Are Maxtrax worth it? Or are cheaper boards in the $60-$70 range just as effective?

Something_Awesome

Something_Awesome

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I don't do overlanding. But I will be renting a cabin in the mountains and vacationing in snowed areas every year. But these places are towns. It's not like I'm in remote areas. And I figure snow-rated tires will always be enough for me since I won't be out in the middle of nowhere.

Should cheap-o boards be enough? I'm thinking if I ever need them, it'd only be because there was an overnight snow storm with like two feet of snow while the vehicle is on the driveway. But even then, isn't a shovel enough if you have snow-rated tires?

My concern with Maxtrax is (1) the price, and (2) that Maxtrax does not recommend their boards for highway tires because the tread on such tires won't accept the teeth of the boards, causing them to spin in place and wear the teeth out. This second part is a concern because I am having family come with me this year in their FWD Rav4 with bad all-season tires. I'm thinking having traction boards is a good idea not just for me, but moreso my family's vehicle. And so long as you move slowly over the boards, they shouldn't go bald, right?

Should I just get some cheap boards? My hunch is that, with the cheap boards, the issue isn't that they can't provide reliable traction, but that they are not durable and break easy?
 
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If you think you will rarely need them and just want something for peace of mind then get some cheap ones.

I've personally seen the cheaper ones break where the MAXTRAX held up to the task at hand and ordered two sets of the MAXTRAX Xtreme's.

If you can afford it then go for it, but if not it's better to have something than nothing.

Some fun food for thought

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SntXKcKKvW8
 
I have X-Bull. I have used them several times over the past years from recovery to leveling to a few bridging scenarios. They are still going strong....paid $50 from Ebay.

Couple points, Maxtrax stack thinner and in my opinion are better for bridging but the X-Bulls have certainly impressed me.

Recently used two X-Bulls to recover our F550 Super Duty with dump bed that was stuck up to axles in logging road mud. They did great.

Decent review.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkI2qPsa96I
 
Matt831 said:
I have X-Bull. I have used them several times over the past years from recovery to leveling to a few bridging scenarios. They are still going strong....paid $50 from Ebay.

Couple points, Maxtrax stack thinner and in my opinion are better for bridging but the X-Bulls have certainly impressed me.

Recently used two X-Bulls to recover our F550 Super Duty with dump bed that was stuck up to axles in logging road mud. They did great.

Decent review.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkI2qPsa96I
Click to expand...

X Bull is what I was leaning toward. Specifically, the X-Bull Gen 3. It's not even that the X-Bull Gen 3 is $90 where Maxtrax is $300. The X-Bull Gen 3 also comes with mounting hardware. And the X-Bull is almost as good as the Maxtrax it seems. Honestly, $100 after tax for a peace of mind isn't bad.

I'm going to wait until tomorrow incase there is a surprise father's day sale.
 
I have the x-bulls. Ran them on my roof rack like all the cool kids until the day I needed them. They did nothing. I got stuck in snow/ice and could not get any traction on them at all even with my KO2's aired down to 8psi. Tire would just spin on the nubs and not grab. Ended up getting winched out. Once I was out, they did help on some softer stuff to get back to pavement but honestly I dont think I needed them.

For what it's worth, i dont know that the maxtrax would have done any better.

Just depends what situations you're getting them for I guess. If you're stuck bad, like real bad, they wont help. If you're just barely stuck, theyre fine.
 
Something_Awesome said:
I don't do overlanding. But I will be renting a cabin in the mountains and vacationing in snowed areas every year. But these places are towns. It's not like I'm in remote areas. And I figure snow-rated tires will always be enough for me since I won't be out in the middle of nowhere.

Should cheap-o boards be enough? I'm thinking if I ever need them, it'd only be because there was an overnight snow storm with like two feet of snow while the vehicle is on the driveway. But even then, isn't a shovel enough if you have snow-rated tires?

