Experiencing Camp RZR with the Polaris 2025 Pro S Ultimate
This year, we showed up with the 2025 Polaris Pro S Ultimate. It’s one thing to read about how a UTV performs on paper, but Camp RZR is where the hype meets reality. Could it hang with the modified builds? Would it survive a weekend of hard driving? There was only one way to find out.
Turbocharged Power Where It Counts
Glamis sand is unforgiving. It’s soft, loose, and constantly shifting under your tires. Power is everything. If you don’t have enough, you’re backing down dunes all day long. The 181 HP turbocharged engine on the Pro S Ultimate was more than ready for the challenge.
The first pull onto open sand felt smooth, but the real test came when we hit a run with the prerunner truck guys, taking the back route to “Swingset”, a favorite meetup spot in the middle of towering dune drops. The prerunner guys don’t mess around, and they need to go fast and stay on top of the sand so they don’t sink. The main route to Swingset at Camp RZR has as much traffic as the 405 during rush hour, so that was not an option for our group. Plus hitting the dunes is more fun as well. For those who’ve been, you know the drill. Find your line, hit it with just the right amount of speed, and don’t lose momentum. Once you lose speed, you’re toast.
With the Pro S, that was never a concern. The power delivery felt instant — like it was just waiting for us to give it the green light. Unlike some machines where you feel that "turbo lag" as it spools up, the Pro S was ready to climb. We didn’t have to go full-throttle right away either. Even at half-throttle, we could feel the Pro S grip and climb. Smooth, controlled power all the way up.
In all honesty — there were times when we expected it to lose momentum, but it never did. The turbo's responsiveness was spot-on, and the power stayed consistent from bottom to top. He could make small adjustments to his line mid-climb without that "uh-oh, we're not gonna make it" feeling.
This kind of control makes a huge difference in the dunes. No sketchy hops. No "please don’t spin out" moments. Just smooth, steady climbing power.
Suspension That Eats G-Outs for Breakfast
If you’re riding Glamis, you’re going to hit G-outs. It’s inevitable. For those unfamiliar, a G-out is one of the most brutal shocks your UTV can experience. It’s that sudden, steep dip at the base of a dune or a hard transition where your suspension gets compressed faster than it can react. If your shocks aren’t up to it, you’re going to bottom out. Hard.
But the FOX DYNAMIX live valve suspension on the Pro S Ultimate? This system is different. The first time we hit a G-out, we were bracing for the typical jarring impact. Instead, the Pro S stayed firm, controlled, and composed. No gut punch, no bottoming out. Just smooth compression and rebound.
The secret sauce here is the “full-stiff mode” controlled by the famous red button on the steering wheel. You double-tap it, and boom—the suspension locks into full-stiff mode. This isn’t just a gimmick. It’s a game-changer. When you know you’re about to hit a fast stretch with deep transitions, you lock it in stiff and let it do its thing. No more tapping the button every 10 seconds to re-stiffen the suspension.
During the ride, we hit a fast section on Sand Highway with the suspension locked in. This part of Glamis is notorious for cross-ruts, dips, and chop that wears you down over time. But with the Pro S in full-stiff mode, it just floated over it all. No kickback, no "hold on for dear life" moments—just steady, smooth cruising.
Some Upgrades Could Make It Even Better
As much as we loved the Pro S at Camp RZR, there’s always room for improvement. No machine is perfect. If you’re planning on riding at Glamis a lot, here are a couple of upgrades we'd consider:
Tires, Tires, Tires
The stock tires were better than we expected, especially since we aired them down to 13 PSI in the front and 12 PSI in the rear, but paddle tires would have taken the experience from "great" to "epic." Paddle tires give you that effortless glide over the sand, letting you stay on top instead of digging in. If we were planning to ride Glamis regularly in the Pro S, a set of paddles would be at the top of our upgrade list.
Storage and Utility
Camp RZR isn’t just about riding. It’s about long days on the dunes, hanging out with friends, and sometimes being out all day. While the passenger-side storage box was clever (thanks to the angled lid that clears aftermarket cages), a little more space could go a long way. It would be nice to have extra room for drinks, tools, or small essentials. An aftermarket storage solution would definitely be on our radar for longer trips or even an enclosed trunk lid system to hold the goods secure.
Final Thoughts on Camp RZR and the Pro S Ultimate
After spending a weekend at Camp RZR with the Polaris Pro S Ultimate, it’s safe to say this machine earned its stripes. From early-morning runs on the open dunes to fast-paced battles on Sand Highway, the Pro S proved it could handle it all. Its balance of power, control, and comfort made every ride more enjoyable—especially when the terrain got gnarly. The combination of 181 HP turbo power and the DYNAMIX live valve suspension made conquering steep bowls and navigating sudden G-outs feel controlled, not chaotic.
If you’re looking for a machine that can roll into Camp RZR stock and still keep up with the big builds, the 2025 Polaris Pro S Ultimate is it. Sure, a set of paddle tires and a little more storage might be on our upgrade list, but even in stock form, this UTV is ready for whatever Glamis can throw at it. Power, comfort, and tech — Polaris nailed all three.
