X-BULL Recovery Tracks Gen 2.0 10T Sand Mud Snow 2 Pairs Offroad 4WD 4x4 2PC 91CM

Getting bogged is rarely dramatic. The wheels simply stop finding anything to push against — wet clay, soft sand, a snow-covered gutter — and every extra rev digs the hole deeper. A recovery board gives the tyre a solid surface to climb instead, and a set of four means both axles are covered in one go.

Where the grip actually comes from

Two surfaces do the work. The top face carries a U-shaped reinforced ridge pattern with spikes that bite into the tread and stop the tyre sliding sideways off the board. Underneath, a cruciform grid keys into whatever is below so the board itself does not shoot backwards when the wheel loads it. Both ends taper down, which gives the tyre a ramp to pick up rather than a step to climb. X-BULL states the boards accommodate vehicles up to 10 tonnes on flat ground, without saying how that figure was determined.

Nylon that survives a summer on the roof

The boards are moulded from a reinforced nylon mixture, and the properties that matter in practice are compressive strength, so the board does not flatten under a loaded 4WD, fatigue resistance, so it survives being used season after season rather than once, and UV stability, because most recovery boards spend their lives strapped to a rack in full sun. Nylon also ignores salt and mud without corroding. A pair weighs 4.7 kg gross, and the moulded handle is shaped to be gripped with gloves on or with wet hands.

Key features

• Four boards supplied: enough to place under all four wheels, or to double up on the axle that is actually stuck.
• Spiked U-profile top: the ridges dig into the tread and resist the tyre walking sideways off the board.
• Cruciform underside: grips the ground so the board stays put as the wheel loads up.
• Gen 2.0 profile: shorter and lighter than Gen 3.0, with a rivet arrangement and density the supplier says gives stronger friction for general off-road use.
• Tapered ends: also usable as a scoop for clearing sand or mud from in front of a tyre.
• Four colours: olive, black, blue or red.

Specifications

• Board size: 910 x 310 x 60 mm each
• Material: reinforced nylon mixture, UV resistant
• Load figure: 10 tonnes on flat ground (supplier stated; basis not specified)
• Weight: 4.7 kg gross per pair
• Carton size: 920 x 320 x 125 mm
• Quantity: the supplier's contents list states 4 boards (2 pairs); the product title states both "2 Pairs" and "2PC" — confirm the quantity before ordering
• Colours available: Olive, Black, Blue, Red

What's in the box

• 4 x Gen 2.0 recovery tracks
• 2 x X-BULL stickers

Before you drive onto them

• Ease onto the board with the least throttle that will move the vehicle. Spinning a tyre on the ridges melts and shreds them within seconds, and no board of any brand survives it.
• Clear the sand or mud banked in front of the tyre first so the board sits flat and cannot tip as the wheel meets it.
• Stand clear of the wheels while the vehicle is moving. A board can be thrown out backwards at speed.
• Collect and check the boards after each recovery and retire any that are cracked or badly deformed.
• These are traction aids, not rated recovery equipment. Never attach a strap, winch line or shackle to a board, and never use one as an anchor.

Available in olive, black, blue or red, with the stickers thrown in.