Frequently Asked Questions

If a standard product and no further questions, from this website you can configure your Expedition Camper and/or select your Overland Camper and check out through the cart. If you still have questions or are looking for a custom configuration, we will work directly with you.

Custom items will require a few conversations, probably some emailing back and forth to share engineering prints for approval or red lining. This will be followed up with an invoice with a QR code, pay invoice button, or payment option links you will receive via email.

If you are conducting a credit card purchase, there is a 3% charge that will be added at the time of purchase.

Our goal is your satisfaction and sharing with other enthusiasts.

Oregon does not charge a local sales tax, and because of the “size awkwardness” of our product, we sell our product will-call, local pick-up only. We encourage customers to will-call and safely secure the shipment themselves. Don’t worry, we have several shippers that our clients have utilized with success, and we can provide you with several to contact. We will let you know the estimated dimensions, weight, pick-up address, etc.

*Globe Trekker does not receive any compensation from any shipping agency we refer.

We will provide your shipment some packaging materials, shoring material, and some sacrificial corner protection material at our pick-up location. The shipment will need ratchet straps, plastic corner protectors, and other typical shipping equipment.

We HIGHLY RECOMMEND shipping only with a flat-bed truck or a deck over trailer (for a large flat area). The load will need tarped to protect from road grime and damage to the panels and extrusions.

If using a shipping service, ONLY USE a dedicated “door to door” service. If using a local pickup to a distribution center for transport, they will likely damage your kit when they off-load and load multiple times before delivery.

For North American purchases, we can also give you a commercial invoice, and fill out the USMCA documents.

Shipping damage is not covered by Globe Trekker.

Your kit will include a one-year warranty against workmanship defects from the time of completion at our shop and ready for pick up or shipping. See Globe Trekker’s Terms & Conditions.

Please keep in mind that the Sikaflex has a short shelf-life (9-12 months). It is not recommended that you store your kit and not start assembling it within the first several months of delivery. Plan accordingly.

We will warranty the remainder of the parts against workmanship. Our goal is your satisfaction, and sharing with other enthusiasts.

Refer to Globe Trekker’s Terms & Conditions for more details.

For standard product or stock items, we will offer a small cancellation fee if early on. This is dependent if we have begun fabrication and order fulfillment. Some accessory items may be returned, so long as they are not custom ordered and are in “new” perfect condition. Some items will require a re-stocking fee.

For custom orders, if the components are already into production, costs associated with that production will be charged. We will request a deposit with the order, and balance on shipment – so returns request will consider this. For custom engineering cost, these are prorated based on time.

Due to the logistics and freight, we will not offer free return shipping but will work with you to ensure your kit is assembled as designed.

Custom sizing is quite common, and available with additional engineering cost. Contact us with custom size requests and we can quote your solution. Generally, custom engineering on size requests are charged at $150/hour (approximately $1500 total for change orders).

Expedition campers are frequently customized. If you customize a box size, please consider that the subframe may also need customization.

With Overland campers we try to discourage customizing, as there are so many existing sizes. If your heart is set on a custom Overland size, we will evaluate with you.

Our goal was to provide a solution that fulfills most applications and solutions.

Our goal is to assist in finding a solution that aligns with your needs. There are many options, varying by location.

Our builder network across the Americas are experienced assemblers, install your subframe, and complete as much as you want, right up to a turn-key solution. Builders are third party associates and are not affiliated with Globe Trekker INC. Builders have built Globe Trekker products and/or are highly skilled at the trade with years of like experience. Some builders even offer financing!

Contact us to find a builder in your geographical area.

Each kit and assembly include bill of materials and recommended assembly instructions. Camper Kit will have pre-cut premium composite panels, pre-cut thermal brake aluminum extrusions, all the corner caps, bracketry & assembly hardware, and Sikaflex 552 adhesive caulk. Print off your engineering prints for references on SKU numbers and the placement of parts during assembly. Reminder: Installation how-to videos are available on our YouTube channel.

You will need to provide the tools, time, and patience to assemble. Please see the FAQ “What Tools Do I Need For My DIY Build” to order the simple, non-expensive consumables and tools that are recommended for each build. Also watch the starter instructions video including tooling, and the instructional videos we have for your type of camper assembly. The largest missing component is friends, family or lifting devices to move the parts and product into position.

