Is AWD necessary for dirtbagging?

Matt N wrote:

Front wheel drive.

Mike Brady wrote: You dont need anything to dirtbag. You could argue that that is a prerequisite.

You don't even need to sleep on the dirt in a bag anymore.

Dylan Pike wrote:

Front wheel drive.

Exactly. 

Front.
Wheel.
Drive.

4.
Runner.

You don't need it I'm in a 2 wheel drive minivan and its fine.

Matt N wrote:

Exactly. 

Front.
Wheel.
Drive.

4.
Runner.

Edit: RWD

I have gotten everywhere with 2wd including remote desert places and living 20 years in Canada. You don't need 4x4 unless you drive like an idiot. 

Gumby the White wrote:

You need a 4x4 sprinter with a shower and 50" TV to dirt bag nowadays - NAWAMEAN

That ain't dirtbagging whatsoever^^^

I'll second what u need is clearance 

And 4x4 /awd sure would be nice (not necessary) 

Dylan Pike wrote:

Yeah, those exist.

by disconnecting the driveshaft of a 4x4?

Matt N wrote:

by disconnecting the driveshaft of a 4x4?

My bad. They are offered as RWD only models. I could have sworn that Toyota made a FWD 4runner, but I was wrong.

https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/toyota/4runner/2012

Western US and Canada. Hmm that’s narrowing it down a lot. Absolutely you could climb a lot of places without it. And then those other places you wouldn’t be able to go. Hope that helps. It’s about as descriptive as you were. 

Order of importance for getting tough places in a car:

• Good tires
• Good clearance
• Good driver
• 4wd

It helps with peace of mind.

You should balance access and all-weather performance with affordability.

I bought a new sedan a few years ago right before I started mountaineering a lot and now I'm looking to trade in for a 4X4 SUV or a pickup.

Some new SUVs have great gas mileage. I remember my 1998 Jeep Cherokee would get 16 MPH on the freeway. That was fine in 2002 when gas cost $1.10 a gallon on the East Coast. Now I get 50 on the freeway.  Good SUVs seems to be getting around 30 to 40.

Christ.... I'm old   

Our 2006 Honda Oddysey has gotten a lot of crags with its 4.3 inches of clearance, but there are some we just have to miss.

Arrow Canyon, the Homestead, Enchanted Tower.

I dream of a high clearance 4WD minivan.

Zach Anatta wrote: Good SUVs seems to be getting around 30 to 40.

What SUV is getting that mileage?

My adventure driver is an old Sequoia that gets crap mileage but is only driven a few thousand miles per year, during which time it's loaded with people and/or gear. 

"Dirtbag" and "AWD"... lmao...

We sure have become the poster children for 1st World Problems...

not dirtbagging

Ok so I dirt bagged in my Honda Accord and drive a Toyota RAV4 and a Subaru Outback for a long time. If the road had any sort of minor off-roading the accord wouldn’t do shit. My outback was taken places it shouldn’t have never been (800$ first car absolutely beat the crap out of it.) my rav 4 was the best out of all of the vehicles but it’s was also the most expensive and did the worst on fuel. But if I now had the choice I would take the rav over the accord all day long. I would never take the out back in fear the it would drop. I was constantly fixing it. But I also treated it very poorly. Although my accord was at 270,000 when me and my climbing partner, linguini took it across country and never fixed anything...

Mark E Dixon wrote: Our 2006 Honda Oddysey has gotten a lot of crags with its 4.3 inches of clearance, but there are some we just have to miss.

Arrow Canyon, the Homestead, Enchanted Tower.

I dream of a high clearance 4WD minivan.

I have a homie with a ancient Toyota van that the model slips me but it has a locker in it, lifted, rock bumpers. The thing absolutely is a beast.

Ummm Rav4 stands due recreational vehicle 4 wheel drive... Might as well get the 4wd option. 

Senor Arroz wrote:

What SUV is getting that mileage?

My adventure driver is an old Sequoia that gets crap mileage but is only driven a few thousand miles per year, during which time it's loaded with people and/or gear. 

This isn't necessarily the one I would buy for myself, but...