There are custom builds, and then there are machines that actually make sense. The new MeatEater Defender falls firmly into the second category — a purpose-built hunting rig that came out of a collaboration between Can-Am and the MeatEater brand, with fabrication work handled by S3 Powersports. The result is something that looks the part, but more importantly, was designed from the ground up to actually work in the field.
What This Build Is Built On
The foundation of the whole thing is the Can-Am Defender MAX HD11 Lonestar — and that starting point matters more than people might think. This isn't a base-model machine that got a few bolt-ons slapped on it. The Defender MAX Lonestar is already one of the more capable utility side-by-sides on the market before anyone touches it with a wrench.
Under the hood sits a triple-cylinder Rotax HD11 engine, which gives the machine real pulling power for the kind of terrain that serious hunters actually deal with. The suspension is class-leading in its stock form, and the enclosed cab brings heating and air conditioning — something that gets a lot more relevant when you're sitting glassed up on a cold October morning at elevation or grinding through a long drive to a spike camp in the dark.
Inside, there's a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a premium leather interior. That's not the flashy part of this build, but it matters for multi-day trips where comfort stops being a luxury and starts being a factor in how sharp you stay.
The S3 Powersports Treatment
The team at S3 Powersports handled the customization work, and they came at it with a clear focus on utility over aesthetics — though the aesthetics ended up being pretty sharp anyway.
One of the more practical additions is Can-Am's LinQ system, which is a proprietary mounting setup that lets hunters lock down gun cases, tools, and gear quickly and securely. Anyone who has dealt with gear sliding around in a truck bed or strapped to a rack that wasn't designed for what they're hauling will understand why a fast, secure mounting system is worth more than it sounds.
The build also got SMART LED light bars, integrated side mirrors, and expanded storage solutions. Early-morning hunts and late glassing sessions mean a lot of time operating in low light, and having that kind of visibility baked into the machine rather than rigged up as an afterthought makes a practical difference.
Custom molle panels, a rear rack, heavy-duty bumpers, and upgraded suspension components take the Defender's trail capability up another level. Underneath all of it, the machine rolls on 35-inch BFG Mud-Terrain KM3 tires mounted on 15-inch KMC Impact Beadlock wheels — a combination that gives it solid footing across a wide range of terrain without sacrificing too much on the trail.
Built to Sleep Where You Hunt
One of the more interesting additions to this build is the GoFastCampers V2 Pro Roof Top Tent. For hunters who pack into country where staying close to the area means staying out overnight, having off-ground shelter that deploys directly from the machine removes one more piece of logistics from the equation. You're not towing a trailer or relying on a nearby camp. The machine carries the shelter.
For fuel and water storage, Rotopax jugs round out the off-grid capability. When you're pushing into backcountry that doesn't have much in the way of resupply options, that kind of redundancy isn't optional — it's the whole plan.
The Look
The exterior wrap was done in a custom design featuring FirstLite's Cerca Camo, a pattern built around the stark, muted tones of arid and rocky terrain. It's a practical choice for the kind of open country hunting the MeatEater crew is associated with — mule deer, elk, and western public land hunting where the landscape tends toward rock, dust, and sage rather than dense timber.
Steven Rinella on the Build
Steven Rinella, the face of MeatEater and one of the more recognized names in hunting media, has been vocal about his connection to the Can-Am brand going back further than this project.
"I've been a long-time fan of Can-Am, so it's pretty cool to see this custom collab MeatEater Defender come together," Rinella said. "The team at S3 Powersports did an incredible job bringing the build to life. It feels like a physical representation of our partnership and the kind of machine our crew relies on in the field. I'm excited to get it out and put it to work."
That's not a quote that was pulled out of context. The MeatEater crew actually uses machines like this in production, which means the build had to hold up to real scrutiny, not just look good at trade shows.
What Can-Am Says About the Partnership
From the manufacturer's side, the stated goal goes beyond just building a cool-looking rig for a popular media brand. Jeremi Doyon-Roch, Marketing Director at Can-Am Off-Road, framed it in terms of shared values rather than just a co-branding exercise.
"The MeatEater Defender is all about enjoying the outdoors and showcasing the potential of the Defender platform," Doyon-Roch said. "We built this machine to equip the MeatEater team with the ultimate machine for hunting and conservation work, but also to celebrate our shared values of outdoor access and adventure."
Both brands have leaned into messaging around ethical hunting, responsible land use, and long-term stewardship of public lands and wildlife habitat. Whether that translates into concrete programs or stays at the level of brand values depends on what the partnership produces going forward, but the alignment between the two makes more sense than a lot of brand collaborations in the outdoor space.
Where to See It in Person
The MeatEater Defender made its first public appearance at the Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville, Tennessee, running March 13 through 15. From there, the tour continues with appearances at the Open Season Sportsman's Expo in Columbus, Ohio from March 20 through 22, followed by the same expo series in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin from March 27 through 29.
Later in the year, the machine will be on display at the Florida Outdoor Expo in Palm Beach from May 1 through 3, and at the Ducks Unlimited Expo in Memphis from July 31 through August 3.
For anyone who wants to see the machine up close and get a realistic sense of the scale and quality of the build, the show circuit gives a reasonable number of geographic options across different regions of the country.
The Bigger Picture
Custom builds in the side-by-side space aren't new. Manufacturers have been partnering with media personalities and outfitters to produce one-off machines for years, and most of them end up being more marketing exercise than functional tool. What makes the MeatEater Defender worth paying attention to is the specificity of the components chosen and the credibility of the people who signed off on them.
MeatEater's audience tends to be serious hunters who do their own research, make their own decisions, and have a fairly low tolerance for gear that doesn't perform. That context puts some real pressure on a build like this to actually deliver, and from a component standpoint, the choices made here suggest that someone with real field experience had meaningful input into what made the final cut.
Can-Am's Defender platform was already one of the stronger options in the utility side-by-side category before any of this happened. The MeatEater build takes that foundation and layers on the kind of hunting-specific functionality that usually requires hours of independent research and parts sourcing to put together. Having it done as a cohesive package — with components that were selected to work together — is a genuinely useful thing for hunters who want a rig that's ready to go without spending a season sorting out the setup.
