Maxtrax - Great marketing strategy or??
Submitted: Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 13:46
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equinox
Hi all,
Looking around the south west of WA it seems that most 4wd's that would see some type of bush work carry a set of Maxtrax.
Two people close to me who have just bought 4WD's have got Maxtrax as their first accessory. To me this is a great indication that the Matrax people don't even have to advertise anymore - it is as if they are now required if you want to go 4wdriving anywhere - a must have!!!
I guess some people would utilise them - perhaps they are not that experienced, or just got into some "rare trouble". I have got into "rare trouble" 3 times over the last ten years and I guess if I had Matrax it could have helped me out. That said I dug myself out within 24 hours each time with a simple shovel and jack - so it really is just a matter of convenience.
Is it really worth carting these things around just for the odd occasion that they may help you out?? I'm not convinced...
Reply By: Member - LeighW - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 13:53
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 13:53
Think you said it yourself "I dug myself out within 24 hours each time with a simple shovel and jack" if your happy to put in that amount of time and effort then you probably don't need them. Personally if I can take the maxtrax off the roof , shove them under a couple of wheels and drive out I know which method I prefer.
AnswerID:
639923
Follow Up By: equinox - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 14:21
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 14:21
I know what you mean, it just doesn't happen very often and they take up real-estate.
Then again watching some You-Tube vids some people use them quite frequently.
FollowupID:
919006
Follow Up By: Member - LeighW - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 18:21
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 18:21
True, but then I also carry a winch and an EPIRB , haven't had to use them either yet but if I need them
I have them.
Did nearly get stuck up at one of the beaches at Nhulumbuy, couldn't have gone much lower with tire
pressures but luckily managed to get out without having to use the maxtrax but they were going to be the next option! As per Murhy's law, if I wasn't carrying them I would have defiantly needed them.
We generally travel alone to remote areas, sometimes don't see another vehicle for days at a time so really they are another form of insurance for us.
FollowupID:
919011
Reply By: Peter_n_Margaret - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 13:57
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 13:57
Ten years (?) ago, no one in Oz carried them, but the Europeans have carried aluminium (or steel) versions for many years.
I don't.
I carry a good compressor and that provides good extraction options, at least as good as Maxtrax, in my view.
Carrying Maxtrax or similar would not allow me to leave the compressor
home.
If I did carry something it would provide bridging capability like this, that Maxtrax can not provide....but they are heavier.
Any of these devices will get you 1.5 metres. Then you start again if it is still soft. Letting the air out will get you as far as you want to go.
A better option.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Dusta - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 19:52
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 19:52
we have used maxtrax to do the exact thing you have pictured . They work great as bridges over washouts etc or ramps . Maxtrax are not just useful for sand recoveries .
Mine sit in the garage when i am not going away.
They are a lot tougher than some of the other brands .
For a few hundred bucks they are a small investment to make for making recoveries easier.
FollowupID:
919013
Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 09:48
Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 09:48
Hi Pete,
I understand where you are coming from Pete, but you can only lower tyre pressures so far. Having Maxtrax or Tred boards gives you more options. Do you still carry the grates as pictured? If so, then you are actually carrying a “tred board”.
Macca.
FollowupID:
919024
Follow Up By: Peter_n_Margaret - Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 10:09
Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 10:09
I have a set of the fibreglass grates in the shed, but I have never seen fit to carry them.
As far as reducing tyre pressures go, the lower limit at 2kph (recovery speed) is zero psi. No damage to the tyre will occur at walking speed. At a couple of psi, the footprint is massive.
Works in mud too.
But generally, let them down another 20% and leave them that way until you are
well clear solves the problem.
Maxtrax won't help you climbing the west side of Big Red or along the top. It is about air, and whatever reduction it takes.
We weigh over 6T. No screaming engine, no wheel spin.
https://youtu.be/hX2bqM8VSZE
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome
FollowupID:
919028
Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Saturday, Mar 26, 2022 at 08:21
Saturday, Mar 26, 2022 at 08:21
Zero psi might not damage the tyre in sand, but I would expect the tyre would most likely come off the rim. Certainly would break the “bead”, and you may not be able to get it to reseal and pressure back up again.
Macca.
