Every van that leaves the pavement eventually finds the soft spot: a sandy campsite, a muddy pull-off, an icy driveway. MAXTRAX MKII boards are how you drive out of it on your own. Wedge one under each drive wheel, ease onto the throttle, and the cleats bite into the tire tread and the ground at the same time so the van climbs out instead of digging deeper. This is a pair, in your pick of 11 colors.
Why MKII
- Proven design: the MKII is the board MAXTRAX built its name on, and the one most overlanders carry.
- Tough material: UV-stabilized, engineering-grade reinforced nylon that flexes instead of cracking. In testing at the University of Queensland, a board wrapped fully around a 33-inch tire without breaking.
- Built-in shovels: each end is shaped as a spade for clearing sand or mud from in front of the tire.
- Six handles: molded in and glove-friendly, so the boards are easy to pull out of the muck afterward.
- Telltale leashes included: two orange leashes clip on so you can find a board that gets buried.
- Lifetime warranty: made in Australia and covered against faulty materials and workmanship for life.
Specs
- Size per board: 45" long x 13" wide (1150 x 330 mm)
- Weight: about 7.5 lb per board
- A pair nests to about 3.7" (95 mm) tall
- Contents: 2 boards, 2 telltale leashes
Carrying Them on a Van
Most van owners mount their boards on a roof rack or a rear ladder. The keyhole slots in each board take MAXTRAX Universal Mounting Pins, which hold two to four boards on a rack or platform, and a MAXLOX padlock through a pin keeps them from walking off. On an Aluminess BackPACK rear door panel, use the BackPACK MAXTRAX clamshell mount.
FAQs
Do I need two pairs?
One pair handles most recoveries: one board under each drive wheel. A second pair lets you put boards under all four wheels on a heavy or 4x4 van, or lay down a longer track.
Are they strong enough for a full-size van?
They're built for full-size 4x4s and heavy touring rigs, and they flex under the tire rather than snapping. For the toughest jobs, the MAXTRAX XTREME swaps the molded cleats for metal teeth.
MKII, LITE or Mini?
The MKII is the full-size, all-around board. The LITE is shorter and about half the weight, and the Mini is a compact pair that stores inside the van.
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