Rossmonster Baja Trail LX Adventure Truck Review

I started van life in 2016 and have since lived in three different Sprinter Vans, logging thousands of days on the road. But after attempting full-time travel with my newborn and two dogs, it quickly became clear that we needed more space to make this lifestyle feel sustainable.

When searching for the perfect adventure vehicle, I wanted something that would give our family of three more functional living space without sacrificing off-road capability or driveability. I didn’t want something so big—like a trailer or a massive slide-in truck camper—that it would limit where we could camp, but I also knew that another van wouldn’t give us the space we needed.

That’s what led me to the Rossmonster Baja LX—a fully built-out truck camper designed for off-grid travel. It’s built on a Ford F-350 and features a hard-sided pop-top, giving us extra interior space when parked while keeping the truck’s low profile and maneuverability on the road.

I was also drawn to the Rossmonster Baja’s pass-through feature. Coming from a van, I didn’t want to lose the ability to move freely between the driver’s seat to the camper. The layout also seemed very functional — all without feeling cramped — with its two separate beds, kitchen, and full bathroom.

I picked up my Rossmonster Baja LX in December 2024, and since then, it has become our full-time home on the road. With our house in Utah rented out, we’re fully committed to long-term travel, and so far, we’ve taken the Baja LX through Arizona and all the way down to the bottom of Baja California. I’m excited to share all the little details—the things I love, what surprised me, and a few things I’d tweak.

If you’re considering a Rossmonster Baja LX, this review will help you decide if it’s the right fit for you. If you have any questions, shoot me an email or message me on Instagram. If you do reach out to Rossmonster, let them know I sent you—they’ll take great care of you!

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Ford F-350 Chassis

The Rossmonster Baja Trail LX is built on the Ford F-350 chassis, and I expected it to feel massive and intimidating to drive. I was so wrong—this truck drives like a dream.

One big appeal of the Ford chassis for me was knowing that we could get it serviced almost anywhere, even in rural areas and small mountain towns across North America. If we ever run into trouble, there’s a good chance we’ll be able to find a mechanic who can work on an F-350. That peace of mind was a huge factor in choosing this platform for long-term travel.

The Rossmonster Baja can be built on either the 6.7L Power Stroke V8 Turbo Diesel or a gas engine, but I chose the diesel because it’s more powerful and has extra torque which helps carry the weight of the camper. The diesel also gets slightly better fuel economy and has greater towing capacity should we ever decide to tow anything. Finally, diesel engines are built to last longer than gas engines, meaning it will hold its value longer.

Driveability

The Rossmonster Baja Trail LX accelerates quickly, even with the fully built-out camper on the back. I thought it might feel heavy and sluggish, but the turbo diesel engine is very powerful. We never feel like we’re struggling to keep up on highway passes.

The turning radius is surprisingly good, and despite its size, I can still maneuver in tight parking lots without feeling too stressed. The steering is smooth and responsive, making it much easier to handle than I anticipated.

The Baja comes with two backup cameras—one factory-installed that displays on the dash screen and a Wolf Box camera that replaces the rearview mirror, showing a constant live feed of what’s behind the truck. Having this full-time rear view makes lane changes and merging way safer since I always know what’s around me.

The truck also comes with a factory camera that shows the front of the truck from the bumper’s point of view when 4×4 is engaged. This makes it much easier to see rocks and ruts in the road when we are exploring dirt trails.

Off-Road Capability & Suspension

One of the biggest priorities when choosing a new rig was off-road capability. After years of pushing our Sprinter Van to its limits (and probably taking it places we had no business going), I wanted a rig that was at least as capable—if not more—when it came to tackling rough terrain and accessing remote trails.

With beefy tires, a low center of gravity, and a suspension specifically tuned for off-road performance, the Rossmonster Baja feels just as comfortable on the highway as it does on rugged backroads. We’ve tested it on beaches, rocky roads, and rough desert terrain, and it has handled everything impressively well.

Camper Shell Construction

The Rossmonster Baja is built with a fiberglass composite shell and an aluminum frame, designed to be lightweight and durable. The big advantage of fiberglass is that it’s easy to repair if we were ever to get any dings or dents in the camper shell. Just about any body shop in the U.S. should be able to fix it.

On top of that, the shell is a single-piece construction, meaning there are no seams to worry about leaking or failing over time.

So far, the build quality has exceeded my expectations. The camper feels solid, well-built, and thoughtfully designed, and the interior is holding up incredibly well, even after driving rough roads down in Baja California. The materials and finishes are durable and functional, with no rattling or shifting while driving.

Hard Walled Pop-Top

Before discovering the Rossmonster Baja, I was hesitant about a pop-top camper. Traditional soft-sided pop-ups come with a few big drawbacks—they lack insulation for four-season use, they stay wet if you have to close them in bad weather, and they can’t support overhead cabinets, which I absolutely wanted for storage.

At the same time, I didn’t love the idea of a traditional slide-in truck camper either. Most of them are over 13 feet tall, which significantly limits where you can go, especially when it comes to tree clearance and off-road trails.

The Baja’s hard-sided pop-top solves all of these problems.

