The Essential Sand Recovery Buyer's Guide

Our buyers' guide covers everything you need to know on what will help you with sand recoveries. 

SHOVEL

The simplest and most important sand recovery item you can own is the trusty long-handled shovel which makes removing sand from around your tyres, diffs and chassis easier. A shovel also has multiple uses, including moving coals around the fire or digging a hole for the toilet. I’ve been using a fibreglass combo shovel for years and now it is permanently mounted on my rooftop tent.

1. Ironman 4x4 Combo Shovel $162 www.ironman4x4.com

2. Bushranger Diggar Shovel $79 www.outbackequipment.com.au

3. Mean Mother 4WD Multi Shovel $139.99 www.anacondastores.com

4. Bunnings Shovel $14.95 www.bunnings.com.au`

TYRE DEFLATOR

The first thing you should do before you even drive in the sand is to reduce your tyre pressure as this increases the tyre footprint and provides better flotation which in turn improves your traction. You may need to lower tyre pressures more when stuck as you may be able to just drive out but don’t make sharp turns when pressures are very low, or you might roll the bead off the rim. Having used the Indeflate for the past four years, I’ll never go back to one that removes the valve stem. Not only can I deflate two tyres at a time, but it also equalises the pressure between two tyres and can be used to reinflate two tyres at the same time.

1. MAXTRAX Indeflate $215 www.maxtrax.com.au

2. ARB E-Z Tyre Deflator $70 www.marks4wd.com

3. Ironman 4x4 Air Champ Smart Deflator $68 www.ironman4x4.com

4. Clearview Tyre Spider $399 www.clearviewaccessories.com.au

RECOVERY BOARDS

Recovery boards are the second-best sand recovery items you can have. They can be used to shovel sand from around your tyres before providing crucial traction when you most need it. Generally sold in pairs and with many mounting solutions, they are easy to carry. My TRED PRO’s have come in handy in the desert and snow and because I travel solo, I carry four boards at all times plus they come in handy for levelling the Prado at camp.

1. TRED GT $229 or TRED PRO $329 www.tredoutdoors.com

2. MAXTRAX MKII $299 or MAXTRAX XTREME $499 www.maxtrax.com.au

3. GoTreads Folding Recovery Boards $269 www.a247.com.au

4. Reco-Tracks $229 www.ironman4x4.com

SNATCH STRAP/ROPE

A snatch strap or recovery rope is another sand recovery item that can make the extraction easier. Because they have some elasticity, a small amount of force creates a strong rebound that pops the bogged vehicle out of its predicament. The benefits of recovery rope over snatch straps are they are lighter and offer more stretch. Having recently replaced all my straps and D-shackles, at a significant cost, my recovery bag is significantly lighter than it was. You’ll also need rated recovery points, shackles, a cable dampener or two and another vehicle to complete the package. NEVER SNATCH OFF A TOW BALL.

1. Saber Offroad 12500kg Kinetic Recovery Rope $235 www.a247.com.au

2. Ironman 4x4 9500kg Recovery Rope $188 www.ironman4x4.com

3. MAXTRAX 10m Kinetic Rope $209 www.maxtrax.com.au

4. TJM 15T Snatch Strap $150 www.tjm.com.au

5. MAXTRAX Hitch 50 $249 www.maxtrax.com.au

6. MAXTRAX Core Shackle $49 www.maxtrax.com.au

WINCH

A 12V winch can be used in sand recoveries, especially in deep sand, when the tide is closing in or if your vehicle has a nasty lean on a dune edge. If travelling solo and there is nothing solid to winch from, there are other solutions that include burying your spare tyre in the sand or using a sand anchor. Always use a cable dampener or two for safety and nominate one person to oversee the recovery. 

1. Ironman 4x4 12000LB Monster Winch (with synthetic rope) $1223 www.ironman4x4.com

2. TJM TORQ 12000LB Winch (with synthetic rope) $1499 www.tjm.com.au

3. WARN VR EVO 12-S $1540 www.arb.com.au

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SAND ANCHORS

Sand anchors are heavy and cumbersome and unless you know how to use them, can often perform below expectation. The Deadman Off-Road Earth Anchor is different, as it packs up small, is lightweight and easy to use, once you’ve dug a big hole in the sand and buried it. For solo travellers, sand anchors may be considered but where to store them often means they are left at home. The other option that works well is burying your spare tyre in the sand, the same as the Deadman anchor.

1. Deadman Off-Road Earth Anchor $280 www.deadmanoffroad.com

2. Sherpa 4x4 Winch Anchor $349 www.sherpa4x4.com.au

3. Land Anchor PRT $680 www.anchorright.com.au

AIR COMPRESSOR

Once tyre pressures have been reduced, you need a way to reinflate them once out of trouble, so a 12V air compressor is another thing that you should always carry with you. Don’t waste money on an el cheapo compressor, invest in a heavy-duty compressor that will reinflate your big 4WD tyre pressures time and time again. I ran an Ironman 4x4 compressor for 10 years before recently upgrading to the ARB Twin Compressor and air tank and now my tyres are reinflated pronto. 

1. ARB Twin $705 4L air tank $180 www.arb.com.au

2. ARB Portable $458 www.arb.com.au

3. TJM Pro Series Twin $769 www.tjm.com.au

4. Ironman 4x4 Air Champ Pro $220 www.ironman4x4.com