When you want to go and drive on the beach, you better make sure that you have the right sand tires that allow you to enjoy a pleasant trail without encountering any problems. If you do not choose the right sand tires for your vehicle, you might get your car stuck in the sand. To prevent this, make sure you choose the tire that gives you the most utility for a price that you can afford. So, what are the 10 best tires for driving on the beach?
There are many good tires that you can use to drive on the beach – the favorite choice being the BFGoodrich BAJA TA. To choose tires that will serve you the most on the beach, make sure they have a good construction that allows them for deflation and a tread that offers a lot of traction on sand.
There are many tires to choose from. Some tires are good because they are larger. Other tires are good because they are wider. Some tires have technologically advanced treads that give them a lot of traction. Other tires have excellent construction that allows them to be deflated and, thus, swim on the sand. Most of these tires have many things in common. Let us explore all of the aspects that make these tires good!
The 10 Best Tires For Driving On The Beach
In no particular order, let us discuss the top 10 best tires you would want on your vehicle when you tackle those sandy beaches!
1. BFGoodrich Baja TA
These were some of the first (and some maintain that they were also the best-performance) off-road tires that are currently available. These tires have more Baja 1000 Champions than the rest of the tires combined and are. Accordingly, they are known to provide benchmark- and top-of-the-range performance in sandy terrains.
Unfortunately, they sell at a price that indicates how flagship they are – you will have to tip and shake your wallet a couple of times before you will be able to purchase them.
These tires excel in high-speed performance as well as soft-surface traction. These were their main design attributes. These attributes, combined with an incredibly advanced tread pattern, superior lateral traction, and very good side bite, make these tires one of the best you could ever fit on your vehicle for the beach (or any sand, for that matter) driving.
BF Goodrich Baja TA tires are the best tires you can buy to give your mind a little peace, even during undesirable conditions. This is because these tires are exceptionally durable when it comes to bruise-resistance, and they have defense mechanisms built into the tires’ sidewall to protect them against punctures.
The pattern on these tires is also unique: they have self-cleaning treads incorporated into them, ensuring that you always get a consistent, excellent grip that enhances your performance.
In summary, these tires are flagship tires that are probably the best on the market and have no rival when it comes to sand-oriented tires.
The pros and cons of these tires are as follows:
| Pros | Cons |
| They have ultra-high performance specifications. This holds for specifications related to driving on sandy terrains, as well as driving at high speeds. | The tires are considered to be very expensive. |
| The tires have a configuration that allows them to provide a lot of traction on sand. | Predominantly used for soft-surface driving and are not meant to be used on the road. |
| The tires do not sink easily because it is sinking resistant | |
| The tires are very rugged and are very durable. | |
| The Soft-surface traction of these tires is off the charts. | |
| The tires are Capable and ready to be used in racing events. |
2. Nitto Dune Grappler
These tires were meant to give you great performance when it comes to dirt, loose rocks, and sand. Nitto Dune Grappler tires are very popular and rated very favorably when it comes to trucks or Jeeps. They are a very good choice of tires if you want to have sand tires that can also function on the pavement.
These tires have sidewalls that are reinforced with 3-ply polyester, which ensures that you get all the durability and protection you need.
These tires have excellent traction and grip due to the void ratios spaced in the tires’ tread. Additionally, these tires come with 3D grooving that supports a more rigid tread block, which mitigates wear and tear, and also the road noise that may result from a tread-lug movement that is unwanted.
The uniquely flamed tread block ensures that these tires have excellent traction in sand and, simultaneously, ensures that the tires do not sink. You can attribute this to the flat design of the tread, which also gives drivers more stability at higher speeds.
Experts maintain that the lowered spinning area of the tires ensures that more of the tire is kept in contact with the sand beneath it. This is important for flotation while one is driving in unique conditions.
When you purchase these tires, you can choose between two sidewall designs – this being for purely aesthetic purposes, of course.
This tire is rated very highly when it comes to ‘dry performance’ and quietness, but it does not fare very well with comfort.