Interior Layout Overview

The layout of the Baja LX is one of the biggest reasons I chose this camper, and now that we’ve been living in it full-time, I can confidently say it works incredibly well for our family.

The width of the F-350 (about a foot wider than a Sprinter) makes a huge difference in livability—we all have room to move around without constantly bumping into each other. The high ceiling (6’5” when popped up) makes the space feel open and even my tallest friends can stand up straight inside.

Cabover Bed

When you step inside the side door, our bed sits above the cab. At 59″ wide by 74″ long, it’s about the size of a queen bed, giving my partner and me (plus our two dogs) enough space to sleep comfortably. The mattress it came with is fairly comfortable, but I added a 2-inch latex topper for extra cushion, which made a big difference.

The headspace in the bed is 32″, which is just shy of letting me sit up fully. However, there’s a skylight above the bed that adds about 6 extra inches of headroom when you’re positioned underneath it. I do wish there was a bit more vertical space, but since our bed is just for sleeping and watching our iPad at night, it feels plenty adequate for that purpose.

To get up in the bed, you use the ladder that stows flush against the wall when it’s not in use.

Full Bathroom

The Rossmonster Baja LX is the model that comes with a full bathroom, including a shower and toilet—something I didn’t have in my last two vans. I only had 25 gallons of water in my vans, but in the Rossmosnter, I have a 40 gallon water tank. So having a shower in here makes a lot more sense, especially now that I have to worry about bathing a toddler on the road. With so much water, we can take showers without stressing about running out of water for drinking, cooking, or dishes.

The bathroom feels surprisingly spacious for a truck camper. I can sit comfortably on the toilet without my legs touching the wall, which isn’t always the case in smaller RV bathrooms. The shower height is 6’2″, so most people can stand up straight without having to hunch over too much. The shower head is detachable and has an on/off switch, allowing you to direct the spray exactly where needed while conserving water.

The shower has a slatted teak floor above the shower basin, which allows dirt and grime to rinse down while keeping your feet out of any standing water. Grey water drains into an 11-gallon tank, which has been enough for us to manage with regular dumping.

For hot water, the Baja LX uses a hydronic heating system by Aquahot. It takes about 5-10 minutes to heat up, but once it’s ready, you have unlimited hot water.

We went with the Trelino separating toilet, which has a pee canister and a waste bin lined with a bag that can be tossed in the trash. I like the bag system, but the toilet itself has room for improvement. The good news is it’s fully removable, so if I want to try a different toilet, it’s an easy swap.

I’m so glad we have a full bathroom (the LX model), but if you don’t need one, the Baja also comes in an EX model that prioritizes additional counter space and storage. Instead of a dedicated bathroom, it features a toilet tucked inside a small cabinet and a folding shower that sets up in the middle of the camper when you need a quick rinse. Both models also have an outdoor shower hookup that’s connected to the hot water lines.

Kitchen

The kitchen in the Baja LX is split galley style, with counter space on both sides, a two-burner induction stove, a fridge, a sink, and an additional flip-up counter next to the stove.

With two burners on the induction stove, I left our portable propane camp stove behind. While I do miss cooking outside occasionally, it’s one less piece of gear to carry, and we don’t have to deal with carrying propane. The induction stove boils water fast, easily wipes clean, and cools down quickly after use, so it’s not a lingering hazard in a small space.

The Isotherm Cruise Elegance fridge holds about a week’s worth of food. I’ve had this exact fridge in all of my van builds (it’s one of the industry’s most popular fridges), and while it works well, my biggest issue is that the freezer ices over monthly. Defrosting it requires pulling out all the food, which can be a hassle when there’s nowhere else to store it. Other than that, I don’t have any complaints.

I also love the spacious sink, which makes doing dishes easy. The faucet stows down while driving, so there’s no risk of it shifting or leaking. A custom cutting board fits over the sink, doubling as extra counter space when needed—a thoughtful touch that helps maximize functionality in a small kitchen.

Dinette / Second Bed

At the very back of the camper, the dinette serves as both a functional workspace and a comfortable lounge area. It comfortably seats four, making it perfect for meals, working, or just relaxing. The table is mounted on a Lagun swivel system, allowing you to quickly move it out of the way when needed. The seating is surprisingly supportive, and I can work on my laptop for hours without dealing with back pain—something I couldn’t say about all my previous setups.

When it’s time to convert the dinette into a bed, the process takes about two minutes. The tabletop drops down onto a pair of slats, and two of the side cushions fit on top to create a large, flat sleeping surface.

This second bed is big enough to fit my son’s travel crib right on top, and we installed L Track on the ceiling to hang a blackout curtain, giving him his own private sleep space. When he’s not sleeping, the bed mode creates a huge, comfortable lounge area where we can all hang out, read, and play together. It’s one of the most versatile parts of the camper and has made full-time life on the road much more enjoyable.

Pass-Through

Coming from a van, I didn’t want to lose access to the driver’s seat while inside the camper. When I first started van life in 2016, I was traveling solo, and being able to hop into the driver’s seat without stepping outside was one of the main reasons I chose a van over other types of campers. It made me feel safer, knowing I could drive away in an emergency without exposing myself to whatever was outside.

