WHERE DID MAXTRAX COME FROM?
Brad McCarthy, author of Dirty Weekends "The Essential 4WD Guides", devised the idea for MAXTRAX in 2001 after a particularly stressful incident on a remote north Queensland beach where he almost lost his bogged vehicle to the incoming tide, despite being equipped with all of the traditional recovery equipment. Brad's passion for the Australian bush, exploration and adventure sent him out, often solo throughout Queensland, to research bush tracks and locations to feature in his guide books.
SAFE, SIMPLE, NO ASSISTANCE NEEDED
From his experiences, Brad recognized the need for a system that makes vehicle recovery and extraction a safe, simple, one-person task and eliminates the need for any outside assistance such as towing, snatching, or winching. MAXTRAX came from Brad's idea to develop a foolproof and fail-safe quality Australian made product to make extracting or recovering a stranded or bogged vehicle a safe, simple, quick and easy procedure. In 2004, after testing numerous unsuitable prototypes, Brad engaged with local Brisbane company Dienamics
, led by Mark Serisier, to design, prototype and make the mould for the original MAXTRAX MKI. Mark came up with the concept of adapting inherently strong structures such egg cartons and corrugated iron to integrate strength and lightness into the MAXTRAX MKI design, structures which are still evident in the MAXTRAX MKII. Due to Brad's experience, ingenuity and "hands-on" research, the idea of an alternative and innovative vehicle recovery device that was safe, simple, quick and easy to use eventually came to fruition in the form of MAXTRAX.
LIGHTWEIGHT & DURABLE
We tested several types and grades of super tough nylons to create a lightweight, yet durable product that provides superior performance with our focus on the key issues of strength, effectiveness, usability and aesthetics. MAXTRAX was trialled countless times using typical (and not so typical) bogging scenarios and after many late nights and product refinements, MAXTRAX was ready to launch onto the Australian 4WD accessories market in late 2005. Not long after, MAXTRAX won Australian 4WD Monthly Magazine's award for Best New Product under $500.
NOW WIDELY AVAILABLE
Since then MAXTRAX have been discovered by 4WD adventurers around the world as the safe, simple, quick and easy method of vehicle recovery. MAXTRAX are now widely available around Australia at most TJM, Opposite Lock, ARB, BCF, Supercheap Auto and Anaconda stores as well as a number of independent retailers , and from stockists in thirty countries including the USA, Peru, South Africa, Norway, France, England, Japan, Ukraine, New Zealand and UAE, to name just a few. Our customers now include mining, energy and exploration companies, government agencies, 4WD trainers and tour operators, lifeguard services, rural fire services, State Emergency Service branches, off road rally drivers, the Australian Army, US Defense Force and the United Nations.
In November 2010, the new MAXTRAX MKII won 2 Global Media Awards for Best New Product at the 2010 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV, USA. Not a bad result for a 5-year-old 'little Aussie company' on its first visit to SEMA!
MAXTRAX is now an I4WDTA (International 4WD Trainers Association) Recommended Product.
