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2026 Honda Ridgeline ReviewThe Ultimate Overlanders: Arctic Trucks
Arctic Trucks take overlanding to a whole other level. Check out these big tire trucks that conquer the most remote locations in the world!
What are Arctic Trucks?
Overlanding has grown substantially in popularity over the years as more people venture deep into the most remote locations with a vehicle that can hold just about everything they need. While some overlanders can boast that they’ve rock climbed through Moab or traversed the Rubicon Trail, not many can say they’ve been to one of the most remote places on earth – Antarctica. There is however an Icelandic company that’s more than conquered that feat year after year since their first expedition back in 1997.
Arctic Trucks started in 1988 with a simple desire – to fit giant tires on 4×4 trucks and SUVs. The citizens of Iceland have to deal with heavy snow, rocky trails, and unkempt remote roads, so the need for a vehicle that could capably traverse these tough terrains was needed. After mastering the practice of re-engineering Toyota trucks and SUVs to be fitted with substantially larger tires, Toyota of Iceland actually added these Arctic Trucks modified Hilux and Land Cruiser models as manufacturer options.
The Toyota Arctic Trucks models became hugely successful in Iceland and other parts of Northern Europe. The unique builds were staggeringly good at handling off-road, snow, and ice travel that they were used for expeditions over glaciers and across the remote areas of Greenland. Swedish scientists were introduced to the vehicles during a trip to Iceland and were awestruck by their capability. The Swedish polar researchers worked with Freyr Jónsson and Jón Svanþórsson from Arctic Trucks to build two Toyota Land Cruiser 80 series AT44 models to take to Antarctica.
Previously, traveling around Antarctica had primarily only been done through the use of vehicles that utilize track systems, but these vehicles were cumbersome, had terrible fuel efficiency, and couldn’t travel very fast. The two Arctic Trucks showcased better speed and fuel efficiency as they helped scan the ice, towed large research equipment, and transported the researchers from point to point along the Antarctic coast. This expedition would prove to be a huge milestone for Arctic Trucks.
Arctic Trucks has now expanded across the globe providing their giant tired overlanding vehicles and they have continued to be the vehicle of choice for major research expeditions into remote locations including modern voyages throughout Antarctica. Not only are they used for scientific research, but they’re utilized in polar tourism, rescue capacities, and even for personal use. Let’s dive a little deeper into what Arctic Trucks is doing today and the different models you can purchase yourself!
Arctic Trucks Expeditions
Since that first trek through Antarctica, Arctic Trucks has continued to push the envelope with their vehicles and park them where no other vehicle can go. They’ve carved their way through the virtually untouched areas of Greenland, travelled to both the South and North Pole, helped in installing valuable fuel depots used by researchers in Antarctica, and even taken things to the sands of Dubai to participate in the Millennium Desert Drive.
Arctic Trucks is highly regarded among the scientific research groups that travel across the Polar and Antarctic regions, so they are commonly commissioned year after year to produce vehicles that will help in hauling equipment and gear during scientific expeditions. Arctic Trucks also promotes their own expeditions led by a team of professionals that have endured the harsh landscapes of the Antarctica Plateau and remote trails of Iceland. Adventure goers can hire the Arctic Trucks team along with their fleet of big-wheeled overlanding vehicles to explore and camp out in the most picturesque, uninhabited locations in the world.
Arctic Trucks for Sale
Being a brand based out of Iceland, most of Arctic Trucks vehicles are specific models to the region. They primarily specialize in modifying vehicles like the Toyota Hilux, Toyota Land Cruiser, Nissan Navara, Nissan Patrol, Volkswagen Aramok, and Isuzu D-Max. However, they have taken on some models more relevant to the USA too like the Toyota Tacoma, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Hyundai Santa Fe, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and even the electric Nissan Ariya. All of these different models have been given some Arctic Trucks re-engineering to fit giant snow tires that range as small as 33 inches up to a staggering 44 inches.
These Arctic Trucks have also been given some substantial overlanding upgrades to help out in the wilderness. Lift kits from Old Man Emu, Gearmate cargo solutions, ComeUp winch kits, ARB 4×4 parts and accessories, and so much custom fabrication and lighting equipment straight from the Arctic Trucks group. Plus, a proper overlander needs a good living arrangement so they’ve also got plenty of options of pop-up tents from Skycamp as well as cooking and heated water solutions.
Feeling left out being over here in the United States of America? No worries! Arctic Trucks has a location right here in Wyoming. The team over at Arctic Trucks North America is able to take all of Arctic Trucks’ 30 plus years of experience and bring them over to us in the states to enjoy. Now, our chapter of the ultimate overlanding builders specializes in crafting Ford trucks into winter tackling monsters. They take the F-150 or F-350 and install all the off-roading parts you could ever need along with some 44-inch tires.
Looking for something a little more modern? Arctic Trucks has already begun messing around with the Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup to create an electric overlander that is aimed at handling even the harshest conditions of Antarctica. So far, they’ve been able to fit 37-inch tires on the electric pickup and have begun rigorous testing over in Iceland. Hopefully this venture leads to a fun little partnership with Ford that makes these available from the dealer, but for now we can enjoy that Arctic Trucks is finding a place for itself even as the industry changes. Hopefully they expand outside Ford trucks and let us Americans get the Arctic Trucks treatment for a wider variety of vehicles, because I know I’d enjoy one during the winter where I live!
