A travel trailer maker founded by a former NASA architect has unveiled a 2021 line of overland RV trailers starting at $24,950
- Travel trailer maker Taxa Outdoors has unveiled its 2021 line of overlanding trailers, which consists of an updated model and two trailers that previously weren't offered as overlanders.
- The 2021 overland lineup now includes the new $49,950 Mantis Overland, updated $38,950 Cricket Overland, and new $24,950 TigerMoth Overland.
- The Taxa team made the 2021 overlanding trailers more family friendly as per customer demands.
- According to Taxa Outdoors CEO Garrett Finney and president Divya Brown in an email interview with Business Insider, Taxa Outdoors currently has a six-month backlog, and shipments are up 30% annually.
Taxa Outdoors has added two models and upgraded a previous one for its 2021 line of overlanding trailers as road travel continues to remain popular during the coronavirus pandemic.
Companies that specialize in creating products that enable road travel - such as rental companies and camper van and RV makers - have generally seen extraordinary growth during the coronavirus pandemic as people continue to look for ways to get outdoors while still staying socially distanced.
Taxa Outdoors, a lightweight travel trailer maker, doesn't deviate from this trend.
"Shipments are up 30% annually and the backlog is six months right now, which is a 100% increase year-over-year," Taxa Outdoors CEO Garrett Finney and president Divya Brown told Business Insider in an email interview.
According to Finney and Brown, so far, every trailer that has left Taxa's production line since the start of the pandemic has already been pre-sold.
Now, the company is rolling out more models under its overlanding travel trailer line. Of the three family-friendly 2021 models, one is an updated overlander, and two were previously only offered as non-overlanders.
"Our design team is always listening to consumers and customers and thinking of ways to solve their problems," Finney and Brown wrote. "The 2021 editions definitely had the end customer's desires for a more family-friendly habitat as the focus."
Keep scrolling to see what's new:
The two new overland editions - the TigerMoth and the Mantis - and the updated Cricket Overland have equipment that allows the trailers to operate in more isolated places, according to Taxa.
This equipment includes an off-road capable hitch that can rotate 360 degrees, an upgraded suspension with a four-inch lift, all-terrain tires, and a 16-gallon trash can.
The $49,950 2021 Mantis Overland is an upgrade from the 2020 Mantis, pictured below, which is currently one of Taxa's most popular builds, according to Finney and Brown.
The new Mantis overland upgrades include an improved air conditioning unit, an updated kitchen, and more robust storage systems.
The kitchen specifically has a sink, a two-burner stovetop, a more durable backsplash, a cooler with a 12-volt outlet, shelves, and a "storage tower" made of milk crates and bungee cords.
The new edition also puts the electric and plumbing systems in a centralized location for easier access.
For overnight travelers, the Mantis Overland's dinette can be converted into a bed, and the couch can turn into a bunk bed, creating sleeping spaces for a family of four with an optional rooftop.
There's also a bathroom with a toilet and shower, a furnace, and enough room to hang a hammock inside.
Moving on, the new $38,950 Cricket Overland edition, which has a design inspired by NASA, now has an increased 14.5-inch ground clearance. For context, TAXA Outdoor's founder and CEO Garrett Finney was formerly an architect at NASA's Habitability Design Center.
The trailer can accommodate two adults and two children with a full bed and two sleeping berths.
Like the Mantis, the Cricket overland has plumbing and electric systems in a centralized location, upgraded storage systems including Taxa's storage tower ...
... and a redesigned kitchen with the durable backsplash, a sink, a two-burner stovetop, and laminate countertops.
The new model also has an extra window for a total of 10 with the roof popped up, roof rack load bars, a portable toilet, and the company's soft goods package, which includes an awning, screen door, and shower tent.
Finally, the least expensive of the three 2021 overlanders is the $24,950 TigerMoth Overland. The new model comes with four windows - an upgrade from three in the previous non-overland editions - and an optional air conditioning unit.
The new TigerMoth Overland also has roof rack load bars, a tongue tool box compartment, a five-pound propane tank, and an awning with mosquito nets and screen doors.
For meals on the road, the TigerMoth has a pull-out 5.5-square foot kitchen with storage and a two-burner stovetop. And when it's time for bed, the living space can convert into a full bed.
In total, the TigerMoth Overland, which can sleep up to three people with an optional roof tent, can stay off-grid for seven days using its solar, electrical, and water systems, according to Taxa.
"We believe the overlanding editions are a huge growth segment for the market," Finney and Brown wrote. "With the ability to now work remotely and take school on the road, it gives people more time to explore and go further off grid which is what Taxa encourages."
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