Tag Archive for: overlanding

Storm Chasing in the HQ15 Off-Road Trailer with Harlan Taney

Black Series Community Spotlights are our chance to tell your stories of adventure.  They’re also an opportunity for you to get to know the owners, ambassadors, and friends of Black Series who are out there, right now, taking their off-road trailers to truly wild places.  These Spotlights are authentic accounts of explorers and overland go-getters utilizing Black Series campers to assist them in their endeavors. 

 

Harlan Taney // Professional Videographer & Storm Chaser

Black Series Ambassador, Harlan Taney, owns and operate two outdoor film production companies – 4 Corner Film Logistics and the film collective Sandcast Media. In his career as an adventure-film creator he’s produced content for National Geographic, Discovery Channel, REI, CNN, and others.

Harlan grew up outdoors and naturally fell into work as a river guide on the Grand Canyon where he’s guided 180 trips down the river. A side gig running rivers as a competitive whitewater kayaker? Sure. He’s done that, too. After competing and guiding in some of the world’s preeminent outdoor locales, Harlan parlayed his penchant for epic outdoor sports into a career filming the wild places he’d grown to know so well. Before long he’d racked up the aforementioned client list – a who’s-who of iconic brands in the outdoor industry.

Now, he’s a single dad to 9 and 11 year old daughters who are bad ass lil adventurers themselves – skiers, whitewater kayakers, mt. bikers, climbers, aerial artists, you name it. We recently caught up with Harlan to ask him about his most recent project, how the HQ15 off-road trailer has helped his film endeavors, and what, exactly, a day in the life of a storm chaser and adventure videographer actually consists of.

 

film crews in the desert chasing footage of thunderstorms

Getting To Know Harlan…

BSC: What does a day in the life of Harlan Taney look like?

Harlan: A day in the life is never boring for me. I am either off on the road with my kids going on adventures, planning/working on our next film project. When home, we make sure to get outside and hit the trails almost daily. I’ve worked hard to build a life where my work and passions overlap significantly, and thankfully I get to do the majority of it with my kids.

 

BSC: What’s the Monsoon Project? Why do it? How’d it go?

Harlan: The Monsoon project was a 15-day film project, based in Southern Arizona. The purpose was to chase and film lightning by getting as close to the thunder cells as possible before they actually let off bolts. Each day, we would study the weather models and drive sometimes hours across the Southern Arizona Desert to find and capture lightning with highly specialized cameras. One of said cameras is one of only two of its model in existence. The Black Series HQ 15 trailer was our mobile production headquarters while filming. It allowed us to have portable power supplies, make meals on the go between racing from one place to the next (most of the time in the middle of nowhere), and most importantly have shelter from the storms so that we could actively study where the next was going to spawn. 

 

filming thunderstorms with a black series hq15 off-road trailer

BSC: How did you come to do what you do? What’s the backstory?

Harlan: I was traveling the world as a sponsored expedition whitewater kayaker. This included doing many expeditions to class V rivers and doing multi-week, hundreds-of-miles-long first descents on rivers that have never been run. This is where I first realized a passion for remote film production. I was soon contacted by the Discovery Channel to be on screen talent and to kayak off a 100’ waterfall for one of their programs.

The producers were clueless on how to effectively generate content in these harsh conditions, so the production team brought me onboard to assist. I knew at that moment that there was an unfulfilled niche in remote film production. My decades of experience as both a world expedition traveller and a Grand Canyon River guide provided me the skills required for this. More importantly, I realized as a sponsored, Cliff Bar-eating, dirtbag kayaker that I could get paid for the entire two weeks instead of being paid for one day while risking my life performing in front of the camera. From there, 4 Corner Film Logistics was born and has now evolved into a thriving operation.

 

The HQ15: Best Features, Adventure Stories, and More…

BSC: Take a deeper dive into your adventures for us. How does your Black Series Trailer enable those adventures?

