I’ve chatted about this camper design around campfires all over the country for years now, with good friend and AT Overland’s owner/designer Mario Donovan. I’m excited to see the AT Overland Aterra XL flatbed truck camper finally coming to market, as it addresses many of the design and construction deficiencies that are found in other truck campers on the market today.
Let’s dive into what the AT Overland Aterra flatbed truck camper is all about and why it’s different from what’s already on the market.
AT Overland Aterra XL
The concept behind this camper is to create a comfortable full-featured self-contained home away from home that can handle the abuses of full-time overland travel through remote and rough terrain. It is designed to work as long-term overland accommodations for 2-adults and a pet, but can work for 3-people without an issue for shorter trips, as there are sleeping areas for 3-adults. It is a true 4-season camper that only weighs 1,100-pounds and has all the comforts of home.
The big advantage of the AT Overaland Aterra XL over the other options on the market is its construction. The shell of the camper has been engineered by Tern Overland and features the “world’s first fiber-reinforced thermoplastic honeycomb composite shell.” What that equates to is a super durable, strong, insulated, and lightweight camper shell.
Inside the Aterra XL you get a queen-sized bed, a dinette that can convert to a bed, a fridge/freezer, a sink/stove combo, a waterless toilet, a shower, and tons of storage. To stay fully organized in all that storage the Aterra comes with custom storage cubes that perfectly fit the cabinetry. You also get a hot water heater and a hot air heater. To regulate temps further, you get a powered fan in the ceiling and lots of insulated windows and skylights that open, with bug and privacy screens built-in.
The Attera XL is powered by a Lithium battery and roof-mounted solar. With LED lighting and plenty of USB and 120V outlets throughout the camper it is super efficient and should be good for extended remote adventures.
Standard Equipment:
- 78”L x 60”W Bed w/3” Upholstered Foam Mattress & Froli Travel Spring System
- 5 Artic Tern Acrylic Windows
- Arctic Tern Acrylic Electric Roof Hatch w/Integrated LED Lighting
- Arctic Tern Double Bolt Entrance Door
- Truma Propane Vario Comfort Heater
- Truma Propane AquaGo On-Demand Hot Water Heater
- Dometic Flush Mount 2-Burner Sink/Stove Combo w/Glass Top
- Plyboo Counter Tops & Table
- Maxxair Ventilation Fan
- 20lb Propane Tank (standard swappable type)
- National Luna 90L Dual-Zone Fridge/Freezer
- 30 Gallons Water Tank
- Inside & Outside Sagiv Shower Points
- 105 Ah Lithium Battery
- 400 Watt Solar Array
- National Luna 40 Amp DC-DC Charging System
- Wrappon Trekker Waterless Toilet System
- 10 X Step 22 Stingray Cabinet Storage Cubes (16”L x 12”W x 8”H)
- 2 x Step 22 Stingray Cabinet Storage Half Cubes (8”L x 12”W x 8”H)
Specifications:
- Camper Width: 80”
- Camper Length: 153”
- Camper Height: 83”
- Flatbed Footprint: 80” x 80”
- Interior Headroom: 76”
- Weight: 1,100 lbs
Aterra Flatbed Truck Camper
Another key component of the Aterra Camper is that it can be moved from one vehicle to another, versus a van build or expedition camper that is mated to the chassis and drivetrain, which means when the motor dies or you don’t need to camper anymore you can move it to another truck easily. With that, this camper can also be quickly removed so you can use your truck to do truck things.
The Aterra XL will work on just about any 80″x80″ flatbed, on most 1/2 to 1-ton trucks on the market. AT Overland recommends and sells flatbeds from FiftyTen, Lite Aluma Tray, UTE, and Norweld, with even more options on offer soon. It can also customize the flatbed you choose with things like storage lockers, spare tire holders, and accessory mounts. The huge advantage of a flatbed is the considerable extra usable space, the drawback being it costs more than the stock bed that comes on most trucks (chassis cab trucks are great options to start with here).
While AT Overland isn’t offering any systems substitutions or empty shell models of this camper, they do offer a few optional upgrades. On offer are things like a bigger Lithium battery bank, more solar panels on the roof, an awning, camper jacks, a rear accessory rack system for fuel/water cans and Maxtrax, and custom camper color options.
Pros:
Lightweight (1,100 lbs)
Super Durable/Strong
All The Comforts Of Home
Top-Tier Quality Systems
Great Value ($55,000)
Cons:
No AC
Only 6’3″ Interior Height
Little/No Camper Customization
No Roof Rack Option
Requires Flatbed (vs using stock truck bed)
Long Lead Time To Get One (25-30 weeks)
Personal Experience
For me, at 6’3″ tall, the inside of this camper would be a bit snug. I’m also a kayaker and outdoor adventure person, so need to be able to have a roof rack for my gear, which is not an option on the Aterra XL. I also prefer a bit shorter overall vehicle height, to fit down tighter trails, like those wooded routes found in the North Eastern U.S., which usually means a pop-top.
I’ve also had personal experience with most of the systems in this camper and can attest to their top quality, durability, and functionality. The Froli Travel spring system in the bed makes for a great night’s sleep. The Wrappon Trekker waterloo toilet system is just awesome, as it is super easy to use, doesn’t smell, and requires the most minimal cleanup possible. The National Luna dual-zone fridge-freeze is the larger version of what I have in my personal SUV, and it not only looks cool but is super efficient and allows you to have ice cream in the middle of nowhere and cold, but not too cold, beers at the same time.
I have no doubt the AT Overland Aterra XL flatbed truck camper will be an amazing product that will be perfect for a wide range of travelers. What’s not to like about indoor and outdoor showers, hot water, and the rest of the quality amenities this camper has to offer! Wrap that all in a lightweight durable package and this camper should make for a good travel companion.
AT Overland Equipment
AT Overland is part of the original overland industry movement that started in North America about 20-years ago. It started by building Australian-style rugged off-road trailers, and is most recently recognized for its full line of pop-top truck topper campers. The Aterra isn’t a pop-top, although I’d love to see a pop-top version at some point (note that AT Overland has zero current plans to make such a thing).
“Aterra” is a made-up word that is the combination of the company name “AT Overland” and the Latin word for earth, “terra.”
Adventure Awaits
AT Overland will start taking orders in May for the Aterra XL, which is when it expects to have the first batch of production quality prototypes done. The expected lead time to build out one of these campers is 25-30 weeks, with a 50% deposit required to get in line for one. Pricing is expected to be right around $55,000.
Stay up to date on all things AT Overland Aterra XL camper and/or secure your place in line for one at ATOverland.com.
