By Jon Crowley
Sand Hollow is one of my favorite places to ride. The combination of red-rock scenery, sand dunes and technical rock-crawling trails makes this southern Utah destination suitable for everything from casual trail rides to serious vehicle testing.
During the 2021 SxS Adventure Rally, I brought our modified 2021 Can-Am Commander XT-P to Sand Hollow to see how the completely redesigned recreation-utility machine would perform on one of the area’s signature rock trails: Double Sammy.
Rock Crawling Double Sammy
Double Sammy is one of the standout rock-crawling trails at Sand Hollow. It is not especially long, but it packs a steady succession of ledges, steep climbs, tight turns and technical lines into a relatively short distance. There seems to be another obstacle around every corner.
Although I drove the Commander on several Sand Hollow trails during the event, Double Sammy provided the best opportunity to evaluate its low-range gearing, traction systems, maneuverability, suspension and underbody protection.
Watch our 2021 Can-Am Commander XT-P take on Double Sammy:
How the Can-Am Commander XT-P Performed
The Commander proved comfortable and capable throughout the trail. It blends the cargo capacity and practical features of a utility UTV with enough suspension performance and drivetrain capability to tackle legitimate rock-crawling terrain.
Low-Range Gearing
One of the Commander’s strongest attributes was its low-range gearing. It was adequately low for controlled technical rock crawling, even with our larger-than-stock 32-inch tires.
The gearing made it easier to maintain a deliberate pace and crawl over obstacles instead of using excessive momentum. The Commander climbed well and felt composed when picking through the slower, more technical sections of Double Sammy.
Turf Mode Makes the Commander Turn Sharper
Most sport UTVs have a permanently locked rear differential. That supplies consistent rear-wheel traction, but it can also make the vehicle resist tight turns because both rear tires are forced to rotate together.
The Commander XT-P’s Turf Mode allows the driver to unlock the rear differential with a dashboard switch. Although the feature is primarily intended to prevent a utility UTV from tearing up lawns and other sensitive surfaces, it also has a useful rock-crawling benefit.
Unlocking the rear differential allowed the Commander to turn noticeably sharper around Double Sammy’s tight corners. Once the vehicle was lined up for another climb, I could switch the rear differential back into its locked mode for maximum traction.
This ability to alternate between a tight turning radius and a locked rear differential is especially useful on technical trails where sharp corners are immediately followed by steep ledges.
Smart-Lok Front Differential
The Commander XT-P also came equipped with the Smart-Lok front differential system used in many Can-Am Maverick X3 models.
Trail mode provides a less aggressive front differential response for normal trail riding. Trail Active increases the system’s intervention when additional traction is needed, while the front differential lock setting delivers the most aggressive engagement for difficult obstacles.
With the rear differential locked and Smart-Lok engaged up front, the Commander climbed extremely well. The system kept driving the front tires when the terrain became uneven and one tire was lightly loaded or lifted off the ground.
As I described it on the trail, the Commander climbed like a little billy goat.
32-Inch System 3 Tires
Our Commander was running 32-inch System 3 XCR350 tires on System 3 beadlock wheels. That is a two-inch increase over the stock 30-inch tires and provides additional ground clearance and a larger footprint in the rocks.
We did notice a small amount of rubbing at the front during full suspension articulation with the wheels turned. The tires did not rub with the front sway bar connected. The clearance issue appeared only after we disconnected the sway bar and allowed the front suspension to reach its full articulation.
The rubbing was minor, but it is worth considering if you plan to combine 32-inch tires with a disconnected front sway bar for heavy rock crawling.
Shock Therapy Suspension and FOX iQS
The Commander handled well in stock form, but we worked with Shock Therapy to take the suspension to another level. The shocks received dual-rate springs and revised valving tailored to our use.
While the Commander was at Shock Therapy, we also added FOX iQS electronically adjustable suspension. A dashboard-mounted switch lets the driver select Soft, Medium or Firm compression settings without leaving the driver’s seat.
That on-the-fly adjustment makes it easy to soften the suspension for slow, uneven rocks and then increase compression damping for faster trail sections.
Forward Visibility
The main limitation I noticed on Double Sammy was forward visibility. The Commander’s hood makes it difficult to see the terrain immediately in front of the machine, which can complicate tire placement on ledges and narrow technical lines.
A spotter is valuable on the harder obstacles, especially when approaching a ledge that disappears below the hood.
