I'm using red sand with my Ridgies a find it to look a lot more natural then fake grass or anything else. I think you will be hard pressed to find many Aussie keepers of beardies that suggest to keep them off sand, it's something the yanks have decided as a collective to believe. My beardie has been on sand since 3 months old and my Ridgies since 3 weeks old.
Impaction has a lot to do with temperature of basking site, I have seen my beardie eat sand on many occasions (licking it up) and haven't had any issues (45c basking spot till 12 months old). My Ridgies would be lucky to get any sand at all on their crickets, it's the way they grab them within their jaws (unlike a beardie that uses its tongue) and then normally find something hard and rough to adjust the crickets to swallow them.
Ridgies also will eat bigger insects then a beardie for their size. Mine are 7 weeks old and already eating big medium crickets (no wings).
Rick