped in the Terranova's passenger seat to give me a crash course on navigating roads with steep uphills, downhills, and ditches.

Brittany Chang/Insider

After securing our belongings, I took the wheel as Watson jumped in the Terranova's passenger seat to give me a crash course on navigating roads with steep uphills, downhills, and ditches.

Wayte cheering me on from a distance reminded me of a proud parent, boosting my low morale.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And the witching demo was shockingly easy, although I will admit Watson did pretty much all of the work.

Brittany Chang/Insider

My big takeaway from that day was "trust the vehicle."

Brittany Chang/Insider

When we first began the off-roading lessons, I found myself struggling to trust both the Terranova and my own driving capabilities.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But within the first few minutes of the gentle training, I realized the vehicle was more capable of handling uneven roads than I could've imagined.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Watson taught me how to avoid the dips in the gravel and corrugated dirt road that could make passengers bounce off their seats.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But any errors I did make were cushioned with the upgraded suspension system that kept the drive unbelievably smooth.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And as I continued on rockier roads with both Watson and Wayte in the Terranova (the other EarthCruiser had to be temporarily abandoned due to an unforeseen problem), I found myself feeling more comfortable and confident with the vehicle.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And as I continued on rockier roads with both Watson and Wayte in the Terranova (the other EarthCruiser had to be temporarily abandoned due to an unforeseen problem), I found myself feeling more comfortable and confident with the vehicle.

After two hours of navigating the forest, it felt like I had been driving any typical car, just with a bit more required finesse and concentration.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And by the time we finished training, I no longer had to sit in silence as I concentrated on the road and my tiny obstacles.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Instead, I was finally able to take in the views, keep up with some small talk, and actually drive just a couple miles-per-hour faster.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Best of all, I didn't make myself carsick, which I have unfortunately done before.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Before this, I had never purposefully gone off-roading,

Brittany Chang/Insider

But now, I actually miss the liberating feeling of driving a capable overlander like the Terranova in Oregon's backcountry.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And I never thought I would say that I miss driving.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I've been writing about EarthCruiser and the boom in overlanding for several years now.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I thought I was fully prepared for this experience, but it turns out research can't prepare you for what it's actually like to operate one of these large overlanders.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The Terranova was the roomiest vehicle I had ever been in, and its functions and furnishings were more similar to an off-grid home than a typical car.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Before this, my only experience with the outdoors was camping for a few nights.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I'll always love camping, but even I acknowledge it doesn't compare to the luxury of EarthCruiser Terranova.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And that better be the case: If I'm paying $350,000 for a vehicle, I'm sure hoping the inside will be significantly nicer than a polyester tent.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But Balk believes this pricing is on the "lower end" compared to other expedition vehicle makers.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And for the up to 20% of EarthCruiser owners who live in their vehicles full-time, the $350,000 could be justifiable.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Living in any other vehicle full-time may seem like too much of a comfort sacrifice …

Brittany Chang/Insider

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I went off-road RVing for the first time in a $375,000 Ford-based EarthCruiser RV and saw why people are ditching traditional road trips for this luxury tiny home on wheels

One of the reasons I moved from Southern California to New York City was so I would never have to test my lackluster driving skills on a bumper-to-bumper freeway again.

I can't stand driving.

So don't ask me why I thought it would be a good idea to try overlanding for the first time with EarthCruiser and its luxury Terranova RV …

… a fully capable Ford F350-based home on wheels with a price tag higher than my four-year college tuition.

I didn't even have any RV experience to prepare me for this trip.

And despite all odds, my nervousness, my jetlag, and whatever other excuses I can come up with, the experience and guidance from EarthCruiser's team left me missing driving ...

... and thinking I too could switch my cozy city apartment for a giant overlanding RV.

I know, I'm shocked too.

In the late summer, overlanding vehicle maker EarthCruiser invited me to visit its headquarters in Bend, Oregon to experience what it would be like as a customer about to take delivery of their new build.

Ordering an EarthCruiser isn't like going to an auto dealership to buy a traditional car.

Instead, the company works with the buyer to customize their overlanding vehicle.

Throughout the construction process, the team will send updates its customers.

And when it's finally complete, the future EarthCruiser owners can travel to the company's Oregon headquarters and manufacturing site …

… where the team will take them out for a test drive and an overnight overlanding experience in their new home on wheels.

I wasn't able to present EarthCruiser with $350,000 to buy my own overlanding RV.

So instead, they let me spend a night in their demo Ford F350-based Terranova RV, which has seen "significant demand" since it was first unveiled in the spring of 2021, Mary Balk, the director of marketing, told Insider in an email.

Before my trip, the company sent me a full itinerary detailing my daily expected schedule, drive, and mileage, similar to what real customers might receive before they visit.

I used to drive 90 miles daily for my commute when I was still living in California. With traffic, that was six hours of my life wasted every day.

Now, the thought of driving over an hour makes me shudder.

So imagine the nervous dread I felt when I opened the itinerary and saw that my second day would include driving 47 miles for up to 3.5 hours, some on off-road paths.

But I reassured myself and my anxiety that I would be in good hands with EarthCruiser.

Overseas, the company has been building overlanders in Australia since 2008.

