Well, I don't know what I can really tell you Andy, but I have trad waffle boards. They are heavy and great at bridging etc, but they don't always get you out of a hole. But they can be multi functional. I stand on them at the back of the truck when it's wet, use them when I have a shower as duckboards, level the truck up with them, use them as a table yadda yadda. So they aren't useless. But after watching the Expedition Overland vids of the Yukon, I saw haw useful Max Trax were and how good they were. They aren't really multi functional but they are very good at what they are meant for and that pretty important. So I have something with many uses but its primary use is something it's not that good at?
OK I'll have some Max Trax. Shut the front door, they're how freaking much £1 billion each? They are eye wateringly expensive, because this is the UK and someone needs to afford a new yacht.
OK so there are TREDS and various other makes. Some as little as £60 on e-bay. I have done reading, watched you tube etc and the MT seem to be very high quality. There are several reports of competitors products breaking and splitting. I think the MT is a bit like the BFG AT tyre. Brilliant but expensive. So people by 'copies' for less money. They work, some are pretty good, but one day they will be in the skip all used up and the BFG will still be going round. Yes it will be thin, yes it will have cuts in it, maybe even patches and repairs, but it will still be legal and working.
Question is, if you could buy three sets of alternatives for the same money so you get fresh tyres regularly what would you do? I looked around at recovery boards and spoke to Devon 44. They sell MTs and Britpart. The Britpart ones are £75.
So, I could buy MTs, bolt them to the truck and in three years never use them. I could have them pinched maybe. Or I could buy the Brtipart ones. They'd certainly cost me less money to have them stolen. But and here's the crunch, would they get me out of a hole if I needed them?
Well looking at all the reports I could find relating to copies, I didn't find any that failed immediately. Or even failed quite quickly. Given that these are an emergency measure and will work more than once, I figured I d go with the copies. What seems to be the case is that if you are running a winch challenge truck or crossing the Yukon then frankly don't be a tight arse, buy MTs your life may depend on it. However, if you are following the asphalt down through Europe and the odd trip to the Welsh borders, know what? Copies will do you just fine.
http://www.devon4x4.com/index.php?p...ategory_id=68&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=14
For those who don't know, the Max Trax are just shy of £300