Going Full Tilt to the HILT
What to know about Storyteller Overland’s GXV HILT adventure truck.
“Generally speaking, a howling wilderness does not howl: it is the imagination of the traveler that does the howling.” —Henry David Thoreau
The imagination of serious adventure seekers was certainly at full tilt when the team at Storyteller Overland dreamed up the GXV HILT.
The HILT adventure truck was revealed in 2023 after years of development and testing and has been rolling over tough terrain with style and ease ever since. With a modern, elevated interior stocked with all the amenities any camper could possibly want, the HILT is primed for off-road and off-grid adventures in the wild.
The feature list makes the HILT adventure truck thrive in rugged environments and also allows for luxurious travel, including its:
- Carbon fiber and Kevlar reinforced vacuum-infused resin composite capsule
- RAM 5500 chassis 6.7L Cummins Turbo Diesel
- 8 kWh M-Power Battery System with dual 3,000-watt inverters
- Hutchinson true beadlock wheels with 41-inch MPV tires
- LiquidSpring active hydraulic smart suspension
- 2-inch closed-cell foam acoustic and thermal insulation
- Proprietary Zero Torsion Subframe
- 360-degree full spectrum trail lights by KC HiLiTES
- Flarespace nVader rear racks and storage system
- A 20,000-pound winch
The cab has seating and shoulder belts for four and there are two queen beds for sleeping in the capsule. The Zero Torsion Subframe system allows independent movement of the capsule from the chassis and reduces overall stress and improves off-road traction.
The LiquidSpring smart suspension system evaluates speed, steering, braking and road inputs 1,000 times per second and adjusts for extremes.
While the HILT is without a doubt a capable adventure truck, it features an interior height of 6 feet, 7 inches and a 15,000 Btu air conditioner — creating creature comforts every camper wants. The wet bath height is 6 feet, 5 inches and includes a shower, sink, flushable cassette toilet, mirror, dry storage and retractable clothesline.
The kitchen’s stainless steel 6.9-cubic-foot fridge and freezer, dual burner induction cooktop, and microwave/air fryer/convention oven appeals to any chef. Alsoincluded are a Guzzle H20 waterpurification system, seven drawers,a pull-out trash bin, a 7-cubic-foot closet with hanging rod and foldaway shelves. The dinette seats four to five adults and converts into a queen bed.
The loft queen bed has bin storage, 12-volt USBs, 110-volt outlets and wireless charging stations.
Safety-wise, the HILT comes with a smoke/carbon monoxide detector, fire extinguisher, ground fault circuit interrupter and a locking toilet cassette door.
“We are always listening carefully to Storyteller’s amazing community of adventurers and road trippers, some of whom want to go farther and stay out there longer with more people than a van can traditionally accommodate, so we spent two years designing, engineering, and testing the HILT to not only perform in off-road and off-grid environments, but also in extreme comfort and efficiency,” says Lee Conn, Storyteller Overland’s co-founder and COO. “It’s an absolute blast to travel in.”
The HILT is priced at $446,322.
Read more about Storyteller Overland, its community and how two owners fostered a sense of belonging
among van-lifers here.