Harlan: I always strive to be off grid. This is where I thrive. This can mean driving far down remote roads in Baja on vacations, or finding iconic landscapes and settings for film productions. I have searched for years to find a vehicle basecamp solution that can withstand the rigors of where we go. I’ve looked for a rugged camper, an off-road trailer, and nothing I’ve seen tops what Black Series offers. The HQ15 has opened that door for us to have an off-grid basecamp. This trailer allows us to have indoor cover and storage in environments that typically destroy cameras, while also providing solar charging to keep production going. 

“The Black Series HQ15 has opened the door for us to have an off-grid basecamp.”

 

BSC: What’s the most memorable adventure story you have during a trip with your Black Series trailer?

Harlan: We were chasing into a massive building thunder cell. Tight turns in and out of washes make this a road that is hardly travelled. I dropped over a hill and saw our other two vehicles (without trailers) both stopped and trying to figure out how to turn around on a deeply rutted and steep off-piste hill. Once the other two vehicles were able to escape, I began thinking of how to turn myself around and get out there. The storm had shifted and was now approaching overhead. Backing up the hill was not an option. 

The only feasible exit was taking a very narrow, old off track that made a tight turnaround through Juniper trees. This however meant dropping down another steep hill. A 180° right hand turn over heavily rutted tracks in the middle of this descent was also required. My truck slowly navigated the ins and outs of the ruts, and by putting us fully sideways on this steep hill, I was able to put the Black Series in tow. At one point we estimated that the trailer was at a 30° sideways angle. This was a move that I would have hesitated to do even in my truck by itself. Yet, the HQ15 performed immaculately with no issue.

 

off-road trailer camping in the desert southwest

BSC: What are your favorite features on your HQ15?

Harlan: There are three features of this off-road trailer that really stand out to me:

The plug and play robust solar and battery charging system. There is no need to stress about finding a charging station if you’re low on battery. The onboard display panel also tells you exactly the state of charge on the system, how many watts of solar are coming in etc. We were pulling a hefty electrical load off it everyday without any issue. Definitely the most well-thought out and efficient charging system I have ever used. 

“There is no need to stress about finding a charging station if you’re low on battery. The onboard display panel tells you exactly the state of charge on the system, how many watts of solar are coming in etc.”

The next feature I love is the effortless slide out, outdoor kitchen. I’m really not interested in cooking or being indoors unless it’s absolutely unbearable weather. To pull up somewhere and just slide out a whole prep table, sink and stove is absolutely amazing and the pinnacle of convenience. (Check out our trailer camping recipe for simple cast-iron pizza).

The third feature I would like to highlight is the chassis, suspension and build of the trailer. It is designed to go where we go and caters to our off-grid needs. This off-road trailer offers peace of mind, because we know that it can handle the terrain effortlessly. Wherever we go, the HQ15 lets me focus on my job and enjoy my surroundings.

 

BSC: In moments of downtime, what’s your go-to form of entertainment while off-road camping? What’s your favorite way to unwind at camp?

Harlan: Probably my favorite way to unwind at camp after a big day of adventuring is to play my guitar while enjoying an ice cold cocktail. 

 

Off-Road Trailer Camping Tips, Dream Destinations, and Future Projects…

BSC: If you could take your trailer anywhere in the world for a week-long off-road expedition, where would you go?

Harlan: I would take my family from our home in Flagstaff, Arizona and drive to Tierra Del Fuego circumnavigating South America. Bring all of our equipment for adventure – kayaks, bikes, skis, paragliders etc but also spend time getting involved in the different communities along the way immersing ourselves into the cultures and landscapes. This obviously isn’t a week long excursion, but honestly a week isn’t enough time for what we really want to go do! 

 

BSC: What is your #1 tip for off-road trailer owners who are setting out for a trip?

Harlan: Respect the natural places you go. Tread lightly and be a steward of those wild-places to help keep them wild.  

 

BSC: What’s next for you?

