De-Coding Trail Ratings for Newbies.

[Saxj]

The grading has worked well for me in the past to decide if I do a trail (or a section thereof) or not.

If someone told me “let’s go to trail X, it’s a grade 5”, and I was in my Standard Pajero, then I would kindly decline.

If they said it was a grade 3, then I would give it a go.

As a rough guide, it works very well and as Neil said, it must be rated with a standard vehicle in mind because I have never heard anyone rate Carnage Canyon for example, you don’t need to because everyone who does it just knows what to expect, a rating is pointless for Carnage (for example).

Carnage Canyon is Back to back grade 5 obstacles for 3Km. Grade 5 usually means modified vehicle required, vehicle damage is likely. Every vehicle that was on the trip I did suffered damage. We were properly warned before the time what the minimum vehicle specs were and what we were likely to encounter. People often say "You drive a Jimny, what do you need a high lift jack or a winch for?" Ha, Ha - I used the winch 3 times in one day, and gave up counting how many times we used the highlift jack.

[LX]

Is Baboon's Pass a Grade 5 or Grade 7?
I see a lot of people do it with heavily modified rigs, while some do it in Standard Hilux and Some open diff 4WD.