I know that I am a bit late on this thread but I have a few comments to the original poster. First, the NV is very large and if you get stuck it will take serious effort to get it out. For example, if you get stuck in your Subaru, you may me able to dig a little, rock it back and forth, and get out with one person pushing. If you get a full size van stuck you will probably need serious help to get it out. With the kind of activities you mention in the region you travel, I recommend getting the 4x4 conversion. Second, you can get the conversion without the lift. 4x4 without the lift will still give you access to tons of places that 2 wheel drive will not. If you do a lot of travel in snow and ice, or travel a lot of dirt roads with soft sands, the 4x4 will be worth every penny. Since you want access to more places and are not looking to do any serous off roading, I think the 4x4 conversion with no lift will be good for you. Lastly, if you decide to not get the 4x4 conversion there are some cheaper options that will help you out. Look into getting a locker for your rear differential. I recommend something like an ARB locker that you can manually turn on or off. A differential Locker will nearly double your traction but they don't do well in tight turns so being able to turn it on and off is very handy. For the snow and Ice, look into automatic chains like ambulances and school buses have, you may be able to have then installed on a large van. Search Instachain on youtube and you will see how they work. You could probably get a locker and instachains installed at half the cost of the 4x4 conversion.
