Toyota Hilux 4×4 gullwing camper truck makes a hardy Outback explorer

RedSands made some news earlier this year when it introduced an electrified Toyota , one of our favorite . That rig wasn’t to be the only innovative Hilux creation the RV rental company added to its fleet this year. Still in development, its all-new Wanderer will be launching off into the Outback and toward the Australian coastline in 2024.

The rugged but cozy truck combines RedSands’ traditional canopy/rooftop tent combo into a single camper, providing a seamless indoor space to dine, lounge and sleep, along with the usual outdoor kitchen. We’ve become so accustomed to the traditional Australian , we occasionally forget that sometimes you can even without having to bolt a rooftop tent on separately. The rest of RedSands’ truck rental fleet has the traditional cargo canopy down low and separate rooftop tent up high, but with the new Wanderer, the company combines them into a single truck camping rig.

The Wanderer then boasts the interior benefits of a flatbed-mounted pop-up truck camper with the outdoor-access kitchen and storage of a classic Aussie tray-top canopy. A two-person camper by design, the all-season Wanderer starts life as a 4WD Toyota Hilux extra-cab chassis. RedSands ensures it comes loaded with a sat-nav system, upgraded off-road suspension, heavy duty all-terrain tires, a bull bar, side steps and a snorkel.

A pair of spare tires, recovery equipment, onboard air compressor and emergency locator beacon help renters out of any jams in which they might find themselves. The main attraction, though, is the camper, which allows renters to grow an Australian road trip into the multi-day cross-country expedition of their design. RedSands’ design features an alcove profile with full-length pop-up roof for plenty of headroom and ventilation inside.

The alcove itself houses the queen-size bed, while the lower floor just inside the rear door makes room for a two-seat fold-down bench and slide-out dining table/desk. The retractable nature of the sofa and table clears the floor for easier access into the camper and up to the bed. The reason the camper lacks the vis-a-vis dinette and interior kitchen we’d expect in a North American is that RedSands uses the passenger side of the unit to house a cabinet with outdoor kitchen equipment, accessed via the exterior gullwing hatch door.

Here, campers will have access to a slide-out 80-L Engel fridge, portable dual-burner gas stove, portable sink and draining board, fold-down worktop, and tall pantry with drawers and shelves loaded with pots, pans, dishes, utensils and everything needed to prepare and eat a meal. There’s also space for dry food. The Wanderer rental also comes with a secondary battery and power management system, solar panel charging, awning, 80-L water tank, camping equipment like chairs, table and lighting, a portable shower system, a first aid kit and other provisions.

The Wanderer isn’t ready to hit road or track yet, but it is available to book now for dates beginning April 1, 2024. RedSands offers several rental locations in Adelaide, Broome, Darwin and Perth. Its rentals include unlimited mileage and 24-hour roadside assistance.

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