Recently a group of media and Ford Insiders hit the dunes at the 450-acre Silver Lake State Park Off-Road Vehicle area for first drives of the Ford F-150 Raptor R. The reviews are out, and contain words like “ultimate Ubertruck,” “ridiculously powerful” and “monstrously impressive.” After a sand-filled day of climbing and jumping here’s what they have to say:

Clint Simone, Edmunds: Just south of the dunes were some whoops in the sand big enough to injure most trucks on sale today. But equipped with the Fox adaptive shocks that scan terrain hundreds of times per second, and 24-inch coils with a unique spring rate, the Raptor R made quick work of them.

Germain Goyer, The Car Guide: After a few hours in the dunes, one thing became clear: while dedicated off-roaders like the Jeep Wrangler and Toyota 4Runner could probably handle the slippery terrain just as well, none would be faster doing so than the Raptor R.

Byron Hurd, Autoblog: The Raptor R is everything it appears to be. It’s big, boisterous and willing — every bit the equal (at minimum) of Ram’s Hellcat-powered TRX. The V8 is straight-up nasty, with an off-road exhaust mode that will liquefy children’s ear drums. It’ll do everything the V6 Raptor does just a little bit quicker and with a whole lot more fanfare. If that’s ticking your boxes, then you’re in business.

Seyth Miersma, Motor1.com: With modal settings for drivetrain, dampers, steering, and exhaust, the mighty R is actually really flexible in terms of driving style and intensity. Combined with a comfortable and spacious cabin, an excellent 12-inch touchscreen running SYNC 4, and the ability to stab the throttle and douse your brain circuits with adrenaline at any second, this really is a truck for all seasons.

Andrew P. Collins, The Drive: Baja mode was a huge boon to covering up the sins of sloppy driving and helped me maintain momentum through soft stuff and scary crests. By combing information from a raft of sensors, the system basically works to optimize responsiveness and power application even when each wheel is contending with a different texture of ground. The bulging hood keeps you from seeing anything but sky on steep ascents, but a front-facing camera lets you know when to come off-throttle on big climbs. For every problem the truck’s immense size and abilities created, it seems Ford had conveniently cooked up a digital solution.

Alex Kalogiannis, Slash Gear: I don't remember what speed I hit exactly at the jump, nor much of anything in the first couple of seconds, as the sensation of launching in F-150 violently into the air was enough to induce a rush of survival adrenaline to the brain. The fog cleared up quick enough for me to brace for the landing, and once we touched down, the Fox sport shock absorbers performed their job admirably. The truck came down hard, but didn't slam on the decline. From the outside, it probably looked like a gentle hop, but from inside it feels like plummeting off a cliff. I couldn't wait to try it again.

José Rodríguez Jr, Jalopnik: The Ford F-150 Raptor R feels like a wild animal that would languish in captivity. For the love of God, if you’re one of the people who can afford this truck, take it to Silver Lake, or Big Bend, or Baja, or Johnson Valley. That’s where it belongs. Forget the paper comparisons; crumple up the spec sheet and just get out there.