My concern with Maxtrax is (1) the price, and (2) that Maxtrax does not recommend their boards for highway tires because the tread on such tires won't accept the teeth of the boards, causing them to spin in place and wear the teeth out. This second part is a concern because I am having family come with me this year in their FWD Rav4 with bad all-season tires. I'm thinking having traction boards is a good idea not just for me, but moreso my family's vehicle. And so long as you move slowly over the boards, they shouldn't go bald, right?

Should I just get some cheap boards? My hunch is that, with the cheap boards, the issue isn't that they can't provide reliable traction, but that they are not durable and break easy?
Click to expand...

Based on your usage and the tires on the vehicles you could potentially use them with, I wouldn't spend the money on MaxTrax. Get yourself a more affordable option, a shovel and a small bag of sand to throw under your tires if you get stuck.

Disclaimer: I have Maxtrax and have used them successfully many times, but in an off road environment, aired down with AT tires. If I were only using them as you describe, I'd have knock offs.
 
Everything breaks if you use it hard enough. And when you are stuck somewhere with no help around you will not care how you use things, if they break or what they cost as long as you get out.

As someone has mentioned if you are stuck bad enough they won’t help no matter what brand.

I go in the mountains alone b/c my friends always bail (bad idea) and got stuck twice to where I used my xbulls and I abused the hell out of them. Did they get me out? No. But they didn’t break either.
 
Thanks guys. Going to get the $90 Gen 3 X-Bulls which include hardware.

What is absolutely crazy is I was watching a random offroading video in deep snow and the YouTuber came across a Crossover that was stuck in snow. This crossover was actually stuck in an area where the snow was shallow; however, the issue was that the driver of the crossover had stopped by choice and, in so doing, created divets. The crossover did not have all-terrains and was stuck. The Youtuber just wedged traction boards in front of the front tires and the crossover got out with ease. No digging even required.

This is the precise scenario I am worried about. Extremely unlikely I will need them. But a family's vehicle being stuck is the equivalent to me being stuck. So $90 is a small price to pay. And if I ever get stuck, it wouldn't be in anything too treacherous, so the boards may work for me as well.

Not at all worried about stacked height. My Roam 83L is around 8 inches tall as it is. As long as I am under 7 feet tall, I'm happy.

Hopefully there is a deal tomorrow.

EDIT: In every review, the X-Bulls were quite impressive. Yes, Maxtrax are better, but are they $200+ better? I suppose so if you are 4-wheeling in punishing conditions in remote areas. In such a case, only the absolute best will do. When it comes to money, this is usually how things work. The money you must spend to obtain the highest quality stuff increases exponentially. The increment at which things get pricier as you move up the ladder-of-quality is never spread out evenly.
 
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a good tool to always bring along with a shovel and traction boards is a campers axe or a small hatchet. useful for chopping up some dead branches to wedge under the tires as well

I am going to look at the xbulls as well because I have been thinking of getting some traction boards. for my uses I don't think there'd be a difference in maxtrax vs. another brand given I also don't run MT tires or aggressive aired down ATs. I don't have friends to go with me so it's kind of like insurance to have a good solo recovery set up

where do you plan on mounting the traction boards. I have two cargo boxes and was thinking of getting a 45 degree mount or something similar and having them hang a bit out and to the side of my roof rack. I don't want to store them inside. I've seen people mount them to the top of the cargo boxes but maybe I'll just store them inside one of the boxes who knows
 
^^^If you ever are caught in the slop while you’re solo, you definitely need to be able to get yourself out. I’m no hardcore overlander, but plan on getting something for those just in case emergencies.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I finally decided after much reading and videos that a semi cheap option would suffice for the unlikely event I get stuck. The X-Bull were a fine option.

So I went with the maxtrax. lol

I'm too poor to buy cheap. Some things are worth going all in if you have the long term vision and even small likelihood of using them. Having the extra cash is a help too.

