FIREFLY OFFROAD WINS TOP SPOT IN 4WDTALK.COM
“BEST BUDGET FRIENDLY CAMPERS OF 2025”
The P-ZERO Frame and Body Construction
The P-ZERO Camper Walkaround - we show what features are included a dn wath you can do yourself later.
Our body and frame construction are unique - we explain how below.
the P-ZERO
Not all “blinged out” with accessories, the P-ZERO is exactly what many customers are looking for: a lightweight, simple, and well-engineered off-road trailer that is surprisingly affordable, while allowing the customer to decide when and how to upgrade it. Firefly Offroad can help with the upgrades, but the platform design lends itself to DIY upgrades by anyone with a drill, some Unistrut from Home Depot, and a few bolts.
The P-ZERO name comes from the founder’s engineering background: in the high-tech data center equipment world, the P-ZERO was the first mockup or prototype built as a Proof of Concept (POC) to show that it would work well.
THE DESIGN APPROACH
First of all, we engage directly with customers to hear what they want to see in a product. We created a Firefly Offroad Customer Design Feedback group on Facebook to get ideas, feedback, and general discussion over the design as it matures and evolves to meet the needs of the end customer.
The P-ZERO was designed and simulated in CAD from the outset, with all parts and features being analyzed before a single part was made. The construction is unique: we designed our own extrusions, which serve to connect the nearly 2-inch-thick, lightweight fiberglass-over-XPS rigid foam and also include heavy-duty, integrated T-nut slots, allowing the customer to hang their own brackets or equipment anywhere on the exterior of the trailer. These slots make it easy to add accessories like awnings, shower curtain bars, MOLLE panels, RotoPAX / jerry can / propane tank mounts, and more, without having to drill holes or modify aftermarket brackets that never seem to fit quite right. The same system applies to the roof rack rails, which are completely adjustable from front to rear and strong enough to support a loaded full-length gear basket or a rooftop tent.
The same fiberglass-over-rigid foam body material is used in building refrigerated box trucks, and it also offers good insulative properties to keep the hot and cold where they belong. Compared with traditional plywood and screw construction, which rots when wet and degrades and loosens over time, our construction offers a long-term, rot-free, waterproof camper that can even be hosed out for cleaning. In fact, they include a drain inside for this purpose.
We also design and manufacture our own aluminum trailer frame, unlike many competitors who just buy it from one of the “big boy” suppliers or hack away at a Harbor Freight trailer frame. The Firefly frame is unique because, in addition to having a hinge that allows the tongue to be folded in for easy garage storage (reducing the length by about 4 feet – you’re welcome, HOA dwellers!), it also includes a full-length 3 inch x 3 inch “spine” tube and an internal “spine stiffener” painted steel tube that prevents the tongue from twisting, thereby avoiding tongue breakage which is not uncommon among mass produced aluminum offroad trailers.
Additionally, the body of the camper is bolted directly through the square tube frame using large, heavy-duty carriage bolts with Nylok nuts attached to the body using the aforementioned t-nut slots. The body will not shift or slide anywhere, unlike traditional trailer bodies that are screwed to the frame using wood screws, which can loosen over time.
Firefly also designs and manufactures our own barrel-nut hardware, which is used for mounting the stand-on fenders. Additionally, this hardware can be used by customers to hang cabinets, shelves, and other items by simply drilling a hole. The hardware includes 5mm hex wrench sockets for an easy, low-profile installation.
Firefly Offroad’s unique philosophy is our decision not to over-option with gee-whiz electronics, plumbing, AC, fancy galleys or solar power systems, even though these would represent a significant profit center. Instead of forcing the customer to buy features they may not ever need—or may want to upgrade differently—we’ve opted to let the customer take control. Firefly will take your MaxxAir or other rooftop AC unit, cut the hole, and install it for you, but it’s up to you to run the wiring your own way.
In addition to allowing customers to handle the electrical and plumbing as they see fit, Firefly is also removing itself completely from the warranty loop for add-ons, and the customer is not tied to single-source, proprietary products. Did your AC die on your trip? You can purchase a new one from Amazon, or simply visit Home Depot to get a new one.
The P-ZERO is designed to be used and customized by the customer or when purchasing the camper. The rear shelf system, for example, is removable and adjustable. It can be used as a bunkbed for a child or be temporarily removed to roll in a dirt bike or ATV, then put back when base camp is set up. Its height is also adjustable, and it includes holes for screws to prevent the shelf from moving around during spirited offroad travel.
There’s also a unique pass-through between the cabin and front storage area, which is perfect for accessing coolers, batteries, or the shore power AC whips. Or your kid’s binky at night when it’s raining. The large, top-hinged rear panel with USB-powered lighting keeps the rain off while you cook or make sandwiches – this is how customers really use their campers. Finally, it included rear drop-down stabilizers for leveling the camper.
Base model features include:
● As low as 980 lb dry weight
● 3,000 lb independent torsion axle suspension
● Fully welded aluminum frame with steel spine stiffener
● 2 roof rack bars
● 15" trailer wheels (can be upgraded, or bring-your-own tow vehicle wheels)
● Dual side entry doors (no climbing over your bunkmate at night to use the facilities)
● Generous front storage area with external side pass-through doors
● Internal access panel for front storage area
● Extra-large rear top-hinged access panel
● Roof vent and large top-hinged window with push-pull screens and shades for ventilation and light
● Shore power socket with internal AC connector whip
● Rear stabilizers
● Hinged tongue
● 1 set vertical accessory rack
● 1 set horizontal accessory rack
● 360-degree hitch
● Stand-on fenders
● Front and rear rock sliders
● Interior drain for hose-down cleanout
● 2 wall-mounted cargo nets
● 2 USB interior lights
● 2 solar exterior lights
With an introductory starting price of just $22,500 and a dry weight under 1,000 pounds, it’s a camper that can be towed by small vehicles such as the Toyota Corolla and Subaru Outback. This is a game changer for a trailer this size (6’X10’). Previously, only a much smaller, traditional plywood trailer might possibly be this light.
Firefly Offroad will start accepting deposits on July 15, 2025, to get on the build schedule, and their first builds are expected to begin within weeks. Once production ramps up, they’re aiming for a four-week lead time, but the initial ramp-up lead time is expected to be longer. Even in production, they will limit builds to two campers at a time, to ensure strict quality control and make sure each one is built how the customer wants it.
Customization is also available – let us know what you want and we will see if we can build it. From special brackets to custom shelving, spare wheel mounts, slideout drawers for batteries and inverters, etc. – anything is possible.
Thanks to everyone who came by to meet us and see our P-ZERO ultralight 6x10 trailer at the Lone Star Overland Expo in Austin June 28!
