Of course a Nexus-8 will run you $250, a Nexus-7 is $150, a Rohloff is around $1000. Sure, it gives you a 526% range, but you'd come out ahead financially by buying a more pedestrian Nexus and coupling it with a Schlumpf two speed bottom bracket.

But it is true that there's no substitute for the Speedhub offroad. It was invented for DH racing and it's hard to find a more abusive environment than that.