We get this question 3-4 times a week. The short answer is always the same: if you spend most of your time in 18+ inches of snow, get the WR4X. Otherwise, the WR4.
But the long answer is more interesting.
What's the same
The WR4 and WR4X share the exact same frame. Same CHT-100 steel, same 13.5" width, same 116" length. The only physical difference is the lug height: 1" on the WR4, 1.5" on the WR4X.
Half an inch. Doesn't sound like much.
What it actually changes
On hard-packed or groomed snow, the WR4 is tough to beat. It's fast, stable, and feels close to driving on tires — no excessive vibration, no sway. Most customers describe the WR4 as the most natural-feeling track system they've tried.
The WR4X is for when things get serious. Deep snow, soft terrain, fresh accumulation. The 1.5" lug bites into the surface the way it should — you give up a little comfort on hard surfaces, but you gain flotation and traction that the WR4 can't match in extreme conditions.
The real question
Where do you ride 80% of the time? If it's groomed trails, forest roads, typical season snow — the WR4 will impress you. If you spend full days in untracked fields or dense northern forest — the WR4X is built for you.
What we don't recommend: getting the WR4X 'just to be safe' if you're not in those conditions. The taller lug feels different on pavement and wears faster on hard surfaces.
Both models are the same price. The decision is purely about conditions.
If we had to estimate the split among our customers, it's roughly 60% WR4, 40% WR4X. The divide follows geography naturally — the further north you go, the more the WR4X makes sense.