X-Bull Recovery Tracks...another inexpensive alternative

[Jelorian]

Like the Speedmasters thread I posted awhile back, I don't have any direct experience with this brand. There seems to be more info on them online than the Speedmasters. I've seen a couple videos and some reviews.

They have a few models, a 5 ton and a 10 ton, version. The 5 ton version looks similar to the Maxsa/Maxtrax/Speedmasters in overall design, while the 10 ton version looks more like the Tred Pros.

They claim a 1 year warranty and that the material is UV protected. Looks like they come with a carrying case, although that really isn't a deal breaker or maker for me.

They are similarly priced to the Speedmasters on Ebay, but on Amazon I'm finding the prices all over the place from $100 up to $600+ (gasp)!

They seem have different colors as well, as long as you like red, blue, or black.

Here is a link to an ebay add for the 5T model in blue. Notice it is $79 with free shipping. Notice it has a sort of criss-cross latice pattern on it.

Here is a link to Amazon.com for the 10T model in red. It's a little pricier at $109, but still a bargain compared to the more popular brands. This is the version that looks the most like the Treds.

In some of the pics they show a large truck running them over. However this was on flat ground, so I wonder how they would hold up in the wild.

On Ebay, the 10T model in red is a bit cheaper at $99.90.

Basically do a search for x-bull traction or x-bull recovery and you'll find them out there.

Again, I have NO experience with these and I'm not affiliated with either Speedmasters or X-Bull.

Just wanted to share some of my findings of my research into inexpensive traction tracks.

Do your own research and come to your own conclusions on whether these alternatives can work for you.

YMMV

EDIT: They also have another model on Amazon that looks exactly like the Speedmasters and comes in black, red, blue, and green. However these are being offered at the bargain price of $399! <sarcasm>

 

[9nick4]

Was just looking at the maxtrax pads, no joke tbe price is high. These seem like a great cheaper alternative! With the budget friendly price of these (the $80 ones) I'll be trying them! For something you dont use all the time I'll be trying the x bull pads, hope the gamble is worth it haha

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[jhewitt03]

Was just looking at the maxtrax pads, no joke tbe price is high. These seem like a great cheaper alternative! With the budget friendly price of these (the $80 ones) I'll be trying them! For something you dont use all the time I'll be trying the x bull pads, hope the gamble is worth it haha

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I'm currently on a budget rig so let us know how they are I'll deff pick up a set


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[9nick4]

That's been my goal is keeping budget in mind, so I'm happy I saw this post haha. For the price if they get me out of a few situations and then break I think it'll be worth the money. And no more then I'll probably need them I couldn't justify getting maxtrax.

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[Scott]

For as much those cost of give them a shot of I didn't already have some gotreads that fold up that work just as well maxtrax.

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[300WMTUCK]

Thanks for posting these. Always nice to see what budget friendly alternatives are out there.

 

[theheineken]

Was just looking at the maxtrax pads, no joke tbe price is high. These seem like a great cheaper alternative! With the budget friendly price of these (the $80 ones) I'll be trying them! For something you dont use all the time I'll be trying the x bull pads, hope the gamble is worth it haha

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using OB Talk mobile app

Did you or anyone else actually give these a try? I'm debating ordering them.

 

[9nick4]

Did you or anyone else actually give these a try? I'm debating ordering them.

I haven't ordered them yet, shortly after my post my jeep was down for electrical gremlins, so she was parked for the time. Just got it going again so here soon ill be ordering some.

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[theheineken]

Alright, I just bit the bullet. Hoping I have them in time to slap them on the 4Runner for the trip to FJ Summit.

 

[Quicksilver]

I'd be interested in hearing your experience with them. I'm debating between these and the Maxsa boards, though I'm leaning towards Maxsa at the moment.

 

[RainGoat]

The X-Bull appear to stack semi-nested like Maxtrax plus you can get 2 sets for ~$200. My questions:
1) Do they stack nested? How high are they when stacked? It would be great to know the height of the 1st & then the additional height of the 2nd so I could calculate the height of 4 stacked.
2) Has anyone used the 10T for a bridge. What weight vehicle? Did they crack? How much did they bend?
3) Can they fit together end to end to create a longer run?

 

[GreyWolf]

Alright, I just bit the bullet. Hoping I have them in time to slap them on the 4Runner for the trip to FJ Summit.

Have you got the X-bull recovery tracks in? If so, what I'd like to know what you think of them. I'm really considering getting some myself.

