ATV Sand Tires
Sedona Cyclone Rib Sand Tire: Front Tire
Specs
- Tread Depth: N/A
- Sizes: 19″ – 22″
- Rim Sizes: 8″ – 10″
- Ply/Load Range: 2 ply
- Construction: Bias
- Weight: 21×7-10 = 9.4 lbs
Slowly over time, ATVs/SxS began having larger, faster engines and improved suspension. All these improvements resulted in heavier vehicles to accommodate all the performance mods.
At this point, Sedona saw a hole in the market for high-performance tires to keep up with all the other advances that were being made. They’ve been producing tires since 2006, always keeping up with the latest technological advances.
The Sedona Cyclone provides excellent floatation in an ultra-lightweight design.
The dual-centered ribs provide predictable turning and the ability to sidehill without losing traction.
Sedona Cyclone Sand: Rear Tire
Specs
- Tread Depth: 1″
- Sizes: 19″ – 22″
- Rim Sizes: 8″ – 10″
- Ply/Load Range: 2 ply
- Construction: Bias
- Weight: 20×11-9 = 14.7 lbs
Ultra lightweight, these tires don’t cut weight at the expense of performance.
With eight large 1″ paddles, Sedona designed these tires for all types of sand – dry sand, heavy wet sand and fine-grained volcanic sand.
The premium rubber compound used in these tires is strong and flexible while shaving off the pounds.
In the photo you can see rubber support ridges on the back side of the paddles, these help control slides on ridge-back dunes.
Due to the asymmetrical tread design, these tires are designated as either left or right mount.
CST Sandblast Tires
Specs
- Tread Depth: .79″
- Sizes: 28″-30″
- Rim Sizes: 14″-17″
- Ply/Load Range: 2 ply
- Construction: Bias
- Weight: 30X12-14 = 20 lbs
CST did a little outside-the-box thinking with these tires.
Rather than going with fewer, deeper paddles, they went in the opposite direction – more paddles with less depth. Then they took it a step further and added additional knobs.
The 30″ tires have 14 paddles while the 32″ tires have 15 paddles. And, in addition to more paddles, they put 4 stripes of additional knobs in between paddles – 2 straight and 2 angled towards the outside edge.
More shallow paddles provide the traction you’re looking for in a sand tire, but with better acceleration and a smoother overall ride.
With big paddles, they dig deep, so you lose acceleration as well as some responsiveness, so this is an excellent improvement.
The addition of the knobs between the paddles helps smooth out the ride, especially on hard surfaces. They’re not as smooth as a good trail tire, but they’re much smoother than a tall paddle.
The rows of angled knobs also help provide stability on the sand hills.
Overall, CST has made some strong advances with this tire. Who knows, maybe this will become the standard in the future.
ITP Sand Star: Front Tires
Specs
- Tread Depth: .5″
- Sizes: 18″-26″
- Rim Sizes: 8″-12″
- Ply/Load Range: 2 ply
- Construction: Bias
- Weight: 21×7-10 = 10 lbs
ITP tires are made right here in the US by engineers, designers and technicians working at the ITP tire facility in Clinton TN.
Unlike the other ATV sand tires in this roundup, the Sand Star has two continuous center ribs rather than a repeating knob design.
This dual rib center design delivers crazy good steering control – much better than the repeating knob design. You can turn on a dime with these bad boys.
Sidehilling is also excellent.
Some rider’s like a bit of squirreling on the dunes, if this is you, then this is not the tire for you. These tires are aggressive with bite.
ITP’s special rubber compound delivers excellent flotation, flexibility, cornering and precision handling.
ITP Sand Star: Rear Tire
Specs
- Tread Depth: 1.18″
- Sizes: 18″-26″
- Rim Sizes: 8″-12″
- Ply/Load Range: 2 ply
- Construction: Bias
- Weight: 26×11-12 = 18 lbs
The Sand Star has 8 paddles that are well over an inch high. This is a serious amount of traction.
In addition to the large paddles, they’ve also put in 8 “mini-scoops” to help with acceleration while also providing additional traction.
Even with only 8 big paddles, the smaller paddles make a significant difference in getting hooked up out of the gate. You’ll notice a significant difference when compared to just big paddles alone.
Riders who enjoy side hilling also love the grip and control that these tires offer.
The offset V tread design means that tires have to be mounted on the correct side. There is a right-side tire and a left-side tire, so make sure you mount them correctly.
STI Sand Drifter Tires
Specs
- Tread Depth: 1″
- Sizes: 28″-32″
- Rim Sizes: 14″-15″
- Ply/Load Range: 6 ply
- Construction: Bias
- Weight: 28×13-14 = 26 lbs
These are large profile tires made for SxS and dune buggies.
With sizes up to 32″, you get the height and power you need, but without excess weight.
Like the ITP Sand Star, this front tire features a continuous rib design, but they put their own spin on it.
Rather than 2 center-aligned ribs, this tire features a tall center rib with 2 smaller ribs on the outside edge. A light design that allows for precise handling and control.
The rear tire has fourteen 1″ paddles to give you the power you need. Made for powerful vehicles, these tires provide a wide footprint with a lightweight carcass.
Deep rim guards help keep sand out of the bead area. Tires are designed to operate at a low psi for maximum flotation.
Terache Mud & Sand
Specs
- Tread Depth: 1.57″
- Sizes: 28″ – 38″
- Rim Sizes: 14″
- Ply/Load Range: 8 ply
- Construction: Bias
- Weight: 32×9-14 = 42.2 lbs
Terache started designing and testing tires in 2014 and launched their first tire in early 2015
They have a presence in both Europe and the US and work closely with both racers and engineers while developing their tires.
Striving to be an innovator in the tire market, they also want to ensure that they deliver top-performing tires that can withstand tough racing conditions.
Sand paddle tires can be very expensive and might not be worth the investment unless you do a lot of deep sand riding. A good quality multi-use tire such as the Terache Mud and Sand could offer the perfect compromise.
So, although these tires are actually designed for mud, slush and snow, they’re also a good overall performer. The tread is wide-spaced as well as deep, so they work well as a sand pusher.
This tire offers excellent performance in a variety of terrains including sand.
The tread pattern reaches down the sidewall for traction on deep ruts.
Front Tires vs Rear Tires
On most ATVs the front and rear tires have the same type of tread. The rear tires may be a bit larger, but otherwise, the design and treads are exactly the same.
But, when it comes to ATV sand tires, the front and rear tires are remarkably distinct.
Front sand tires are sometimes also referred to as blade tires, while rear tires are often called paddle tires.
Front tires have a rounded look with tread that runs horizontally. The front tires are designed for buoyancy – their design keeps the front end from getting buried in the soft sand. Their design also helps with handling and cornering in soft conditions.
Rear tires have big scoop tread (“paddles”) that run vertically. These paddles dig in, push the sand back and powerfully propel the ATV forward.
Do You Need A Full Set Of Sand Tires?
If you plan on doing a lot of sand dune riding, then a complete set of ATV sand tires is well worth the money.
However, if you don’t have the cash to splash out on a full set, then consider just getting rear paddle tires.
You’ll get about 75% of the benefits of sand tires and save $200+ dollars.
Read More: ATV Mud And Trail Tires