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BEACH DRIVING
How far should I air down today?
Tire pressure is the difference between a beach and a tow bill. Air down before you need it.
Right now
Reading the buoys and the tide station for beach driving…
Live data unavailable
Live wind is not answering right now. Air down to 18-20 PSI on a normal summer beach, 15-18 PSI if the sand is dry and deep, and carry a strap and a shovel.
Check the buoy page →Sand to tire pressure
This table is the guide. It does not change with the weather, which makes it the part worth printing and keeping in the truck.
| Sand | When you will see it | Air down to |
|---|---|---|
| Firm sand | Winter, wet and packed, or the lower beach at low tide | 20-25 PSIWinter, wet and packed, or the lower beach at low tideStill air down. Firm sand turns soft the moment you leave the water line. |
| Normal summer sand | Dry surface over packed sand, the usual summer beach | 18-20 PSIDry surface over packed sand, the usual summer beachThe default number for the OBX. Air down at the access, not halfway down the beach. |
| Soft and deep | Dry sugar sand, deep ruts, or a busy weekend of traffic | 15-18 PSIDry sugar sand, deep ruts, or a busy weekend of trafficMore footprint, more float. Keep the wheel straight and the throttle steady. |
| Blowing sand | Wind over 25 kt | 15 PSI, then check the tide and the forecastWind over 25 ktBlown sand buries the ruts you planned to follow. Air down more, drive the wet sand, and be ready to turn around. |
What has to be in the truck
| Gear | What it is for | Where it lives |
|---|---|---|
| Tire deflator | Bleeds all four tires at once, and usually has a built-in gauge.In the truck, every trip. It is the one tool you will use twice a day. | In the truck, every trip. It is the one tool you will use twice a day. |
| Pressure gauge | Tells you what the tires actually are, not what the deflator claims.Check before the access and again before the highway. | Check before the access and again before the highway. |
| Tow strap | Two rated straps let another driver pull you out without damaging either truck.Under the seat. Never use a strap with hooks, and never use a chain. | Under the seat. Never use a strap with hooks, and never use a chain. |
| Shovel | Clears sand from the tires and the frame so the truck can move again.Dig out the tires first, then the undercarriage, then try to drive. | Dig out the tires first, then the undercarriage, then try to drive. |
| Traction boards | Give a spinning tire something to climb onto.Worth the space if you drive soft sand alone or at night. | Worth the space if you drive soft sand alone or at night. |
| Air-up station | Puts the tires back to highway pressure before you leave the beach.Know where yours is before you go. Free air is not everywhere. | Know where yours is before you go. Free air is not everywhere. |
| 4WD low range | Steady torque without wheelspin.Engage it before the sand, not after you are already stuck. | Engage it before the sand, not after you are already stuck. |
Driving the sand
Air down before you get stuck, not after. The time to drop to 18 PSI is at the access ramp with the tires hot from the highway.
Pick a lane and commit. Sharp turns and sudden throttle are what dig a truck in, not soft sand alone.
Stop on the hard stuff. If you have to stop to fish, pull off in the packed sand near the water, not in the soft tracks behind you.
Air back up before the highway. Under-inflated tires heat up fast at 55 mph and the beach is not worth a blowout.
Air-down card
| Sand | PSI | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Firm, packed | 20-25Soft sand at every access | Soft sand at every access |
| Normal summer | 18-20Ruts from heavy weekend traffic | Ruts from heavy weekend traffic |
| Soft and deep | 15-18Burying a tire on a start | Burying a tire on a start |
| Blowing sand | 15Blown-in ruts, high tide line | Blown-in ruts, high tide line |
Next in the chain
Updated Oct 30, 2026