Sand
If off-roading on rocks is about technique and equipment, then sand is about momentum and reading the dune. This is also a terrain that you can have a lot of fun on with a stock vehicle, especially if it's an SUV with a V-8.
But sand can also be evil. Dunes change every time the wind blows. If you're having a blast on one specific dune on Saturday, it may be a completely different dune the next day. Don't trust sand.
Also, pay careful attention to the other side of a dune. There are two things to be watchful of. One is to make sure there aren't vehicles or people on the other side. Some areas require vehicles to have tall orange flag whips which make it easier to see them on the other side of dunes. The other thing to watch is if the dune falls away on the other side. Regardless of how many safety items you have, caution is still smart. Typically, dunes have a gradual side with a sharp drop off on the other side (razorback). We've seen drops of more than 50 feet, which will mess you up badly if you crest the top with speed. And just because you see people going over the dune in one spot, does not mean it's safe twenty feet to the left or to the right. There are two ways to check this out. One is to drive around to the other side of the dune. That's not always possible, so the other method is to drive to the top and look before you launch your vehicle over. Get out and walk to the top and take a look.
So the key to driving on dunes is momentum. You'll need enough to mount the dune, but not so much that you go bouncing over variations in the surface. With most vehicles, you'll need to gradually let off the throttle as you climb to keep from digging in. Once your tires start spinning without moving the truck forward, it's time to abort that run. Unless you're driving a buggy with paddle tires, digging in sand will only get you stuck, or stuck worse. You also dig big holes in the dune which everyone has to drive around, which won't win you any new friends.
Leave cresting the top of dunes at 50 mph to the trophy trucks. Get to the top with just enough speed for your momentum to carry you over the dune and down the other side. Too much momentum, and you'll launch off the top; too little momentum and you'll get stuck on the way up and have to back down. Backing down a dune can be very tricky-more so than you'd think. Be very careful to back your vehicle down the dune, keeping it as straight as you can.
Sand can be a blast to drive on. The only time you'll damage sheetmetal is if you run into another 4x4 or you roll - and both are pretty easy to avoid with some common sense and good judgement.
 Momentum is your friend on...  Momentum is your friend on sand. Start off with enough steam to get to the top of the dune. If your tires start spinning and you don't think you'll make it to the top, you have two choices. You can stop and back straight down. Or, if you still have enough speed, you can turn and make an arc to head back down the dune. You'll need to stay on the throttle to do this, and there's a chance of rollover if the dune is steep enough and you don't have the power and speed to complete the U-turn. |  If you lose momentum and your...  If you lose momentum and your tires start digging in, stop! Try backing up, straighten your front wheels if they are turned and try again. Digging big holes just makes it harder to yank you out with that tow strap you brought with you. |  Lower tire pressure on sand...  Lower tire pressure on sand helps you float over the sand instead of digging in. But, too little air and you'll pull the tire off the bead as the editor has demonstrated here. Generally, a stock tire with a wheel size of 16 inches or smaller can air down to 20 psi without trouble. Larger wheels are more prone to this, so higher air pressure is needed. |