Harlan: We have a multi-year film project currently happening in Tsegi Canyon on the Navajo Nation. This is an environmental film documenting the efforts to restore the land up this canyon to what it once was before overgrazing completely devastated this treasure. We will be going up into this canyon for a week this fall to film and check our multi-year time lapse cameras we built.

This canyon is closed off to all visitation, and requires special permission from the Navajo families that own the land. Once through the locked gate it is a three-hour 4×4 drive through a place where time stops, back up into a hidden canyon oasis in the desert Southwest that is quite possibly one of the most beautiful and unique places I’ve ever been.

 

Caravans shown in this post:

How to Manage High Temps: 6 Tips for Staying Cool While Off-Road Camping

It’s the heart of summer, and off-road camping season – heck, all-around adventure season – is revved up to 8,000 RPMs. Not a weekend goes by that doesn’t beg for a trip up a dusty forest service road or down to your favorite fishing hole. If you’re anything like us you’ve already been out camping a handful of times and your trailer camping skills are in mid-season form. But can you beat the heat? Summer heat adds a variable to the camping equation that can leave even seasoned off-road campers slumped in their camp chair, sweating and exhausted. Our years of experience overlanding and off-road camping have taught us a few tricks for staying cool (seven to be exact), and we’ve compiled them for you here, so you can keep yourself and your travel companions comfortable when it’s scorching outside.

 

A Note on Traveling in the South

The American south – places like Texas, Arizona, Utah, Florida, where temperatures regularly crack 100 degrees Farenheight – is the big leagues for managing hot weather. Whether you live there full time or you’re just passing through on your summer road trip, knowing how to stay cool in the south is skill numero uno. Blazing temperatures start in early spring and last into autumn, so even shoulder season adventures require a few extra preparations to guarantee a relaxing and problem-free trip. 

The American South is also home to some of the world’s most iconic outdoor destinations. It’s known for towering red rocks, wide-open desert terrain, world-famous national parks, and dispersed campsites peppered along dirt roads (making it a great place to see what your Black Series Trailer is made of).  And if you know how to keep cool when the thermometer starts boiling, you can explore this wild country in comfort, even when others are cooped up back in the city. So while the below tips are for anyone trailer camping in brutal heat, they hold extra weight for those whose off-road camping adventures include stops in the American South.

Okay, let’s get to it!

off-road trailer camping in texas

 

1. Cool Down With A/C 

We know that if you’re lucky enough to have it (and if you have a Black Series trailer, you have a built-in 13,500 BTU Thermostat Control unit) Air Conditioning seems like a no-brainer for keeping cool. And it is. But there are a few things you can do to get the most out of your A/C unit to battle hot temperatures.   

When traveling with access to shore power, you can plug your trailer into the electrical grid and easily use your A/C unit to keep a pleasant temperature inside your trailer at all times. You can run the A/C unit low and slow while you’re out for the day to maintain a comfortable temperature. This will also help alleviate some of the stress on your A/C unit caused by blasting it intermittently when you’re desperate for a cool down.

If you’re heading off-grid, and won’t have access to shore power, you’ll need a generator and a soft start to run the A/C. A soft start reduces the amount of power needed for air conditioners and other energy-sucking appliances. So, by minimizing the volume of power necessary for these features, you’re able to run more with less energy. Thus, you can run your A/C using a generator. This will come in handy when you’re trying to conserve power in the backcountry. In addition, having a soft start will help avoid immense strain on your power supply when off-grid without power or water connections.  

 

2. Create an Oasis Under Your Awning  

Not a fan of A/C? Well, if you’re an owner of a Black Series trailer, you can utilize your Premium Retractable Awning. Most trailers, from any brand, come with some type of manual or automatic awning installed on the side of the rig. If you don’t have a custom awning, you can store a canopy in your trailer’s pass-through storage. We promise it’s worth it! 

Awnings are designed to expand the living space and provide you with the perfect shady area to lounge in, and it provides some crucial relief from the sun. Not to mention it’s a great place to host a happy hour while you wait for the temps to cool.  

