MAXTRAX alternatives. Are they really worth it ??

Hi Jason
Sorry to hear about yet another knock off traction aid failure. My motto is if you buy cheap (price & quality) you could end up buying twice.

There must be a good reason why the Oz Army buys the real thing ie MAXTRAX - I have four and I've used them for years and never broken one.

We spend up teem thousands on a 4Wd yet buck when it comes to buying the best/dearest - just my thoughts.

cheers

Hi

Now he has three! What's the problem :)
Plastic looks a bit thinner than Maxtrax and 3 months isn't very long. Maxtrax are only slightly more expensive at $300 so dont see the point in buying suspect cheaper types, though maybe ultimately they all deteriorate in the sun? I have one Maxtrax I found on the CSR...but its been in the shed for over a year so can comment on its likely longevity. Plastic seems OK so far.

Cheers
Greg

Yes, if plastics don't have UV inhibitors in their materials, they can break down fairly fast.
3 months would probably be long enough to weaken them to a point where use could cause such a failure.
What a shame for your mate, as 3 months or more have gone by, I imagine the online seller would reject any claim for warranty.

Maxtrax can be had for $260 at times when BCF or elsewhere have them on special, so not worth going to the unknown brands if spending over a couple of hundred on them.

From the Maxtrax website FAQ . . .

"The type of heavy-duty impact-resistant polymer used in MAXTRAX is the same type of material used in modern roof rack systems, automatic weapons, military knives and vehicle components so it's super tough!"

Also . . .

"The material we make MAXTRAX from includes a UV stabilizer that protects them damage from the sun's UV rays, however the colour will eventually start to fade after a few years or so and, like anything left exposed to the sun for long periods, they will eventually start to degrade and lose their ductility."

So, I would not leave them permanently mounted on a roof rack, maybe put up there for a trip of a few weeks etc.

The only other decent warranty ones on the market are TREDS (Lifetime warranty apparently !), and they have no mention of UV inhibitors that I could find on their website.
Supercheap have them on special now for $178 . . .
http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/online-store/products/TRED-Recovery-Tracks-1100mm-Green-Pair.aspx?pid=326650#Cross

I have a 2 x sets of those sand tracks. Purchased on eBay. I have used them on Stockton beach and they worked very well. I only paid $99 per pair. If they were $225 I would have just gone Maxtrax. Being that they were $99 I thought it was worth a shot. I Purchased my first pair 12 months ago. They are really solid. I purchased another 2 just 4 weeks ago. They look the same but this second pair are much more flimsy than the first set. I was probably lucky with the first set I would say.