Skip to main content

The Baja Adventure Rig Is Like an Off-Road Apartment on Wheels

Rossmonster Overland The Baja Adventure Truck Camper RV
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Not long ago, truck campers were considered the unloved stepchildren of the RV world. Most were cheap, flimsy, and purely functional, with little thought given to livability and aesthetics. Thanks to a new generation of forward-thinking designers and fabricators, they’ve evolved into something else entirely. Today’s best adventure rigs can travel almost literally anywhere while allowing owners to tote all the comforts and luxuries of home along with them. Enter: Rossmonster Overland’s The Baja adventure rig.

Rossmonster Overland The Baja Adventure Truck Camper
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Colorado-based Rossmonster Overland recently announced the debut of its first-ever truck camper. The customizable rig is built on the buyer’s choice of half-ton, three-quarter-ton, or one-ton chassis with a custom lightweight aluminum frame. That includes capable American-built options like the Ram 2500, Ford F150 and F250, and the Chevy or GMC 2500 — all 2019 or newer. Owner Ross Williamson said of the design, “We know that many people, including ourselves, prefer to adventure in hard-to-reach places where getting there is part of the experience. As such, we wanted to build a vehicle with the same craftsmanship and dedication to design that we’ve been employing in our van builds for years, but with a bit more capability to explore where others can.”

The design centers around a custom composite shell with an actuated topper. The Baja is built from the ground up to go anywhere you want it to. Hardcore off-road-worthy features include an upgraded rear air-bag suspension and 4WD with available front and rear locking differentials. A custom front bumper includes an integrated Warn winch and additional gear storage. Plus, a Baja Designs LED light bar ensures you can get where you’re going long after the sun goes down.

Rossmonster Overland The Baja Adventure Truck Camper Floorplan
Image used with permission by copyright holder

But, it’s the surprising creature comforts that truly set The Baja apart. An automatic rear door on electric actuators opens to reveal a surprisingly plush interior that feels more like a modern apartment than a traditional truck camper. In the monochromatic black-on-white colorway, the interior is bright, clean, and contemporary, while the black and walnut option creates a space that’s warm, masculine, and luxurious. Depending on the layout, the Baja sleeps up to four adults comfortably with a queen-size over-cab bed and a fold-down dinette/bed at the rear. The former adds an over-bed skylight to flood the interior with light during the day and allow for stargazing after dark. A full galley — with a residential sink, induction cooktop, and a fridge/freezer combo — provides all the tools for cooking gourmet meals in the backcountry.

Beefy electrical and water features allow for extended periods off-grid. With clever water management, the 30-gallon freshwater tank is enough to last a week or more. The heavy-duty Victron power system includes a lithium battery bank powered by a 3,000-watt inverter and an optional 400W Zamp solar array. So, campers needn’t be without their phones, laptops, digital cameras, and portable espresso machines no matter where they travel.

Like most purpose-built adventure rigs, The Baja doesn’t come cheap. The base model starts at $175,000, and the long list of platforms and available options will significantly ratchet the price tag up. But the vanlifing movement has made living out of your vehicle socially acceptable — cool, even. So why not just sell your house and embrace full-time life on the road?

Editors' Recommendations

Mike Richard
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South…
Snowboard gear 101: Sintered vs extruded – which snowboard base is right for you?
Snowboard buying info you really need to know
Snowboarder making powder turn

Snowboarding is all about the glide. As you gain momentum and rip turns, there's an exhilaration like little else. Add in beautiful mountain surroundings, and sliding on snow is a seminal experience. But what makes a snowboard so slippery? Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has a unique combination of abrasion resistance and low friction. That makes it an ideal material for a snowboard's base, enabling lap after lap of high-speed fun. It just works.

Snowboarders have two base options when picking a new board: sintered and extruded. Each has its pluses and minuses and suits a particular rider. So what's the difference between the two? Let's dive in.

Read more
The 10 best chore coats for men: They’re perfect for seasonal layering
Look great and work hard when you wear these canvas barn coats
Man zipping up a jacket

At a certain age, there are things that every respectable male should possess: a decent suit, a reliable pocket knife, and the confidence to change a tire, for starters. Some tasks require tougher tools and tougher apparel, though. Things like splitting wood, grinding in the shed, and mending fences at the ranch, for example, all call for a proper barn coat (also called a barn jacket or chore coat) -- a durable outer layer that blends timeless style and rugged construction with all-day comfort.

Like virtually all menswear items, there is a long list of options for you to choose from if you are in the market for such a coat. If you're looking to upgrade your life while working hard or looking rugged when you're not in the barn, we have done all the heavy lifting for you. Here are the best men's chore coat options for you to look and work your best in.

Read more
Snowboarding tips: Set your snowboard stance for a winter of shredding
Your snowboard stance is the key to a successful run
Beech Mountain snowboarding

When you first learned how to snowboard, chances are you picked up your board from the rental shop, they asked you a few questions that you weren't totally sure of the answers to, and then you went off to learn how to snowboard — or to fall over on the mountain for a day. It's different now. You've bought your own snowboard. You're fully decked out and ready for the winter season. But your new bindings are still sitting alongside your pristine snowboard, waiting to be attached.

Whatever your snowboarding level, you can always benefit from a little ride optimization. Setting your snowboard stance correctly should be at the top of any list of snowboarding tips — or perhaps second, under finding a well-fitted pair of snowboard boots. Your stance underpins every move you make on the board. It amplifies your riding style. It sets you up for shredding powder, ripping groomers, or sending it big in the park. But first, you need to understand the difference between regular and goofy, get ride angles, stance width, and more. We're here to help you get set up.

Read more