 

Black Series Team Pro-Tip: Bring some artificial grass from the hardware store, a lounge chair, and a few lawn flamingos for the ultimate desert oasis. And for the night, you can add a string of lights to set the mood. 

 

camping trailer awnings

 

3. Sunlight is Your Enemy    

When your trailer sits in the desert sun for hours on end, it creates an oven-effect inside your trailer that isn’t sustainable for spending time in and can even become dangerously hot without good temperature management. Furthermore, if the trailer has been cooking in high temps all day, it probably won’t be habitable for hours after the sun goes down . To keep sunlight from entering, utilize your window shades (Eurovision privacy shades on Black Series trailers). Made of material that blocks light, the privacy shades act similarly to blinds, significantly reducing the amount of sunlight entering your trailer and keeping interior temps much cooler.

 

Black Series Team Pro-Tip: When in extremely hot environments, your best bet is to stay inactive during the day and plan for morning and evening activities. 

 

You Have It Made in the Shade

Have you ever fought over (or waited impatiently in your car) for a shady spot in a parking lot so you could avoid returning to an oven? That’s because we know that parking in the shade is a small but smart move that will make a huge difference. Take a similar approach when finding a spot to park your trailer. It will help you maintain a habitable internal temperature. If you’re staying at a campground, call ahead and try to reserve a spot with ample shade.  If you’re off-road camping, look for a cool spot under the shade of trees or natural rock formations.

Moreover, taking the time to work out what direction the sun will be hitting you will help you decide which way to angle your parking so that the side of your trailer with the most windows will be most shaded.  

 

Black Series Team Pro-Tip: Use the desert wind to your advantage and angle your trailer to get the wind blowing through it (just be ready to change the angle, or shut your windows a bit if the winds pickup).  

 

4. Hydration Is Key 

Whenever you’re off-road camping, it’s crucial to keep you and your co-pilots hydrated. In hot temps you’re probably sweating more than usual. Most experts say you need at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day to prevent losing moisture and electrolytes required for staying healthy on the road, so don’t skimp when preparing your water supply for your off-road camping adventure, especially if you’re going off-grid. Keeping your water tank full and buying extra jugs of drinking water will ensure that you have a safety net in case of an emergency. Another excellent investment is a large, high-quality hanging water filter that you can utilize on rivers, creeks, and lakes to source additional water and stay hydrated at camp. 

 

Black Series Team Pro-Tip: Store a bottle of morning coffee in your Dometic Fridge Cooler for a refreshing iced coffee treat in the afternoon.   

 

5. Utilize Your Outdoor Kitchen 

If you do everything to keep your trailer cool in the heat, you’ll also want to avoid using your indoor kitchen or risk wasting all of that previous effort. Cooking hot foods on your stove or in your oven will increase the temperature within your trailer. Instead, use your outdoor kitchen. With a three-burner stove and plenty of prep space included in Black Series outdoor kitchens, you can cook all of your meals outside, under your awning. One great outdoor kitchen recipe option is a simple and delicious cast-iron pizza. Don’t want to cook at all? Prep some cold sandwiches, salads, or fruit and store them in your fridge or Dometic Cooler for a quick and refreshing meal.   

black series trailer outdoor kitchen

 

6. Take Advantage of Being Able To Go Further Down the Road 

Are you a fan of cooling off by the lake but don’t want to fight those summer crowds? Being able to take your camp farther down the road is one of the many benefits of traveling with off-road trailers like the ones we make at Black Series. With the most robust independent suspension system on the market, Black Series trailers allow you to go beyond the crowds to find a camp site that’s not only secluded and serene, but also better situated to avoid direct sunlight and access water. The American South (and North) has no shortage of lakes and rivers that are perfect for swimming and difficult to access without off-road capabilities. There’s nothing better than driving past the crowds to claim a swimming spot all to yourself.

 

Black Series Team Pro-Tip: Check out NPS, BLM, and USDA websites for updated information on backcountry campsites and watering holes. These resources make it easy to research conditions and availability before you head out.

