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Rubber tracks are going to be the hardest for your machine to skid-turn and hardest on your machine to drive I n general. Short of snow use, I despise them especially on older or lower powered machines and those that do not have HD axle flanges. Again a channel track thread attempting to be turned into something else
If you are worried about rocks it would be hard pressed to damage metal tracks like the Channel or Escargo. Rocks are slippery period, but the metal tracks take a pretty good bite out of anything while the plastic is hard to grip on a hard surface like rock or ice. The Channel and Escargo setups are pretty bullet proof, my Escargo came with repair kits for hinges and tracks if for some reason I find a way to shred the rubber or break a hinge while out in the boonies.
A fair question to ask is: how dependable is s track in the event it does suffer damage? While you can tweak or bend metal, I've never seen the "guide" portion of an elevated belt grouser break, chip, or be gouged. The track always remains dependable in keeping the tires within the guides and significantly limiting (virtually eliminating) tire sidewall wear.
Other track styles that have moveable guide "tips" can sustain damage to their guides, rendering them useless at times. They can also damage tire sidewalls simply because the guide surface can be leveraged into the sidewalls and also because the guide surface becomes damaged.
For clarification, a Channel or Escargo track is an elevated belt track. Also, using tracks in rocks is most definitely hard on them, and my advice to people is to be friendly on there machines (and their tracks) when driving on rocks or other hard/bouncy terrain. Replacing a cleat is as easy as unbolting it and bolting another one on. But never worry about the guides on an elevated belt track, they will always remain dependable, and the track always remains 100% driveable.
I wouldn't worry about steel grousers on rocks as far as durability. I have run snow chains in very rocky (where talking no dirt only rock crawling) situations and never broke or damaged a set, that said grip was almost nil and it was pretty sketchy.
I'm withdeedeelin1 on this one. I'm in a rocky area, and run gbc gators on my max 2. Not once while running through rocky area have I seen the need for metal tracks.
Is Castro just driving on rocks or is there many different types of conditions and rocks was just a concern? The Chanels are very versatile and are tough enough for rocks. Is a 6x6 with any track the best machine for crawling rocks, NO, but I assume Castro also has other terrain that will be traversed as well. The nice part about Chanels is that they are adaptable, you could take old snowmobile belts or thicker belting cut in strips and bolt on in the grouser "channel" to make a slightly protruding rubber pad that would give more grip. Yes I agree that if Castro was only driving on rocks tires would be better.
I'll echo what Shotgun has expressed I think- you don't need tracks in rocky terrain, that goes without saying. Nobody that I'm aware of thinks you do. The poster's question was about potential abuse from track use in rocks. More importantly I added that you're not going to damage the guides of an elevated belt track in the rocks. Can you tweak metal grousers-yes. Can you break the guides entirely on other track styles that are Non- elevated belt tracks- absolutely. My point is you'll always remain driveable and functional with the elevated-belt track. And we all know that if you're actually using your machine in the backcountry, you're going to transition over every terrain type repeatedly, including rocks. If all you're going to do is rock climb, get a different machine. Original poster wasn't asking about that. I strictly build tracks for local Alaskans in my area because I'm familiar with the terrain. No recreational mud /ATV parks here to play in. Most everyone uses them for utility work. I just wish Adair track owners wouldn't mob any channel track discussion that takes place. I'd prefer not to go down that road. Yes I have tried the adair track in our conditions and have ended up helping a contingent of others who have as well. Every track has its place. Buzz
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