Is AWD necessary for dirtbagging?

Plan to start dirtbagging in July (when hopefully the whole pandemic slows down) and was thinking to get a Toyota Rav4 to convert into a camper. I know it comes with an AWD option but that seems more practical for snow than offroading and I don't plan to be driving in a lot of snow. I've also been eyeing the Tacoma and other awd cars/trucks but don't know how practical it would be to invest in awd. I like the rav4 because it's in my price range of <$15k, reliable and more fuel efficient than most awd vehicles.  So do you need awd to get to a lot of climbing spots? I'll probably be spending more time on the western part of the US/Canada unless my path finds me more east.

I think you can get to 98% of where you need to go with fwd and a bit of clearance. Buy some tire wires for winter:) when you are in an area that demands a serious vehicle- You can usually make a friend with one.

#dirtbag is trendy as fuk

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

Not necessary, but AWD/4WD certainly helps when the road gets rowdy, sandy, or you encounter unexpected inclement weather. The peace of mind you get from a AWD vehicle outweighs the savings in fuel IMO. That being said I lived in a 2 door civic with front wheel drive for a while and managed to get most places (and did not die).

Gumby the White wrote: #dirtbag is trendy as fuk

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

I'll just put the 50" TV in the rav4. Same thing.

No, you do not need 4x4.

Buying a new car so you can go "dirtbagging" is not going "dirtbagging". 

I had a big ol' Silverado I slept in for a couple months. Got that thing stuck constantly (rwd). Switched to a 4Runner which never got stuck but was a bit less comfy. Now I sleep in the fetal position in a Mazda3 sedan 'cause, you know, grad. school doesn't pay for itself. Good tires matter more than AWD IMO. I don't get stuck in really crappy conditions in my Mazda because I have really good tires on it. The amount of time you actually need AWD/4WD for cragging is really quite minimal both in Canada and the States.

TLDR:  You pay far more for the image of capability than you'll actually use the capability. 

I'd agree with ground clearance being more of an issue than 4x4 in my experience. though I've gotten my prius to some pretty rowdy places in the rockies so it's really up to you re: how much you're willing to crunch the bottom of your car

I have awd and have greatly appreciated it in many circumstances (getting through mud roads in moab, rock crawling, passing i70 through vail after snow). But, if you're just planning to go to popular climbing destinations when they're in season, I wouldn't bother. 

Solid tires, a bit of clearance, and good driving tactics will most likely get you every where you want to go. Especially if you're visiting popular areas. And if it gets gnarly and you have to hike that extra mile - Dirtbag right of passage! 

I’ve gotten by with driving compact rental cars when I visit the west side of the country for climbing, but there were definitely areas where we didn’t go because of the concerns about accessibility.

Around here (RRG), you could either have a 4wd/good clearance car, or you could post on MP every weekend hoping that someone will tell you about the up-to-date conditions of various hills. 

I personally wouldn’t consider a non-AWD vehicle as my “dirtbagging home”. But that’s just me. 

Clearance is definitely more important than AWD. However, the vehicles with more clearance are generally cars with AWD/4WD.

I know you don't care about snow, but for snow, proper snow tires is 1000x more important than AWD.

dirtbags don't have all wheel drive

It really depends on where you are going, what conditions you are expecting to encounter, your willingness to hike access roads among many considerations. You can take a 2WD car down some gnarly tracks but these types of vehicles are not really built for this and they wear out much more quickly than a truck or body-on-frame SUV. My wife and I did quite a few road trips in her Maxima, but by the time it died it was in bad shape and we probably could have gotten a few more years out of it if we had just stuck to pavement. In cars, things like wheel bearings, suspension components, and the muffler (hangs low enough to catch or rocks and cattle grates) don't do so well off paved roads. You might save some money up front, but if you are spending time in areas with a lot of dirt roads your repair costs will eventually offset these savings.

If you are going to well traveled crags and staying in developed campgrounds with minimal back road driving  you are probably fine with a front wheel drive car. Having a more rugged vehicle with higher clearance and good tires will open up more camping options, particularly dispersed sites where you do not have to pay (e.g. Red Rocks, City of Rocks, Utah Desert). For what its worth I'd prioritize good tires first, higher clearance second, and AWD 3rd.

One other thing to consider is that ADW is good for some types of slick conditions like driving on the highway during a snow storm, but is much less capable in many situations off pavement than a true 4x4.  AWD better than not having anything, but if you want to check out some truly rough areas or drive back roads in muddy or snowy conditions something like a 4runner or Tacoma is a much better option.

Get the cheapest (somewhat reliable) car you can find. Everything else will fall into place for a real dirtbag. Trying to plan for the "what ifs" isn't dirtbagging.

AWD rules for winter. If you're driving in the US and Canada but can avoid those ~five months, then i wouldn't worry about it.

I've got a 4x4 Silverado. I rarely engage 4x4. The times I use 4x4 that come to mind are: driving on steep mountain roads covered in loose rock (think driving up a creek bed), driving in deep snow or parking on a snow covered shoulder, and crawling over rock steps/boulders on otherwise decent dirt tracks. Only the snow examples have happened at "normal" crags. The other examples have all been scouting for new routes or just climbing way out in the desert where nobody goes.

If you want to go to 95% of crags, get something front wheel drive and more clearance than a sedan. If you want the piece of mind of having the extra traction in wet/snow, get something with clearance and AWD. If you want drive to 99% of climbing areas, get a true 4x4 like a 4runner or tacoma.

You dont need anything to dirtbag. You could argue that that is a prerequisite.

Tal Wanish wrote: Echoing the sentiment that high clearance + good tires gets you 99% of places...take it from an owner of a FWD 4runner. Haven't been stopped yet.