Best tires for sand?

Hey guys, had some fun today, went to the river and drove down the sand banks. Truck had more trouble than usual. Sand was slightly wet so I wasn't going anywhere quick, but I got where I needed to go. On my way out I had to go up a short but steep sand incline and it took several attempts to make it, in 4 hi from a stop it wouldn't even spin the tires. Just revved up, but no wheel spin, never had that happen before. so I put it 4 lo and a few attempts later I made it. No, I didn't air down. Didn't have a compressor on me and was an hour from the house, although I know I needed to air down.

So that brings me to my question, what is a great tire for sand and mud? I have falken wildpeak at3w, 33in right now. I like them, but I drive on sandy rivers quite a bit hunting fossils and letting the dogs have their fun.

 

Sand and mud are really opposite ends of the spectrum. In mud you want a tire that digs and flings. In sand you want a tire that floats without digging.

An all terrain that isn't too aggressive is good for sand. Deflating is key no matter what tire you have. Your tires should do well but need deflating and a bit of driving technique.

 

Yep, we use to call MTs grave diggers in sand. In sand you don't want an aggressive tread which is opposite of mud. In mud you want a tread that cleans itself. Sand is kind of similar to snow. You want to stay on top. Only difference in snow is you want the treads to pack with snow so a little more open. Snow sticks to snow better then rubber. Tires and life are a compromise. Pick the situations you encounter most when picking a tire. For me it is mud, rocks, cactus, and mesquite so an aggressive AT or MT fits

 

Yeah I need an on board air compressor. This is the first time I ever had any problems in sand, been driving in it for years without issue. I usually have MTs, this is my first set of ATs so I figured they may have had something to do with it.

 

Most of the terrain here in the south is mud, but I know of some sand spots to drive and I love doing it. All I've had on my tundra is ATs, but my previous single cab old fords had MTs and did good in the sand. But they had incredibly low gearing too which may have helped? Not alot of people here to consult with about driving in the sand so its good to get opinions on people that are experienced with it. I'll stay away from MTs and maybe find a more aggressive AT because I do encounter mud quite a bit as well. Thanks for all the advice guys!

 

Yup, get a decent compressor and you'll be set. I picked up a Viar a while back and its been good for me. Just has alligator clips to attach to the battery and I'm ready to inflate, does my 33s in no time and barely gets hot.

 

Airing down is key. I’m on the Delaware beaches all the time. The sand here is like flour in the summer. I have the stock Michelin’s and have no issues. A mud tire is what you want to research. Find your mud tire and you won’t have a problem in the sand...if you air down. I usually go down to 20 psi. There are times when we don’t have rain for a while I’ll go down as far as 15. Another tip in sand, don’t turn you steering while stopped, and keep your momentum. If you do "start" to get stuck in the sand, STOP! Dig out around your tires and use a board to get out. I watch so many guys beat the shit out off their rig trying to keep going. They end up on the frame and it takes much more digging when the testosterone drops, and the brain finally fires back up.