Today TAP is sitting down with Aimee Higgins CO-Founder and CEO of Tern Overland. You’ve either heard about Tern Overland or seen their Arctic Tern Product Collection around the industry since their start in 2017. Maybe you’ve seen the iconic nickel Arctic Tern sticker on their category-leading components in many, if not most Adventure Vehicle builds in the Overlanding industry.
Aimee, last year you unveiled you had built out a new rig and camper and it’s also become your company’s show rig. Tell us about it as it’s quite an impressive beast.
Thank you, Andy. We have a new AT Overland Aterra XL Flatbed Truck Camper that sits atop 2022 Dodge Ram 2500 with an OEV flatbed. This camper is a complete off-grid vehicle and is extremely capable and lightweight. It is a composite camper and features quite a few Arctic Tern Products making it the perfect show truck for us. It is fully equipped with a Truma furnace & water heater, 30-gal freshwater tank, 2 burner stove/sink combo, Wrappon waterless toilet, 90-Liter National Luna fridge freezer, king sized bed, tons of storage, a dinette, 200 Ah lithium battery system with 400 Watts of solar, all within a bright, spacious interior living space. It’s great for those long drives to different shows and an incredible battery system makes it easy to work remotely as well. My team is also really enjoying not lugging around displays to all the shows this year. The truck makes set-up and take-down at shows easy. It’s just super functional and comfortable!
Most of our readers probably don’t realize that your company designed and engineered the Aterra XL camper. That said, why did you partner with AT Overland and not simply manufacture and market the design yourself?
Before David Soza (Tern co-founder & Aterra engineer) retired, we chose to sell the Aterra camper side of Tern to AT Overland and left the manufacturing to the AT Overland Team. Mario has been in the business for a long time and was already set up to produce a vehicle of this type. With Mario’s experience and expertise, it just made sense. It helps that we are both based in Prescott, AZ.
They recently launched the AT Aterra Topper & showcased the vehicle at Overland Expo West with four of our New Flat Windows & a Wildlands entry door. The feedback for both their topper, as well as our Flat Windows (launching July 25th) created quite a stir around both brands. It’s been a great partnership!
So, let’s talk about the Aterra camper specifically. Give us a quick rundown of what Tern Overland products feature in the rig.
Our windows and doors are probably the most used components on a camping rig. Five of the Classic Arctic Tern dual pane acrylic windows including the blind/shade assembly which has a reflective blackout shade and fine mesh bug screen bring in loads of light and fresh air.
My favorite door, the Arctic Tern Wildlands door. It is two doors in one, with an exterior solid panel that connects to the interior heavy-duty screen. On a nice evening, the exterior door can be hooked open, while the interior screen door has a 3-point locking system, making it the most secure door in the overlanding & RV space with the most ventilation.
The Arctic Tern Electric Roof Hatch is a must for air ventilation, blocking out the sun on a hot day or creating an insulatung dead are space on a cold one. It features a dual pane acrylic dome, a high-quality Bosch motor to raise and lower the hatch and LEDs for task lighting. The retractable blind & screen keeps the bugs at bay as well.
Finally, the Aterra XL features two Arctic Tern Cargo Doors; one to store the propane tank and one for easy access to all the wiring and batteries. Both are dust free spaces with triple seals, and they are keyed to match the entry door making it super easy to lock up the rig.
The result of these products is a bright, safe cabin with loads of ventilation in the warmer months and extra insulation in the colder months with little to no condensation. Thanks in part to the FARS system – an AT Overland proprietary air exchange system that is constantly moving the inside air, taking out the moisture. As a solo traveler, I love driving and living in this set-up. As a company, we are fortunate to have such an exceptional show truck!
You’ve just released a new Flat Window spec. Tell us about it and are you going to retrofit your Aterra?
Our Classic windows have been extremely popular since we launched them to the North American market in 2017. In searching for something new last year, we listened to our customers and OEM partners and chose to offer a Flat Window. The acrylic is essentially flipped, and the slight bubble is on the interior and the flat surface faces the exterior. We know it will be an excellent option for those seeking a different aesthetic. We really appreciate getting this kind of feedback because the needs and interests of the market are always evolving. Earlier this Spring, we brought out the Black Blind & Screen Assembly which is a black aluminum frame with a sleek black fabric shade. It still has a reflective facing exterior and is full blackout just like the white units. In the Aterra, we installed both the black and white blind assemblies to show customers the options. We have plans to retrofit a Flat Window, probably after the exp season when the show season quiets down.
Apart from the show circuit, do you have any trips planned and if so, where will you be taking the Aterra XL beast?
We are really hitting the show circuit hard this year with a total of 14 planned shows, traversing the country twice. Most of the trips ahead are for business, however, there will be periods or times when the beast is not on duty, and I’ll be able to enjoy some down time. Arizona is fully loaded with so many beautiful areas, enjoyable in all seasons, well except Phoenix when its 115.
Any upgrades planned or changes you feel you’d like to make to the rig? We all know there’s never a complete platform.
The truck is pretty darn awesome as it sits now! We had not opted for an AC unit initially, but that may be an upgrade worth considering! So far, we haven’t needed one! The awning style windows really provide a lot of ventilation and the Fiamma awning keeps it cool & shady.
Finally, any new Tern Overland product launches we should be looking out for in addition to the new flat windows?
We absolutely have some things in the works. You can expect to see at least two more product launches this year if not more. The new products will enhance or expand on existing products within our Arctic Tern Product Line. We like to stick with what we know best and that is components.
