Cricket Camper Is The Off Grid Adventure Trailer You’ve Been Waiting For

The Cricket Camper has everything under one nifty pop-top roof. Whether you’re a digital nomad in need of a spacious place to work on the go, or you’re just looking for an affordable entry point to the tiny home lifestyle, Cricket might just be the best way to hop into adventure.

Trailer Life is becoming a huge movement all over the world, with many road warriors all over ditching their campervan conversions for small travel trailers. Now, we’ve reviewed larger trailers before like the Cricket’s sibling, the Taxa Mantis Trailer. We want to stress that bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better–it literally just means bigger (and more expensive, harder to park, more maintenance, etc.)

Below, we review the Cricket Camper, to show you how luxurious small travel trailers can be!

The Cricket Camper – An Escape Pod With Attitude From Taxa Outdoors

You might think the Cricket’s overall design looks as though it’s come from the mind of an astronaut–and you’d be right! The side door on this NASA-inspired vehicle almost looks as though Neil Armstrong might walk out of at any second. The cool angled roof and overall shape remind me a little bit of a @Jacob Witzling camper conversion; every bend, ridge and slant on this travel trailer has a very special purpose. 

Taxa have worked very had to make sure that the Cricket Camper trailer is lightweight. You can take this camper wherever you want, whenever you want–without having to ask the neighbours to come ’round to help you attach it. You won’t need a monster truck to pull it, and it won’t excessively eat away at your fuel consumption, either.

With a dry weight of 1,450 lbs., the Cricket is a lightweight alternative to full-sized off-road camper trailer models. At 15″ long, it’s much more manageable to manoeuvre than the Mantis or Lotus. Altogether, it’s a joy to tow–whether you’re driving a purpose-built eco camper or a family saloon car.

Another main selling point of the Cricket Camper is that you can store it in your garage when not in use. And, with front stabilising jacks and gravel guards available as optional extras, you can park this trailer pretty much anywhere. You could even use it as a conservatory or a reading room on your drive when you’re not on the trail!

The Cricket Camper Exterior

Viewed from the outside at night, the Cricket Camper looks like something out of a Tim Burton film. Perhaps it’s how the super-luminous LED porch light shines through that orange pop-top, or the uncanny-valley angles that defy visual convention. Either way, it makes a strong impression!

Of course, that pop-top is a necessity when living off-grid. You really want to be able to stand straight up to truly relax in the great outdoors, and this is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to make that happen. It also provides superior ventilation, keeping your camper nice and fresh. What’s more, the Cricket can easily a pair of adults and a pair of children thanks to the added room provided by the pop top. We call that a fair trade for looking a bit Dutch!

The trailer itself is made from Kynar-Painted & UV Treated Aluminum Panels (which sound like parts of the Millennium Falcon–queue Chewbacca noise). Cricket laser cut the frame to ensure everything fits together tighter than a jigsaw puzzle. For privacy, there are tinted windows, tempered for additional strength. Rounding out the picture are 15″ all-terrain camper tyre set upon torsion axle suspension, which make mincemeat of the roughest ground.

If you work up a sweat on the road, then you can use the exterior camper shower to freshen up before tea time. There’s a 15-gallon fresh water tank (forming a matching pair with a similar grey water tank), so you won’t have to worry about running out too quickly. And, with twin 20 lb. liquid propane tanks, you can enjoy cooking and hot water as if you were at home.

What’s Inside The Cricket Camper?

Many expanding trailer models we review lose points for a sub-par interior. Sure, the Cricket Camper’s a little bland, but it is a fully functional living space, kitted-out with everything you need for an off-grid adventure.

Although the Cricket Camper is a little on the bland side, you open the door and step inside it is still a fully functional living space with everything that you need for your off grid adventure. There’s also a marine grade birch wood countertop, which would certainly withstand my intense food preparation techniques. And if you spill anything on the vinyl floor, then it’s not going to take an age to wipe up.

What else is there in here? Well, you can make use of a multi-speed fan to let steam out and fresh air in. And, there’s a specially designed hot air and water system integrated into the camper for keeping warm and cleaning your dishes. The Cricket Camper comes with a stove and sink combo, and you have the option of adding a fridge/freezer and a toilet into your build, should you wish.

But what about if you want to look out and take in the views? Four swing windows open up to let air in and also give you a chance to sit and watch the world go by with a cup of tea in your hand. They each have a shade that you can pull down when you want to have a sleep in. Five mesh windows in the tent side give you a refreshing breeze and stellar views from all angles.

If you’re after spectacular vistas, then you can sit and gaze out of the 32″ x 20″ picture window and get some inspiration for your next book/painting/lazy daydream.

Extra Goodies For Quality Of Life

Remember when TVs were ‘HD Ready’? Well, the Cricket Camper is solar panel ready, with all of the wirings in place should you want to add a solar package to your trailer. I would highly recommend doing so as it means that you can stay off grid for longer and not have to rely on a portable solar charger to keep your devices topped up.

Other optional extras include a roof rack for any extreme sports gear that you might want to bring along; and a fully enclosed shower tent so you can get naked without having to worry about the paparazzi snapping your private bits.

Final Thoughts…

The Cricket Camper is making a big noise on the tiny trailer scene, and it’s not hard to see why. It looks the part, it’s easy to tow, and it provides a comfortable setting for any off grid living adventures.

The pop top makes it accessible for the taller van life enthusiasts amongst us, and everything is neatly designed to maximise the amount of living space inside the camper. With a queen size bed for lazy days and lots of hidden storage solutions, this camper comes with pretty much everything that you need right from the dealer’s forecourt.

As I said before, I would recommend getting solar straight away. You won’t have to spend all of your time chained to the electrical hook up cable, and you can enjoy life off the beaten track away from all of the other holidaymakers.

We couldn’t find a price on the TAXA website, but a quick search through a dealers list gave us a price of $17,000. That’s a lot less than some of the cheap camper conversions that we’ve covered here on Van Clan, and you also get a heck of a lot more for your money.

If you own a truck and want to make a 4×4 camper that knows no bounds, then perhaps you should consider buying one of these pop-top units from Four Wheel Campers for the same price. Truck life isn’t for everyone, but if you prefer camping at the very top of mountains then this could be the way to go!

Does full time van life get you feeling pumped? Fancy yourself as a weekend warrior? Join our new Facebook Group and become part of our ever-growing community!

More Content From The Van Clan Team!

• Find out the products that Van Life Influencers can’t live without.
• These Campervan Gifts are a great treat for the van life enthusiast in your life.
• These Travel Bikes are perfect for vandwellers that like to explore.

Join the Van Clan on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!