The New MDC XT9 Overland Camping Trailer Might Be Small, But It’s Mighty

The compact XT9 camper trailer from MDC USA packs plus-size capabilities into a manageable footprint.

We all need to just get away from it all every one in a while. While some will venture to their nearest RV park or dedicated campsite, others feel a pull to explore further into unpopulated territory. That’s where overlanding comes in.

A popular option is to have a dedicated truck or SUV—or something even larger—for such adventures, but that’s not in the cards for everybody. Fortunately, compact camper trailers like the MDC USA XT9 exist, packing huge capability and versatility into a small footprint.

The XT9 Off-Grid Extreme Edition is an evolution of MDC’s Forte 9 Plus two-person overland trailer, but it’s been made more capable of off-grid living with a new electrical system. When fully closed, it’s about 14 inches shorter and 13 inches wider than a 2026 Toyota 4Runner, while being just 93 inches tall. This means that the XT9 isn’t huge and could be a great option for anyone with limited space for storage.

But that size belies this camper’s off-road abilities. Unlike many camper trailers that claim to be for overlanding, the XT9 does not use a beam axle and instead relies on an independent trailing arm suspension known as the X-Track system. This design utilizes coil springs with dual Tough Trax HD shocks per side to soak up off-road obstacles without jerking the trailer around. The XT9 also utilizes MDC’s Mega Hub, a heavy-duty setup with 12-inch electromagnetic brake drums, 14-mm wheel studs, and Timken bearings. It would appear this suspension and hub combination will take pretty much anything you can throw at it. Attached to those hubs are a set of 16x7.5-inch aluminum wheels wrapped in 265/75R16 Goodride MT mud-terrain tires; a full-size spare is mounted to the rear body.

The XT9 uses an all-aluminum frame, and its body is made from composite aluminum panels. What’s not aluminum on the chassis is made from galvanized steel to ensure longevity. But despite having a 270-degree awning, a pop-up roof, a full kitchen setup, and a Renogy Rego 12-volt 400-amp-hour lithium iron phosphate battery with a triple 175-Watt solar panel system, the XT9 only weighs in at 3,300 pounds dry. That’s just below the maximum towing capacity of a 2026 Subaru Outback (3,500 pounds) and well under the capacity of the 2026 Ford Maverick with the 4K Tow Package (4,000 pounds).

For those who mat worry about rear visibility while towing with smaller vehicles like those, the XT9 features a wireless rearview camera with a seven-inch portable screen.

The XT9’s raison d’être is off-grid capability, and that’s its biggest evolution from the Forte 9 Plus. The Renogy solar system provides up to 3 kW of power using a pure sine-wave inverter. It can also seamlessly auto-transfer between solar and shore power using a Renogy DCC50S MPPT 50-amp charge controller for the times you do need to connect to the grid. With Bluetooth and onboard monitoring of the electrical system, you’ll be able to make sure you won’t find the 4.8-kW of total battery power empty when it’s least convenient.

Out in the way out, you need to stay comfortable in all weather conditions, especially the cold. That’s why the XT9 also features MDC’s Cold Weather Pack as part of its standard equipment (that goes for any of the company’s Off-Grid Extreme campers). This package includes Truma Combi heating pads for the 31-gallon freshwater tank, insulated water lines, a Renogy Rego battery heater, tinted dual-pane windows, and a Truma Combi 14,300 BTU/hr interior heating system. While not called out by the Cold Weather Pack, the XT9 also has an outdoor heated shower with a tent that attaches to the body.

The MDC XT9 Off-Grid Extreme Edition is available to order as you read this. Pricing starts at $59,999, putting at just $49 more than the Airstream Basecamp 16X but nearly $10,000 less than the Mammoth Overland ELE. If you want to see the XT9 in person before buying, you have two chances coming up. The first is during the Idaho Sportsman Show at Expo Idaho in Boise on March 5. The other will be at Overland Expo SoCal on March 14 at the OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa, California.