Our MAXTRAX MKII Review
We carry four MAXTRAX MKII recovery boards on our Y62 Patrol, permanently mounted to the roof rack using a Recovery Track Mounting Kit with Universal Pins.
For the type of travelling and 4WDing we do, they're an important part of our recovery setup. We're regularly travelling through remote areas, driving on sand, gravel and 4WD tracks, and we'd rather have proper self-recovery equipment with us even if we don't need to use it very often.
Why We Carry Four
A pair of recovery boards will get you out of plenty of situations, but we've chosen to carry four.
Having one available for each wheel gives us more options if the Patrol is properly bogged or we're dealing with particularly soft terrain. With a big, heavy touring vehicle, we'd rather have the extra recovery capability available than wish we'd brought another pair.
They also stack neatly together, so carrying four doesn't take up a huge amount of additional space.
Mounted on the Roof Rack
Our four MAXTRAX live permanently on the roof rack, secured with a Recovery Track Mounting Kit and Universal Pins.
We like having them outside the vehicle because they're always accessible. If they're covered in sand or mud after a recovery, we're also not throwing dirty recovery boards into the back of the Patrol with the rest of our gear.
The mounting setup keeps all four boards securely stored and ready to grab when we need them.
For a touring setup like ours, it's a much better solution than having them loose inside the vehicle.
Simple Self-Recovery
One of the biggest advantages of MAXTRAX is that they can potentially get you moving without needing another vehicle.
Clear away some of the material around the tyre, wedge the board underneath and the aggressive teeth provide a surface for the tyre to grab.
The MKII is also double-ended and has built-in shovel ends, so the boards themselves can be used to help clear sand, mud or dirt from around the tyres.
There's no winch line to run out, no recovery strap to connect and you don't necessarily need another 4WD around to help.
Built for Touring
MAXTRAX MKIIs are made in Australia from UV-stabilised, flexible engineering-grade reinforced nylon.
Each board is approximately 1150mm long, 330mm wide and weighs around 3.4kg, so even carrying four gives us a lot of recovery capability without adding a ridiculous amount of weight.
The flexibility allows them to conform to the terrain and tyre during a recovery rather than simply acting as a completely rigid board.
Not Just for Sand
MAXTRAX are probably most commonly associated with beach driving, but that's only one reason we carry them.
They're designed to provide traction across sand, mud, snow and loose terrain, which suits the variety of conditions we encounter while travelling Australia.
For us, the self-recovery aspect becomes even more important when we're travelling remotely. If there's nobody else around, being able to get yourself moving can make a huge difference.
Why Genuine MAXTRAX?
There are plenty of cheaper recovery boards available now, but recovery equipment isn't somewhere we particularly want to cut corners.
MAXTRAX are Australian made, have been proven in 4WD recoveries for years and the MKIIs are backed by a lifetime warranty against faulty materials and workmanship, subject to MAXTRAX's warranty conditions.
For something we're carrying specifically for the situations where things have already gone wrong, we're happy to spend the money on gear we trust.
Would We Recommend Them?
Absolutely.
They're simple, don't require another vehicle to be useful and can provide a quick self-recovery option across a range of terrain.
Carrying four MAXTRAX permanently mounted to our roof rack means they're always with us and always accessible, whether we're doing a dedicated 4WD track or simply come across an unexpected soft section while travelling.
They're one of those pieces of recovery equipment we don't necessarily want to use — but we wouldn't travel without them.
