Maxtrax MK2 Recovery Tracks Review

What’s in the box

A pair of recovery boards, each 1150 × 330 mm and 3.4 kg, in UV-stabilised, engineering-grade reinforced nylon. Each board has rows of cleats on the top, six handles, shovel-shaped ends and keyhole mounting points, with “This side up” and “Do not spin wheels” moulded into the nylon. Leashes help you find and pull them out after a recovery. The mounting pins and a carry bag are sold separately.

Quick Specs

Build

The nylon is the reason these boards cost what they do. It’s tough but has a little flex, so the boards bend under the weight of the car instead of cracking, and the UV stabilising stops them going brittle on the roof rack in the Australian sun. Our pair has stayed bright orange and shows only light scuffs. The cleats are moulded as part of the board, so there’s nothing to snap off, and mud hoses straight off.

In a recovery

The cleats are what make Maxtrax work: they dig into the tyre and into the ground at the same time, so the tyre climbs onto the board instead of spinning on it. We’ve used them to get out of a soggy patch on a muddy bush track, and they gripped as soon as the wheels turned. The trick, as the moulded text says, is not to spin the wheels: dig in front of the tyres, push the boards in hard and drive on slowly.

Both ends are shaped like a shovel, so you can use a board to clear sand or mud from in front of the tyres (for a deep bog, a proper folding shovel is quicker), and with six handles there’s always one to grab. The leashes make it easy to find and pull the boards back out once you’re through, and you can manage the whole recovery on your own.

Carrying them

At 3.4 kg each, they’re easy to lift onto the roof, and stacked the pair is only 85 mm thick. On our rack they sit on mounting pins through the keyhole points and haven’t moved on corrugated tracks. The pins, or a carry bag if you keep them inside, cost extra, which is a bit cheeky at this price. Maxtrax sells the MK2 in seven colours: Safety Orange, Black, FJ Red, Gunmetal Grey, Lime Green, Titanium Grey and Turquoise. A bright colour is easier to spot in the mud and when you put them down by the car.

Maxtrax MK2 or TRED GT?

We’ve also tested the TRED GT, the other Australian-made premium board. The TRED is a little shorter and lighter, while the Maxtrax is longer and has the stronger reputation; both come with a lifetime warranty. Our recovery tracks guide compares all five we’ve tested.

	This oneMaxtrax MK2	TRED GT→
Leashes	Yes	Yes
Lifetime warranty	Yes	Yes
Width	330 mm	312 mm
Stacked	85 mm	84 mm
Length	1150 mm	1085 mm
Pair weight	6.8 kg	5.5 kg
Price paid	$319	$229
Our score	9.2	9.0

Conclusion: Maxtrax MK2 Recovery Tracks

The Maxtrax MK2 is the benchmark for recovery boards for good reason: tough UV-stabilised nylon, cleats that grip straight away, shovel ends, six handles and a lifetime warranty, at 6.8 kg a pair. The mounting pins and carry bag cost extra, and they take a little practice to use well. We paid $319 for the pair, and if you travel remote, they’re the boards to trust.