Engineering, what you don’t see. Utilizing a design rules matrix (strength, flexibility, UV safety, cure time, application time, just to name a few), we compared adhesives in the market and found ours to be the best overall solution. It was formulated for this application and has superior UV resistance, flexibility, and adhesion properties. The aluminum extrusion is also designed for this adhesive. Anodized aluminum promotes an amazing bond and the aluminum only needs to be wiped with an alcohol wipe to remove any dust, both aiding the proper application and strength integrity.

When in doubt, please contact us.

Globe Trekker stocks all Overland and Expedition materials in Portland, Oregon. Each order is fulfilled from stock, configured and cut to size. So, sizes are flexible but do require time to produce engineering and fabrication drawings.

Expedition campers are offered in various standard length increments. Use the product configurator on the website to select. Custom sizes are available. Typically, the camper overall height is 87″ high and 91″ wide without brush guards. With the addition of the Brush Guard, the habitat is 90″ tall and 98″ wide. Standard interior floor to ceiling clearance is 81″, but a custom unit can have as much as a 95” interior height.

Expedition cabover campers are typically 15’, 17’, 19’ and 21’ sizes (calculation – a 19’ cabover includes 12’ floor + 2’ departure angle (14’ base) + 5’ (63”) overhang = 19’). Cabovers can be upgraded with the “Super King” cabover overhang extension (76”-80”) for a king-size mattress oriented north-south. Custom cabovers are available.

Overland Campers are designed per truck platform, so size customizing is not encouraged. However, we recognize that flatbed campers can have varying sizes, and we will work with you.

We recommend these tools:

• Electric Caulking Gun.  Manual takes too long to lay the adhesive bead, and not ergonomic.
• Lint-Free Alcohol Wipes
• Heavy Duty Shop Towels
• Nitrile Gloves
• Ratchet Straps (4 Pack) x2
• Metal Square
• Large wood square
• Caulking Squeegees
• Ratcheting Cargo Bars
• Water spray bottle

Watch ALL our instructional YouTube videos for additional support.

We utilize high-grade stainless steel or plated 80/20 hardware and washer stacks, leveraging the series 45 M8x1.25. If you need additional hardware to accessorize your camper, this hardware is available off the shelf at many online distributors.

The panel is the best in overall material selection, construction, and functionality.

PIR foam is insulating, water resistant, structural, rigid and highest rated flame-retardant foam on the market, making it the best choice for composite camper construction. Unlike XPS/EPS (polystyrenes), PIR will not retain moisture due to the closed cell density. PIR will reduce R-value in extreme cold, but will still outperform XPS/EPS. Overall, polystyrenes are not a structural foam and will burn! PIR is slightly heavier than XPS/EPS due to the density of the foam, but the performance of PIR is best commercially available today.

Where most panel manufacturers will glue the thin FRP layer directly onto the foam, Globe Trekker Expedition Camper uses a sub-laminate called AZDEL. This provides a much stronger backer board for the thin FRP layer that not only will take much more abuse without damage, but also provides a transition between the hard FRP layer and the softer foam layer. This helps prevent delamination, becomes impact resistant, and enables you to paint or wrap the camper however you like and not create a warranty void for painting our competitor’s panels anything other than white.

For the Overland Campers, we’ve replaced the AZDEL with honeycomb laminate, for strength, binding agent, and also light-weight. Still retaining PIR, we have excellent balance of performance and insulation.

We will continue to monitor the market and materials, offering the best panel on the market as it is the heart of the camper.

We are fabricators as well as engineers. We understand the old “when in doubt make it stout” mantra, and that if you don’t have engineering strength analysis, a fabricator will overbuild which increases weight and construction cost. As enthusiasts, we caution from overbuilding and reducing overland/expedition performance.

As engineers, we analyze thermal expansion, dissimilar metal electrolysis corrosion, material strengths and characteristics, and how to leverage technologies like thermal break to create a better solution which will have increased life and longevity. Experienced engineers take these considerations and much, much more into design rules, and will calculate, discover, and mitigate weak points without overbuilding, making your product lightweight with consistent strength through the regimes of on- and off-road conditions.

Aluminum is the best material using a design matrix of strength, weight, longevity, and cost.

With our patent pending design – first we solved the problem with thermal transfer with an aluminum frame by utilizing a thermal break (polyamide structural member), which has a thermal break R-value that is better than fiberglass. Nothing violates the law of physics and is thermal transfer free (sadly, as some competitors claim).

Globe Trekker’s proprietary aluminum extrusion design features options that aluminum sheet metal or pultrusion (fiberglass extrusion-GFRP) simply cannot: a thermal break, strong 80/20 t-slots, load bearing rails, and adhesive channels and capture pockets. Aluminum is uniformly strong and does not reduce in non-lineal strength like pultrusion, which is the direction of impact.