Protection for Rock Crawling
For the type of rock crawling found at Sand Hollow, I recommend replacing the stock underbody protection with a full-coverage UHMW skid plate. Our Commander was equipped with a Factory UTV UHMW skid plate to protect the underside as it crossed ledges and exposed rocks.
We also added rock sliders to protect the lower sides of the vehicle. Both upgrades provide valuable protection on a long-wheelbase recreation-utility UTV where the center of the chassis can contact breakovers and tall ledges.
Commander XT-P Storage Setup
One of the Commander’s advantages over a dedicated sport UTV is its cargo bed. We added a BRP LinQ bed rack that expands the available storage without eliminating use of the bed underneath it.
Our LinQ accessories included a cooler, toolbox and storage box. Each accessory can be installed or removed quickly using the LinQ attachment points, making it easy to configure the machine for a particular ride.
The rack provides space for lunch, drinks, tools and trail supplies while preserving the main cargo area below it.
Audio, Communications and Lighting
An SSV Works Bluetooth audio system supplied music on the trail. A dashboard-mounted controller allowed us to adjust the volume, change tracks and pause playback while driving.
Our system used two 6.5-inch cage-mounted speaker pods with low-profile mounts. This arrangement retained the factory cage and left room for the other accessories attached to it.
The Commander also had a Rugged Radios intercom and two-way radio. The components were installed beneath a false floor in the upper portion of the large glove box. This produced a clean installation while preserving much of the glove box’s usable storage space.
For side and corner illumination, we added Assault Industries and Baja Designs Nighthawk mirrors. In addition to providing a rearward view, the integrated lights point outward to illuminate the areas beside the vehicle.
Baja Designs Squadron lights on the front bumper combined flood and spot patterns for additional forward lighting. The flood pattern illuminated the immediate trail area, while the spot pattern projected farther ahead.
Because whip flags are required in the dunes at Sand Hollow, we also installed illuminated Buggy Whips LED flags.
Our 2021 Can-Am Commander XT-P Build
- Shock Therapy dual-rate springs and revised shock valving
- FOX iQS electronically adjustable suspension
- 32-inch System 3 XCR350 tires
- System 3 beadlock wheels
- Factory UTV full-coverage UHMW skid plate
- Rock sliders
- SSV Works Bluetooth audio controller and two 6.5-inch cage-mounted speakers
- Rugged Radios intercom and two-way radio
- Helmet-air system
- Buggy Whips illuminated whip flags
- Assault Industries and Baja Designs Nighthawk mirrors with integrated lights
- Baja Designs Squadron bumper lights with combination flood and spot patterns
- BRP LinQ bed rack
- LinQ cooler, toolbox and storage box
Key Takeaways
- The 2021 Can-Am Commander XT-P was comfortable and capable on Double Sammy.
- Its low-range gearing worked well for technical rock crawling with 32-inch tires.
- Turf Mode gave the Commander a noticeably tighter turning radius.
- The rear differential could be locked again before tackling a difficult climb.
- Smart-Lok delivered useful front-wheel traction on uneven ledges.
- The Shock Therapy suspension upgrades improved an already capable stock setup.
- FOX iQS made it possible to change compression settings from the dashboard.
- The 32-inch tires rubbed slightly only at full front articulation with the sway bar disconnected.
- A full-coverage UHMW skid plate and rock sliders are worthwhile for serious rock crawling.
- Forward visibility over the hood could be better for precise tire placement.
Can-Am Commander XT-P Long-Term Review Video
For a closer look at the complete build and our experience with the vehicle, watch the Commander XT-P long-term review:
Final Thoughts
Double Sammy demonstrated that the redesigned Commander XT-P was more than a comfortable trail machine with a useful cargo bed. Its low-range gearing, selectable rear differential, Smart-Lok front differential and stable chassis gave it legitimate rock-crawling capability.
Turf Mode was particularly useful because it allowed the Commander to make unusually tight turns for a UTV of this type. I could unlock the rear differential to negotiate a corner and then lock it again before starting the next climb.
The larger tires, Shock Therapy suspension work and added protection improved its ability to negotiate difficult terrain. Tire clearance at full articulation and visibility over the hood were the principal limitations we encountered.
Overall, the Commander handled Double Sammy better than many riders might expect from a recreation-utility side-by-side. It remained comfortable and practical while successfully working through one technical obstacle after another.
For more information about this vehicle, read our 2021 Can-Am Commander XT-P long-term review and our complete history of the Can-Am Commander.
Planning a trip to the area? Our Sand Hollow ride-spot guide covers the terrain, nearby services and other information that can help with your visit.
