I kind of agree with the way this thread is going. If the son in question is like my son 5'10" and about 6' tall I wouldn't have any problem recommending the full size Sportsman. If he is a smaller guy I would recommend the smaller sized Hawkeye/Sportsman. To answer your question about Polaris: Where I ride in New Hampshire and Vermont, Polaris Sportsman quads seem to be the most popular. They have a very comfortable ride, a great all-wheel drive system and good ground clearance. The newer models also have a great front box with tons of storage under the front rack. I've been through mud, water, nasty rocky trails, logs, etc. and it has not let me down at all. I've gotten stuck twice at home when I tried to go through 2 foot deep snow. Didn't work. A winch is a great investment. I have about 100 hours and 650 miles without a major issue. I broke a small piece of plastic on the footwell and replaced a latch on my pickup-type bed on the X2. It turns out I didn't need to replace it. I could have lubed it back up and been good to go. I highly recommend the Polaris Sportsman.