FollowupID:
919035
Follow Up By: Peter_n_Margaret - Saturday, Mar 26, 2022 at 09:41
Saturday, Mar 26, 2022 at 09:41
That has not been my experience when I have done it, but treat it gently.
ps... there is 1.4T on that fibreglass grate.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome
FollowupID:
919036
Reply By: Member - Wooly - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 14:47
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 14:47
Hi Alan,
Personally, I agree with Leigh, I would rather get my Maxtrax off the roof than spend 24 hours digging.
I think they are an excellent simple and easy to use recovery device.
Not that heavy really.
You can also use them as a shovel by the way.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: George_M - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 15:00
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 15:00
"Is it really worth carting these things around just for the odd occasion that they may help you out?? I'm not convinced..."
I guess the follow-up question would be "and how many of the people who cart these things around can actually use them when required?"
The I Got Bogged at
Inskip Point Facebook group would indicate "not many". And
Inskip Point is very easy country in which to use them.
George_M
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: equinox - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 16:20
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 16:20
A good followup question George.
I checked out the Facebook group you mentioned - a few doozies in there !!!
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Peter_n_Margaret - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 18:56
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 18:56
Then again.....
You don't drive across
Inskip Point to the ferry unless your tyres are at an appropriate pressure.
If your tyres are at an appropriate pressure, you won't need to use your Maxtrax.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome
FollowupID:
919012
Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 21:01
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 21:01
.
Peter,
I once struggled across the Inskip sand to the ferry then discovered that I had failed to lock my front hubs. The deckhand was most impressed!
Goes to show that tyre pressure is all important.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - rocco2010 - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 15:36
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 15:36
I’m of an age and with some physical limitations where digging for hours is not really an option.
I’ve never travelled alone to
places where I might have wanted the maxtrax option and probably wouldn’t now anyway.
But if beach camping and fishing was my go I’d probably get them.
Cheers
AnswerID:
639927
Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 09:52
Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 09:52
Hi Rocco,
Don’t forget, they are not only for use in sand, they are also useful in mud as
well.
Macca.
FollowupID:
919026
Reply By: Life Member - Duncan W (WA) - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 15:47
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 15:47
Al, what always amuses me is the number of vehicles with the trax's mounted on their roof racks as a permanent feature. I have a pair and only load them when I'm heading bush or down
the beach. Why people have to leave them on the roof is beyond me and contrary to the advertising blurb they will be affected by the weather if continually exposed and with the increase in fuel prices why add to wind drag.
AnswerID:
639928
Follow Up By: Member - Wooly - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 21:40
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 21:40
They are the ones that fear getting hung up on a speed hump at the
supermarket car park
FollowupID:
919017
Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 09:51
Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 09:51
Same here Dunc. Live in the garage/shed when not travelling.
Macca.
FollowupID:
919025
Reply By: Gronk - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 16:01
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 16:01
Except for
the beach, another thing you would need to carry would be a big bag of some sort to store them in when muddy. Then somewhere to store that big muddy bag !
AnswerID:
639929
Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 09:53
Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 09:53
What bag, Knock the mud off and strap them back on the roof, easy.
Macca.
FollowupID:
919027
Reply By: Gramps - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 16:03
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 16:03
I've dragged them around for a few years because I generally travel alone and have a major allergy regarding "digging" for any lengthy period. I used them once on the Connie Sue last year and recently when the ride-on got bogged in the back yard LOL.
Regards
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: equinox - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 16:08
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 16:08
"Major Allergy", LOL
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - Jack - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 17:09
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 17:09
Maxtrax are very much like Telstra 5G. You never really need it ... until you do!
Jack
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Jim S1 - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 17:27
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 17:27
We have a pair of Maxtrax , permanently stowed in the inside of the canopy. Bought a nice bag from Aldi a while ago ........ plenty of room for mud, but a neat fit.
Like almost all of our "recovery" gear it's just insurance. Do use the 12v air compressor occasionally, and have only used the snatchstrap twice ...... to help others.
That reminds me ...... I need to replace the ARB air compressor hose ......... after 20 years !!!
Have yet to use the Maxtrax , but happy to have them handy.
Cheers
Jim
| "Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits." A fisherman.
"No road is long with good company." TraditionalLifetime Member My Profile My Position Send Message |
AnswerID:
639933
Follow Up By: Gronk - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 18:18
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 18:18
It’s just that 1st step…..actually buying them !!
