My husband and I have long-harbored a dream to live in a tiny house. This was even before the notion of tiny homes on wheels or otherwise became a popular thing. We wanted to get a small-size school bus or panel van and turn it into a get-away camper that we could be comfortable in for summertime camping as well as maybe live in someday if we ever really needed to. We haven’t bought one yet even though we keep talking about it. And with two kids, it’s not likely that we ever will actually live in one. Still, we want a getaway camper and one that has it all is even better.
Like this one, the UGOAT. It stands for “Utility Go Anywhere Off Road Camping Trailer” and it means “I want one.” It’s $15,000. But realistically, if I were to convert a bus or van and make it as nice as some of the pictures I’ve seen, it could conceivably cost that much. Plus it would take a ton of time to tear it apart and rebuild the inside, which I don’t have. So maybe buying a ready-made rig is the way to go. And because this thing originally was designed based on military use, it’s rugged.
The UGOAT was created by a team of Marines from the United States and the British Royal Marines to create a “multi trailer” that is better than most standard camping trailer rigs.
Check out this Build Your Own page to see what the base model comes with. It’s a long list. It includes such basics as steel frame, cargo racks or bicycle racks, spare tire mount, standard RV electrical cable, and propane bottle holder. the base model is $6,495. You can add on an aluminum camper top ($6,000). This has multiple power and USB outlets, water outlets, 21-gallon water tank, kitchen and galley lighting, and more.
You can add a tent rack ($500). The adjustable rack lets you use the space below or above it for more storage.
You can add paint and bedliner options and choose some colors. You can also choose to pay more for raising or lowering the lift height and for your choice of tires.
Add on a whole host of options like a kitchen sink ($300), on-demand hot water shower (225), galley kitchen kit ($425), axe and shovel mounts ($199), solar suitcase ($380/$600), two-burner stove with windscreen ($325), and a storage box ($750.)
Add on an awning ($700) or a tent that zips onto the side of the awning ($700). Larger tent sizes are available, from a basic two-person tent for $1,000 up to a deluxe four-person tent with an annex for $2,400.
All those options do seem like they would add up the cost. But taken all together, this is a camper outfit that my family of four could actually live in, as long as we could park it someplace warm!
Images from ugoat.us