Last year Nic Tickner and Ryan Aitcheson decided to turn their passion for the outdoors into a business, helping others enjoy B.C.'s backyard as much as they do.
They launched Northirn Overland in 2021 with a variety of rental 4WD vehicles with roof top tents, as well as a Taxa Tiger Moth adventure trailer. Their intention is to make it much more than a rental company and more of an experience company.
We took their trailer out for a weekend adventure off the grid, and the first thing we received was a call from Nic asking us what area we wanted to head to.
Nic offered some suggestions of camping spots over the phone then followed up with an emailed PDF with more ideas, map links, and other ideas to take our trip to the next level. This service comes standard for anyone who rents one of their vehicles.
We picked up the trailer from them in East Van and hit the road.
The first thing that struck me about the trailer is that this thing is super light, and can essentially be pulled by any vehicle that has a tow hitch. My small 2WD SUV did the trick, pulling it way up a logging road.
We settled at a backwoods spot they suggested - no campsite fees, nobody else camping there - and quickly set up. My 12-year-old son helped with the fold-out canopy, with leveling the trailer, then he started a campfire and I worked on preparing us a meal.
If you have zero camping equipment, the trailer comes equipped with everything you need, and then some. Chairs, stuff to light a fire with, all that stuff.
One of the best features is the pull-out kitchen unit that comes out the back, under the canopy. Equipped with a high-end JetBoil camp stove and all the cooking stuffs you'll need (knives, a Bluetooth speaker, etc), it absolutely destroys the experience of tent camping as everything is made easy.
As you might expect, it rained during our trip. We sat for a bit under the canopy and tarps (which are included), then sat at the little table inside and played cards for a bit before setting up the bed. Cozying in under a heated blanket that plugs into a battery pack tucked below, this was camping as we'd never experienced.
As Nic tells me, "You don't need to spend tens of thousands of dollars to get out there with this stuff," and the price tag of $99/day for the trailer is proof positive of that.
Have a look at their website to check out what they offer. Beyond the basic rental of vehicles, they offer guided tours and other packages where they'll take you out and even cook for you (Nic is a Red Seal Chef).
Full disclosure: Northirn founders Nic and Ryan work with Vancouver Is Awesome, and they loaned us the trailer for the trip free of charge. They're good people who help us put together the annual Awesome Grand Prix, B.C.'s Criterium Championships. In other words, we're vouching for these guys.