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Follow Up By: Member -Pinko (NSW) - Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 09:40
Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 09:40
Hi Jim
I went to use my 20yo ARB compressor and the hose promptly burst. It appears the
orange hose has a built in lifespan. I went to Pirtek, who fitted a better quality longer hose and used the original fittings. All good.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Jim S1 - Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 14:01
Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 14:01
Hi Stan
Took your advice and now have a 10m Pirtek hose !! Just fits in the original box, with careful coiling !!
Cheers
Jim
| "Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits." A fisherman.
"No road is long with good company." TraditionalLifetime Member My Profile My Position Send Message |
FollowupID:
919030
Reply By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 18:38
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 18:38
I carried a pair for years and never needed them.
Tried them out a couple of times early in the piece on other vehicles bogged on Fraser Island to
test their capability....... They worked OK.
In sand, I found lower tyre pressure and careful throttle management was adequate, as Peter said above. But I was never sure that would suffice for mud. Fortunately, I never got to put them to the
test. I dreaded the thought of a mud recovery.
Perhaps I could reflect that
winches on the front bar may be in the same category as recovery boards but never had one of them anyway, however I won't elaborate on that one!
AnswerID:
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Reply By: The Explorer - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 18:52
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 18:52
Gidday - undoubtable a great marketing strategy IMHO, the adverts make me laugh eg car bogged in sand - out come the "recovery boards", when letting your tyres down would have resulted in an easy drive out. . I think most people get them before they buy a compressor, a tyre gauge and a shovel (Adds target new chums with no experience). Don't think you really need them in sand if you know what you are doing. Having said that, they are obviously handy in some circumstance. Last time I could of done with some I used logs (in mud).
Cheers
Greg
| I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874 Lifetime Member My Profile My Blog Send Message Moderator |
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Bob Y. - Qld - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 18:53
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 18:53
My Beloved bought me a pair of Maxtrax some years back. I didn’t really want, or perhaps need them, but was wise enough to accept the gift gracefully!
Since then they’ve been attached to roof of my canopy during a 10K km WA, NT & SA jaunt, a trip up the CSR & close to 10 crossings of the Simpson, and never been touched. They weigh bugger all, and are easily removed if someone needs them.
I haven’t seen a Maxtrax ad for at least 2 or more years!
Bob
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Zippo - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 20:24
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 20:24
"I haven’t seen a Maxtrax ad for at least 2 or more years!"
Really? I see them almost daily - proudly displayed on the roofracks of many a clean-as-showroom fourby.
Why pay for other ad media when the newbies out there are so proud to display them as a badge of how tough they are.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 21:43
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 21:43
Yeah, see plenty of that advertising up here too, during school holidays & tourist season. 2 out of 3 kitted out black or graphite utes have them mounted somewhere. The
orange Trax are the first thing you can distinguish about the oncoming vehicle.
Bob
FollowupID:
919018
Follow Up By: Life Member - Duncan W (WA) - Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 11:01
Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 11:01
Hey Bob, I see that many around where I live that you would think that they come with the car from new. Apparently they are great for use on bitumen.
FollowupID:
919029
Reply By: Geoff (Newcastle, NSW) - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 20:27
Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 20:27
I have a pair and have used them maybe 3 times in 10 years.
My major 4wd'ing is a few nights a week and some weekends
beach fishing and usually on my own.
Whilst tyre pressures are the absolute best recovery tool in sand on the odd occasion, say 3 times in 10 years the whole show just didn't want to co-operate for various reasons.
As far as I am concerned purchasing them and carrying them for all that time has more than paid for them in the time I have owned them.
I also have the same allergy as Gramps, I am allergic to over use of the shovel. I carry a shovel and compressor as first choices to the Maxtrax.
When the 1 and 2 choices aren't cutting it out come the
orange No. 3 choice.
| Geoff,
Landcruiser HDJ78,
Grey hair is hereditary, you get it from children. Baldness is caused by watching the Wallabies.
Lifetime Member My Profile My Blog Send Message |
AnswerID:
639941
Reply By: Member - Cuppa - Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 12:50
Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 12:50
We are among those who carry a pair of maxtrax but have rarely used them, in fact I can only recall using them once. A fair few more times we've used a shovel & further reduction of tyre pressures though. Have never yet been bogged where there as something to winch off. That said when we did use them we may have got out without, but the amount of shovelling would have been far more than we could easily manage. On
the beach at
Chile Creek (
Dampier Peninsula). "You'll be fine if you stay on the track" they said. When I wanted to turn around & saw tyre tracks I assumed I'd be right. A few moments later I realised my mistake. Three 'lengths' of our pair of Maxtrax got us back onto the track relatively easily.