In addition, aluminum extrusion is UV safe, won’t become brittle in cold temperatures as GFRP will, and comes anodized for corrosion protection.

If it’s safe for our skyscrapers, it’s safe for your Globe Trekker Expedition and Overland Camper.

The key to reducing manufacturing costs is “economy of scale” production. So, we standardized our roof, floor, and wall panels, and our organics-free structural insulated panels (SIPs).

Expedition Campers are 2.5″ thickness (R-17), with AZDEL RVZ sub-laminates inside and out, and finished with gel coat FRP. A Globe Trekker proprietary 1” x 2” aluminum extrusion inner structural support (usable for wiring or structural attachment to the subframe) is in every roof and floor panel. This internal roof/floor extrusion is designed for a thermal break isolation from the exterior temperatures.

Overland Lightweight Campers (Slide-Ins, Flatbeds, and Sprinter) panels are 1.5” thick (R-10) with the same closed cell PIR structural foam, clad on both sides with a lightweight but strong 6mm honeycomb panel and finished with layers of gel coat FRP laminate.

Expedition subframes are designed for longevity and best “total cost of ownership”. The frame is hot galvanized dipped for internal and external corrosion protection, and then 2 layers of epoxy powder coated. Pivot brackets and components are also 2 layer epoxy coated or zinc plated. The pivot bearings are serviceable oil impregnated bronze bushings, which are available on the market.

There is a reason why Globe Trekker products are the least cost of ownership over the lifetime of the product in the market; built to last.

All Zero Torsion® sub-frames come with axial side brackets (1 pr), center pivoting crossmembers (1,2 or 3 each), the camper platform (we call the “weldment”), gussets, assembly print, and hardware.

If purchasing ISO subframe, you will also have the Expedition Camper corner brackets for mating with the subframe weldment.

Note: Sets of side brackets and individual pivoting crossmembers can be purchased separately if you so chose to create your own custom weldment.

As our market enthusiast knows, there are varying ideas of what “torsion free” means. To us, if you have a subframe laying on a frame with springs, that is not “zero torsion” (see our Globe Trekker Subframe Considerations Guide). Spring is rated at F=kx, so at any distance there is a force, this is not torsion free.  For some applications and or heavy loads, a “torsion reduced” subframe with springs laying on a truck frame is required. Our designs allow the truck chassis to torsional twist and pivot while maintaining a subframe weldment plane independently.

This twist and plane separation protects rigid composite campers. Regardless of chassis frame twist, our Camper truly “floats” above the truck chassis frame fully independent of torsion twist and movement.

Our subframe designs are largely independent on each truck frame design, making them the “adapter plate” for any truck frame rail from 34” to 44” in width.  We also designed flexibility in mounting points to adapt to almost every truck platform. Narrow width truck frames are also accommodated by new technologies engineered by Globe Trekker.

Our subframes are CNC laser cut, robotically welded, hot dip galvanized and double powder coated for best in class corrosion protection for maximum durability. Our pivots are unmatched with oiled bronze bushings and plated 2” diameter solid chromoly steel pivot pins.

We offer a 3-point, 4-point or 5-point solution. If your application requires a 4-point diamond style pivot subframe, due to increased length and loads (or simply for your own preference), you can easily add an additional crossmember pivot and configure your subframe accordingly (5-point or 6-point). This is dependent on the truck chassis. The frame is designed for multiple attachment points for varying applications.

Again, we are design and manufacturing engineers, so we designed for flexibility and modularity. You can even adjust your pivot point locations to fit your needs and clear some frame attachments. Contact us if you have specific questions or application request.

No camper on the market is free of heat transfer and condensation dew point management.

When you seal out the weather, you also seal in the interior “weather” and the evaporated moisture in the air (humidity). When the temperature of surfaces and the dew point (relative humidity and temperature to which air becomes saturated with water vapor that forms dew) are within 2 degrees Celsius, condensation will appear.

Dew Point Calculator

The goal is to reduce the dew point by removing moisture from the air and/or increasing the temperature of surfaces and preventing cold spots with airflow circulation.

DE-HUMIDIFICATION: In a closed and well-sealed camper, without proper airflow, heating, and exhausting of moisture-laden air from showers, cooking, and washing dishes, as well as traveling or living in a high-humidity climate zone, will cause condensation issues inside the camper. Excess moisture is a problem, even under the best of circumstances. In shower areas, it is a must to have an exhaust fan. Cooking areas should also be hooded if possible and have an exhaust port to the outside. Living in the camper full-time or storage of the campers do well with a dehumidifier. Preventing the cold exterior from reaching the interior is also key.

