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Equipping the Overland Vehicle Vehicle accessories - Making your home away from home comfortable, safe and reliable.
Photo by Sean Howman, The Pamir highway in an unseasonably cold late October, Tajikistan

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Sean Howman,
The Pamir highway in an unseasonably
cold late October, Tajikistan



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  #1  
Old 9 Jun 2010
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New issue sand mats
I was looking for a supplier of the Soltrak sand mats discussed on this forum previously when I found these:







they are 2.3kg each

Have any of you used these before in sand, any known issues, apart from being sand coloured which is just daft:confused1:

I have ordered a pair, I'll let you know what I think when they arrive
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  #2  
Old 9 Jun 2010
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Where did you get them from and more to the point how much?
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Kev
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  #3  
Old 9 Jun 2010
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Quote:
Where did you get them from and more to the point how much?
£20 each, I picked them up from the MOD disposal contractor L Jackson & Co
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  #4  
Old 16 Jun 2010
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Nice for weight saving but standard ladders have so many more uses rather than just sand.
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  #5  
Old 17 Jun 2010
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Hi

I had a pair similar to those - mine were made from strips of heavy duty tyre rubber wired together to form a 'rubber carpet'. Very convenient for carrying as they are light and will roll up.

They also roll up when you try to use them in sand (!!) where I found them almost useless.

I would recommend the rigid ladders. Less convenient, but more useful in my opinion.

I also find that when traveling in sandy regions it is best to have 4.

With 4 you can creat a 'rolling road' which will get you out of most difficult situations.

Darr in Germany do a light weight sand ladder (6.5 Kg I think) which I have used extensively.

cheers

John
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  #6  
Old 22 Jun 2010
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Location: UK
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I have a pair also, and the weight and compactness of them is appealling. The edges will remove corners from your knuckles very easily, but are fine to hold in the palms? Takes you by surprise when they get you!
The weight and size (and therefore cost) of mats big enough to carry my vehicle are a bit OTT, but I have yet to have need of these so can't comment on if they're any good.
I was told the SAS used them, which you could say is a reccomendation, but why has an army surplus got so many in fab condition when the UK army is in so many desert environments?!?!

Just regarding the fold up round the tyre comment, I wonder to what extent a sand ladder spreads a vehicles weight compared to stopping aggressive tyres knobbles digging in as the reason you get unstuck? Some of each maybe, these mats would stop them digging for sure!
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