The Cross-Country Camper

Camping doesn’t have to mean roughing it. Just ask Steve Robinson, 46, an architectural designer from Eugene, Oregon, who took the lowly camper to new heights by committing $125,000 and hundreds of man-hours to this mashup of a U-Haul storage container and a heavy-duty pickup truck. The result: a 14,000-pound off-road trailer capable of taking on even the toughest terrain. Behold, the ultimate recreational vehicle.

The vehicle’s kitchen.

• Robinson’s Sterling Bullet truck has a 6.7-liter turbo diesel with a 52-gallon gas tank.
• Three spotlights atop the cab give 150 degrees of forward illumination.
• In case of emergencies, Robinson keeps a shovel and ax in a tool closet on the outside of the U-Haul box.
• Winches in the front and back of the truck can pull 10,000 pounds, in case Robinson gets stuck in the mud.
• A system of hydraulic lifts at each corner raises and lowers the camper’s roof, allowing for extra headroom.
• Oversize 35-inch wheels give the chassis up to 24 inches of clearance.
• External compartments house fuel cans, a chainsaw, firewood, and a 10-gallon propane tank that can keep the stove and hot-water heater running for a month.