The pros and cons of these tires are as follows:
| Pros | Cons |
| The tires come with excellent traction in the sand. | Less than ideal traction when it comes to wet terrains. |
| Sinking is not a problem due to sinking resistance. | |
| It is easy to deflate the tires due to the tires’ construction. | |
| They are considered quiet for sand-terrain tires. |
3. Falken Wildpeak AT3W
These tires offer a lot of value and performance and are designed to provide the customer with a lot of utility at a very affordable price. These tires are designed to be all-seasoned, and they excel in three areas: wet performance, winter performance, and wear and tread life.
It must be noted that these tires are not specifically designated as sand tires, but many enthusiasts believe them to be some of the top tires for driving on the beach or partake in dune driving. Enthusiasts love these tires because these tires have some of the deepest threads in their category.
This tire’s tread is made of very specific silica, which ensures that these tires have an immensely good grip and durability.
These tires also possess a built-in cooling system in their sidewalls, which allows the tire to endure large thermal stresses that can occur if they are under heavy loads or severe use. Furthermore, the construction of the tire ensures that the tires can be deflated and used in deep sand – without sinking!
The shoulders of these tires are interlocked, which increases the handling stability of these tires on all surfaces they drive on. Additionally, it also causes the tires to not wear so much. All of this is possible due to the 3D SIPE technology that is incorporated into these tires.
In short, these tires are designed to be all-purpose and off-road tires, but they are rated very well when it comes to their usage in the sand – all of this at an affordable price.
The pros and cons of these tires are as follows:
| Pros | Cons |
| These tires are rated very well when it comes to sand usage. | Some feel that these tires are louder on highways than tires that are comparable to them. |
| These tires have very long tread lives. | |
| These tires possess features that are considered innovative. | |
| These tires are affordable compared to other sand tires. | |
| You can use these tires on surfaces that are slippery. | |
| These tires can be used on the road and have great stability on roads. | |
| These tires can be used in the snow as well. |
4. Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ P3
These tires are considered to be one of the best tires for driving on sand, despite being allocated as all-terrain tires. These tires were designed to have increased sand performance, which was one of the main focus points of their design. That is why we say these are all-terrain tires but have “dune” capabilities/abilities.
These tires have silica-reinforced compounds incorporated in them, in addition to being cut-ship resistant and having a special sidewall construction that provides a lot of sidewall protection. All of this helps with deflating your tires if you have to, which allows you to use the tires with very little pressure. This allows for driving in very deep or loose sand.
The tread pattern on these tires is carefully designed to ensure that the tires are also capable of being used on other off-road surfaces as well.
The pros and cons of these tires are as follows:
| Pros | Cons |
| These tires offer great amounts of traction on sand. | These tires are not ideal in the snow because they lack traction and braking capabilities therein. |
| These tires also offer a lot of sinking resistance on the sand. | |
| These tires have a construction that is durable and tough. | |
| These tires offer a lot of stability, grip, and traction on normal roads as well. |
5. Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure With Kevlar
These are considered by some enthusiasts as their favorite off-road tires simply because of their Kevlar construction. Because of the Kevlar construction of these tires, they are very good at deflating in all types of terrain – which, per se, helps while driving on sand terrains.
These tires have treads that are, perhaps, too aggressive for terrains that contain very deep sand, but deflating your tires can help you navigate through them just as easily. The tread pattern is not ideal for sand, but the tire’s compound and the technology of the sidewalls make these tires almost balloon-like. This means that these tires rarely sink.
These tires are very good all-terrain tires for surfaces that are slippery, including mud, gravel, dirt, and so on. These tires come with a significant amount of braking, traction, and grip.
The pros and cons of these tires are as follows:
| Pros | Cons |
| They are tires with very strong construction, which can help with the deflating of the tires. | As mentioned, deep sands are not navigable due to the ‘aggressive’ thread of the tires. You can, however, mitigate this by deflating the tires. |
| They have impeccable traction on surfaces, including slippery ones. | |
| They perform very well on normal roads. | |
| They are even usable in situations of unpacked/light snow. | |
| They have a treadwear warranty of 60,000 miles. |
6. BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2
Being some of the most popular tires you can find in the all-terrain category available, these tires are made by people that are clued up when it comes to driving on sand.
