Running your RC buggy on a sand track? That’s all about traction, floatation, and control in loose, shifting terrain. Sand can sap power and make even high-performance buggies feel sluggish if they’re not properly equipped.
The best tire choice for this kind of surface is a paddle tire (also called sand tires or scoop tires). These are designed specifically for loose sand and feature wide, curved “scoops” or paddles across the tread instead of small knobs or lugs. As your wheels spin, the scoops dig into the sand and throw it backward, propelling the buggy forward with strong bite. This design gives you excellent forward traction and acceleration, which is otherwise hard to get in loose sand.
You’ll typically see paddle tires used on the rear wheels, since that’s where the power is delivered. For the front wheels, a ribbed tire or something with minimal, straight-line grooves works best — the goal there is directional control, not propulsion. You don’t want knobby or heavily treaded fronts in sand, as they can cause drag or erratic steering.
Standard off-road tires with small blocky treads (like knobbies) can work in a pinch, but they often dig into the sand and bog down the buggy instead of keeping it moving smoothly. Slicks, of course, are completely out of the question — they’ll just spin in place.