Is a 4WD (4x4) Vehicle Necessary for Outdoor Family Adventures?

Anthony writes us:
"My wife and I are expecting our first child here really soon! We are avid outdoors people, love camping and exploring new places. We currently do so in a Honda Element, which is an awesome vehicle, it gets us to and from everywhere we need to go, and will get us some places off-road (forest roads and beaches because I love to surf). On most of your trips to the desert and Baja, how often do you find the actual need for 4x4?  Would a 2wd with a rear locker get us most places? I ask this because of the cost of the 4x4 is way more in most cases than that of a locker."

Anthony, congratulations.  I raise my glass and toast, "Here's to a happy, healthy baby and mom."

Now about this 4WD business . . . Jim Allen wrote a no-nonsense book entitled Four-Wheeler's Bible (affiliate link) that you should get if you intend to put all fours to the dirt.  Allen describes well the benefits of 4WD high, 4WD low, lockers, and a ton of other stuff. Buy the book.

To answer your question, as a general rule we engage 4WD every time our tires find a dirt road.  I know. Not very macho sounding.

The point of 4WD is to improve your traction so you remain in control.The great misconception about 4WD is that it's a tool to use once you're in a jam.  That's painfully incorrect. The point of 4WD is to improve your traction so you remain in control.  Engaging 4WD doubles the amount of traction available, so it's just smart driving to use it as soon as you hit a dirt road (or other loose conditions like mud, snow, etc.), no matter how mild. It's not so much about whether 4WD makes the difference between getting to where we want to go or not.  It's just about control and smart driving.

4WD engaged on a dirt trail in Utah -- because it just makes sense
Next time you're on a flat dirt road, try going 30 mph in 2WD.  Go around a corner or bend in the road and you'll feel the car start to slide a touch.  Turn on 4WD and try that exercise again. You should notice significant improvement in control and handling.

When it comes to driving dirt tracks, dirt roads, or driving on a sandy beach, 4WD is far more valuable than an on-demand locking differential.  Lockers have their place.  They're just not an equal substitute for 4WD.

There is another matter: tires and tire pressure

BOut of control wheel spin is bad for your vehicle and bad for the road.
efore looking at a locker, I suggest looking at your tires. Of all the variables on your SUV or truck in the formula for traction, your tires are the most important.  Think about it - they're the one part of your vehicle that makes (intentional) contact with the ground. If not for your tires, you'd be sitting still.

I was once meeting some friends for a camp out some 15 miles down a washboard dirt road.  My friend Matt told me that he had a problem with sliding on the dirt road on his way there.

We talked about it.

"Did you have it in 4WD?" I asked.
"No."

"What was your tire pressure?"
"About 40."

See what I'm scratching at here? First, he didn't engage 4WD in his pickup truck.  Second, his tire pressure was set to his typical highway pressure (40 psi).  He's put nice BFG All-Terrain tires on his truck, yet he failed to unlock their potential.  Activating 4WD and lowering the tire pressure to 25 psi would have changed everything for his ability to drive that road at a steady 35 mph and stay in control.

Tire pressure is almost magical.  On a trail one day, I encountered a couple driving a fine Jeep Wrangler that was struggling to ascend a modest hill with some loose, fist-sized rock scattered about. The gent driving simply couldn't get the Jeep to move, he just kept kicking out rocks.  I tried driving it for him - and I had the same problem.

A strong, reliable BFG All-Terrain tire that's also riding on just 18 psi for ultimate traction
We chatted for a bit.  The old couple mentioned that they'd towed their Jeep behind their RV from Minnesota to enjoy their winter in Arizona.  Then it hit me: "You towed this Jeep here?  On a trailer or did you flat-tow it?"

"No, we flat-towed it."

"Ah.  Okay.  Did you add some air to your Jeep's tires then?"

"Oh sure, I put 'em up to 50 psi to tow it."

Bang. Problem solved.  We took his tires down to 25 psi, and he drove that Jeep right up the hill without another rock taking flight behind his tires.  From the way he treated me afterward - handshake, free beer, hug - you would have thought I'd saved his child from certain death.

Down in Mexico, the locals have a saying for driving on the beach: "Viente libras, no problemas."  20 pounds, no problems.  That's referring to tire pressure. For driving on the beach, they couldn't be more correct.

Tire pressure is king. Need I say more?

There is another matter again: Factory Electronic Traction Control (ETC)

Most modern SUVs and trucks that have 4WD come with a form of electronic traction control (ETC), and if you take the time to understand how it works with your vehicle it'll be plenty sufficient for off-the-paved-path adventures.  Old gruff dudes from the days of International Scouts and CJ-5s scoff at anything fancier than manually locking hubs and stiff leaf-sprung suspension, but ETC is here to stay. Learn to love it.

"Do not be afraid of moving slowly, but of standing still" - Chinese proverb ETC is the combination of a computer geek, the old gruff dude from above, and this Chinese Proverb.

The geek has taken the old gruff dude's knowledge of differentials and wheel spin, the principle of momentum from the Chinese proverb, and programmed them together to create ETC, electronic traction control.  Your vehicle senses a wheel spinning or slipping, the geek's program will apply the brake to just that one wheel - thereby sending the torque to the wheel(s) that still have traction.  Therefore, you maintain momentum and forward progress without digging a hole in the ground with your spinning tire.

It's pretty brilliant stuff.  Like ownership of all things mechanical, it's in your best interest to learn how it works if you have ETC.

To sum it up... Is 4WD Necessary?

Well, okay, without 4WD on a dirt road, you do risk this. Know your vehicle, know the techniques for navigating through loose and soft conditions.
No. You can enjoy all the National Parks, State Parks, and many graded dirt roads in the National Forest without a transfer case. Drive a Volkswagen Jetta if you want.

What is necessary is sound driving technique, knowledge of how traction works, and good decision making skills ("a freshly brewed cup of coffee is hot, have caution" = "a dirt road isn't as stable as a paved one, have caution")

But if a 4WD vehicle is on your radar, and you're thinking about just getting the 2WD version and adding a locker as a way of saving money, I don't see any merit to that.