Teardrop trailers, and their rugged, hard-angled squaredrop counterparts, are all the rage right now, but a factor limiting their appeal is that they generally sleep only two people – and forget about a bathroom. Colorado’s Into the Wild Overland solves both problems by lifting the roof and creating a roomy walk-in space with sleeping quarters for four adults, a corner wet bath and a dining area. The all-terrain, all-season XT12 trailer ventures wherever the tow vehicle tugs it, opening up into a comfortable, scenic tiny lodge on arrival.
We’ve seen Into the Wild’s original two-person Boreas XT trailer out and about at various events, and it always looked like a capable little towable. Now ITW expands into lesser explored territory in creating a larger squaredrop that aims to be compact enough for economical towing, rugged enough for go-anywhere durability and large enough to take a whole family of four … or perhaps just escape the mundane everyday with three buddies.
As with the 15-ft (4.6-m) XT, the 18-ft (5.5-m) XT12 finds its foundation on a powder-coated steel chassis with Timbren Axle-Less suspension cushioning the all-terrain tires. That combination offers a full 20 in (51 cm) of ground clearance, according to ITW, likely well more than the lifted 4×4 pulling it.
The big change between the XT and XT12 comes inside the latter’s 12-ft-long (3.7-m) cabin, a larger space that strays from the typical cozy tear/squaredrop layout of floor area-filling mattress, instead offering stand/sit/stretch levels of space below a 6.5-ft (1.9-m) pop-top. Inside the rear entry, campers will find a wet bath to the left with cassette toilet and shower.
Stepping farther into the trailer brings one to a dual-bench convertible dinette behind a fixed queen bed. At night, the center table drops down to make an additional mattress that should create one continuous bed. ITW says the trailer will sleep up to four adults, though we reckon comfort will depend upon the size and familiarity of each member of that quartet.
Into the Wild’s four-berth + bathroom interior leaves little space for an indoor kitchen, so the XT12 instead relies on an exterior pull-out galley. The dual-compartment unit on the passenger side includes one slide for the stainless steel sink and triple-burner stove and a second for the 75-L dual-zone fridge. A 23Zero Peregrine 270 awning provides shade overhead, swinging its way around over the entry door.
Into the Wild pitches the XT12 as a fully insulated four-season camper and plans to package it with a forced-air furnace, Maxxair fan, on-demand hot water, 250-Ah battery and 220 watts of solar. Heated tanks and insulated lines ensure everything flows smoothly when the temperatures run low.
The XT12 shares the same wood-free fiberglass/metal body construction as the smaller XT, designed to prevent the rot and decay associated with wood. Double-pane windows with screens provide views and ventilation.
ITW announced plans for the XT12 this week and intends to launch it in April 2020. Hopefully, the trailer will be on show at Overland Expo West the following month. Pricing has not yet been finalized, but ITW suggests a fully equipped model should fall between US$40,000 and $45,000.
Pop-up squaredrop trailer muscles into the wild and sleeps a family [New Atlas]