 

black series trailers driving off road

 

Feeling refreshed? We hope these tips help you stay comfortable during your next off-road camping adventure, whether it’s through Texas, Florida, or anywhere where it gets mind-melting hot. If you have any additional questions, comments, or hacks for keeping cool, please let us know in the comments or contact us on social media! We always enjoy your feedback. Happy travels!

Caravans Shown In This Post

Trailer Camping Recipe: Cast-Iron Campfire Pizza

Trailer Camping Recipe: Cast-Iron Campfire Pizza

Pizza in the backcountry? Yes, you heard that right. Fire up your camp kitchen to make this simple and delicious campfire pizza and you’re liable to have a new favorite trailer camping recipe for when you’re out in the wild. All you need is a cast-iron pan, a few simple ingredients, and a cold beer within arm’s reach. It’s the ultimate crowd-pleaser, even if the crowd is just you. 

Below you’ll find the complete cast-iron campfire pizza recipe, three ways to cook at camp, pro tips for storing perishable food (hint: Dometic coolers are highly encouraged, standard with all Black Series trailers), and images that will have your stomach talking to you. Dig in!

following the trailer camping recipe for cast-iron pizza in the black series outdoor kitchen

 

Campfire Pizza: Premium Fuel for Adventurers

This trailer camping recipe is a favorite of ours for refueling after a long day of travel, adventure, or sport. If you’re a mountain biker who spent the day shredding single track and taking shin scrapes, load your pie with extra sausage and cheese to give your body the protein and fats it needs to recover. If you’re a veggie lover, pile your veggies high and indulge in all that natural fiber. You can even customize your dough. Most grocery stores sell various kinds of ready-to-bake pizza dough including stuffed crust and gluten free. Whichever ingredients you choose, the flavor profile will pair perfectly with crisp air and a sprawling horizon line. 

Pizza is the perfect meal for families and group campers, too. It’s one of those foods that everyone enjoys, especially in a casual setting like a party or a family get-together. Different dietary preferences in your camp? Make half-and-half pizzas. And when camping with a group, cast-iron pizza is a great way to impress your crew and create a laid back atmosphere around the campfire. 

cast-iron campfire pizza ingredients for making a great trailer camping meal

 

The Equipment You’ll Need: Just a Skillet!

When you think of traditional outdoor camp cooking, you probably think of burgers, scrambles, hotdogs, and steak, but pizza is just as easy to make and equally delicious.

The only piece of equipment that’s genuinely essential to this camp kitchen set-up is a cast-iron skillet.

What makes this recipe perfect for camp, though, is that it can be prepared anywhere you have a heat source that’s cast-iron compatible. Below, we cover three of the main ways to do this.

 

Trailer Kitchen Setups: 3 Ways to Cook

How you can cook your pizza will depend on your trailer. We’ll focus on Black Series trailers here, for obvious reasons. Black Series trailers come with an interior kitchen that features the modern amenities you enjoy at home. For bad weather days (mother nature is known to hand these out from time to time), you can cook this cast iron pizza on the stove or in the oven.

black series trailer oven

When the weather is nice, that’s when our stainless steel, slide-out camp kitchen truly shines. Perfect for those that want to combine fresh air with their fresh ingredients, the slide-out camp kitchen is engineered for the outdoor chef. With a three-burner gas stove, large prep area, and a deep stainless steel sink, prepping and cooking this pizza will be a breeze. If you decide to cook this pizza on the burner, keep the temp low and periodically check under the crust to ensure everything is cooking evenly. Because the prep table is so large, you can cut the ingredients fresh and add them directly to the pizza.  

black series slide out kitchen, sink and stove

More of a campfire cook? You can still prep everything on the slide-out kitchen, but because you’re cooking with cast iron, you can throw this pizza right on the grill or directly into the fire. Just make sure those coals are hot, and the flames are low, so you don’t burn your pizza. And please use caution when maneuvering your pan directly over a fire. A cast-iron pan lid comes in handy with this method for ensuring even cooking. No lid? Some tinfoil will work just fine. Bonus points if you cook your pizza Caveman-style: no cast-iron, just a wide, thin rock placed over the coals.  

