Arctic Glacier 14 TS, twin kitchen + electric pop-top
The Arctic Glacier 14 TS with a powered roof and awning amped up the comforts at camp
The hybrid market is moving very quickly; I’m stunned by what we’re seeing off-road. In fact, at Tough Tested, powered by Gusto, NCE and Vantec, there’s been a real push on comforts across the board. One of our lighter vans, the Arctic Glacier 14 TS (Twin Single), offers an electrically operated pop-top and a frontloading washing machine within its compact 4.3×2.2m body. So why not ditch the drawbar-mounted bucket and take a peek?
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Setting up with the Arctic Glacier is easy with no extra expanding spaces to negotiate aside from that electrically operated pop-top roof and the electrically operated awning.
That said, Arctic still had room for a full-rear bathroom, including a toilet and separate shower plumbed to a Truma UltraRapid HWS, finished with a black square sink, mirror and a large shower rose that’s on a rail.
Two Kitchens
Kitchen amenities are found inside and outside, including a two-burner gas cooktop with kitchen sink forward adjacent to the entry. A table on an articulating leg near the twin single beds facilitates dining indoors in poor weather. While outdoors, a slide-out fridge, pull-out sink and a second two-burner cooktop and external pantry frame a welcoming and practical space under the awning in full view of your chosen sunsets.
Projecta Power
The Projecta PM400 Intelli-RV monitors off-grid consumables like the 120L freshwater tanks, 75L grey tank, the 400W solar array, 270Ah lithium battery storage and the Projecta 25A DC-DC charger. This system includes two-way light switches, which I love. They’re descriptive and dimmable, operating at the door and at the Intelli-RV panel.
Other luxuries include a 12V TV supported by an omnidirectional antenna, diesel heating, reverse cycle air-con, fans, drawer storage plus a Renogy 2000W inverter.
Trak Ryder Shocks
With independent trailing arm suspensions almost de rigueur in the off-road hybrid scene, the importance of quality dampers are well under the microscope. And this year, the Glacier 14 TS sports Trak Ryders for our 2024 Tough Tested programme, powered by GUSTO, Vantec and NCE. They’re teamed with 16in alloy rims shod with Chengshan LT muddies, a tough XO ARK jockey wheel and a DO35 up front. If you’re curious to see how it performs, check it out on 10 BOLD September 21 @3pm.