The Case For/Against Recovery Boards

[hon1nbo]

What I haven't seen mentioned yet, and feel obliged to note, is that even if you have a winch in an area with a lot of seemingly sturdy trees, you may end up in a place where you aren't *allowed* to use winches or tree limbs for getting unstuck from soft terrain.

Great example is Great Sand Dunes National Preserve in Colorado on the Medano Pass. There's about 1-1.5 miles of on soft sand depending on conditions, and they used to prohibit any self recovery using Winches and the like to preserve the area (they allow it now apparently, but not last year as seen here: https://web.archive.org/web/2023092...s.gov/grsa/planyourvisit/medano-pass-road.htm). That's a spot where, most of the time, you shouldn't have an issue in a typical Jeep buuuttttt I wouldn't put it past other parks and trail management groups to implement such rules. I'd hazard a guess that these rules popped up the places I've seen them because they all had Fires go through and are trying to restore the area, but that's speculation on my part.

Regardless,
like others in this thread I've used boards with success, and I keep a set and some Paracord to make a leash so I don't loose them in the sand and can keep momentum until I hit a stopping point. But definitely not the most used piece of kit I have by far.

(also, hi everyone. first post I guess lol)

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[Nitroexpress]

I have a set of 4 Maxtrax. While I haven't used them once for myself, I have used them to help others with success. I just consider it another tool in the arsenal. They aren't perfect for every situation, but they can help or be more convenient than other methods.

 

[DSGladiator]

Some interesting opinions and suggestions here. i was searching the forum for some specific opinions on traction boards. Never had them but looking to add to the JT.
I have over the years used homemade ones either with some long 2x6 wood or on trail ingenuity using long branches, small trees whatever I could slide under tire to get above the slop. Used floor mats too and good soft rubber and carpeted floor mats work best. The biggest problem I have had with wood and think I see with the store bought track boards is since they are hard plastic are they going to grip the ground so your tire does not end up spitting them out the back side. I would think this would be a problem on ice or hard ground with. A loose top layer. So my. 2 questions are how are people avoiding that. does anyone drive stakes in ground to keep them in place or how do you keep them from sliding out from under you. And 2 how are people mounting them. Besides showing them off on your overlanding racks, which I refuse to install. Want to install in my bed some how without taking up too much of my usable bed space. Thinking of mounting to front of bed using my bed rail system but have not found any purpose built mounts to use with my rail system. Want them to always be there permanently like I have my high lift. Always there never need to think about throwing it in when going off-road.

 

[whiteglad]

I got a pair of Bunker Indust from their website, better deal than on Amazon, and the reviews I found indicate that they are good for my (hopefully) occasional use.

 

[ZeeJay]

I have a set in the truck and my ZJ. The ZJ does have a winch but boards are useful. I have deployed them before in snow and soft ground where traction was lost. Winch in the high desert without trees is almost a last resort. Usually means you’re pounding a deadman in, so if I can get out with $100 worth of plastic then I’m doing it. I use to use sections of chain link but got burnt out rolling it up. I don’t display my boards as it’s the looking offroady with actually doing offroady shit and I can’t stand that “look”

 

[bgott]

Plastic boards, what will they think of next? ? when I was screwing around in the desert, back in the '70's, we used to scare up aircraft landing mat to tote out in the desert to recover our screw-ups. Google "marston mat".

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