You don’t need to be Daniel Boone to camp out in the wilderness. Many RVs these days are capable of off-grid camping, also known as boondocking. To survive out in the wild, these machines carry their own power source and water with them, as well as be stout enough to travel trails that lesser RVs can’t. They also look cool, with knobby tires, big suspension travel, and aesthetics that draw inspiration from things like the military and survival gear.
Off-grid-capable RVs are also more expensive than regular RVs, so it’s a great idea to rent one before you commit to buying. We scoured the pages of RVshare for off-grid RVs you can rent today. While these particular RVs may not be located where you live, searching on RVshare for the same models near you should yield plenty of results.
Some say teardrop trailers are nothing more than metal tents on wheels, but that’s selling them short. When it comes to off-grid camping, tiny towables like this 2022 Sherpa Bigfoot are an excellent choice. More types of vehicles like SUVs and wagons can tow them thanks to their small size, which also makes navigating rutted, muddy, and sandy trails much easier.
The Sherpa comes with a small water tank, roof rack, awning, and tongue box for storage. Beyond that, though, it’s primitive, lacking things larger RVs offer like a kitchen and bathroom. Still, you’ll be more comfortable sleeping off the ground in a Sherpa than you would in a tent, and its hard-side construction keeps animals at bay.
Click here to rent this 2022 Sherpa Big Foot or another RV just like it.
The giant Thor Motor Coach Omni XG32 may not scream “off-grid camping,” but it’s hiding an important ability that isn’t apparent at first sight: Four-wheel drive. Unlike most Class C RVs that use a cutaway version of Ford’s rear-wheel-drive E-Series chassis, the Omni is based on the venerable F-550 Super Duty truck. Along with being 4x4, the Omni also boasts a strong 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel V8 with a comically robust 825 foot-pounds of torque.
While it’s true the Omni doesn’t have the ground clearance to get very far offroad, it can stay off-grid forever thanks to a diesel-powered generator and giant tanks for freshwater and waste. An optional King bed, double-door fridge, and four TVs (including one on the exterior) mean “roughing it” will be a relative term for you.
Click here to rent this 2022 Thor Motor Coach Omni XG32 or another RV just like it.
Black Series makes travel trailers that look ready for a zombie apocalypse. The manufacturer leans into the off-grid aesthetic with black aluminum diamond plating, bumper bars along the bottom edge, and lots of sharp angles. Fortunately, the inside of a Black Series, like this HQ14 model, is modern, luxurious, and comfortable.
The HQ15 is a great size for couples with a large Queen bed and giant separate bathroom. It also offers a fully built out solar charging system straight from the factory with four 150-watt panels on the roof and a 2,000-watt pure sine wave inverter. And because off-grid camping is usually limited by the size of your tanks, this Black Series can carry a small lake’s worth of water – over 63 gallons – with a triple-filter water filtration system.
And the HQ15 doesn’t just look the part. Its fully independent suspension with dual shocks on each side, aggressive off-road tires, and armored undercarriage are the real deal. Perhaps the only negative about Black Series trailers is they come with small refrigerators, but that shouldn’t affect short-term renters.
Click here to rent this 2019 Black Series HQ15 or another RV just like it.
There are so many good reasons to consider an A-liner pop-top camper for your next off-grid vacation home. For one, they’re very light – about 1,500 pounds dry – so they can be towed by many types of vehicles – not just trucks. When stowed for travel, they’re also far more aerodynamic than a typical travel trailer, which has a huge effect on fuel efficiency when towing. And third, unlike pop-tops from the past, the A-liners are hard-sided, which means you can camp in a wider range of temperatures and feel safer in bear country.
At just $90 per night, renting this A-liner costs less than than the teardrop trailer elsewhere on this list, but it offers way more space and amenities. Setting up the walls and roof takes less than a minute, and inside you’ll find a Queen bed; kitchen with sink, stove, and fridge; and dinette for lounging.
The Ranger 12 model’s limiting factor is its small 11-gallon fresh water tank and lack of a bathroom. There is an outside shower, but no hot water heater. Fortunately, A-liner makes larger hard-sided pop-top campers with many of those amenities. Just look for one to rent with the Extreme Off-Road Package that offers higher clearances and aggressive tires.
Click here to rent this 2022 A-Liner Ranger 12 Extreme Off-Road or another RV just like it.
Our last choice for the best RVs on RVshare for off-grid camping is the Winnebago Revel. It ticks every box for what we’d want when boondocking: 4x4, ground clearance, decent-sized tanks, full bathroom with shower, full kitchen with hot water, and enough solar to power everything indefinitely.
Owning a Revel is expensive; a new one starts at $210,000. But renting one is quite affordable, in this case just $275 per night. Consider it a luxury hotel room on off-road tires with the ability to follow a Jeep into the woods. Its diesel engine produces 325 pound-feet of torque and its transmission offers a low range mode, both of which are great for rock crawling, which this RV can absolutely do.
Unless your other car is a Lamborghini, you probably can’t afford to buy a Revel, which makes renting one like this 2018 model the only way you’ll get to enjoy it.
Click here to rent this 2018 Winnebago Revel or another RV just like it.
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