MaxTrax Question

New to Offroad-ing. Most images of Maxtrax I see have 4. A set of 2 cost 300 so does that mean we're spending 600 plus shipping and taxes on these things? Does storing it permanently on a roof or bedrack cause premature failure from the sun? Any tips for saving money on them? Do you buy from max trax directly or?

 

Ya know, I was gunna by some generic ones myself.

Which is rare, I’m usually a brand name “quality” kinda guy.

But fucking a those things are expensive. Knowing that when you need them, you need them to work, not fail... I’ll probably hold out and save up for some “quality” ones.

 

Thats what I'm thinking too. I'm the same. "Buy nice or buy twice" hah. Im just new to this and didn't know if this was the norm.

 

My first set, I organized a GB on here 3 +/- years back. The second set I got from a local 4x4 shop offering tax free and no shipping if you pick up locally from them.

I have personally never heard or seen a set of Maxtrax crack or break. The term 'you get what you pay for' ABSOLUTELY applies to recovery gear. When I am stuck in the middle of nowhere, I know that the gear I have will NOT fail or break and I will get home.

 

My stance on these things is they should all work about the same. If you need to use it the potential of chewing them up is pretty high. I've seen maxtrax with melted off nubs so it's bout to happen to any of the boards. I'd rather replace cheap ones

 

Maxtrax are made from nylon, brand X are made from poly-something (think milk bottles).

 

My cheap ones say reinforced nylon.

 

I've done a lot of research and decided to get the Maxtrax despite the cost. There are lots of less expensive options but I want Desert Tan to match my quicksand Taco.

 

I use the Maxtrax on my truck. I keep them on my truck all the time with some padlocks to keep the honest people honest. I haven't used them much, but I had them when i needed it. I just have a pair. I don't see using more than that at this point. They were pricey, but I did my research and decided on them. Seemed like there are others that work well, but I saw more positive reviews for the maxtrax.

 

Yeah, redonk expensive, imo. I can usually find branches nearby to do the same job for free, or get some pressure treated 2x6s and about $30 in nuts and bolts for a DIY solution.

 

“Buying nice” doesn't have to mean spending more money that you really need to.

I can’t stomach throwing that kind of cash for what branches and rocks can do just as well in most situations.

If all you do is go wheelin in the dunes where you don’t have the option of branches, fine, consider something like these, but where I mostly wheel these would never get used.

 

I agree with you. The mark up on those things are bananas.

 

I got the x bull ones off Amazon. (100$?) They work amazingly. Been mounted on my truck for about 5 months and no sun damage so far

 

The question you should ask yourself is, What kind of offroading are you going to be doing? Also, it looks like you have a 3rd gen Taco. Do you have all the fancy offroad traction modes? Even just plain old A-TRAC works amazing. That tech will likely get used 1000x more than a set of maxtrax. Maxtrax are great if you adventure in deep mud or loose sand. But honestly, if you like deep mud, a winch and mud tires should be your first priority.

I've had my Maxsa Escaper Buddy's for about 1.5 years. Only used them once when a friend took the wrong line down a rocky bit. Used as a ramp to prevent tearing his bumper off. My truck doesnt have traction control/A-TRAC or a locker (and my limited slip is almost dead) so i keep these for my tech handicap. Though, the need has never arisen.

 

100% agree...I might pick some up eventually (cheap ones, not the stupid expensive brand) but they're low on the list of priorities based on where I'm usually wheeling. Me getting stuck is usually due to not having a front locker or big enough tires (tough hill climbs, mostly) where these wouldn't necessarily help if at all. I can see them being useful for sand and mud though if that's your thing, otherwise I think there are way better recovery options out there that are more versatile.