With the new MAXTRAX LITE joining the lineup, you may wonder which model suits your needs.
First up, though, if you’re new to four-wheel driving and recovering your vehicles, MAXTRAX makes a range of recovery board or ramps. If you clear some sand or mud from the front of your tyres and push them in firmly to ensure they grip, you can drive up and out of trouble.
They are incredibly effective, and we use our MAXTRAX more than any other recovery technique, without a doubt. If you’re investing in your first recovery gear, start with a tyre deflation/inflation tool like the Indeflate, a quality compressor to pump your tyres back up and one or two pairs of MAXTRAX before considering gear like kinetic ropes and lastly, winching equipment.
MAXTRAX used to come in one model, the MKIIs. Now you can choose between Minis, the new LITE, the original MKIIs and the Xtreme to get a model that best suits your vehicle.
The Minis are ideal for small vehicles like Jimny’s, side-by-sides like Polaris, and light AWDs like Subarus. They are compact to store in these small vehicles yet big enough to recover their lighter weights.
The new MAXTRAX LITE is a size up from the Minis at 895mm in length. The LITE boards are still made in Australia but from impact-resistant thermoplastic, distinct from the proprietary MAXTRAX nylon blend used in the rest of the range. They are rugged and have a lifetime warranty but they are not quite as tough as the other MAXTRAX boards.
At 1.8kg per board, the MAXTRAX LITE is nearly half the weight of MKIIs. These are ideal if you are looking for recovery boards for your camper trailer or caravan.
Likewise, if you aren’t frequently pushing the limits in your vehicle or trying to trim weight from your cargo and want to carry quality boards just in case, these are a great option. They are exceptionally light and very well-priced.
The MAXTRAX LITE is ideal for medium-sized to lighter and less frequent use. If you plan on using them lots, you’re still best off going for the MKIIs.
Many of you will be familiar with the MKIIs and XTREMEs. For those who like adventurous travel and travel in heavier vehicles, the MKIIs and XTREME, the full-length and strongest MAXTRAX, are the way to go. They will withstand frequent use better.
We carry two sets of MKIIs on our camper trailer. The wheels are rolling, so there won’t be wheel spin to damage the boards, so there is no need for the stronger teeth of the XTremes. We carry two pairs as some of the worst bogs we’ve had have been with the dead weight of the camper behind.
On our LandCruiser, we carry two sets of MAXTRAX XTREMEs. While we’re very weight-conscious, we’ve opted for the anodised teeth of the XTREMEs to be more relaxed when helping others.
It’s pretty easy to avoid damaging the teeth of your MKII when you know how to use them, but it’s hard when a bogged and anxious stranger is borrowing them, and we’ve had a couple of boards damaged like this in the past.
All MAXTRAX nest with boards their size and have keyhole slots for securing with MAXTRAX Pins to various mounting options and fast locking.
Lengthwise, the MINIs are 640mm, the LITEs are 895mm, and the MKIIs and XTREMEs are 1150mm.
If your decision is down to colour alone, the LITEs come only in black, whereas Minis, MKIIs and XTREMEs come in various colours.
Carrying recovery boards is an excellent insurance policy that makes getting your vehicle unstuck easy. With the introduction of the new LITE, it’s now possible to get MAXTRAX quality at an affordable price.
Visit www.maxtrax.com.au to learn more.