Impressed with the quality, but how they stack in such a low profile is huge too. Well worth the extra $200. My Grandson and his Grandson will thank me.
 
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I have used (or borrowed maxtrax) several times when stuck. not once has it made an once of difference for me vs using anything else available - rocks, sticks etc. They seem like a good idea, provide some security, but I dont put a lot of stock in traction boards.

I do like some of the other uses for them - shovels in a pinch, a base for jacking, etc
 
Humble Leader said:
a good tool to always bring along with a shovel and traction boards is a campers axe or a small hatchet. useful for chopping up some dead branches to wedge under the tires as well

I am going to look at the xbulls as well because I have been thinking of getting some traction boards. for my uses I don't think there'd be a difference in maxtrax vs. another brand given I also don't run MT tires or aggressive aired down ATs. I don't have friends to go with me so it's kind of like insurance to have a good solo recovery set up

where do you plan on mounting the traction boards. I have two cargo boxes and was thinking of getting a 45 degree mount or something similar and having them hang a bit out and to the side of my roof rack. I don't want to store them inside. I've seen people mount them to the top of the cargo boxes but maybe I'll just store them inside one of the boxes who knows
Click to expand...

I have my Roam 83L mounted on the passenger side, so these would just mount on the LFD's on the driver side. I don't foresee needing a second cargo box. The one Roam box is enough to hold my Dewalt air compressor (underrated little thing), tire plug kit, snow chains, and other tools.

The only thing is, to mount the X-Bull's, I would need to add a third LFD bar (which I have in storage).

I could avoid installing a third bar if I get Maxtrax. I'd need to move the rear bar up 2.5 inches (6.35 CM), patch two holes in my Roam case with flex tape on the inside and outside, and drill two new holes. I'd go with the maxtrax if they went on sale for father's day tomorrow, but I doubt it. I otherwise don't mind drilling two more holes. No moisture will get in with properly applied flex tape anyway. I don't even think water would get in if I dropped it in to a swimming pool with properly applied flex tape.

Ripper238 said:
I finally decided after much reading and videos that a semi cheap option would suffice for the unlikely event I get stuck. The X-Bull were a fine option.

So I went with the maxtrax. lol

I'm too poor to buy cheap. Some things are worth going all in if you have the long term vision and even small likelihood of using them. Having the extra cash is a help too.

Impressed with the quality, but how they stack in such a low profile is huge too. Well worth the extra $200. My Grandson and his Grandson will thank me.
Click to expand...

I agree. If you're keeping something long term, then get the expensive one. So here is the thing. Where the MKII's far-and-away beat the competition is when you need to jack up your vehicle on soft terrain. If you stack two together, they will serve as a surface for the 4Runner's jack. They will flex, but be stable and pop back in to their original shape when you're done. This is HUGE and could allow you to install snow chains in the event the traction boards don't work. I will be buying chains, so Maxtrax is tempting.

CutthroatSlam said:
Buy yourself a good set of v-bar snow chains. If conditions are bad enough to need boards, you will need chains to go any distance.
Click to expand...

100%. V-bar chains with cams. Peerless makes exactly those chains for the 4Runner which I think are made in the USA. Waiting for them to come back in stock.
 
Humble Leader said:
a good tool to always bring along with a shovel and traction boards is a campers axe or a small hatchet. useful for chopping up some dead branches to wedge under the tires as well

I am going to look at the xbulls as well because I have been thinking of getting some traction boards. for my uses I don't think there'd be a difference in maxtrax vs. another brand given I also don't run MT tires or aggressive aired down ATs. I don't have friends to go with me so it's kind of like insurance to have a good solo recovery set up

where do you plan on mounting the traction boards. I have two cargo boxes and was thinking of getting a 45 degree mount or something similar and having them hang a bit out and to the side of my roof rack. I don't want to store them inside. I've seen people mount them to the top of the cargo boxes but maybe I'll just store them inside one of the boxes who knows
Click to expand...

