A travel trailer maker founded by a former NASA architect has unveiled a 2021 line of overland RV trailers starting at $24,950

TAXA_2021 Mantis Overland Top_Side
The 2021 Mantis Overland. TAXA Outdoors
  • Travel trailer maker Taxa Outdoors has unveiled its 2021 line of overlanding trailers, which consists of an updated model and two trailers that previously weren't offered as overlanders.

  • The 2021 overland lineup now includes the new $49,950 Mantis Overland, updated $38,950 Cricket Overland, and new $24,950 TigerMoth Overland.

  • The Taxa team made the 2021 overlanding trailers more family friendly as per customer demands.

  • According to Taxa Outdoors CEO Garrett Finney and president Divya Brown in an email interview with Business Insider, Taxa Outdoors currently has a six-month backlog, and shipments are up 30% annually.

  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Taxa Outdoors has added two models and upgraded a previous one for its 2021 line of overlanding trailers as road travel continues to remain popular during the coronavirus pandemic.

Companies that specialize in creating products that enable road travel - such as rental companies and camper van and RV makers - have generally seen extraordinary growth during the coronavirus pandemic as people continue to look for ways to get outdoors while still staying socially distanced.

Taxa Outdoors, a lightweight travel trailer maker, doesn't deviate from this trend.

"Shipments are up 30% annually and the backlog is six months right now, which is a 100% increase year-over-year," Taxa Outdoors CEO Garrett Finney and president Divya Brown told Business Insider in an email interview.

Read more: How the coronavirus pandemic will permanently change the transportation industry, according to 23 industry leaders

According to Finney and Brown, so far, every trailer that has left Taxa's production line since the start of the pandemic has already been pre-sold.

Now, the company is rolling out more models under its overlanding travel trailer line. Of the three family-friendly 2021 models, one is an updated overlander, and two were previously only offered as non-overlanders.

"Our design team is always listening to consumers and customers and thinking of ways to solve their problems," Finney and Brown wrote. "The 2021 editions definitely had the end customer's desires for a more family-friendly habitat as the focus."

Keep scrolling to see what's new:

The two new overland editions - the TigerMoth and the Mantis - and the updated Cricket Overland have equipment that allows the trailers to operate in more isolated places, according to Taxa.

Cricket Overland Edition Exterior 1
The 2021 Cricket Overland. TAXA Outdoors

This equipment includes an off-road capable hitch that can rotate 360 degrees, an upgraded suspension with a four-inch lift, all-terrain tires, and a 16-gallon trash can.

TAXA_Mantis_Overland_2021
The 2021 Mantis Overland. TAXA Outdoors

The $49,950 2021 Mantis Overland is an upgrade from the 2020 Mantis, pictured below, which is currently one of Taxa's most popular builds, according to Finney and Brown.

2020 TAXA Mantis.
2020 TAXA Mantis. TAXA Outdoors

The new Mantis overland upgrades include an improved air conditioning unit, an updated kitchen, and more robust storage systems.

2021 Mantis Redesigned Kitchen
The kitchen of the 2021 Mantis Overland. TAXA Outdoors

The kitchen specifically has a sink, a two-burner stovetop, a more durable backsplash, a cooler with a 12-volt outlet, shelves, and a "storage tower" made of milk crates and bungee cords.

2021 Mantis Redesigned Kitchen
The kitchen of the 2021 Mantis Overland. TAXA Outdoors

The new edition also puts the electric and plumbing systems in a centralized location for easier access.

2021 Mantis Tent Side Windows
The 2021 Mantis Overland side windows. TAXA Outdoors

For overnight travelers, the Mantis Overland's dinette can be converted into a bed, and the couch can turn into a bunk bed, creating sleeping spaces for a family of four with an optional rooftop.

TAXA_2021 Mantis Overland Top_Side
The 2021 Mantis Overland. TAXA Outdoors

There's also a bathroom with a toilet and shower, a furnace, and enough room to hang a hammock inside.

TAXA_2021 Mantis Overland Top_Side
The 2021 Mantis Overland. TAXA Outdoors

Moving on, the new $38,950 Cricket Overland edition, which has a design inspired by NASA, now has an increased 14.5-inch ground clearance. For context, TAXA Outdoor's founder and CEO Garrett Finney was formerly an architect at NASA's Habitability Design Center.

Cricket Overland Edition Exterior 2021
The 2021 Cricket Overland. TAXA Outdoors

Source: Taxa Outdoors

The trailer can accommodate two adults and two children with a full bed and two sleeping berths.

2021 Cricket Interior
The interior of the 2021 Cricket Overland. TAXA Outdoors

Like the Mantis, the Cricket overland has plumbing and electric systems in a centralized location, upgraded storage systems including Taxa's storage tower ...

2021 Cricket Interior
The interior of the 2021 Cricket Overland. TAXA Outdoors

... and a redesigned kitchen with the durable backsplash, a sink, a two-burner stovetop, and laminate countertops.

Cricket Overland Edition Exterior 2
The 2021 Cricket Overland. TAXA Outdoors

The new model also has an extra window for a total of 10 with the roof popped up, roof rack load bars, a portable toilet, and the company's soft goods package, which includes an awning, screen door, and shower tent.

2021 Mantis Tent Side Windows
The 2021 Mantis Overland side windows. TAXA Outdoors

Finally, the least expensive of the three 2021 overlanders is the $24,950 TigerMoth Overland. The new model comes with four windows - an upgrade from three in the previous non-overland editions - and an optional air conditioning unit.

2021 TigerMoth Interior from Back Door
The interior of the 2021 TigerMoth Overland. TAXA Outdoors

The new TigerMoth Overland also has roof rack load bars, a tongue tool box compartment, a five-pound propane tank, and an awning with mosquito nets and screen doors.

TAXA TigerMoth Overland Edition Exterior
The 2021 TigerMoth Overland. TAXA Outdoors

For meals on the road, the TigerMoth has a pull-out 5.5-square foot kitchen with storage and a two-burner stovetop. And when it's time for bed, the living space can convert into a full bed.

2021 TigerMoth Interior from Back Door
The interior of the 2021 TigerMoth Overland. TAXA Outdoors

In total, the TigerMoth Overland, which can sleep up to three people with an optional roof tent, can stay off-grid for seven days using its solar, electrical, and water systems, according to Taxa.

TAXA TigerMoth Overland Edition Exterior
The 2021 TigerMoth Overland. TAXA Outdoors

Source: Taxa Outdoors

"We believe the overlanding editions are a huge growth segment for the market," Finney and Brown wrote. "With the ability to now work remotely and take school on the road, it gives people more time to explore and go further off grid which is what Taxa encourages."

2021 TigerMoth Interior Coffee
The interior of the 2021 TigerMoth Overland. TAXA Outdoors

Read the original article on Business Insider