By the end of July, I finally had the chance to put the MooseWagen to the test. Destination: Martin’s Head, a spot I’ve been trying to reach for a couple of summers now. This time, I was meeting up with friends and guiding a group out of Ontario to experience camping right along the Bay of Fundy shore.
I was definitely the oddball in the lineup—my Volvo XC70 parked beside a 4Runner, two Tacomas, and a Jeep. But the MooseWagen held its own and even showed them a thing or two on the rugged trail down to the beach site. For me, this was the first real opportunity to see how all the upgrades worked in the wild.
The Kampkeeper tent setup went smoothly. Because I’d packed it away properly after the last use (with the car opening on top), it only took a couple of minutes: grab the straps, hook them to the cross rails, insert poles, stake it out—done. Inside, I was able to fit my hammock stand. Cramped, but doable. The fridge kept everything cold, powered by a fresh swap of batteries. I pulled the one from my other vehicle to give it a good charge, and it held up great for the weekend.
Most of my gear has been used in my previous rig, so I know how it packs and sets up. The Volvo’s smaller cargo area meant trimming down a few things, but not my hammock chair—that one always earns its place. Next trip, I plan to put my cot to use inside the tent, especially with cooler temps rolling in. I’ve also been sketching ideas for a diesel heater setup, possibly mounting a small plank off the roof rails to hold it, with tubing to feed warm air under the cot or hammock.
As of mid-September, the MooseWagen is back home and due for some routine maintenance: an oil change, Haldex service, and tracking down a weak rear passenger strut. I also had a parking brake failure that chewed up the whole assembly on one side, so parts are on the way for that.
Eighteen months in, this old Volvo has been nothing but reliable, and I’m confident I can take it just about anywhere—within reason. Still, I might need to add a sticker on the dash that reads: “Remember, stupid—you have to drive this home.”
Video from this trip will below!