Traction Boards or Pull Pal for Deep Snow

[treillw]

Thoughts on traction boards for deep snow? Sometimes I'll air down and drive around in three feet of snow in the mountains. It's quite fun. I've only done it along roads with a lot of trees to date, so if you break though, you just winch yourself back up on top with the trees. The problem will come when there are no trees - hasn't happened yet, but seems inevitable.

Two solutions come to mind, besides going with a buddy; traction boards and a pull pal for the winch.

I've heard a few lack luster things about traction boards not being the greatest. The video below of guys in CO doesn't recommend them for snow, although the ARB ones seemed to do the job well, if they wouldn't have driven over them.

The pull pal seems to work excellent in the videos I've seen where it is used in snow. See below. Seems like it might be the better option?

Anyone have experience with this?
Best type of traction boards?
How could I mount a pull pal to my tire carrier? I have the Warn Elite JL model. Pull pal has a mount and AEV has a mount, but I don't think either works with the Warn carrier.

Thanks!



https://www.pullpal.com/

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[AcesandEights]

Traction boards

 

[Mx5red]

winch.. buddy....................... deadman anchor?

 

[Philly_]

I have traction boards I carry when I don’t know what kind of terrain I’m going to encounter in a new area, but I’ve honestly not put them to use yet… same with my winch. I find the JL’s (especially with lockers) ridiculously capable compared to my old JK with open differentials.

Anyways, if you’re going to pick up traction boards, Maxtrax is the gold standard, but the ARB’s are nearly equal in every regard. Ronny Dahl did a comparison of a ton of different brands a few years ago if you’d like to see how they hold up to some serious abuse. Came down to the ARB and Maxtrax at the end.

Like @Mx5red mentioned above, The Deadman is very versatile and could be a great option in a variety of situations. I haven’t used one, but have seen a lot of positive reviews. Plus, it should pack down smaller and be easier to throw in the back of the Jeep. Traction boards typically need to find a spot on the outside because of their length.

 

[treillw]

winch.. buddy....................... deadman anchor?

Would be a royal pain to use with all that digging.

Do they work better than land anchors (pull pal)?

I feel like any snow that the winch buddy will work in, the pull pal will work in. Winch buddy stores much easier, but that's a lot of shoveling. Pull pal will be a lot easier to setup. I dunno, maybe the winch buddy would work better - it probably has 3 or 4 times the surface area of the pull pal blade to get a firmer grasp on subpar snow.

 

[treillw]

I have traction boards I carry when I don’t know what kind of terrain I’m going to encounter in a new area, but I’ve honestly not put them to use yet… same with my winch. I find the JL’s (especially with lockers) ridiculously capable compared to my old JK with open differentials.

Anyways, if you’re going to pick up traction boards, Maxtrax is the gold standard, but the ARB’s are nearly equal in every regard. Ronny Dahl did a comparison of a ton of different brands a few years ago if you’d like to see how they hold up to some serious abuse. Came down to the ARB and Maxtrax at the end.

Like @Mx5red mentioned above, The Deadman is very versatile and could be a great option in a variety of situations. I haven’t used one, but have seen a lot of positive reviews. Plus, it should pack down smaller and be easier to throw in the back of the Jeep. Traction boards typically need to find a spot on the outside because of their length.

I've used my winch probably half a dozen times in the snow, but never needed it otherwise.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Mx5red]

Would be a royal pain to use with all that digging.

Do they work better than land anchors (pull pal)?

I feel like any snow that the winch buddy will work in, the pull pal will work in. Winch buddy stores much easier, but that's a lot of shoveling. Pull pal will be a lot easier to setup. I dunno, maybe the winch buddy would work better - it probably has 3 or 4 times the surface area of the pull pal blade to get a firmer grasp on subpar snow.

sorry for the confusion, I don't know what a winch buddy is.
I meant first option winch to a tree... then a friend snatch strap... then distant third, if solo, maybe a deadman anchor (assuming winch). In same league as maxtrax and anchors.
That pull pal looks cool, but that thing is huge and heavy. I'd replace that with a deadman anchor.

 

[treillw]

sorry for the confusion, I don't know what a winch buddy is.
I meant first option winch to a tree... then a friend snatch strap... then distant third, if solo, maybe a deadman anchor (assuming winch). In same league as maxtrax and anchors.
That pull pal looks cool, but that thing is huge and heavy. I'd replace that with a deadman anchor.

Ooh, gotcha. This came up when I searched your post lol.

https://www.deadmanoffroad.com/store/the-deadman/

Thought this dead man was called a winch buddy.

 

[Petvet92]

The deadman is lighter and easier to store than the pull pal but all the digging in the snow would be a pita. The pull pal is easier and quicker but heavier, mine is stored in a soft case that fits behind my rear seats so doesn’t take up much room (2015 JKU)

 

[treillw]

The deadman is lighter and easier to store than the pull pal but all the digging in the snow would be a pita. The pull pal is easier and quicker but heavier, mine is stored in a soft case that fits behind my rear seats so doesn’t take up much room (2015 JKU)

Have you used the pull pal much? How do you like it?

 

[Petvet92]

Have you used the pull pal much? How do you like it?

Only needed it once so far when in my old 95 Cherokee, in sandy soil with no trees or other vehicles/people around. Did its job so gets ? from me

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