I need some cheap recovery boards for snow and mud... Any suggestions?

I have a Toyota Highlander Hybrid XLE AWD, and I need a pair of recovery boards for a trip from Los Angeles to Chicago that I'm doing this January. I'll be sleeping in dispersed camping areas on public land along my route w/ relatively easy access if the weather isn't too bad, but I don't want to find myself in a situation where, despite checking weather forecasts, it unexpectedly snows overnight and I end up getting stuck... My tires are the all weather Bridgestone Dueler H/L 422's and are not rated for heavy snow conditions, but I will have a pair of snow chains with me. I think I'm going to get the Konig (Thule) XB-16, 250's.
I can't justify spending so much money on the MaxTrax or any other pricey boards right now, so I need a cheap, but decent alternative for possible snow and mud situations that are around the $70 or $80 price range. Does anybody have any good suggestions?
 

jgaz

Adventurer
This thread ought to give you more info then you thought you wanted.

 

nwoods

Expedition Leader
How about something like this? But drill holes in them, and tie them together with a short length of marine grade nylon cord
 

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OverlandNA

Well-known member
If you're feeling crafty, a couple hunks of 2x6"x3'-4', a drill and bit, box of 1/4" nuts & bolts. Paint em blaze orange if you want to be overlandy about it.
A few years ago I picked up a used aluminum 6'x6' pool platform. It was made from 1' wide planks welded together with punched raised holes for foot traction. I cut it apart and made recovery boards.
If you go with the plastic ones be real careful not to spin your tires.
 
you get what you pay for I've seen a few cheap ones shredded
I totally understand that! Lol... The online reviews and videos for the cheap ones clearly demonstrate that. I'm just looking for the best of the worse, just to have something that will get me by for this trip if I get stuck
 
This thread ought to give you more info then you thought you wanted.

Thanks, I'll check it out
 
Amazon has dozens of options for under 100.00.
I know... That's the problem! Hahaha. I have no idea which ones should be considered a crime to sell, and which ones might hold up at least a few times. It looks like most of these companies just found one manufacturer in China and simply rebrand the same garbage product, so I'm trying to figure out which company found a slightly better manufacturer than all the rest
 

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