Globe Trekker’s thermal break aluminum extrusions and high R-value structural insulated panels do a lot to mitigate condensation issues, but it will not prevent it ever from occurring. Remember, raising the temperature of surface areas with adequate heating, preventing cold spots with proper circulation of airflow and dehumidifying the moisture-laden air are steps you must take for prevention.

We understand! We have extensive experience conveying assembly and manufacturing processes and have created assembly instructions to guide you. Within them, we will include recommendations for fixture and assembly processing aides, as well as cautionary suggestions and pro tips!

If you can safely tighten a bolt, run a caulk gun, drill a hole, and use a tape measure, then we believe you can assemble/install our products. There are no special tooling requirements! *See our assembly How-to videos for a list of consumables and tooling required.  Please only attempt if you are comfortable.

We chose the interior color to be gel coat FRP gloss white, and the Expedition exterior to be a very light gel coat FRP grey (RAL 7047). The Expedition light grey has the appearance of bare aluminum. The FRP coating is highly compatible for painting or a vinyl wrap. We do caution with dark colors as this increases UV heat absorption, which can increase the heat inside your unit (thermal efficiency loss). Over time, this could also reduce the life of your adhesives (excessive heat reduces the life of adhesives), which is not specific to Globe Trekker used adhesives, but a common issue with adhesives in general. Anodized aluminum also helps promote paint and vinyl wrap adhesion, so go ahead! It will not void your Globe Trekker warranty.

YES! The beauty of our extrusion is that our design allows for the same components to be used. We will work with you to model and design the location of these options, and have our fabrication team cut them as required. Just ask us about these options, even if you do not see them on our website. *Our wheel well, step well, and transmission clearance will have the same composite panels and thermal break aluminum extrusion!

We’ve evaluated the market; EU, USA, and around the world, and discovered many excellent options. The options we’ve found work with our 2.5″ Expedition series and our 1.5” Lightweight Overland series walls and roofs.

For the Expedition series campers, we offer both Motorcraft Adventure Development products and Arctic Tern products, and only Artic Tern for Overland products. For Motorcraft products, use the product catalog to identify your list of products. Email that list to info@rvGlobeTrekker.com for a quote. For Arctic Tern Overland products, use their website shopping cart to determine your list of products to include shipping costs to Portland, OR 97206. Email this list to the above email and Globe Trekker will order the products for you as one of their OEM distributors.

For our 1.5” lightweight Overland series campers, Motorcraft products WILL NOT work, since they are designed for 2” or greater panels. ONLY the Arctic Tern Overland products for 1.5” panels will work. Of course, other manufactured doors, windows, and hatches from other companies will work… just make sure they are compatible with the thickness of the panel you are using.

There is a difference of opinion in the market with screwing to the wall or gluing to the wall. The PIR foam is moisture resistant, unlike other composite foams, so condensation will not harm it. But, if you want to keep the heat transfer to the absolute minimum, we highly recommend that you glue directly to the FRP. Sikaflex holding strength is 250 lbs. per square inch, which is way stronger than a pin-pointed load that a mechanical fastener can hold. Gluing to the wall also reduces vibration between the cabinet and the wall. To make this even easier, we’ve designed an “L” extrusion for gluing to the wall with built in glue pockets and mechanical attachment that can withstand 400 lbs. of static load each. The composite sheeting (AZDEL Z) on the inside panel walls provide an opportunity to screw to the walls as well with sheet rock style hardware. You decide!

Our design utilizes SikaFlex 552, which is designed for the transportation market. Utilizing a design rules matrix (strength, flexibility, UV safe, cure time, application time, availability, etc.), we compared adhesives in the market and found ours to be  the best overall solution. 552 was formulated for this application and has superior UV resistance, flexibility, and adhesion properties. Yes, other adhesives will work, but since we provide the adhesives with the kit and this is what we recommend, it is best to use Sikaflex 552 for assembly. For finish caulking, especially if you want a different color, we also recommend Bostic brand adhesives (70-1A).

Reminder: The aluminum extrusion is also designed for this adhesive, maintaining optimal bead size for adhesive performance. Anodized aluminum promotes an amazing bond and the aluminum only needs to be clean, wiped with an alcohol wipe to remove any dust, both aiding the proper application and strength integrity.