The ultimate camp kitchen setup would be pointless without good ingredients. Every true camp chef knows this. So how do you keep them fresh while getting to your destination? 

black series off road trailer outdoor kitchen in use

 

Fresh Ingredients Anywhere: The Dometic Difference

Traditional ice coolers and trailer mini-fridges can keep ingredients fresh, yes. But a traditional cooler can soak your food when the ice melts, leaving it to steep in a bath of meat and produce juice. Yum. Trailer fridges are great features, and when managed right with generator/propane/battery power they can keep food for as long as it would keep at home. Space can be a bugaboo with these fridges, though.

Dometic powered coolers on the other hand, provide world-class freezing and cooling capabilities with ample space and no risk of meat juice. This means you can bring more of the foods you love wherever you go, and keep them fresh for longer. Every Black Series trailer comes with a Dometic powered cooler included. Dometics are built for rugged outdoor use, and they’re ideal for storing pizza ingredients like dough, meat, and veggies. And it’s not just for storing ingredients. What would a pizza dinner be without ice-cold beer to wash it all down?  

dometic powered cooler and a cold beer

(right photo courtesy of Patrick Boucher)

 

Pro Tips: Pizza & Beer Pairings

Fill your Dometic powered cooler with some cold beers because pizza and beer is the mother of all combos. 

The rule of thumb is light pizzas, lighter beers, and hearty pizzas, heavier beers.  

If you decide to switch up the ingredients for a lighter pizza, such as a Neopolitan, an excellent pairing would be a crisp pilsner. The mild flavor of a pilsner doesn’t overpower the complexity of flavors in a lighter pizza. Hard cider is another great option. 

If you decide to go with a heavier pizza, like the sausage pizza in the recipe here, wash it down with a stout for a robust flavor pairing. Too much? Try an IPA for something powerful and hoppy, but drinkable and satisfying. As avid trailer travelers, our favorite way to drink beer is to pick up local brews from near where we’ll be staying, and taking them to camp. This is a great way to sample the local goods, getting a taste for what the region has to offer.

cast iron pizza a perfect trailer camping recipe

 

How to Make Cast-Iron Campfire Pizza 

Now, for your feature presentation, the recipe. One of the reasons this pizza is a go-to of ours is because it’s the perfect choice for a group with picky eaters; you can customize the toppings however you like. Still, we went with a favorite camp kitchen combination of sausage, onions, mushrooms, and peppers.

Note: We used pre-made dough from the supermarket for this recipe, but if you want to make your own, we recommend prepping it before leaving home and store it in the Dometic powered cooler to make things easier. 

Download the PDF of the Recipe Here >>>

Cast-Iron Sausage Pizza

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

CAST IRON, KNIFE, CUTTING BOARD, MEASURING CUPS, AND SPATULA.

INGREDIENTS

12 oz. store-bought pizza dough, room temperature

5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

6 oz. sweet Italian sausage

3/4 cup pizza sauce

1/2 cup sliced onion

1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 cup sliced fresh button mushrooms

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Salt to taste

PREP

Remove your dough from the Dometic Fridge-Cooler and wait for it to reach room temperature, so it’s easier to shape once you get to Step 2.

Slice your onions lengthwise from root to stem, set aside.

Thinly slice the bell pepper into long strips, set aside.

Thinly slice mushrooms, set aside.

STEP 1

Over a hot campfire grill or your Black Series slide-out camper kitchen, heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large cast-iron skillet. Add the sausage and onion and let cook for 3 minutes. After, add mushrooms and green pepper. Allow everything to cook until tender, and there is no pink in the sausage, about 4 minutes; drain any excess liquid and set aside. 

