From Campfires to Campus: Rhino USA Forges New Frontier with 182-Acre Texas Adventure Hub

AUSTIN, TX – April 27, 2026 – In the rolling landscape just outside Austin, a new kind of world is taking shape. Rhino USA, a family-built company that has become a major force in the off-road and adventure gear market, has officially announced the development of RhinoWorld, a sprawling 182-acre campus in Del Valle dedicated to the art and science of durability. More than just a corporate headquarters, the project represents a bold, multi-million dollar investment into a new paradigm of product development, combining a state-of-the-art innovation lab with a rugged, real-world proving ground.

This first-of-its-kind facility is designed to be the ultimate crucible for the company's truck, towing, and off-road accessories. From retractable ratchet straps to kinetic recovery ropes, every product will be conceived, prototyped, and brutally tested on-site before it ever reaches a customer. The announcement signals a significant shift in the outdoor gear industry, moving R&D from isolated labs and occasional field tests into a fully integrated, living ecosystem of innovation and experience.

A New Breed of Brand Campus

At the heart of RhinoWorld is a simple, visceral philosophy. “We spent years testing our gear in the real world whenever and wherever we could. Now we’re building the real world we always needed,” says Ted Repic, Rhino USA's CEO. “RhinoWorld is where we can beat the hell out of our gear so you know it won't fail you when you need it most."

To achieve this, the campus will feature an extensive proving ground spanning more than eight miles of purpose-built trails. With at least 15 distinct obstacles—including challenging creek crossings, technical trails, and severe tilt challenges—the course is engineered to push vehicles and equipment to their absolute limits. This stands in contrast to the massive, but typically private, proving grounds operated by automotive giants like Stellantis or independent facilities like the Nevada Automotive Test Center. While those are closed-door industrial sites, RhinoWorld is being built with brand and community engagement as a core, long-term component.

The proving ground is fed by an on-site innovation lab, a full shop for rapid prototyping and meticulous testing. This creates an immediate feedback loop previously unheard of in the industry. “My favorite part of this job has always been dreaming up new products, then getting outside to put them to the test,” notes Dylan Repic, Co-Founder and new product development specialist. “At RhinoWorld, we can build something, throw it on a vehicle, run it through the course, and know pretty quickly whether it’s ready. That kind of feedback loop changes everything.”

Beyond the lab and trails, the campus plans include a content studio for media production, a welcome center with a concept retail space, a warehouse, RV sites, a campground, and an outdoor shooting and archery range. Initially, these facilities will serve the Rhino USA team, but the company has made it clear that broader community access is a key part of the long-term vision.

From a Pickup Truck to a Proving Ground

The ambition of RhinoWorld is a direct reflection of the company's entrepreneurial roots. The story begins not in a boardroom, but around campfires in Southern California, where the Repic family—father Ted and his sons Cameron and Dylan—spent their weekends riding motorcycles and off-roading. It was there, after long days on the trail, that the problems with existing gear became clear and the solutions felt most obvious.

Cameron Repic, Co-Founder, started the business at just 19 years old with a single product and a pickup truck. “I started this company at 19 with a gap in the market and a pickup truck. Dylan jumped in with his savings while he was still in high school. We built the early team out of our friend group,” he says. “Ten years later, we’re serving millions of customers and building an adventure campus. RhinoWorld is what a decade of showing up and caring about the product looks like.”

Ted Repic joined as CEO to guide the company's strategic growth, and later, his brother Ray Repic, a former Fortune 500 technology leader, came aboard as COO to scale the operation. The family's relocation of its headquarters to the Austin area presented a new challenge that directly inspired RhinoWorld: the relative scarcity of accessible public land for the kind of rigorous testing they were accustomed to. That gap became the seed of the idea for creating their own dedicated environment.

Local Impact and a Mission for Safety

The development of a 182-acre campus in Del Valle is poised to bring significant economic activity to the area, including job creation during and after construction for the lab, warehouse, and future hospitality operations. However, such a large-scale project also brings potential community concerns, including the impact of increased traffic, noise from the proving grounds and shooting range, and the environmental effects of developing a large tract of land.

Beyond its commercial and industrial purpose, Rhino USA is embedding a unique social mission into the DNA of RhinoWorld. The company announced the campus will also serve as a real-world training ground for first responders and disaster recovery organizations. The team plans to leverage their expertise and facilities to teach critical skills, such as using advanced recovery equipment to clear vehicles and debris in crisis situations. This initiative aims to support partners like the United Cajun Navy and other volunteer 4x4 rescue groups who are often the first on the scene after natural disasters.

For now, RhinoWorld remains a private venture, a place for the Rhino USA team to refine its products and live its brand ethos. But its construction marks a pivotal moment for the company and a potential blueprint for the future of the outdoor industry, where the line between product development, brand building, and community engagement is becoming increasingly, and excitingly, blurred.