Recovery Tracks - when to use/prioritize

[ajkitebrder40]

I'm mostly going to be on Forest Roads, beaches (OBX, etc.) and some light off roading. Think East Coast with mud, sand, some rocks in the mountains, etc. I have a JLUR, so it's fairly capable to begin with, and I will typically be with a group, but occasionally I know I'm going to be off by myself some. So....what's I'm thinking most of the issues I may have will deal with mud/sand. I have a few basic items:

First Aid Kit
Collapsible Shovel
Tools/Gloves - Bartact Molle bags come in handy
Maps
Zip Ties/Duct Tape, ha
Tow Rope

I'm thinking that recovery boards would be useful. I used to 4x4 a decent bit, but that was in a '89 XJ that I had $2k in all together, a bit different with it being my daily driver. What would everyone suggest, I was looking at GoTreads for portability, or just stepping up and getting Maxtrax, etc. Room could be an issue on trips as I will be bringing hiking, surfing, camping gear on a lot of trips.

Again, I'm doing fairly infrequent 4x4 in mostly sand, dirt, mud, easy to moderate trails.

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[GtX]

If you're going to get traction boards I would recommend MaxTrax. I watched a video from Australia on different traction boards and as I remember the MaxTrax outperformed all the others. Some of the no-name brands crack in half or had numerous spike break off after a few uses.

 

[LazyJL]

I found a set of sand mats that, when cased, fit tightly between the rear roll bars, up against the rear cap’s ceiling.
A ratchet strap around the mats and roll bars secures them.
The two times they were used, the mats worked fine.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06Y5KBD9X?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

 

[ajkitebrder40]

If you're going to get traction boards I would recommend MaxTrax. I watched a video from Australia on different traction boards and as I remember the MaxTrax outperformed all the others. Some of the no-name brands crack in half or had numerous spike break off after a few uses.

I saw the same.

 

[JeepKev]

I'm mostly going to be on Forest Roads, beaches (OBX, etc.) and some light off roading. Think East Coast with mud, sand, some rocks in the mountains, etc. I have a JLUR, so it's fairly capable to begin with, and I will typically be with a group, but occasionally I know I'm going to be off by myself some. So....what's I'm thinking most of the issues I may have will deal with mud/sand. I have a few basic items:

First Aid Kit
Collapsible Shovel
Tools/Gloves - Bartact Molle bags come in handy
Maps
Zip Ties/Duct Tape, ha
Tow Rope

I'm thinking that recovery boards would be useful. I used to 4x4 a decent bit, but that was in a '89 XJ that I had $2k in all together, a bit different with it being my daily driver. What would everyone suggest, I was looking at GoTreads for portability, or just stepping up and getting Maxtrax, etc. Room could be an issue on trips as I will be bringing hiking, surfing, camping gear on a lot of trips.

Again, I'm doing fairly infrequent 4x4 in mostly sand, dirt, mud, easy to moderate trails.

I’ll be wondering the same soon, if my Jeep on order ever gets delivered. Probably wheelin same mostly here in Maryland. Been getting ads for Rhino version of recovery boards and wondering if they’re a good make do alternative? Springing for Maxtrax under consideration though, thanks

 

[AcesandEights]

I watched a Youtube review of probably half-dozen brands. Nothing performed much different than anything else.

If you wheel by yourself, they may be helpful, but they aren't that great once they get wet or muddy. They get somewhat slick, even with the pointy nips.

 

[OllieChristopher]

I think the traction devices are really really slick!! The days of using your tailgate and motorcycle ramps are pretty much over.

There are a bunch of uses for them: Level your vehicle for camping, use them as a shovel for snow and loose sand, bridge across ruts/drop offs, recovering in deep sand, and much more.

What disturbs me the most are people that rock stack. I have never once in my life stooped so low as to ruin a trail by dumbing it down. I see more and more these lazy boneheads stacking rocks instead of turning back because they are driving over their head.

 

[JayJay]

What disturbs me the most are people that rock stack. I have never once in my life stooped so low as to ruin a trail by dumbing it down. I see more and more these lazy boneheads stacking rocks instead of turning back because they are driving over their head.

I bet that those cretins also yell out "driver!" and "passenger!" when spotting.

 

[OllieChristopher]

I bet that those cretins also yell out "driver!" and "passenger!" when spotting.

Johnny, Don't even get me started on that trend!! It's a YouTube thing that has spread like wildfire. Between that and the rock stacking it just goes to show what kind of goofballs are out on the trails.

I'll give you an example of how bad it has become. My Avatar is the first hard section going up Gold Mountain in Big Bear. That used to be a very difficult trail for both motorcycles and Jeeps.

20 years ago you would be hard pressed to get all the way up without lockers or an occasional pull. Now there are 2wds can make it all the way to the top with very little drama. Jerkoff animals have destroyed most of it with pics/shovels and filling in all the hard sections with rocks. John Bull same thing. Even 1N38 has become a cakewalk from overuse and "filled in" sections.

I really like the traction boards. With a Jeep Wrangler you would be virtually unstoppable!!

 

[DwnSth]

Do you have a winch? Even on good forest service roads in the east a winch can move a down tree or self recover. I also keep a small chainsaw.

 

[azbobver]

Checkout Actiontrax - made in the USA.

 

[OllieChristopher]

I have the X-Bull. Cheap and effective.

 

[BRuby]

What would everyone suggest, I was looking at GoTreads for portability, or just stepping up and getting Maxtrax, etc. Room could be an issue on trips as I will be bringing hiking, surfing, camping gear on a lot of trips.

Again, I'm doing fairly infrequent 4x4 in mostly sand, dirt, mud, easy to moderate trails.

If fairly infrequent those GT should be ok. If all the time go MT. We have SB ramps and use them for snow and they work fine. Would def have something vs nothing. With F+R locked and ramps it often can save a tow. We keep a full length shovel and full length hoe in our Skybox - plus store our tracks up there all year round. Makes snow clearing super fast and easy. As well we always have full chains and a kinetic inside the Jeep. So far have not been stuck - but have needed these aids. More so helping others get unstuck.

 

[ajkitebrder40]

Do you have a winch? Even on good forest service roads in the east a winch can move a down tree or self recover. I also keep a small chainsaw.

I don't, that's the debate, I've never used one regularly - so there's that. There's a pretty big gap between just bs'ing in my teens/early 20's to being 40 and having a vehicle (my 4th overall, 3rd Jeep) and trying to not destroy it. I'll add that I have first aid and a few other items in the mix.

Basically, I was looking at recovery boards as something I can throw in when going on surf/hiking/4x4 trips and get out of mud/sand. That's going to be the bulk of what I'm in more than likely.

 

[ajkitebrder40]

Also - after looking at the GoTreads a bit more, I don't think that's going to be as useful as a dedicated board like the MT or if I want to go cheaper, X-Bull. So......now it's just debating how much to spend.

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