Got stuck in a sand trap at Assateague Island for 2 hours because I didn't air down enough

Watched my buddy's stock Tacoma crawl right through the same spot I was digging out with a shovel, and that's when I learned 18 psi is way too high for deep sand. Has anyone else had a beach trip go sideways because you skipped the air-down?

2 comments

2 Comments

vera_lewis2d ago

Oh man, "18 psi is way too high for deep sand" - that hit close to home. I did basically the same thing at Cape Lookout last summer, thought I was being smart by airing down to 20 and spent a good hour digging out while a guy in a Ford Ranger with bald tires just cruised past me at like 10 psi. It's humbling, you know? That moment when you realize your "careful" prep was just rookie numbers. I carry a tire gauge and a little compressor now, and I won't even think about driving on soft stuff unless I'm down to 12 or 13 psi.

evab522d ago

You're so right about that humbling moment, @vera_lewis. I had a similar wake-up call at the Outer Banks years ago and watched a guy in a rusty Subaru just float over the same stretch. Now I live by the rule of airing down way more than feels comfortable, like 12 psi is my starting point for any real sand. It still feels wrong on the gauge sometimes, but getting stuck is way more embarrassing than a little squishy driving. The guys who look like they don't know what they're doing usually have the best sand game, it's wild.