 

[brien]

The price for these (the 10T) on Amazon just dropped from $109 to $89, gonna pull the trigger and give 'em a shot.

 

[theheineken]

Have you got the X-bull recovery tracks in? If so, what I'd like to know what you think of them. I'm really considering getting some myself.

They seem stout, I have zero complaints. For as often as I plan to use them (meaning probably never), they were the perfect price. I can see having to help someone out of the snow, but other than that we don't have too much sand here to need them. I could never have justified the price of the Maxtrax.

 

[VCeXpedition]

My experience is, and I don't intend this to sound elitist, but these are clearly Off-shore-made knock-offs of the TRED 1100's (as we already know) and if you want them for decoration, that is an awesome price.

But if your life, or a quick, safe vehicle recovery depends on them, pay once for the real deal and use them hard as they were intended.

I have used my TRED's and other's MaxTrax in recovery situations, it would have been a bad scene had they cracked or broken, let alone embarrassing that someone bought the wrong thing.

TRED's have a lifetime mfg warranty (no affiliation here), not just a one-year warranty.

Thanks for posting this thread up, it's good to know the alternatives and the competition, but there's no replacement for quality.

 

[theheineken]

Eh, to each their own.

When I need a tool that I'm going to use all the time, like a ratchet or set of impact sockets, I buy quality.

When I need a tool I'm going to use once, or want to use in a way I might hurt it, I buy Harbor Freight.

I'm not going to lose any sleep over buying the off-shore inexpensive tracks. I also won't lose any sleep if someone steals them, or I break them during use. I also love that they're black and not orange. I don't need them as a statement, just as an extra tool in the arsenal for the rare chance they're needed.

 

[DRJ]

Just bought a pair of these. I was looking for a set to get me out of sticky situations when I have to travel solo.

 

[Badmeat]

Mine are scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I have a trip planned to south eastern KY to do part of the KAT late September. Will report back with initial review and I'll look for a situation to give them a try on the trip.

 

[RainGoat]

Looking forward to hearing some real world use experience. For what it's worth, these are much more like MaxTrax than TREDs. The TREDs are tapered on only one end & don't really stack well. The X-Bulls are tapered for use on both ends, meaning twice the lifetime and they stack nested nearly as compact as MaxTracks. There are a couple real time 3rd party reviews (one out of Australia) which demonstrated them to be about 85-90% as strong as the MaxTrax (though at a less than a third the price).

Buying quality is one thing, but taking advantage of your customer is another. I find it hard to believe that manufacturing costs of MaxTrax are so much higher than those of TREDs, X-Bull, Smittybilt, etc. The astronomical mark up strikes me as a marketing ploy to be a "status" brand (or just greed). I suspect many of the professionals we see using them either had them supplied by MaxTrax for free or those people were able to write them off. I would be happy to buy the MaxTrax if their profit margin wasn't so offensively jacked up. They have clearly brought the competition on themselves.

 

[DRJ]

Looking forward to hearing some real world use experience. For what it's worth, these are much more like MaxTrax than TREDs. The TREDs are tapered on only one end & don't really stack well. The X-Bulls are tapered for use on both ends, meaning twice the lifetime and they stack nested nearly as compact as MaxTracks. There are a couple real time 3rd party reviews (one out of Australia) which demonstrated them to be about 85-90% as strong as the MaxTrax (though at a less than a third the price).

Buying quality is one thing, but taking advantage of your customer is another. I find it hard to believe that manufacturing costs of MaxTrax are so much higher than those of TREDs, X-Bull, Smittybilt, etc. The astronomical mark up strikes me as a marketing ploy to be a "status" brand (or just greed). I suspect many of the professionals we see using them either had them supplied by MaxTrax for free or those people were able to write them off. I would be happy to buy the MaxTrax if their profit margin wasn't so offensively jacked up. They have clearly brought the competition on themselves.

I have a hard time swallowing the price tag of the leading products such as MaxTrax and Treds. However, I will say that innovators of such products will have a larger overhead in terms of design, testing, QA, and so on when producing these products and therefore those costs are passed down to the consumer. And they probably have a team that are making continuous improvements to these products. Other companies, such as Maxsa and X-Bull, that 'adopt' these designs and tweak them are definitely taking advantage of an opportunity (and I am grateful) because they are able to provide cheaper alternatives to people like me. =)

Some buyers are attracted to the rigor and thoroughness that these leading companies have invested and therefore opt to buy and support them. I would probably do the same and support such companies that produce something that I was really passionate about (assuming I can afford it). I guess what I am trying to say is there are many ways to look at it.