Here, EarthCruiser has been a mainstay in the US overlanding market since 2013.

And lately, business has been booming as more travelers learn about overlanding.

The company hit record sales during the last two years and has continued to see "strong" demand this year, Balk said.

She said EarthCruiser has sold "well into the hundreds" of its bespoke overlanding RVs that each take between six to eight months to build.

And the company predicts this will only continue to increase as more travelers explore the off-grid, off-road lifestyle.

Unlike traditional RVing, overlanding vehicles can bring travelers to remote destinations that typical RVs can't access.

And over the years, more people have begun taking interest in the off-grid promise: 75% of EarthCruiser's customers ditched traditional RVs for an overlander.

In Kampground of America's (KOA) annual 2022 North American Camping Report, 27% of surveyors said they went overlanding for the first time in 2021.

And KOA expects this public intrigue to grow with 46% of surveyors saying they wanted to try overlanding this year.

I now see why the intrigue has been growing.

After arriving in Bend, Oregon to warm greetings from the team, I was given a quick tour of my tiny home on wheels and EarthCruiser's manufacturing site.

And before I could register the events ahead of me, I found myself in the driver's seat of the giant Terranova RV.

Just hours after landing in Oregon, I was off on a roughly hour-long drive into the Deschutes National Forest with Ellen Wayte, EarthCruiser's adventure manager, in the passenger seat ...

... giving me the reassurance and fun small talk I desperately needed to distract myself from my own anxiety.

For the first few minutes, I was nervous as I followed Clive Watson, the company's customer experience and training manager, in his own EarthCruiser.

But after a couple of miles, I realized driving the Terranova was like driving any typical automatic car, just with some added elevation and weight.

And when we finally hit unfamiliar terrain — corrugated dirt roads that kicked up blinding dust — most of my anxiety had already dissipated, allowing me to feel comfortable as I navigated this new path.

The Terranova is the largest vehicle I've ever driven.

But somehow, it was intuitively easy to operate. If anything, its size — which easily passed over the bumpy roads — made me more confident.

I might be disrespecting EarthCruiser by saying this, but the vehicle was as easy to drive as my mom's Mazda SUV.

After venturing deeper into the forest, Watson eventually led us up a tall clearing with sights of the surrounding mountains and trees.

This secluded space became our home for the night.

And I quickly wondered why I opted to live in a big city when I could have views like this.

Like great hosts, Wayte and Watson quickly set up camping chairs, a table, and a variety of snacks and beverages shortly after we arrived.

And I was finally able to relax after driving an overlanding vehicle for the first time in my life.

I was admittedly nervous — this seems to be a theme — about spending the night with two strangers.

But Wayte and Watson were some of the most laid-back and amicable people I've ever worked with.

Despite spending almost 24 hours together, I never found myself stuck in an uncomfortable conversation lull with them.

They reminded me of my Californian friends who constantly sought out the outdoors and new travel opportunities, a common thread I noticed with other EarthCruiser employees.

And this familiarity instantly put me at ease and made me feel secure during my unconventional work day.

It was clear they were passionate about EarthCruiser.

As we watched the sunset, stargazed, and ate our delicious salmon dinner — expertly prepared in the other EarthCruiser — Wayte and Watson reminisced about EarthCruiser owners like they were talking about their old friends.

The employees will sometimes stay in touch with their customers, they said.

And the "family" is so tight-knit, many owners now go on "EarthCruiser Adventures" — led by the company — together.

Like I said in my previous review about the vehicle itself, it's easy to see why these travelers have flocked to EarthCruisers and stayed dedicated to the lifestyle.

The Terranova has the same amenities as a studio apartment, just in a more condensed space with a pop-top roof.

Inside, there's a living and dining room that can turn into a separate bed …

… a kitchen ...

… a raised queen bed surrounded by outlets, reading lights, and windows …

… and a toilet and shower hidden by the entry door.

The vehicle's well-designed amenities, like all the hidden storage units …

… the entry stairs that lower when the front door is opened …

… and the secret stairs that pop out from the kitchen to help travelers easily access the lofted bed …

… made me appreciate EarthCruiser's craft and attention to detail.

And all these amenities helped me settle into the Terranova quickly.

The home's functions — like adjusting the temperature and turning on the lights and water — were intuitive using the touchscreen control panel behind the kitchen.

I was asked to not use the demo vehicle's toilet, but at least the option is there for travelers who buy their own EarthCruiser.

I'll spare you the details of my alternative bathroom.

But at least the lofted bed was fairly comfortable.

It certainly doesn't compare to my bed at home. But it's definitely better than a sleeping bag on the hard floor.

And I still quickly drifted to sleep.

I certainly needed this rest.

When I woke up, I was greeted with a homemade breakfast made by Wayte and Watson, coffee, a sunny day, and my day's assignment: learning how to off-road and winch. I was truly starting with the bare basics.

After securing our belongings, I took the wheel as Watson jumped in the Terranova's passenger seat to give me a crash course on navigating roads with steep uphills, downhills, and ditches.

Wayte cheering me on from a distance reminded me of a proud parent, boosting my low morale.

And the witching demo was shockingly easy, although I will admit Watson did pretty much all of the work.