They really are very expensive pieces of plastic to buy , but so long as we have somewhere to carry them, I don't think I'd want to be without them (or something similar).
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Olsen's Tours and Training - Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 13:33
Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 13:33
It's an interesting question: If you look at the modern hierarchy of 4wd recovery, as presently delivered in 4wd recovery training , it lists recovery methods in order of risk (lowest risk first) rather than effectiveness.
Given this, the first choice is track building, shovel, vehicle preparation. Your second choice is recovery boards, so going by that, after you bought a shovel (I actually carry a crow-bar as
well, on
Cape York to build tracks in hard ground by breaking down the high sides of deep tracks but I digress.), you should as your next step, buy some recovery boards.
The second part of your question is why Max Trax and not cheaper alternatives? I've encountered plenty of recovery boards that are cheaper and work as
well. Yup they've done a good job at marketing.
I encourage people to buy boards (of any brand) because the alternative that many reach for in mud is sawn logs which are extremely damaging to vehicles when placed in mud. I've seen holes punched into the floor of $100K vehicles and steering and
suspension components broken at Palm Creek and other
places due to logs in mud..I now make it my practice to search for them with my crow bar and extract them before any of my clients enter such
places.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Peter_n_Margaret - Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 14:52
Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 14:52
How is it that a compressor does not get onto your list?
10km of
soft beach.
A shovel or Maxtrax are not the answer as far as I can see?
Fraser Island
Cheers
Peter
OKA196 motorhome
FollowupID:
919031
Follow Up By: Dusta - Saturday, Mar 26, 2022 at 11:40
Saturday, Mar 26, 2022 at 11:40
At $239 for a pair are they really that expensive . Yes there are cheaper ones but for longevity and abuse that can be hurled at them the cheaper ones don't even come close . Considering a good compressor costs around the same are they really that expensive. They last for ever . I am yet to see one pair of maxtrax break compared to how many cheaper boards i have seen destroyed on our trips
FollowupID:
919038
Reply By: OzzieCruiser - Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 14:46
Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 14:46
I have had a set of Maxtrax for a number of years and I think they are necessary addition to a recovery kit - having said that I have never used them, but then neither used the rest of the recovery kit for over 10 years - lower tyre pressure has generally worked.
Prior to the advent of Maxtrax I used the floor mats out of my old Disco 1 and carried an old doona - both these works surprisingly
well when used in a similar manner to Maxtraxs.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Olsen's Tours and Training - Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 18:05
Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 18:05
Peter n Margaret… I can’t figure how to reply to a follow up from my phone. So it’ll be out of order.
I didn’t say it was my list.
I said that current recovery training has a hierarchy of recovery that recommends the first step is shovel, track building and vehicle preparation and the second step is recovery boards… there are several others steps, last of which is the most dangerous- snatch recovery.
Vehicle preparation (step 1 and lowest risk) includes deflation. And if you deflate and want to get back to normal travel speeds you’ll need a compressor- that should be obvious but perhaps to some it isn’t.
A compressor is not only recovery equipment for off-road drivers I’d count it as essential as is the shovel. Other essential items that are not specifically recovery equipment could be added to a list had I written one- but I didn’t. Those are things like wheel brace, jack etc etc
Kind regards
Kimberly Olsen
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - shane r1 - Saturday, Mar 26, 2022 at 07:56
Saturday, Mar 26, 2022 at 07:56
We did a trip that included the
Simpson desert and the
canning stock route.
I thought I needed some thing ? Discussed with local Local TJM guy , decided I didn’t need a winch, he’d only ever used his for other things than getting unstuck.
I bought a set of 4 maxtrax , carried them around for 3 years or so , then finally took them off and put ‘em in the shed .
Might sell them actually, anyone up for a cheap set?
Could be useful, but really just another bit of marketed bling.
Cheers Robbo
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - WA 1968 - Monday, Mar 28, 2022 at 18:10
Monday, Mar 28, 2022 at 18:10
The only time I forgot to put them on, was the time I needed them. Impromtu visit to
the beach.
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