If you’ve been following ARB’s social media pages over the last few days, you would have seen them teasing a new product. Well, the cat is out of the bag, with ARB announcing on Sunday evening they have entered the camper market in a big way with the release of the ARB Earth Camper.
What’s the story?
ARB tells us they have been working on this project since 2016, with the Earth Camper being designed locally in Kilsyth Australia, and manufactured at ARB’s Thailand-based facility. They also mention that the key design brief for the camper was to design a product from the ground up that will go the distance.
“With an idea in mind of what we wanted to build, we now needed to get stuck into developing, testing and manufacturing the Earth Camper,” says ARB. “The initial design brief had some non-negotiables; things we had learnt from our research into the market, and importantly what we wanted for the Earth Camper.”
“Focusing on the chassis design, we wanted to fabricate using ARB’s signature – a tubular design with exposed welds and incorporated a roll cage inspired look featuring 90mm tubing. From there, the vertical shock absorber was crucial to the frame design and it was built to handle the suspension.”
Manufacturing and testing
As you could imagine, a release of this nature requires significant amounts of testing before making it available to the market. It was critical to ensure the Earth Camper is fit for purpose in tough conditions found locally and overseas.
ARB used a combination of real-world testing in a wide range of Australian conditions, as well as Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software to simulate situations you’d expect to see in the Aussie bush.
“This testing highlights the stress points of the camper – specifically load and twist,” says ARB. “So we optimised the welding to get this right. A trailing arm test rig was also set-up, to simulate the off-road stress the trailing arm would be subjected to.”
“Additionally, ARB tested the Earth Camper in a range of Australian locations and a variety of conditions from gravel, dirt, corrugated and wet roads. From testing, we were able to go back and make the improvements to ensure this Earth Camper can truly go anywhere.”
In terms of manufacturing, ARB built the chassis, suspension, electrical system, and windows of the Earth Camper. They decided to use trusted industry experts for other areas of construction and accessories, such as the diesel heater, fibreglass walls and roof, as well as the hot water kit.
“Significant investments have been made in development and equipment/tooling. For example, purchasing a hydraulically driven Bender rather than electrical, to bend the larger tube size,” says ARB.
“We use an E-coat coating process for the chassis, common within the automotive industry, then the chassis is sprayed in a heavy-duty, stone-resistant polypaint. This is extremely durable and reliable for rust prevention, providing a great solution that will stand the test of time.”
Walkaround video of the Earth Camper
For an extremely detailed walkaround video on the new Earth Camper, showing just what makes the Earth Camper special, check out the ARB YouTube channel. Here’s the main video on the Earth Camper.
Earth Camper Key features
- One-piece cylindrical exoskeleton chassis
- Vertically mounted shock absorbers
- 900mm trailing arms
- Hard shell fibreglass construction
- Queen-sized bed
- Built-in freestanding awning
- BASE rack
- 96L fridge and Slide Kitchen
- Alloy wheels with all-terrain tyres
- 12-inch electric brakes
- Opening side windows and flyscreen
- Redarc battery Management system
- 100ah Century lithium battery
- 120W solar panel
- 140L dual water tanks
- Dual Jerry can and gas bottle storage
- Collapsible dining table
- Dual Sirocco fans
Earth Camper optional Accessories
It probably goes without saying, but there is a wide range of accessories available for the ARB Earth Camper to make it even more capable and comfortable while out exploring. Here’s a brief list of what is available for the Earth Camper from ARB.
- Diesel heater kit
- Awning wind breaks
- Second lithium battery upgrade
- Redarc Redvision upgrade
- Redarc inverter
- Front storage bag
- Pole storage bag
- Canvas storage bag
- Pantry storage bag
- Hot water and shower
- Ensuite room
- Air compressor kit
- Storage cover
How much will it cost?
ARB has described the Earth Camper as being the highest tier in quality and functionality. As you can expect, a premium product will come with a premium price tag. The ARB Earth Camper will start from $74,500 including metro freight and pre-delivery. There is the scope to add further accessories (which we have listed above) to better suit your needs, so factor in those additional costs as well if you’re in the market for the latest go-anywhere camper.
How do you get one?
If you are keen to make an ARB Earth Camper your own, the best step to take is to register your interest on the ARB website. If you want to learn a bit more about the product or are interested in taking a look in person, simply fill out the register interest form and someone from ARB will be in touch. You can find that link by Clicking Here.
What do you think?
We’re keen to get our hands on an Earth Camper from ARB for a full review. We’re also keen to hear your thoughts on the new Earth Camper. Is it something you’d like to see behind your four-wheel drive on your next adventure? Let us know in the comment section.
(Image credit ARB 4×4 Accessories and Offroad Images)
