Maxtrax alternatives?

Yes, I agree with Des. You get what you pay for.

I once got bogged on the beach near Robe. I required an extraction by a rescue vehicle with a long rope. The cost was $300.

At a once off cost of less than this for a pair of Maxtrax, it should be obvious that the investment is worth while.
Maxtrax have a proven reputation, the clones are simply inferior copies priced lower to get sales.

I purchased mine for $285 which included "tell tale" streamers to find the buggers under the sand or bog. Sometimes you will see them for a little cheaper at the trade 4WD days.

The only quality alternative I researched, are the Greatmates which can also be used as bridging ladders, but they don't provide as good traction as the Maxtrax and are considerably heavier.
I settled on a pair of Maxtrax.

The knobs on treads are not as strong as Maxtrax. Both will wear off if wheels spin but the plastic used in the Treds does not seem to be as "hard" as Maxtrax and as a result the knobs wear down with normal use where the Maxtrax last - that is until some goose who you have lent them too leadfoots it out of a bog :-(

Garry

Interesting Garry, if that is the case then I would definitely buy Maxtrax again. The only way I see that I would need to replace them is excessive wear from wheel spin.

I don't have either yet, but I've been considering both and read a lot of reviews and comments about them. Garrycol's is the first time I've seen anything about the plastic in Treds not being as strong or wearing down fast with normal use. Irrespective, if they become unusable "with normal use" Treds gives you a lifetime warranty. Maxtrax warranty is 2 years. Treds are Oz made, don't know about Maxtrax. Both are Oz companies iirc? Lots of positive comments from users about Maxtrax's out there.

This brief summary might help:
http://blog.mud-maps.com/blog/2013/category/max-trax-vs-tredds are an Australian company if that makes any difference.

Sorry about that mess after the link.

I was in Rays Outdoors yesterday, there was a set of Maxtrax right next to a set of Treds so I thought of this thread.

Side by side, the nobbles of the Treds do look more substantial, and they have a nice set of grips at the beginning of the ramp which I am sure would help. The big ones are also a little wider.

On the other hand, the Maxtrax definitely seem to be a stronger plastic, can be used from either end, doubling their life, stack better and take up less space for a similar usable size. Their mounting system with locks, mounts etc is better too.

I would go Maxtrax again, but mainly cause I know they work well. Either would do the job and would be 100% better than nothing.

I started using shade cloth, then moved to carpet, both end up in a mess. Carpet is is better but not a patch on my Maxtrax for ease of use and lack of mess I gotta say, especially if the ground is wet.

This matter has been discussed at length on most of the 4wd forums.

There are some people who have been using shade cloth with success for a very long time.

The method is different......and ya cant beat the cost.

Those who are having success seem to be using 5 or 6 meter lengths tucking the front edge in deep and covering the whole length in sand before trying to drive on it.

$300 buys a hell of a lot of shade cloth.

anything is a bugger in mud.

cheers

And everytime I have seen them used, the sections of milk crate get ripped apart.

Aww C'mon Winner ... you can't expect the good folk of Toorak to drive around with MilkTrax strapped on the roof of their Rangies.

That's enough to get one kicked out of the Polo club.

Fab.

True true ! But those latte drinkers never take them fourbys off road anyway. I have the maxtrax and they are good but also used the milktrax on the outback farm bogs or when do 4wd tracks. We only use the milktrax to get out of sand or mud( which I hate driving through) to give a larger surface area for the wheels. They definitely are not going to work the same as Treds or Maxtrax . I use them even where I have to protect my lawn when reversing my 2T boat over them and they dont break . I tie 3 bread crates in series to give me a nice 1.5 m long track . If I let my mates or boys use the Maxtrax they wont last one recovery!

Hi this is off the subject but could you show me or post some photos of your internal set up of your canopy please I am looking for ideas for ours thanks in anticipation kate

Kate,
let me have your email and i will forward some photos.
regards
Howard

Thanks howard it is paulkatie@optusnet.com.au I have to list here because I am not a member yet

katepaul
email sent

I have them & they support the weight of the vehicle & can be used as bridging ramps for washouts.

Phill,

Not when you are buried in deep coarse sand and the tide is on its way in.
Had a long handled shovel with me. Didn't work mate.

I had a $1 copy of a 4WD guide to the beach driving around Little Dip NP put out by the local 4WD Club. Nowhere did it mention that there was in fact two beaches where you should never venture down towards the waters edge.
I was on one of them.

Usually, the sand is firmer below the high tide mark, but on these two beaches the reverse is the case. The sand is that coarse and soft, that as soon as one drives over the high tide mark you sink to the axles.
I'm sure the Maxtrax would have got me out quickly and with a lot less stress than waiting for the local "extractor" to arrive.
Lucky I was in mobile range of help.

As an aside, a young couple traveling up on the high "track" ventured down to assist and yep, they got bogged too. The Contractor only charged the one call out fee to extract us both.
As fate would have it this day, I discovered I had left my wallet in my other jeans back at camp and this lovely couple paid the fee for me up front. We obtained the location of the caravan park they were staying at from them and promised to pay the money back to them.
As soon as we got back to Robe and recovered my wallet, we ventured off to the other caravan park to find them, stopping at a pub on the way to buy them a gift of champagne for their trouble.
I paid them back the $300 and they insisted the four of us should polish off the champagne, which we did in pretty short time.
It was great having a couple of young folk who were absolute strangers to us, forking out a considerable amount of money without knowing if they would ever get it back again.

One of those times you are impressed with the trust placed in other humans.