When you hear the word Winnebago, odds are good you think of an RV. Maybe the first thing that pops to mind is a disco-era beige box; maybe it’s a sleek, bus-sized mansion on wheels; maybe it’s an overlanding-ready off-road van. But odds are good your associations with the word involve a self-contained, self-propelled vehicle with its own living quarters tucked between engine and bumper.
If that’s the case, well, you might want to sit down for this. Not only does Winnebago also make camping trailers…but they’ve just started selling an innovative off-road one that offers some clever features for anyone looking to venture beyond the beaten path.
The Winnebago Hike was revealed late in 2019, but only went on sale in February of this year — ironically, shortly before the coronavirus pandemic effectively shut down campgrounds and parks all across America — at a starting price of $27,513. Like the Airstream Basecamp X, it’s designed to follow an SUV or pickup truck past the pavement, boasting a lifted ride height, tough fenders and wide, offset off-road wheels and tires.
Uniquely, though, the Hike boasts what Winnebago calls an “exoskeleton,” but what we’d describe more as a combination between a roof rack and a brush guard: metal rails that run around several edges of the vehicle. These are designed to serve as mounting points, so you can rig up any large equipment — mountain bikes, kayaks, etc. — and carry it along without mucking up the inside of your travel trailer, but they also serve to help protect against flying branches and scraping rocks.
Inside, the Hike offers a choice of five different layouts — three with the 20’8″ bodystyle, two with the 25’½” body — that provide sleeping accomodations for up to four people. Pop-outs make the interior roomier when stopped, though even when in road-ready mode, there’s still a full bathroom, dinette, kitchen and bed available and accessible. There’s enough room for someone 6’4″ to stand up comfortably, as well as a TV and audio system for entertaining. It also comes ready for solar panel and wi-fi integration…though we’re guessing the former is of more interest to most customers than the latter.
While it may not have the Basecamp X‘s style, there’s no denying that the larger Hike packs a ton of features and space that would be much-appreciated when out where the power lines don’t run. And while it may not be as badass and capable as some of the true off-road camping trailers out there, we have a feeling many of people would rather trade off a bit of capability for a lot more comfort.
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