Set Review: 42219 Monster Jam – Grave Digger – Fire and Ice
Even though the popularity of the Monster Jam franchise has, since its inception in 1992, mostly been establishing foothold in the Western hemisphere, it has recently begun conquering the rest of the globe. LEGO’s Monster Jam series began in 2021 with two trucks (one of them a different Grave Digger), steadily continued over the following years, and 2026 is going to be no exception—with the set 42219, Grave Digger Fire and Ice, hitting the proverbial store shelves right away in January. It largely follows the line of existing Monster Jam trucks which share their general size, form, and intended audience.
No ordered bags here—unboxing reveals three paper envelopes whose parts are all required throughout the build. But at 263 parts, their “unorderedness” is not a problem in the least. They are accompanied by the instructions booklet and a considerable sticker sheet.
Aiming at slightly younger builders (officially the age threshold set to seven), the building process is easier, and the instruction steps spread more generously, than one would expect for a “usual” Technic set. To wit, there are several half-pins used around the set primarily as locators, to minimize the chances of a mistake. But ease does not equal triviality; there are a few interesting tricks present here. Usage of irregular triangles to reach some specific angles without sacrificing rigidity is an example, and there is also a step which connects different angled beams within the stud grid, which required quite some design ingenuity. Altogether, assembling this Grave Digger is a lesson in tough, rigid chassis construction.
And it is additionally noteworthy in one particularly rare way: colours. Since the truck has a distinctive dual colour scheme split across its central vertical plane, its bodywork is built from likewise differently coloured parts. There is still full mechanical symmetry, but it is quite fun and unusual to build each side in its own colour scheme, including even the separate blue and red wheel rims. Speaking of the bodywork, it is mostly covered in stickers and, one has to admit, does a pretty good job of looking crazy and attention-grabbing—completely in style of the entire franchise.
So, 105 building steps later, we got the fiery and icy truck ready for action. Like the other Monster Jam sets, this one is primarily Technic in the sense that it is built from Technic parts for their superior rigidity compared to the studs system. As far as functions are concerned, the main and the only mechanical ability of this truck is its pullback drive, thanks to the spring-loaded pullback motor part connected directly to its rear wheels.
For those who haven’t tried it already, this particular pullback motor is very smooth, has a considerable spring capacity and, once its energy is depleted, allows rolling with negligible friction.
Similar to their real-world counterparts, not only are LEGO Monster Jam trucks capable of stunts, but mid-air craziness seems to be their very purpose (as confirmed by LEGO themselves!). For such adventures involving ramps, jumps, aerial axles or any similar insanities, the pullback motor is more than adequate, especially if the truck is given a run-up of a meter or so. Its chunky tyres do a fine job gripping the surface, especially fabric. This is where the aforementioned Technic sturdiness plays its part: the Grave Digger is seriously tough, and furthermore designed in a way which keeps the only fragile parts, the headlights and the chassis underframe, difficult to get hit.
And, regardless of whether you build the stunt course from LEGO or from other items lying around, it is good fun getting the truck through it. And even if the course gets a little too demanding, repairs are quick and obvious.
It is not uncommon for stickers to be a weak point of Technic sets, but in this particular instance I will refrain from criticizing them. The crazy, psychedelic paint scheme is what makes these vehicles recognizable, and printing these complex and detailed designs on many curvy panels would have certainly resulted in excessively complex and therefore expensive manufacture, barring the set from its intended audience. This is, hence, one of the cases where stickers have to be accepted as the most rational choice.
Besides, the reusability of such hypothetically printed panels would have been very limited. Here, the owner gets a choice of several panels and fairings in both blue and black, which is one more colour than the majority of other sets of this size offer.
Most parts of the 42219 fall into the category of standard Technic building material, but there are some noteworthy exceptions. The most obvious one is the pullback motor (12787c01) which can be used in general Technic projects as an interesting storage of mechanical energy. Then there are two round pipe connectors in silver (25214) and the four newer 56x26 wheels (70695), which this LEGO series adopted only recently.
Is the 42219 Grave Digger Fire and Ice a good set? If you like monster trucks, or are a Monster Jam collector, or especially if you are a Grave Digger fan, it certainly is. Beyond the truck world itself, seen only as a set on its own, it is specific for its lower minimal threshold of building skill and patience, which could make it an interesting possible gift for someone ready for their first foray into Technic, but who can have fun with it doing stunts even if Technic turns out to not be their cup of tea. So it may possibly serve more than one role, while not destroying the buyer’s wallet.
We thank the LEGO Group for giving us this set for a review.
Number of parts: 263
Dimensions: 18 x 11 x 11 cm
Mech. features: Pullback drive
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