Arkto Campers – G12

Wilderness camping, when I was a kid, was done with a leaky pup tent, a pack of soggy wieners and a lot of bug spray. Not anymore. Trailers capable of traversing really rough trails to out of the way camping spots are becoming more common. And is it any wonder? In Canada almost 90% of our land is owned/controlled by either the Federal or Provincial governments. On this “Crown Land” (as it’s still widely known) anyone can camp anywhere for up to two weeks (in the same spot). Canadians are waking up to this fantastic free resource which is a birthright – hey, why not use it? But getting into these spots does require an off-road trailer. Luckily these are getting very popular because for more and more RVers the potential of Crown Land camping is becoming apparent.

This preamble leads me to an Alberta RV manufacturer called Arkto. Its campers are truly off-road capable (we’ll discuss what that really means in a bit). The unit I’m looking at today is the G12.

The G12 has an interior length of 12’ (15.5’ including the tongue) and a GVWR of 4,600 lb. One thousand pounds of that max weight is payload. It has a small pop-up roof that gives you a 6’8” clear inside height. It’s a hard roof with waterproof canvas sides. It has two zip open windows. A unique feature of this trailer (for its comparative size) is the amount of storage space – inside and out. Inside there is 24.6 cu.ft. of storage space which complements 80 cu.ft. of exterior access storage space. This design suggests that the owner will be bringing a lot of “stuff” – whatever that may be – and it needs to be contained and organized. This statement makes a lot more sense when you start to picture how much rocking and rolling this camper will be doing getting into the bush.

Search the internet and you will find a host of “off-road” trailers today, but these are not all created equal. At the lower end of the price walk are trailers that sport aggressive tires and a small body lift – this is fine for a few tame campsites – but won’t work for those who really want to Overland.

Look at the stats on the G12 as an example of the opposite of the trailer I just described. To start with the G12 is built with Timbren axle-less HD suspension w/ 4” lift. No axle means more clearance. Up to 20-inches at its highest point, with 18-inches under the tongue. It runs on 285/70/R17 AT tires with 17” alloy wheels, has electric brakes and uses a hot dipped galvanized steel frame. It’s laser cut and forms c-channels (and has a 75-year life span). But the real key to a trailer that will traverse a severely rutted, undulating, forestry access road is the hitch. A normal ball hitch and coupler are designed to allow up to 90-degrees of left and right rotation (on level ground). It will also accept up to a 10% bend (as you’d experience pulling into a steeper driveway). What it won’t accept is 20 – 30% bend while at the same time rotating left or right at an equal or more sever angle. The G12 anticipates this need be using a Max Coupler tri-axis off-road coupler. The Max Coupler has a tri-axis design that allows virtually unrestricted movement in three axis simultaneously without any binding.

Once you get to your campsite, you increase the usable living space by deploying the awning. This is a batwing design that covers a 270-degree spread. It’s tied into place and will resist most winds. This awning covers the outside kitchen, prep table, pantry, and fridge/freezer. Each section of this complete kitchen slides out from behind hard, lockable doors. A wall mounted porch light is positioned to throw ample light onto this work area.

A 37-gallon freshwater tank means you can stay out longer – but you don’t have to do without hot water. A Truma system supplies propane heat and on-demand hot water to an outside shower complete with a privacy enclosure – this fabric shower room flattens, rolls up and stores on the outside of the trailer. A portable toilet can be accessed from inside and removed from the outside.

What I didn’t see much of is frilly décor accents and electronics. I think Arkto is aiming at a more hardcore wilderness customer.

The design of the G-12 allows for up to 4 sleeping spaces and a compact utilitarian layout. Because of the stresses placed on a unit like this (towing and environmental) its interesting to note that there is no wood in this construction – inside or out. Aluminum, fiberglass, power-coated steel, and plastics built on that galvanized frame make this unit impervious to water absorption and allow minimal flexing.

Below are the bullet points of what you’ll find included in the G-12. Have a look at smart Canadian product – and get out there.

RUNNING GEAR & CONSTRUCTION:

• • • ARK XO 750 tongue jack
    • ARK corner stabilizers
    • LED trailer lighting
    • Composite body construction (R7 rating)
    • Aluminum exterior trim and front tread plate – textured powder coated
    • 3,600 lbs curb weight – 4,600 lbs GVWR – 1,000 lbs of storage capacity
    • 397 lbs tongue weight

INTERIOR – Sleeps 4 – 2 Adults & 2 Children:

• • • Residential queen bed (80″ x 60″)
    • Bench/bed (76″ x 30″)
    • Connecting seat/bench bed (52″ x 35″)

Interior Construction:
• Aluminum Cabinetry – powder coated
• 1 wardrobe, 4 cabinets, 3 drawers, 1 bedside cubby, and under bench storage

Additional Details:

• • • Large window w/ bug screen and blackout blind
    • 2 x zip open pop-up roof canvas windows w/ screen
    • Interior seating area with dinette table
    • LED Lighting
    • Indoor/outdoor accessible portable toilet
    • MaxxFan Deluxe – 10-speed roof fan w/ remote
    • 37 Gallon (141 L) freshwater tank

OUTDOOR COOKING AREA

• • • Slide out powder coated aluminum kitchen w/ HDPE counter top
    • Dual burner propane stove w/ windscreen – 12,700 btu
    • Stainless steel sink w/ hot- and cold-water faucet
    • Cutlery drawer, spice drawer, under sink cubby
    • Folding countertop shelving
    • Large foldout countertop
    • 2nd appliance propane quick connects (low pressure)
    • Slide out 75 L 12v dual zone fridge/freezer
    • Large outdoor pantry – 12 cu. ft.
    • Fold down table/prep deck

POWER SUPPLIES

REDARC RedVision Smart Battery Management System

• • • RedVision display unit w/ Bluetooth Connectivity
    • TVMS Rogue Distribution Module
    • Manager30 Battery Management System
    • MPPT solar charge controller w/ exterior SAE port
    • DCDC charging up to 30 Amps
    • Indoor and outdoor receptacles (USB (4) and 110v (2))
    • Propane cabinet – can fit 20lbs or 30lbs tank
    • 15 Amp shore power hookup

OPTIONAL UPGRADES

• • • Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries – ranging from 200 – 680 AH
    • Portable Solar Panel Suitcases – 100w or 200w
    • Rooftop Mounted Solar Panels – 200w or 600w
    • 2000-watt Inverter
    • Nomadic X2 12v Air Conditioner System
    • Wrappon Trekker Electric Toilet – waterless portable toilet that wraps and seals waste
    • ARK XO Corner Stabilizers – optional weight bearing stabilizers
    • Insulated Pop-up Roof Canvas – Insulation from cold/heat, and blocks sound and daylight
    • 270-degree Awning Side Wall Set – 3 wall panels that enclose the 270-degree awning
    • Entry Door Window Cover
    • Heated Fresh Water Tank – Insulated and heated fresh water tank and pick up line – prevents freezing