Besides MaxTraxx, what traction boards/mats do you use?

AFBronco235

Crew Chief
Nobody is denying that MaxTraxx are everything they're advertised to be. I'm just curious what cheaper alternatives there are out there that, while may not be as good as MaxTraxx, are also considered good enough for your use.

To start things off, my dad always used 2X6 and 2X8 boards with rubber conveyer belting bolted to the top side using carriage bolts, with about a foot of the belt hanging off each end. Simple, but affective. And heavy, I'll admit. Anyways, the belting hanging off the ends allows a slipping tire to grip and pull the board underneath itself in slick conditions. The nuts on the bottom side allow the board to bite into things like rocks and tree roots. Or you could flip it over to allow tires to grip it that way. You can buy the rubber belting at most farm supply stores. Look in the section that deals with baling hay and round bailers. They should have the belting there. I wish I had pictures of them, but I don't. If I made a set today, I think they'd be around $70 for a pair. Sure, they're heavy, but that's what your vehicle is for in the first place, right? Besides, some rope handles sandwiched between the board and the belt sure make them easy to move around.

I do feel I should point out these boards are used mainly to get out of loose and wet sandy soil where trucks are known to sink down to the axle, forest trails with lots of tree roots, and heavy, damp snow. Not sure how they'd hold up on rock crawling or dry conditions.
 

BlindWilly

TXpedition
TREDS by TJM are supposed to be comparable. From the research I've done, the knobs on top hold up better than Maxtrax but the MaxTrax are more flexible.
TREDS are slightly cheaper in price too.
I don't own any yet, so this is just from looking around on the interwebz
ExCop Offroad has them.
http://excopoffroad.com/?product=fdafdcvzxc
 

amo292

Adventurer
I have been using GoTreads for the past year or so. They have been working out super well so far! I have used them extensively at work recovering stuck vehicles on the beach. They get used about every other day and have held up surprisingly well. I have also used them on the trails of the Northeast and have been happy with them there too. You can get them for cheap at amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/GoTreads-Emergency-Automotive-Traction-Tool/dp/B00LGXH5OY

You can also check out my reviews and others here

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/135372-Go-Treads
 

ramonortiz55

Adventurer
I believe TRED is redesigning their board. Should be coming out next year. They were on a quickstarter campaign a few weeks ago.
 

SnowedIn

Observer
That TRED redesign looks really nice. I never really cared for the taller profile of the original ones, and prefer the size and ease-of-cleaning of the Maxtrax.

I wonder how they'd hold up for light bridging.
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
Lessee. The corrugated inner skin metal from the tailgate on my '76 Chevy Luv pickup, floor mats, a piece of indoor carpet. Sagebrush. Most of my trouble was deep sand.

And about 30yrs ago I picked up a pair of these. They are ~~20"x7". IIRC they were about $20 apiece. They work well, again in the sandy gravel I mostly travel in. But I have used them in snowy ditches on skiing trips.

sav-a-tow1_zps2npuwtbe.jpg

sav-a-tow2_zps0alruik7.jpg
sav-a-tow3_zpsy4hgtpgw.jpg




eta. Huh. They're still on the market, $60 for the pair in a bag. And there's youtube vids.
 
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Semi-Hex

Enfant Terrible
I've used strips of astro turf several times and they work really well. In real life, they are the entry carpet to my trailer.
 

carlpb

Member
I've used strips of astro turf several times and they work really well. In real life, they are the entry carpet to my trailer.
I agree, I have used floor mats and carpet succefully in combination with shovels and jacks, since most of my stuck situations involve sand or mud in Sothern California and Baja. We all already carry too much junk bolted to our vehicles as it is, most seem to be for looks and never get used. I can't think of a single situation I felt I needed expensive tracks, but I am not doing camel trophy trips or time trials for the Dakar.
 

Celt

New member
If any of you guys know a fireman ask them for some 6" coded out fire hose. Besides making decent traction they also work great as bracing material for you equipment that gets lashed down.
 

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