Taxa Mantis Trailer Tour: NASA Architect Designs Trailer

The Taxa Mantis is a practical travel trailer designed by former NASA architect Garrett Finney. As founder and designer, Finney’s vision is in every aspect of this unit.

He approaches trailer life from an outdoor-adventurer point of view, not from a POV of an RVer. This approach leads to the trailer being very adaptable to each user’s specific needs.

Before we dive deep into the Taxa Mantis, you can watch our tour & interview with the founder below:

Taxa Mantis Camper Trailer & Its Functionality

Functionality is key with this design. Instead of hiding joinery (mostly rivets), Taxa keeps the frame and hardware visible and easy to edit. Using quality materials, this creates a minimalistic aesthetic with a focus on materials.

The powder-coated steel frame also has many strategically placed holes. This allows you to connect carabiners for hanging & strapping items as you wish.

The storage areas are the size of standard milk crates. With this design, you can easily store and access your goods without using customized containers.

Power Options for Taxa Mantis

12V DC is the primary power source throughout the trailer. It has two house batteries and is ready to be connected to solar power. The Mantis can plug into shore power (they have an Air Conditioner option), but there’s only one location to plug into AC power.

How Many Can The Taxa Mantis Sleep?

Even though the Mantis only measures 17 feet, it can sleep up to four people. The front seating area transforms into a bunk bed. The rear U-shaped dinette joins to create a mattress that sleeps two.

If you’re brave enough to sleep on the small top bunk, you can rest easy knowing there’s a net to catch you.

Key Specs of the Taxa Mantis

Here’s a list of some of the key specs of the Taxa Mantis:

• Aluminum Composite Panels
• Powder Coated Steel Chassis
• Torsion Axle with suspension and electric brakes
• Truma Water Heater
• 20gal Fresh Water
• 22gal Grey Water
• 12″ ground clearance
• 780 lbs cargo capacity
• 3,020 lbs Dry weight

This NASA Inspired Trailer Is Perfect for Free Camping

To be honest with you, we hate paying for camping. There are so many free campsites in America (with complete privacy). You should give it a try! As a matter of fact, these free campsites are yours.

Every time you pay federal taxes, you’re contributing to these lands.

Here’s our list of the 20 Best Free Campsites in the USA.

Become a FREE CAMPING INSIDER and join the 100,000 campers that love to score the best site! Simply enter your email below.