Because the manufacturer of these tires has experience in racing on desert terrains, their all-terrain tires are also very good for driving on sand. These tires have a very durable construction, which makes that they can be deflated and used for sand driving. However, these tires also have an aggressive tread pattern, which makes them very good at providing the necessary traction.
These tires are also excellent off-road tires when it comes to non-sand surfaces. These surfaces can include anything from mud, gravel, rocks, dirt, etc.
These tires are also very good at driving on-road; they have excellent handling and provide stability at very high speeds – on wet surfaces and on dry surfaces. These tires also have the right configuration that makes them good for usage on light snow surfaces.
The sad thing about these tires is that they cause a lot of noise on highways due to their tread design, but the fact that they come with a 50,000-mile warranty on their treadwear makes it entirely worth it.
The pros and cons of these tires are as follows:
| Pros | Cons |
| They can deflate due to the fact that their construction incorporated sidewall armor. | They are not quite at all due to their tread design. |
| They have excellent off-road capabilities in general. | |
| They are known to be very strong and durable. | |
| They come with a warranty on their treadwear. | |
| They provide more than enough traction on on-roads surfaces. |
7. Continental Terrain Contact A/T
These all-terrain tires are not as aggressive as other all-terrain tires, but that means that it makes them a bit better for driving on sand. They have been described as moderate all-terrain tires, which means that they, technically, are meant for excelling on-road, but they have a very large contact area with the surface upon which they drive – something which is very beneficially when it comes to sand driving.
As with many tires that are capable of driving on sand, these tires can be deflated to very low pressures, which will allow you to easily drive on the sand and over dunes – the construction of these tires ensures that this is possible. The tires also provide resistance to sinking.
The tread of these tires is aggressive enough to give you some traction as well. These tires also perform very well on-road and work exceptionally well compared to other all-terrain tires. The braking and handling provided by these tires are fantastic, and, more importantly, they are exceptionally comfortable.
These tires usually come with a treadwear warranty of 60,000 miles, which is a great positive, but a negative is that these tires do not really perform well when it comes to terrain containing large rocks or mud. It is better that you use them for sand, dirt, and gravel terrains.
The pros and cons of these tires are as follows:
| Pros | Cons |
| More than sufficient performance when it comes to sand driving. | These tires do not work well when it comes to rocky or muddy terrains. |
| When it comes to all-terrain tires, these are probably the best ones you can buy when it comes to on-road performance. | |
| A very good treadwear warranty comes with these tires. | |
| The tread design of these tires ensures that they are not very loud, and they provide excellent comfort when compared to other all-terrain tires. |
8. Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo 3
These tires, not unlike the Continental Terrain Contact tires, are designed to excel on on-road surfaces.
When it comes to the tread design of these tires, they are not very aggressive, which can be a disadvantage when it comes to muddy terrains. On the other hand, the tread pattern makes these tires very good for driving in the sand.
As with most tires that can drive on sand, these tires have a tough construction, which means that deflating them to low pressures is possible. When these tires are used at low pressures, they can easily drive over sand and beaches.
A great feature about these tires is that they provide a great amount of comfort when it comes to on-road driving. Some describe these tires as feeling like ordinary highway tires when they drive on the street. This is good because the tires come with a very good treadwear warranty, should you decide to use these tires for not only long sand-driving tours but also long highway travels.
The pros and cons of these tires are as follows:
| Pros | Cons |
| Their performance on the road can be described as remarkable overall. | These tires have less than impressive performance when it comes to muddy terrains. |
They are very quiet compared to other tires when it comes to on-road driving, and they provide a great amount of comfort when it comes to highways. | These tires are not ideal for driving in the snow, seeing as they only provide a moderate amount of traction in snowy terrains. |
| They can deflate due to the nature of their construction. | |
| They have a treadwear warranty of 60,000 miles. |
9. Yokohoma Geolandar M/T G003
These tires are mud-terrain tires that have attributes that are perfectly designed and functionalities that are incorporated that make them fantastic tires for driving on the sand as well.
These tires’ attributes are very in demand, and all of them are grouped into this single set of tires. These attributes ensure that the tires possess features that allow them to be used both off-road and on-road due to the traction these tires provide. All of this is thanks to the special design of the tread on rubber compounding used on these tires.
