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For every adventure RVer out there who wants to explore the great outdoors, Taxa Outdoors has created a camper that barely leaves a trace.
The Wooly Bear, Tiger Moth, Cricket, and Mantix are the company’s four models that exploded onto the eco-friendly adventure camping market.
These recreational vehicles are anything but a big box on wheels. With their lightweight design, sustainable construction materials, and multi-use features, Taxa campers leave little impact on nature while offering considerable comfort and use.
About Taxa Outdoors
Taxa Outdoors is an outdoor retail company that manufactures what it refers to as “mobile human habitats.” These unique travel trailers are architecturally stimulating, with an unusual shape for an RV.
They come with birch plywood interiors that are easily customizable and have pop-up screened roofs. And the way they’re built makes all the difference, as Taxa Outdoors strives to make less of an impact on the environment where their products exist.
Using durable products, the company designs lightweight recreational vehicles that require less vehicle power for towing. The materials used in constructing each camper are long-lasting and eco-friendly.
That means a Taxa Outdoors trailer will provide many years of service with little impact on the environment!
Who Owns Taxa Outdoors?
NewRoad Capital Partners owned Taxa Outdoors. It’s a private equity firm that invests in founder-owned businesses that offer innovative products and services.
NewRoad is located in Rogers, Ark., and specializes in accelerating growth for companies in their early stages of expansion. It’s a perfect fit for Taxa Outdoors, which is gathering a good share of the lightweight adventure trailer market.
But within the last month, L Catterton, an investment firm out of Greenwich, Conn., purchased Taxa.
About Garrett Finney
Garrett Finney is the founder and CEO of Taxa Outdoors. Finney first found success at NASA as a trained architect and furniture designer, working on the International Space Station and Lunar habitats design team.
It was there that he honed his skills in creating small living areas. That led to the original idea for a fully functioning travel trailer. He transferred his attention to another industry where space is at a premium – the RV industry.
Finney came up with the first Cricket travel trailer when he sketched the design for the camper on a napkin in 2009. He was at a point in his life where he wanted to spend more time with his family in the outdoors.
The design for a piece of “adventure equipment that you can sleep in” came to fruition quickly. With a lightweight and small size to fit in any residential garage, the Taxa models have become synonymous with high-quality, hand-built campers. That allows owners to actually do more with less.
Keep in Mind: Interested in seeing a Taxa Outdoors rig in person? Check out the RV Shows and Events in 2022 to find one near you!
The Taxa Outdoors Lineup
Taxa has four graduated models for those who want to stay out there while exploring the Great Outdoors, albeit with a smaller footprint.
These “mobile habitats” provide shelter for those who don’t want the typical RV house on wheels. Instead, they’d rather have a base camp around which all aspects of outdoor living revolve.
Each model listed below is vastly different in design from its siblings, meeting the specific needs of its target market.
Mantis and Mantis Overland
At 19 ft long, the Mantis is the largest habitat in the Taxa Outdoors lineup. It can easily sleep four, with a coach at one end, with a bunk bed positioned over it.
A large dinette at the other end folds down into a queen-sized bed. The interior also includes an air conditioner, a Truma water heater and furnace, a sink, a two-burner propane stove, and a 12V refrigerator.
There is also a wet bath included with a shower and cassette toilet.
The unit is wired for solar and has a solar charge controller, with space for two batteries to power the 12V electrical system. LED lighting runs throughout the interior and exterior, and USB charge ports are inside.
A 20-gallon freshwater tank and a 22-gallon gray water tank are attached, with a gray water dump valve located underneath the vehicle.
The roof of the Mantis can be expanded from 6 ft to almost 8 ft in the central living area with a pop-up canvas structure. It includes a Thule rack system on top, where bikes and storage boxes can go.
It even has an optional three-person rooftop tent that can expand the number of sleeping spaces. Every inclusion in the design meets more than one purpose, like the milk carton stackable storage towers. They slide into cabinet spaces but can also go outside, where you can use their contents.
Even the actual build includes stairs to access the roof and bunk beds, rather than attaching a ladder. And all the Taxa models have numerous attachment points for carabiners, lanterns, towels, etc. At just under 3,000 lbs, the Mantis is the perfect habitat for family outings!
