As four-wheel drivers, we tend to love buying gear for our vehicles. Anything new and shiny that will fit your 4×4 goes straight on the shopping list and onto your rig as soon as possible.

Vehicle recovery gear is no exception – in fact, it’s a favourite collectible for many gear addicts. Winches, ropes, snatch blocks and recovery boards are all in constant development, and each time a new version is released, it becomes a must-have item. Sometimes, though, it’s not the shiny new gear you need, but the simple tools you use most – and the most effective at getting your vehicle unstuck. The best example is the humble shovel or spade.

If there was ever a must-have piece of kit for 4×4 recovery, it’s a long-handled shovel. Stuck in sand or mud? Your shovel is your best friend, and as a bonus it’s always handy around camp for digging a dunny, a firepit or drainage gutters. It’s an invaluable piece of gear for any four-wheel driver.

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MAXTRAX knows a thing or two about 4×4 recovery equipment. The Australian company revolutionised the segment when it introduced its bright orange recovery boards, and has since released them in different specifications, sizes and a rainbow of colours around the world.

One of the clever attributes of the MAXTRAX recovery board design is that the ends can be used as makeshift shovels in some conditions. This works okay in soft sand, but not so well in harder ground, and the size of the boards often prevents them from getting under a vehicle.

MAXTRAX is a company that is always innovating, and its latest release is a clever take on the humble shovel. The MAXTRAX All Terrain Recovery Shovel is a multi-piece spade that gives you the option of long or short handles, and a T-bar or round-end grip, simply by screwing in the desired components.

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The shovel head is coated steel and shaped to dig into hard ground. Consideration has also been given to the size of the head so it isn’t so large that it can’t be worked under a bogged vehicle. This is where the longer handle comes into its own.

What’s really clever is the way the recovery shovel and spare handle slot into your MAXTRAX boards, wherever you mount them – be it on a roof rack or a spare wheel carrier. The shovel fits neatly into the boards, where it’s secure yet easy to access when needed. In addition to the recovery shovel and its range of recovery boards, MAXTRAX also offers a selection of recovery ropes, complete recovery kits and first-aid kits, making it a one-stop shop for 4×4 recovery gear.

The shovel comes with brackets, straps and a cable lock to secure it to your MAXTRAX boards.

RRP: $349 | 🔧 View product details

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