When I started looking at truck campers, I realized that very few models offer a true pass-through. The Rossmonster Baja is one of the rare exceptions. Between the back seat of the truck cab and the camper, there’s a 24” x 36” pass-through, which, while not big enough to walk through like I could in my Sprinter, is plenty large enough to crawl through easily. It gives me that same peace of mind I had in my van, knowing I have quick access to the driver’s seat if needed.

Beyond the safety aspect, I use the pass-through all the time for passing gear between the camper and truck cab. When it’s time to hit the road, I can easily pass water, snacks, my son’s toys, or anything else we need up front without having to step outside, which makes getting ready to go quicker.

My son loves climbing through the pass-through when we are camping, turning it into an extra play space. The dogs use it too. This is really helpful if we have to park and leave them in the truck for a bit, they can go to the back of the camper where it’s insulated and doesn’t get nearly as hot as the truck cab. The pass-through is one of those features I didn’t want to compromise on, and I’m really glad we have it in the Rossmonster.

Storage

I was initially worried about losing storage space compared to a van, and I won’t say I don’t miss the huge garage we had under our Sprinter bed. But with the combination of interior storage, extra space in the truck cab, and the gear boxes on the back, I’ve found there’s plenty of room for all of our essentials, even for full-time living. If you’re traveling part-time, it would be even easier to make it work.

Here are the major storage areas in the Baja LX:

While the storage in the Baja isn’t as obvious as in a camper van, I’ve found that with some smart prioritizing and a little bit of Tetris, we can fit everything we need without feeling like we’re constantly shuffling things around.

Power System

The Rossmonster Baja is powered by a robust Victron Energy system, designed to handle all of our off-grid power needs. The setup includes a 1000Ah LiFePO4 battery bank, a 3000W inverter, 600W of solar, and alternator charging while driving, ensuring we have multiple ways to keep the system topped up.

A 1000Ah battery bank might sound like overkill, but I’m really glad we have such a high-capacity system, especially since we have AC, a microwave, and a Starlink Mini, all of which are big power draws. With this setup, we never have to worry about running out of power, even when using multiple appliances at once.

The 3000W inverter allows us to run multiple high-powered devices simultaneously without tripping the system. For example, we can use the induction stove and air fryer at the same time, which makes cooking much more convenient.

The 600W of solar provides ample recharge on days when we’re not driving, keeping the batteries topped up even when stationary. Since the batteries also charge from the alternator while driving, we rarely have to think about power management.

So far, the system has been performing exactly as expected, giving us more than enough power for daily life on the road.

Hydronic Heat System

The Aquahot hydronic heating system is an efficient and effective way to keep the inside of our camper comfortable in any weather. We have camped in single digits in the snow, and you could have never guessed how cold it was outside.

The Aquahot system runs on diesel fuel from the truck’s main fuel tank, eliminating the need for a separate fuel source.

The system works by heating a thermal mass of coolant in an exterior burner, which is then circulated inside the camper in three different ways:

What’s great is that these three functions can be operated independently, so we only have to run the portions we need at any given time, making the system more efficient and customizable.

Air Conditioning / Cooling

I’ve never had AC in any of my vans, so having an AC unit in here is a welcome addition. We haven’t had the need for AC yet, but in a quick test run, it did a solid job of taking the edge off the heat and making the camper more comfortable.

I’m not sure yet if we’ll be able to run it all night, as I still need to see exactly how much power it consumes over an extended period. What I’m most excited about is having AC for those moments when we need to leave the dogs in the truck for a couple of hours in the summer and being able to cool the camper down while my son naps during the day. Having that extra bit of temperature control will make summer travel so much easier.

In addition to the AC, the Rossmonster Baja LX has windows all around, all of which have integrated screens and blackout shades, so we can get a cross breeze without dealing with bugs. There’s also a MaxxAir fan over the dinette and a large skylight with an integrated screen above the bed, both of which add to the ventilation. On warm days when we don’t want to run the AC, simply opening the windows and cranking the fan pulls in fresh air and keeps the camper feeling comfortable.

Exterior Accessories

In addition to the storage boxes on the back, there are a few exterior accessories on the Baja that I find useful for day-to-day life on the road.

Customer Service

Beyond the quality of the build itself, Rossmonster’s customer service has been outstanding. Like with any custom-built camper, a few small things have come up—one of the reading lights in our bed stopped working, for example. I let Rossmonster know, and by the end of the day, they had a new light in the mail, along with detailed instructions on how to swap it out. Their team is small, but it’s clear they take a ton of pride in their work and genuinely care about customer satisfaction.

Having a company that stands behind its product and is responsive when things need attention gives me a lot of confidence in this rig for long-term travel.

Final Thoughts

After the last few months of full-time travel in the Rossmonster Trail Baja LX, I can confidently say it’s been the perfect rig for our family. It strikes the ideal balance between comfort and capability, giving us the space we need without limiting where we can go.

If you’re looking for a highly functional, rock-solid, adventure-ready truck camper, the Baja LX is a fantastic choice.

Got questions about my Rossmonster Baja review? Leave them down in the comments below!

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