STEP 2

Remove the cast iron from the heat. If there are any residual toppings on the bottom of the pan, use a bit of oil to loosen it, and then use a paper towel to wipe it clean. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the cast iron. Carefully stretch out your dough by holding it in the air and moving your hands clockwise around the edge, letting gravity help you. Then, lay it in the pan. With your fingers, work the dough into the edges of the cast iron. TAKE CAUTION – IT’S VERY HOT! Try extending it as far as possible to the edge of the pan.

STEP 3

Let the dough cook until it starts to become a slight golden color on the bottom, then carefully flip it over. Once flipped, season it with some salt, then spread the marinara over the entire surface. Top with the cooked sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, sliced onions, and mozzarella. Allow for the cheese to melt entirely. You can cover the pan with a lid or tinfoil to help speed up the process. 

STEP 4

Using the spatula, check under the pizza to ensure that it’s a nice golden brown before you carefully remove it from the cast iron. Let cool for 5 minutes, then top with red pepper flakes and parmesan before cutting in. 

If you want to impress your camp buddies, take this trailer camping recipe with you next time you pack up your Black Series trailer and head out to the backcountry. And if you do make some cast-iron campfire pizza, let us know – tag us in your pictures on social media (@blackseries.usa)!

More pro tips for great trailer camping meals are coming, so stay tuned to the blog!

Caravans shown in this post:

Black Series Dealer Spotlight: Pierce RV

It takes a special kind of dealership to sell off-road trailers and off-road RVs right. Doing it right requires an uncommon depth of knowledge and a commitment to the off-road camping lifestyle. It requires studying each trailer like you would an overlanding itinerary. And, maybe more than anything, it requires good old fashioned give-a-crap, simply caring about the people who come in to buy a Black Series Camper. For these reasons we choose our dealers carefully. They’re an extension of the Black Series family, with regional footprints across the US and the Globe. From California to Texas, Utah to Colorado, Florida to the Pacific Northwest, these dealerships are where you can buy off-road trailers and get a lifelong off-road camping resource. In our “Dealer Spotlight” series we’ll introduce you to our family of dealerships and pick their brains for regional camping knowledge, recommended destinations, and overlanding tips that you can take with you on the road.

Pierce RV Supercenter // Billings, MT & Great Falls, MT

This Montana dealership has been in business for almost 100 years, but they’re new to the Black Series family. Their wholesome culture and nuanced understanding of both RV’s and off-road trailers sets them apart from other dealerships. Not to mention they’re located in one of the premier outdoor adventure adventure states in the country, Montana. The Pierce RV crew is good people, salt-of-the-earth. We recently caught up with the folks at Pierce RV and picked their brains about their favorite Black Series features, Montana camping destinations, and how they prefer to catch their fish.

montana landscape for off-road trailer camping

BS:  What sets Pierce RV apart from other dealerships in your region?

Pierce:  We are a 97 year-old, 4th generation, family-owned business.  We take a lot of pride in making sure we do business the right way.  We believe product knowledge and training is essential in everything we do, and want to make sure we are able to provide the best service possible for our customers.

BS:  Are there any services you provide that are particularly useful for Black Series Camper owners?

Pierce:  We will make sure that our customers get a very thorough walk-thru of the product so they are knowledgeable when they take it out.  Black series off-road trailers are intuitive to use once you’re familiar with them, so we try and shorten that learning curve so folks drive off the lot ready to rock. 

BS:  What are some key features of Black Series Campers that stand out, making them unique on your lot? In other words, what features do you get most excited to show customers?

Pierce: We have an indoor showroom, so we are able to have the unit inside and completely opened up with the awning and exterior kitchen out and on display.  I am not sure where to start on this one. 🙂  The first thing we demonstrate which is obvious to the consumer, is the ruggedness, and overall durability of Black Series trailers.  Then we show the solar panels, water filtration system, and some of the other essential systems. We have over 400 RVs on our lot, and there is nothing anywhere near this product.