The technology that is incorporated into these tires ensures that they have a construction that allows the tire to endure strain in the long haul. Additionally, the profile of these tires is so wide and flat that they wear evenly and, thus, last very long. It also allows these tires to perform very well, which even includes driving on sand.
For the sake of convenience, the engineers designed the tires with a pitch variation that allows the tires to perform quietly on on-road surfaces. This is ideal if you have had a long day of exploring the trails and decide to take the highway back home.
These tires are very reasonably priced and provide high performance, which makes enthusiasts appreciate them a lot.
The pros and cons of these tires are as follows:
| Pros | Cons |
| They are very affordable and reasonably priced. | Despite performing well on sand, these tires are not specifically dedicated to sand driving. |
| They provide solid performance when it comes to muddy and sand terrains. | |
| There are built-in protection provisions in these tires. | |
| The on-road noise of these tires is very reasonable compared to comparable alternatives. |
10. Mickey Thompson Baja Claw
These tires are known to be one of the most popular and toughest off-road tires that Mickey Thompson has to offer. These tires were designed to go on some of the most extreme off-road terrains that you can find yourself in.
These tires entail many designs and features that allow them to deliver top performance when it comes to driving on many terrains. These tires, for example, come with SideBiters that provide them with a lot of additional traction in muddy terrains and, more importantly, sand.
These tires are also “tall,” which improves ground clearance. This ensures that if you have a 4×4 with these tires on it, you will have a bit of aid that prevents you from “bottoming out,” and it also helps your vehicle from being grounded against the terrain.
The sidewalls of these tires provide resistance against being cut, which makes them more durable when it comes to aggressive terrains. This cut-resistance feature ensures that the tires do not wear and tear at an accelerated rate in terrains that might inflict damage upon the tires.
These tires are just amazing all-around tires that can perform in almost any off-road environment, including sand. It is, however, not that idea when it comes to on-road traveling.
The pros and cons of these tires are as follows:
| Pros | Cons |
| The tires are rated as very high-performance tires. | Expensive compared to other comparable tires. |
| The tires have the capability of performing well in almost any off-road environment. | Heavy on fuel use. |
| The tires are very durable tires that offer resistance to cut damage. | Not as quiet as other tires when it comes to driving on roads. |
Best tips when choosing your sand tires
- Invest in tires that have paddles. Paddle tires help with navigating through the sand. The more aggressive the paddles are, the easier they will allow you to swim on the sand. If you have a big vehicle that has a lot of horsepowers, you can go for tires that have a lot of aggressive paddles. If you have a smaller vehicle with less horsepower, go for fewer paddles that are less aggressive.
- Choose as wide tires as possible that can run at low air pressures. With wide tires that run at the lowest air pressures, you get larger patches of these tires that come into contact with the sand. Some lower the air pressure within the tires to 7 psi to ensure that the tire does not develop an unnecessary bulge but still floats on top of the sand.
- Choose mud-terrain over all-terrain tires. Conventional wisdom seems to be that, if all other variables are kept equal, all-terrain tires triumph over mud-terrain tires when it comes to sand driving. This is only true if air pressure is pumped up to the max, but if air pressure is decreased, then the mud-terrain tires offer more grip than all-terrain tires.
- Choose tires that have sidewalls that are higher. If you want to be able to inflate your tires more, you will want higher sidewalls because short sidewalls mean that you will not be able to deflate your tires much before you start damaging the rims.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many tires that are excellent for driving on the sand. The top choice being the BFGoodrich Baja TA, due to its impeccable performance and features that keep it tough, durable, and ready for any obstacle in the sand.
Most of these tires have a few things in common: they all have tread designs that allow them to have a lot of traction on sandy terrains, they are all tires that have strong constructions that allow them to be deflated (which allows them to glide over sand), and they all have some degree of resistance to sinking.
So, make sure that when you buy tires for your vehicle when you go driving on the beach, that they comply with the tips given above and that they reflect most of the traits of the tires mentioned above. If you are unsure, rather just buy one of the tire sets above, and you’ll have a good experience no matter what!