Interesting monologue, Aubs.
Keep in mind that a stock H1 is nearly 20" shorter in length than an H2 w/ a tire carrier (it is even a tad shorter in length than the H3 in its OEM configuration!) With the front wheels WAY out front, and the rear wheels way at the back, it has a turning radius that is quite good. The H1 is also not as tall as an H2, and its ridgid independent suspension keeps it from leaning much - which keeps the top corners away from leaning into rocks or trees at the top corners. Double the ground clearance means that the H1 can straddle obstacles and take lines that other vehicles can't.
What does all this have to do with width? Well, you can squeeze a shorter vehicle that turns very well through gaps quite well, even when it is a bit wider (about 5" wider than an H2) - especially when that vehicle can straddle tall rocks or stumps instead of being forced into a specific line.
Bottom line is that the H1 is oversized in width, but it is smaller than the H2 in virtually every other specification - which makes it clear quite well on trails... much better than most people imagine. I do almost all of my wheeling in tightly wooded trails, and the Hummer performs great out there. 9 times out of 10, before I go in the Jeep guys all tell me "you can't get that thing through there, it is way too narrow." By taking the right angles I can usually make it through these "impossibly narrow" trails without more than a gentle brush from a few leaves, and with a couple of inches to spare on both sides between tree trunks. Sometimes it will take a 3-point, 5-point or even 7-point turn to get there - but it gets through just fine.
As for scratches - they are all just trucks. If you can live with forest pin-striping on your H2, why not on an H1? If you can't live with scratches on either... stay out of the woods!
-Manny