Toyota vs SxS

[Jason Snyder]

For a spring bear hunter, it’s amazing the stuff you can drive across at 15psi you would never make at 35-40.

 

[WCT3]

Gen 2 Tacomas are great. I went from a SXS to and Wrangler to an Unlimited Rubicon to a Taco and now a 05 tundra. The Rubicon was my favorite but was a little small for out of state hunting trips with my boys. The Taco was great as well but I feel like the 05 tundra is the best all around. For a dedicated wheeler an Unlimited Rubicon with 37’s or 40’s with Hydro assist is almost impossible to beat, still super road worthy, as good of mpg Tacoma and can be had for about $20K.

My 05 tundra is also perfect for my needs as a hunting/camping truck. I can't go all the same places as my buddy's Jeep but those are full on rock crawling trails and not where I need to go for what I'm trying to do. The only problem I have is mine is an access cab so it's essentially a two seater with gear (I even pulled the back seats out for easier gear storage.

 

[nphunter]

My 05 tundra is also perfect for my needs as a hunting/camping truck. I can't go all the same places as my buddy's Jeep but those are full on rock crawling trails and not where I need to go for what I'm trying to do. The only problem I have is mine is an access cab so it's essentially a two seater with gear (I even pulled the back seats out for easier gear storage.

Mines a 4 door, I love it, 6.5’ bed, rear glass rolls down so it’s awesome to sleep in the back and be able to have my chargers and stuff up front. I also had a buddy that was sleeping in his topper in his older Chevy and was woken by a bear trying to get in the back glass. His gun was in the cab, he said he was yelling and screaming for like 10 minutes before it stopped and it finally walked about 50’ out and he made a mad dash for the cab, I guess I won’t have to worry about that with the roll down window. lol

I defiantly miss the jeep and taco some days but love the tundra.

 

[WCT3]

Mines a 4 door, I love it, 6.5’ bed, rear glass rolls down so it’s awesome to sleep in the back and be able to have my chargers and stuff up front. I also had a buddy that was sleeping in his topper in his older Chevy and was woken by a bear trying to get in the back glass. His gun was in the cab, he said he was yelling and screaming for like 10 minutes before it stopped and it finally walked about 50’ out and he made a mad dash for the cab, I guess I won’t have to worry about that with the roll down window. lol

I defiantly miss the jeep and taco some days but love the tundra.

I'm usually solo or with just my fiancee so the access cab works well for us for now. My buddy just sold an 06 4 door that I wanted to buy from him but I couldn't justify having two trucks and I like my access cab too much to sell it

 

[ReaptheHeat]

The "sxs" being passed

 

[Poser]

For you guys that can drive SxSs on the street, do you carry collision insurance or just liability? While I suppose it’s not anymore dangerous in a collision than a motorcycle, a collision with a full sized vehicle isn’t going to have a good outcome for a SxS.

 

[5MilesBack]

As long as you’re happy with it…

Airing down is one of the simplest things you can do that

1. Increases ride comfort
2. Increases traction
3. Reduces the odds of a flat

See, that's the thing. In 45 years of CO 4-wheeling and hunting I've never had a problem with comfort, traction, or had a flat. Until it's a problem, I don't know what I'm missing, I guess.

I went on a buddy's elk hunt last year. We were there 10 days with his Jeep Cherokee and my old Toyota. We drove both everywhere because his dad was with him and he doesn't have a rear seat. He aired down when we got there, and then seemed to take 45min to an hour to air back up before we left. It didn't seem to make any difference for anywhere we went. But I'll give it a shot the next time I'm up there. The problem is.......some of the places I hunt can be 20-50 miles away from camp on paved 65mph roads. Don't think I want to be aired down when I jump on one of those roads.

 

[fmyth]

See, that's the thing. In 45 years of CO 4-wheeling and hunting I've never had a problem with comfort, traction, or had a flat. Until it's a problem, I don't know what I'm missing, I guess.

I went on a buddy's elk hunt last year. We were there 10 days with his Jeep Cherokee and my old Toyota. We drove both everywhere because his dad was with him and he doesn't have a rear seat. He aired down when we got there, and then seemed to take 45min to an hour to air back up before we left. It didn't seem to make any difference for anywhere we went. But I'll give it a shot the next time I'm up there. The problem is.......some of the places I hunt can be 20-50 miles away from camp on paved 65mph roads. Don't think I want to be aired down when I jump on one of those roads.

I air down to 25psi when I leave the pavement for the first time on a hunt and don't air back up til I'm back on the blacktop heading home after my hunt. I've driven thousands of miles on blacktop moving between hunting areas at 25psi and haven't had a problem with either my Ram 2500's or 1500. Airing my 32" tires back up to 55psi takes me 15-20 min with a $100 12v compressor I bought on Amazon. Bigger tires will obviously take longer to air up.

 

[dirtytough]

Mine is bare bones, budget model. Works fine and does what I ask it to do. To me it's just another tool not a luxury item, I'm not paying for a full cab, heater, A/C, 13 light bars and whatever else people do. It just needs to go from point A to point B and back, I don't drive it around all day road hunting like so many guys do.