The Mantis Overland is the same floorplan. However, the rig has offroad features like higher ground clearance, a lock-n-roll hitch, and Timbren axle-less suspension.
Cricket and Cricket Overland
The Cricket was Taxa Overland’s first product, and it still holds the attention of campers everywhere. It’s 15 ft long but has bedding for two adults and two children, with innovative ceiling berths for kids.
Like the Mantis, the dinette folds down into a queen-sized bed with a galley kitchen still accessible. A propane stove and sink come standard, and you can add a 12V refrigerator to the mix. A portable toilet slides out from storage, and you can utilize an outdoor shower.
One of the most recognizable features on all Taxa Outdoors models is a large hatch door. On the Cricket, it’s at the back of the vehicle, giving access to under-the-bed storage while providing a nice protected outdoor shelter.
A Truma water heater and furnace come with the Cricket, and a 6,000 BTU air conditioner can run offshore power when needed.
The roof is similar to the Mantis in that it pops up for added headroom and ventilation. But this also room on the roof for a Thule rack system to add a bike or kayak rack. And of course, all habitats from Taxa include large windows with screens and nightshades.
The Cricket Overland is the same floorplan. But, the rigs come with offroad features like higher ground clearance, a lock-n-roll hitch, and Timbren axle-less suspension.
Keep in Mind: If off-road campers are your style, you have to check out These Off-Road Camper Trailers Are Built for Adventure!
TigerMoth and TigerMoth Overland
The TigerMoth is a 13-foot-long habitat that weighs only 1,300 lbs but can sleep up to three people. The outdoor kitchen has a 4-foot-long drawer. You can easily cook on a propane camp stover, prepare dinner on a countertop cutting board, and wash dishes with an attached water can.
The interior has room for a large three-sided dinette that breaks down into a double bed. There is also an electrical station that includes USB ports, 12V ports, and a 110V outlet.
You can add an air conditioner for those times when you’re hooked up to shore power. The unit is prewired for solar if you want to add it later.
A rooftop tent is attached to the TigerMoth, expanding the sleeping space. It also has an awning.
The TigerMoth Overland is the same floorplan. However, the rig has off-road features like higher ground clearance, a lock-n-roll hitch, and Timbren axle-less suspension.
Woolly Bear
The smallest offering of the Taxa Outdoors models is only 11 ft long. It’s more like a storage vehicle that brings all your needs for comfortably camping. Think of it as the bed of a utility truck with cabinets, containers, a cargo deck with risers, and an outdoor kitchen area.
The Woolly Bear is a low-profile trailer with a slide-out drawer for a 12V refrigerator and an entire side dedicated to kitchen space. Its layout is adaptable for all sizes of camp stoves, countertop preparation space, and food storage.
There is space for up to five Jerry cans for water or fuel. There’s also large storage space for other outside equipment.
What makes this vehicle unique is a cargo deck on top of the storage unit. It comes with adjustable risers that can elevate a rooftop tent or several types of bike, kayak, or ski racks.
The Woolly Bear has no “Overland” option because it comes standards with offroad features. These features include higher ground clearance, a lock-n-roll hitch, and Timbren axle-less suspension.
Can a Taxa Outdoors Camper Fit In a Garage?
All four Taxa models fit inside a standard residential garage. This gives their owners the freedom from renting a storage space for their vehicles. Each model has adjustable heights with pop-up ventilation or additional rooftop tents.
That means their profiles are short enough to fit in a garage!
How Much Does a Taxa Outdoors Camper Cost?
With four different model lines to choose from, Taxa Outdoor campers can cost $9,200 for the Wooly Bear, $21,190 for the TigerMoth, and $32,000 for the Cricket. It can venture up to $49,950 for the Mantis.
These are all base prices. Each of the models can be outfitted with many upgrades to suit individual campers’ needs.
Taxa Outdoors: On a Mission to Get Everyone Outside
With well-thought-out designs that account for movement and small living, Tax Outdoors habitats are efficient campers for adventure seekers.
They incorporate all the base necessities found in typical recreational vehicles into sleek minimalist floorplans that are innovative in their use and appearance. Each Taxa vehicle encourages customers to spend more quality time in the outdoors.
Have you ever thought of owning a Taxa?
