Suburban Camper Build: Better than a Subaru?
Earlier this year I had the chance to take a Suboverland out on a camping adventure to The City of Rocks in Southern Idaho. What is a Suboverland? It’s a suburban (or Yukon or the like) transformed into a reliable, livable offroading camper. Grady, the founder of Suboverland, started building suburbans years ago because of their resilience, reliability, and offroad capability and has developed quite a setup that has over 200 people on the road today.
If you want to see the vehicle tour check out the video here. So how was it? In short, it was a blast. One thing that always makes me excited when I use any new rig (or even a bike) is the feeling of trusting the setup you are on. Having a solid rig to take you outside pushes the worry of being off the beaten path behind you and lets you enjoy the moment you are in while knowing it will get you back.
So besides the reliability, what else did I like/dislike?
-I loved the space. I’ve spent many nights in my little Subaru camper and while it does get the job done I found the additional headroom and storage space of the Suburban to be quite nice.
-I didn’t love the fuel mileage. Suburbans are gas hogs, plain and simple. You end up spending a bit more on fuel than in a smaller rig but the affordability of the car and the amenities it brings help to make it worth the cost.
-I enjoyed the 4x4. Again, my Subaru does great with its AWD but there are times when in mud or going over rocks that a solid 4x4 system sure is nice to have. This thing could take a beating.
-I appreciated the integrated refrigerator. Having access to a nice chest of drinks and snacks while you driving is a luxury I didn’t know I was missing. The fridge runs off of the car and the battery bank so you are set for weeks on end.
-I loved the size of the bed platform and the pull-out storage drawers. Sleeping in this thing felt like I was back at home!
-I liked the lights and winch. I only got to put the lights to use on this trip but knowing there was a winch there for if I got stuck added to my peace of mind.
Overall the Suboverland was a joy to use. Give their site a look if you’re interested in learning more about their rigs!
