This Enthusiast's First-Ever Custom Camper Is Perfection: Built From a Fire Rescue Carrier

Ladies and gents, take a close look at the images and the video below; as long as it is - there's a lot to talk about. Once you've done all that, you'll realize that you may be looking at one of the most unique and seamless conversions we've seen on our site. Oh, and since it's sitting on top of an International 4700 used by fire rescue teams, this one can take some roads not often explored by your average RV or travel trailer.

Now, this particular unit has seen actual use and was used in wildfire interventions out in Apple Valley, California, until it was purchased by Matt just a few years ago. Yet, Matt was out hunting for a school bus, or as he likes to say, the "perfect chassis, the perfect engine transmission combo," when, lo and behold, this 13-ton rated machine winked at him from the corner of a lot. The neat thing is that this particular version of the truck doesn't require a CDL to be driven, assuming you know how to drive a stickshift.

Overall, the video below covers most of this unit's exterior, mainly because there's just so much to talk about; even the paint job is industrial-grade paint used on boats, cranes, and other heavy machinery. One very strong point for the unit is the locker bays tattered all over the exterior.

If you're familiar with these sorts of vehicles or what they're naturally designed for, then you know that tons of gear are part of the firefighting lifestyle; all those lockers have been repurposed to house things like the electrical system, hot water, water filters, and an outdoor shower set with an integrated tent right into the camper's exterior.

One important change that Matt made to the standard truck was adding a set of RV steps at the rear of the unit, but, most importantly, he's added not one but two internet systems, one of which is Starlink. Why? Mainly because Matt mentions that he's always traveling to some of America's most remote places, and a Starlink has been his go-to solution for when he's "miles away from a cell tower." It's also set up on a telescopic pole in order to clear treelines in case there's interference on the connection. Be sure to check out the 630 W of solar panel array on the roof.

While we could talk about the exterior until the cows come home, if there's one space that Matt really excelled in bringing to life, it's the interior. Even Matt states that he wanted the eventual owners to feel as though they were living in a "penthouse suite while in the mountains of Colorado."

Well, that's definitely the feeling we get upon entering the unit for the first time, and to thank for it is a beautiful blend of black and white tones with a few green and plant-like touches. The only feature that doesn't really look like it fits into the color scheme may be those grey dinette chairs; meh. But, the rest of the interior is absolutely immaculate.

One space that I like to really explore in such units is the kitchen, and a neat trick that Matt has in store for us is the countertop. Initially, the builder went with a pine wood countertop with a living edge look, but after a few trips on the road, he quickly realized that pine is a softer wood and bangs up pretty quickly. Thus, epoxy was the solution to enclosing the already lightweight pine in an indestructible barrier of goodness. Also, good old obsidian was the inspiration for the look.

Now, there's a massive benefit to using epoxy as your countertop, and as Matt also mentions, it's about how easily you can refresh a scratched and cut-up top. All you need is to sand it down and buffer it out, and it's as good as new. That's a trick you could jot down for your own RV.

The remainder of the tour takes us through all the little ins and outs of the interior space, including countless storage options overhead and at ground level, the dinette with its reclining and buckled seats, fridge on slide-out, hidden toilet, and an elevated bed that's sure to have you feeling like royalty upon waking up; I recommend giving up the 26 minutes of your life so that you can be inspired to start your own build.