A guy I used to work with bought a new $25k SXS several years ago for "hunting" and complained after using it the first season he had it, said he put 1300 miles on it, killed 9 bottles of whiskey and didn't see any elk. Cracks me up

If it was just me I would keep my SxS. I would install fender flares to keep more mud out, half doors, and a heater. One hunt it was -10 in the morning. It was about 10 miles of two track to the end where we started hiking. It was rough for the wife. 0* going 30 mph with an open cab freezes her. I’m at the point in my life I can afford to spend a little more on some things. But I’m also tight. Which is why I’m thinking a used pickup I can get 100k miles out of vs a SxS I can get 30k miles out of. And on a lot of the more ‘fun’ hunts it’s 3 of us.

Our SxS is street legal and even with occasionally driving around town we still have less than 1700 miles on it. So we don’t use it a bunch. But dang is it handy on certain hunts.

I prefer the comfort of my Megacab to get where I'm going, towing and unloading is worth the price of admission. Tow my jku or SxS my truck does not care. I'm 6'4" Taco's really kill my back, but they are great trucks no doubt. I think we got away from the hunting rig thing and more into the Baja racing. LOL.

Honestly Baja is more what I’m looking for I believe. I want to cruise @45 mph across washboard roads in a truck as comfortably as I can in a SxS. I don’t care about rock crawling or anything like that. I want to get from A to B to C etc comfortably at a decent speed.

Also OP. You have mentioned the ride of an f150. Mentioned how well a raptor rides..

Why not just pick up a raptor? Plenty out there in your price range. Or even a normal f150 with a lil upgraded suspension and tires?

I guess I didn’t feel the longevity is there vs a Toyota. Also I didn’t think any Raptors would be close to what I want to spend with low enough miles.

Mentally I would hate to scratch up a Raptor vs a Tacoma but really there is zero difference.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

The tacoma is much more narrow…I have a 2020 1794 Tundra (all stock) and the 2015 SR5 Tacoma and the size difference is noticeable, especially the width. I am guessing with the fenders and wheels the raptor is a little wider than my Tundra.

 

[dirtytough]

The tacoma is much more narrow…I have a 2020 1794 Tundra (all stock) and the 2015 SR5 Tacoma and the size difference is noticeable, especially the width. I am guessing with the fenders and wheels the raptor is a little wider than my Tundra.

For sure. Raptors are wide. I meant there was zero difference in scratching them up if they cost the same.

 

[KurtR]

For you guys that can drive SxSs on the street, do you carry collision insurance or just liability? While I suppose it’s not anymore dangerous in a collision than a motorcycle, a collision with a full sized vehicle isn’t going to have a good outcome for a SxS.

I called the insurance guy and he said with collision it’s 25 bucks a month so I got it. I also live in a town with 2 stop lights and during ice fishing season there are as many sxs any given morning going out as there are vehicles. We drive 20 some miles north or south any given day to access the lake at different places on the high way.

 

[WCT3]

For sure. Raptors are wide. I meant there was zero difference in scratching them up if they cost the same.

I've got no problem scratching up a truck but there's lots of places here in Colorado where a Raptor physically won't fit

 

[Weldor]

For you guys that can drive SxSs on the street, do you carry collision insurance or just liability? While I suppose it’s not anymore dangerous in a collision than a motorcycle, a collision with a full sized vehicle isn’t going to have a good outcome for a SxS.

Full coverage $198 bucks a year. With the ropes on a SxS probably better than a plastic truck or car.

 

[Weldor]

I thought that would get a laugh.

 

[xsn10s]

I run a XJ Cherokee on 5" lift. Easy to work on and a capable rig. SXS are pretty amazing. But while I'm hunting/ scouting I go slow so I can scan everything.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

For sure. Raptors are wide. I meant there was zero difference in scratching them up if they cost the same.

And I think the mental mindset is the biggest thing with a truck. If you are willing to treat it like a sxs and scratch the shit out of it, a tacoma or 4 runner will take you anywhere you want to go.

 

[Poser]

With the ropes on a SxS probably better than a plastic truck or car.

For a collision with a another vehicle? I'd love to see any wreck statistics on that, but the ropes on a SxS are not designed to handle higher speed collisions. You have nothing to absorb the impact the way modern vehicles are designed and no airbags. If you get T-boned by a Tesla, head on with a Kia or rear ended by a Camry, you're chances of walking away unscathed are slim.

 

[Oakman]

Where are we hunting at? It’s a lot better when you dgaf about the body, paint, or armor

View attachment 907503

Now that is the way to go, enjoy

 

[KurtR]

For a collision with an another vehicle? I'd love to see any wreck statistics on that, but the ropes on a SxS are not designed to handle higher speed collisions. You have nothing to absorb the impact the way modern vehicles are designed and no airbags. If you get T-boned by a Tesla, head on with a Kia or rear ended by a Camry, you're chances of walking away unscathed are slim.

People ride motorcycles.