“We have over 400 RVs on our lot, and there is nothing anywhere near this product.” – Pierce RV, Montana

BS:  If you had to pick one awesome camping destination to send a new Black Series Camper owner to, what would it be?

Pierce: We are very fortunate to be in such a beautiful state full of mountains, and literally hundreds of great destinations!  Everyone in Montana has their favorite destination, and I hesitate to tell anyone where they should go.  The good news is, in one of these off-road trailers, the options are endless. To give a couple prime locations, though, there’s lots of great camping adventure opportunities near Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks.

off-road trailer camping in Montana

Left: Kicking up some mud on the Montana backroads // Middle: Camping with FORLOH on a Montana fishing outing // Right: Heading back to the trailer after a day fly fishing in Montana (all photos courtesy of FORLOH Hunting Apparel)

BS:  Can you describe your dealership’s company culture? Why do you love working at Pierce RV? Why do you love working in the RV industry?

Pierce: The first word that comes to mind when describing our culture would be family.  We have over a hundred employees and every one of them is important to our success.  In terms of working in the RV industry, getting to help customers who are excited about taking their families out on memorable vacations is what it’s all about!  These rigs are memory makers.

“The first word that comes to mind when describing our culture would be family.” – Pierce RV, Montana

BS:  Can you describe the extent of overlanding in your region if you feel comfortable speaking on this topic? What makes overlanding great in your neck of the woods?

Pierce: From the plains in the east, to the mountains in the west, we are a destination state with unparalleled scenery.  For the overlander who’s looking for off-grid trailer camping, Montana provides so many ways to get remote (but you need an off-road trailer that can match the ruggedness of the terrain). There are countless places to go into the backcountry and hike, fish, or just relax.  Overlanders are a resourceful bunch, and in their research of the region they’ll find lots of maps and roads to help determine where to go.

black series trailer in montana being tested by wes siler

Left: Outside Magazine’s Wes Siler testing the HQ12 in Montana // Right: A classic Montana river landscape

BS:  What is your #1 tip for off-road campers and off-road trailer owners with who are setting out in your region? Anything they definitely will want to know but might not think of off the bat?

Pierce: Be prepared for the weather to change, especially for those going higher up in the mountains.  It can be sunny and hot one day, and then weather moves in and a there’s a couple inches of snow on the ground. 

BS:  How do you see overlanding and off-road trailer camping changing in the next 3-5 years? What’s the next big wave of innovation, groundbreaking feature, or upcoming technology?

Pierce: The growth of RV sales is substantially outweighing the number of campgrounds.  So more and more people are finding ways to get farther “off the grid”.  This kind of remote, off-road trailer camping will absolutely become more and more popular every year.  To this end, I think the electrical systems the efficiency of solar power on campers will continue to evolve.  We’ll see the use of lithium batteries continue to increase, too.  

BS:  We’ll end in a blaze of glory with what we call our “lightning round” – 10 rapid-fire questions that  exist for no reason other than to have a little fun…

Front Country or Backcountry?

Pierce: Backcountry

Medium Rare or Well Done?

Pierce: Medium Rare. Does anyone answer well done? 🙂

Lap Dog or Work Dog?

Pierce: Work Dog

Country or Classic Rock?

Pierce: Country

GPS or Paper Maps?

Pierce: GPS

Latte or Straight Black?

Pierce: Black

Podcast or Music?

Pierce: Music

Ford or Chevy?

Pierce: Chevy

Fly Fishing or Spin Tackle?

Pierce: Fly

Whiskey or Beer?

Pierce: Beer

 

There you have it. If you’re in Big Sky country looking for am off-road trailer, this is your go-to Black Series dealership. They’ll make sure you drive off the lot with full working knowledge of your rig so you can hit the ground running

————

Pierce RV Supercenter

www.piercerv.com

3800 Pierce Parkway

Billings, MT  59106

Call or Text 406-655-8000

AND

Pierce RV Supercenter

4200 10th Ave. South

Great Falls, MT  59405

Call or Text 406-761-3520

Caravans shown in this post: