Maxtrax

[TheLetterJ]

I have first hand seen people use floor mats and carpet scraps to get themselves unstuck from sand. As said above, I wouldn't want them back inside the vehicle afterwards, and those methods probably wouldn't do much for mud. With enough time you can pretty much always get out of the sand by shoveling, not the case with mud which is where I could see the Maxtrax (or similar products like Smittybilt Element) showing their worth.

[geoffff]

Hi John!

Your stuck reminds me of my big stuck in Baja a few years back. I had only one pair of Maxtrax, so I used them to stop my front wheels from sinking in further. I would have loved a 2nd pair for the rear wheels, but it's tricky to get the wheels to grip the Maxtrax once they are already way down in a hole, unless you do some major jacking/digging. Just shoving them in the hole at an angle doesn't work great. I jacked my way out of trouble (hi-lift jack), eventually getting my rear end off the ground and using my front end for propulsion, but I found it extremely difficult to do any jacking on the soft mud surface. Some kind of jacking platform would have been very useful (and Maxtrax isn't supposed to be used this way).

Here's the Maxtrax mounting I came up with for my van (posted here earlier). Yes, they definitely get nasty-muddy after use, so no way I'd want them back inside my vehicle.



roofing shingles - I'm going to guess that their rough sandy surface would get overwhelmed by mud real fast. Maxtrax have protrusions that extend much further and dig into the tire tread. Also, Maxtrax have rigidity that allow you to bridge and ramp your way out of holes.

-- Geoff

[Annie O]

Originally Posted by TheLetterJ

With enough time you can pretty much always get out of the sand by shoveling, not the case with mud which is where I could see the Maxtrax (or similar products like Smittybilt Element) showing their worth.

Good to know. I was wondering that because I am 'back east' and when I see all the Baja-type outings my first thought is "yeah but how 'bout some MUD."

They look good for snow too

Speaking of mud, someone here posted about the Overland events (MTB and 4X4) in the Green Mts of S-SW Vermont. A friend of mine just moved away from the area and she said instead of four seasons, Vermont has Ice, Mud, and a little summer. I think it would be a blast to go watch the 4X4 Overland event in 2017- got it pencilled in on calendar. Will try and find out how much of the course a spectator can access,

Originally Posted by 86Scotty

..... 4 or 6 shingles take up no space under a gaucho/couch to speak of, and they have a great grippy surface, and I would think a pack of them would be fairly cheap compared. Thoughts?

I'm all for cheap to get started! Going to start a thread abut safety/recovery gear. There's NICE TO HAVE then there are MUST HAVE items, and of course a BUDGET for most of us.

[macmcintire]

Originally Posted by 86Scotty

I know it's so cheap that no one will likely try it, but I always heard a few roofing shingles were a cheap and more easily stored MAXTRAX solution. Has anyone ever tried this? I mean, of course you're going to destroy them with one use, but 4 or 6 shingles take up no space under a gaucho/couch to speak of, and they have a great grippy surface, and I would think a pack of them would be fairly cheap compared. Thoughts?

I got stuck in the snow in Wyoming and could not get out. I saw some roofing shingles at the side of a nearby home and decided to appropriate them to extract myself. I put them under the rear wheels, applied the gas, and immediately shot them out the back about twenty feet. They were totally ripped to shreds. I then went out and bought MAXTRAX and have never needed them. Some day though I might get stuck again, so they are hung on my ladder. Everyone seems to think they are backboards for search and rescue use.

[Jeffrey]

I carry one pair of MaxTraxx and one pair of Treds. Just one recovery from the type of thing John & Dana show in the pic and they are worth the price.

[expeditionnw]

Maxtrax are the best traction boards out there. we have done failure testing of most of the other (cheaper) brands out there, maxtrax are the only version that isnt breakable. you can bend them into a u shape, use them as a jack base, they just come right back. we have bridged with them, etc. they will absolutely handle the weight of a SMB.

[Annie O]

Originally Posted by expeditionnw

Maxtrax are the best traction boards out there. we have done failure testing of most of the other (cheaper) brands out there, maxtrax are the only version that isnt breakable. you can bend them into a u shape, use them as a jack base, they just come right back. we have bridged with them, etc. they will absolutely handle the weight of a SMB.

Hi expeditionw, thanks for the info about the R&D for Maxtrax. They sound like an excellent product and I know many forum members own them (great endorsement!)

Some people are talking about having 4 traction boards, some appear to only have 2 from what I can see in photos. How many do you recommend carrying?

[John and Dana]

Dave,

I have an EB and I like the idea of mounting them between the ladder and bumper. How did you attach them? I would love more details.

Thanks
John

[expeditionnw]

Originally Posted by Annie O

Hi expeditionw, thanks for the info about the R&D for Maxtrax. They sound like an excellent product and I know many forum members own them (great endorsement!)

Some people are talking about having 4 traction boards, some appear to only have 2 from what I can see in photos. How many do you recommend carrying?

We started out carrying one pair of tracks, until we found ourselves stuck in a muskeg swamp in alaska. We added a second set when we returned home.

I think two pairs is the right number. This allows you to move one pair while the vehicle is still sitting on the first pair, eliminating the hassle of getting the ramp back under the wheel.

Once the first pair is mounted somewhere, the extra space needed for the second pair is nominal, as they nest together.

[Nick]

I went with aluminum sand tracks, mounted on the roof side by side they also gave me a good platform to take picture and carry items. Had to use them a couple of times and they worked great! A bit pricey put they don't break or degrade with the sun.