Since you and I have the same set up (LFD faring all the way in the front and a second LFD bar pushed all the way to the back), I thought this might give you some insight.

Below is the bar layout I am MAYBE going with.



The middle bar is exactly 6 inches away from the bar all the way in the back. This will allow me to mount the X-Bulls on the front faring without it sitting past the front faring (maybe a very tiny piece will go beyond the faring, no biggie). The middle bar will be the other mounting point. The X-Bull will sit maybe 3-4 inches past the rear-most bar.

I will say, that running two bars the way we do creates zero wind noise. However, adding this middle bar in the orientation pictured has created some wind noise. Probably won't matter for you since you carry two cargo boxes. And there likely would be no added noice if you removed a box for X-Bulls.

Another alternative is to perhaps drill the boards? I may consider it when I get them this week. I run nothing on my roof until I need it, so I have reason to not have a noise-inducing third bar. The noise doesn't bother me, but if I can still run just two bars, why not?
 
i went with the cheap boards for years, and they do fine in a pinch. I recently upgraded to maxtrax, many for the maxtrax pins.

i got tired of my DIY mounts, while they were secure, they took forever to mount and dismount and lock up.
 
Something_Awesome said:
Since you and I have the same set up (LFD faring all the way in the front and a second LFD bar pushed all the way to the back), I thought this might give you some insight.

Below is the bar layout I am MAYBE going with.



The middle bar is exactly 6 inches away from the bar all the way in the back. This will allow me to mount the X-Bulls on the front faring without it sitting past the front faring (maybe a very tiny piece will go beyond the faring, no biggie). The middle bar will be the other mounting point. The X-Bull will sit maybe 3-4 inches past the rear-most bar.

I will say, that running two bars the way we do creates zero wind noise. However, adding this middle bar in the orientation pictured has created some wind noise. Probably won't matter for you since you carry two cargo boxes. And there likely would be no added noice if you removed a box for X-Bulls.

Another alternative is to perhaps drill the boards? I may consider it when I get them this week. I run nothing on my roof until I need it, so I have reason to not have a noise-inducing third bar. The noise doesn't bother me, but if I can still run just two bars, why not?
Click to expand...

ah ok I see your set up. I have a very similar set up except it's almost reversed. I have the front faring with nothing attached to it and then about 8 inches maybe I have the second bar, third unused bar after that kind of in the middle and then my rear bar. my rear bar is right up against the back end of the rails. unloaded I get no wind noise

xbulls are on sale now for $99. and it comes with mounting hardware. you could try running some bolts through the unused bar like you have it to see if it helps break up the air flow over the bar, or reposition. you could drill new mounting holes in the recovery boards without structurally weakening them, drilling new holes in the cargo box would be my last resort.
 
Humble Leader said:
ah ok I see your set up. I have a very similar set up except it's almost reversed. I have the front faring with nothing attached to it and then about 8 inches maybe I have the second bar, third unused bar after that kind of in the middle and then my rear bar. my rear bar is right up against the back end of the rails. unloaded I get no wind noise

xbulls are on sale now for $99. and it comes with mounting hardware. you could try running some bolts through the unused bar like you have it to see if it helps break up the air flow over the bar, or reposition. you could drill new mounting holes in the recovery boards without structurally weakening them, drilling new holes in the cargo box would be my last resort.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I am leaning towards drilling the boards now and removing the middle bar. In the below picture, I have marked in blue the holes that I'd be mounting to the front faring. The area in green is where I think I would have to drill to be able to mount the back end of the boards to the bar pushed all the way back (I won't know where in the green area until I get my hands on the boards on Wednesday). You'll have to click the picture to see my markings.



Thoughts? You think I should drill elsewhere? You think drilling that area would jeopardize the integrity of the boards?

I have seen stress tests on these boards. They appear to be quite durable.
 
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