The base vehicle is a 2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon (78,000 miles), which has been upfitted with extensive premium modifications and topped with a custom Bison Overland Camper. The specs are more akin to a luxury expedition truck than a smaller rig such as this. Highlights include a four-season-ready Bison Overland FRP composite camper, a full custom interior, a large lithium house battery system, 21 gallons of freshwater with a water heater, extensive cab upgrades, and much more. I love builds that integrate maximum comfort and amenities in the smallest possible external footprint, and in this regard, today’s offering is very impressive. The vehicle modifications alone (without taking into account the cost of the habitation box, camper interior, house systems, or truck itself) cost in excess of $99,000 (not including labor), making the complete package a bargain at $79,000. The Gladiator is fitted with a 3.6-liter V6 that produces 285 horsepower, 260 pound-feet of torque, and returns a combined 19 mpg (impressive range is provided by an auxiliary Long Range America fuel tank for a total of 36 gallons capacity and approximately 550 miles of range). A dependable engine is matched with impressive capability thanks to a body-on-frame design, 4WD, high and low range, skid plates, Dana Spicer Ultimate 60 axles, front and rear lockers, 5.38 gearing, a winch, and a lifted and uprated suspension. Inside, these backcountry credentials are balanced with a well-equipped interior with driver comforts that include:
- Infotainment system with navigation
- Heated seats
- Power steering, windows, locks, and mirrors
- Cruise control
- Air-conditioning
- Premium audio
- Infotainment system with navigation
- Expedition Essentials dash mount
- Auxbeam RGB headlights and Trail Tail LED tail lights
- Backup camera
- Auxbeam switches
- weBoost signal booster
- Custom Bison Overland FRP composite camper with Nichols Auto Fab custom aluminum frame and full custom interior, custom flip-down rear aluminum table, and Little Giant stairs
- Freshwater (21 gallons), and Joolca vehicle-mounted shower
- Redarc Manager 30 with Red Vision with Renogy 100-amp-hour lithium batteries (2), 370 watts of Zamp solar (and 200 watts of portable), Cascadia Vehicle Systems hood solar panel, and 1,000-watt Cotek inverter
- Trail Ready 17-inch beadlocks with Rock Ring and Nitto 40-inch tires (5)
- Warn Elite front bumper with Warn Zeon 12-S winch, Factor 55 Ultra Hook, and Nicholas AutoFab custom rear bumper
- Ostrich Wing Junior awning with custom Pakrax mounts
- Baja Designs and Rigid Industries lighting
- Goose Gear seat delete
- Climate control with Rixen gasoline furnace/hot water and Maxxair Deluxe fan
- Extreme Outback Magnum air compressor and Apex Products RPV XL rapid air down valves
- Setpower dual-zone fridge
- Pakrax/Down2Mob custom cab roof rack with two waterproof storage boxes
- Icon Stage 8 suspension, Icon Front hydro bumps, Evo front lower adjustable control arms, PSC hydraulic assist steering conversion, Apex Products Auto Lynx sway bar endlinks, Hellwig rear sway bar, Steer Smarts tie rod, drag link, and track bar, and Ram 3500 brakes
- Genright aluminum fender and inner fenders
- Nichols Autofab Custom Rear steel frame to fit 40-inch spare wheel
No issues with the Gladiator or Bison Overland build, both are in excellent condition. What we enjoyed most about this setup was being able to access those hard-to-reach places (thanks to the Dana Spicer Ultimate 60 Axles, 5.38 Gears, and 40-inch tires), while still being able to enjoy a fully equipped all-season living space with everything you need to be comfortable (even a hot shower). The Bison Overland roof raises 18 inches with three layers: a screen, clear plastic, and/or an insulated layer. Another excellent feature is that you can sit/sleep/cook in the camper without needing to raise the top. The table lowers to create a queen-size bed.
