Overlanding can be a slippery slope—literally. Many overlanders begin their journey in a small 4×4 with an old-school camping tent. If those excursions become more frequent, they might consider upgrading to a pickup with a rooftop tent. Others progress onward to four-wheel-drive vans, like the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. But for those who yearn for long-term off-road travel in comfort and with serious capability, there are more hardcore, expedition-class vehicles like the Earthcruiser, Earthroamer, and now, the Krug Expedition Bedrock XT2 .

When it comes to off-road vehicles, the nearly 20,000-pound Krug Expedition Bedrock XT2 occupies a spot at the pointy end of the overlanding pyramid, in terms of both its craftsmanship and capability. One thing is for certain—it’s impressive on every level, and it would be an incredible machine to call home for an extended period. It’s helpful to think of the $695,000 (!) Bedrock in two parts: the chassis and the camper. Let’s begin with the greasy bits.

The Chassis

The Krug Expedition Bedrock XT2 begins as a Ford F-550 4×4 chassis cab equipped with a Power Stroke diesel engine that has been heavily modified by Arctic Trucks US, the American arm of the famous Icelandic 4WD shop. The company’s creations have been featured in numerous publications and on television shows since the 1980s. Arctic Trucks’ specialty? Vehicles that can handle heavy weight and extreme terrain while maintaining a low center of gravity.

Rear Air Springs, 4.88 Gears, Limited-Slip Differentials

We tested the AT44 XT2 6×4. This model has six wheels for load carrying and stability, but only four are driven. Krug says that six-wheel drive will be an option for the next model year, and locking differentials might be part of that package as well. The suspension includes three-inch-lift coils up front, damped by Old Man Emu BP-51 internal bypass shocks. Air springs control the load at each corner in the rear and can be adjusted from inside the cab to suit the terrain. The diffs are equipped with 4.88:1 gears and limited-slip differentials. The rear of the frame is extended to provide room for the eight-link dual-axle setup. Although the rearmost axle isn’t driven, it does have disc brakes, which help slow the load and reduce ground pressure by 25 percent. It also extends the chassis, allowing Krug to offer a longer camper.

42.8-Inch Tires, Winch, And More

Regarding ground pressure, the Krug Bedrock XT2 features 42.8-inch-tall (365/80R20) Continental MPT 81 tires, each of which can handle a maximum load of 7,826 pounds. They help provide about 15 inches of ground clearance under the diffs and about two feet of clearance under the bottom of the steps. There’s a central tire inflation system, along with front and rear air chucks, to ensure those big tires are flexing over obstacles. One cool advantage of having six tires and three axles is that if a tire does get punctured, the truck is much more stable than one with four tires and can potentially continue to be driven for a distance. Additionally, having five tires supporting the truck makes changing one of these 200-pound wheel-and-tire combos much easier. The Bedrock also comes with hardware that includes a Dissent/Arctic Trucks aluminum front bumper with a 12,500-pound ComeUp winch and steel running boards.

The Krug Camping Module

The Arctic Trucks chassis is certainly impressive, but it’s the Krug camping module body that’s the star of the show. Krug, headquartered in Austria, specializes in expedition camping modules. The module here is mounted to the chassis with Krug’s subframe system, which allows the two units to move separately. Krug says this feature keeps twisting loads and the potential for damage to a minimum when traveling off-road. The extra tag axle on the chassis allows Krug to mount a longer module. This massive camper is constructed from a sandwich of panels that are strong, light, and joined in a way that minimizes condensation and ensures high thermal efficiency. Krug says the 2.3-inch-thick module panels offer insulation comparable to a nearly 12-inch-thick wood wall. Additionally, the tempered safety glass windows are stout units with double insulation and a UV coating.

To gain access to the camper, Krug uses stout, electrically operated stairs to help you climb inside. The first thing you might notice is just how robust everything feels. From the cabinet latches to the window screens, everything seems to be built with tight tolerances and a high level of sturdiness. The Bedrock can sleep two in the king-size bunk that extends over the roof of the cab, and another two when the spacious dinette area is reconfigured into a bed. The look of the materials? Modern and upscale. And, of course, everything inside can be customized.

The appliances are equally impressive, with a large Vitrifrigo refrigerator/freezer that goes from floor to ceiling, a Miele oven, twin smart TVs, and a stainless steel sink. Electric power comes from a 1,450-watt solar array backed by a 23.7 kWh battery pack—about the same size as the battery on a plug-in hybrid car.

The bathroom was perhaps the most surprising. Unlike some larger RVs, this one had plenty of space to move around. The living area has plenty of hidden storage spaces and when it’s chilly outside, the Krug’s diesel heater is there to warm the cabin. Similarly, the Bedrock has two remote-controlled roof ventilators with a rain sensor. And speaking of liquids, the Bedrock’s freshwater tank holds 118 gallons, there’s a 60-gallon grey water tank, and a 17-gallon black water tank. Fresh water is filtered once and then a second time when accessed through the tap in the kitchen. There’s an additional UV LED water treatment system to kill off any residual bacteria in the system. It’s safe to say the Bedrock is ready for third-world expedition travel. And thanks to all the water and power generation on board, you could comfortably camp self-contained for about ten days before returning to civilization.

