Stepping Back in Time: Touring the Original EarthRoamer

While we were at EarthRoamer, we got the chance to take a peek at the original EarthRoamer—the build that started it all. And honestly, it was such a cool full-circle moment.

Before EarthRoamer was even a company, Bill Swails (the founder) just wanted a way to chase his passion for wildlife photography without being limited by rough terrain or bad weather. He started by building out his own Dodge Ram, but pretty quickly realized that nothing on the market could do what he needed it to do. So he decided to make something better. Reliable. Rugged. Comfortable. Able to carry enough water and fuel to actually stay out in the middle of nowhere, for days.

That dream turned into the first production EarthRoamer in 2003—and honestly, you can still see so much of Bill’s original vision reflected in the builds today.

Getting to see that first EarthRoamer in person, standing right there in front of it, made joining the EarthRoamer family feel even more real. It was a reminder that this isn’t just a vehicle—it’s the result of someone chasing a dream, figuring it out as they went, and building something truly different.

We feel incredibly lucky to be part of that story now.

Watch our tour of the original EarthRoamer!