Of course, there’s plenty of optional equipment too, like a washing machine and dryer, Nespresso coffee maker, radiant floor heating system, an 11,839-Btu air conditioner, Starlink internet, and more.

On The Road

We didn’t have a chance to spend the night in the Krug Expedition Bedrock XT2, but we did take it for a spin on the pavement on mountain roads northeast of Los Angeles, as well as on some nearby trails. Fire up the big diesel engine, pull onto the road, and the immense size and weight of the Bedrock are immediately apparent. This is not a quick truck off the line, to be sure. Plant your right foot, and the Bedrock slowly gathers speed. Krug says it returns around 6 mpg, so with the 66-gallon fuel tank, it can travel close to 400 miles per fill-up—not terrible for a truck this size.

The Bedrock’s handling felt odd to us at first. It takes small steering corrections to keep it on the desired path until you’re used to the way it behaves. That’s because there’s a floatiness to the experience. There’s that cushiness between the chassis and the camper, as well as a soft suspension—and yes, lots of weight. It’s not surprising, considering this is a 10-ton, six-wheeled, solid-axled beast riding on 42-inch-tall tires. But what’s really interesting is how the chassis and camper module behave together to absorb the terrain.

Drive the Bedrock over some potholes in the road, and you can feel just how well isolated the camper module is. A normal RV would be rattling and shaking over bumps like these, but not this one. It feels solid, and it’s nearly silent. As the rig moves down the road, you can feel the module floating on the subframe without any vibration or noise. It’s amazing. As the Bedrock leans into a corner (and it does lean), you must trust that the truck will take a set and hang on. It’s a little unnerving until you get used to that feeling. Carrying a bit too much speed? The braking system can haul this truck to a stop in less time than you think, thanks in part to the discs on the tag axle.

On The Trail

Pull off the pavement, and the massive camper feels strangely at home. It’s most happy cruising along unmaintained dirt roads, which it does with ease. We’ve driven plenty of conventional RVs over rough dirt roads, and the results are usually rather alarming. The rear axle hops and skitters over bumps, the chassis quivers, and the walls of the RV shake with violence that makes you think the whole rig is going to crumble.

The experience behind the wheel of the Krug Bedrock is completely different. You can feel the build quality in this truck—it’s engineered for this type of terrain. As we drove over some large bumps, ditches, and rocks, the camping module was silent, and the ride was much smoother than we expected. The Krug gently rocks from side to side as you easily tackle more challenging ditches. In fact, the Bedrock simply swallows up the larger gullies that would hang up typical crossover SUVs with all-wheel drive. Much of that comes from the Bedrock’s soft suspension and generous ground clearance.

As we approached more serious off-road areas and began to feel the rear tires slipping on some off-camber humps, we shifted the Bedrock’s transfer case into low range. That allowed the rig to keep crawling, although it didn’t take too long to find the limits of the rig’s suspension and traction. Plus, the size of this truck creates new challenges for someone who hasn’t wheeled a truck this tall before. More than once, we checked overhead clearance, especially when the rig leaned over a bit into the mountainside of the trail with a loss of traction. It has reasonable articulation up front, but the dual rear axles don’t seem to have as much movement as a single rear axle in a conventional Super Duty. But we wouldn’t trade the stability, braking power, and flotation ability of the three-axle setup.

As we mentioned earlier, the company is adding a six-wheel-drive version, so we can only imagine how capable that truck might be with selectable lockers in all three axles. For those who don’t want to take their home over such tricky terrain but instead want to bring along some fun equipment for that job, the Bedrock can easily flat-tow a Jeep or haul a trailer with a vehicle on top, if the total weight doesn’t exceed 6,000 pounds.

The Bottom Line

It’s not easy to rationalize the purchase of a camping vehicle that costs as much as a very nice house. But overland campers, as a class of vehicles, are not inexpensive. Consider that a fully outfitted and built-out 4X4 van for overlanding can easily cost over $200,000. Still, it’s best to think of the Bedrock XT2 as something more akin to an off-road land yacht in terms of price, accommodations, and exclusivity. And to be sure, at several hundred thousand dollars, Krug says they will sell fewer than five of these in the first year. As a slightly less expensive (but still not cheap) alternative, Krug will also be selling their modules to work with Acela Trucks‘ cabover platforms.

As well as the Krug Expedition Bedrock XT2 drives and as well-built as the modules are, if we could afford one, we’d probably wait until next year’s 6X6 model. We’d certainly like the added traction and capability in a rig like this. But either way, the Bedrock is impressive. An overland adventure in a Krug would certainly be epic.