Why traction pad surfboard

Surfing style is now about tight cut backs, aerials and long tail slides. By adding a surfboard tail pad to your board you get more grip and surface to push against in the turn. If you watch riders like Mick Fanning or Andy Irons they push and drive off the tail pad in the turn and on the wave face to generate speed. This additional speed helps them to put ten to twenty turns onto just one wave face. The surfboard tail pad range on Boardshop come in a variety of different colours and are either one piece or made from multiple pieces, this allows you to set your board up to your exacting specification.

Tail pads are very hardwearing and usually last as long if not as long as your board, so chose your colour and style wisely. Surfboards traction pads are designed to be stuck on the tail of your surfboard back-end to stop your back foot from sliding off. An alternative to a surfboard grip pad is surfboard wax. Basically you will need to use one or the other to keep yourself on the board. A surfboard without any kind of traction or grip is a bit like trying to walk on ice, you just ain't going to stay on your feet.

You will be sliding off the surfboard instead of sliding around on the wave. Surf traction pads come in a huge variety of colors, but they are basically all made from the same non-slip, water resistant components.

The bumps, curves, grooves, and contours found on the traction pads all come down to personal taste and comfort. Advantages of a surfboard traction pad: Never, ever have to wax your surfboard again. The best surfboard traction pads. Get a grip, brah. And maybe a leash. Traction pads, stomp pads, deck pads, grip, whatever you want to call them, are an essential piece of equipment for your board. The main benefit of traction pads is that they keep your foot on the back of the board when you push through turns.

Another less obvious benefit of the traction pad is that it helps with your foot placement. When it comes to picking the best traction pad for your surfboard, there are a few ideas to keep in mind. I am a strong adherent to the philosophy of conforming black wetsuits and white surfboards.

If you want some color, accessorize your leash. If you want something eye-catching, aside from a spray, your traction pad is probably the only place you can show your individuality on a white surfboard.

So when it comes to deciding what traction pad to choose, you can take the short answer with my battle-tested picks here:. Channel Islands — Mixed Groove 3. Octopus — Hobgood Hybrid 4. Astrodeck 7. Sympl Surfboard Traction Pad. Or…you can figure out what will help you ride better by understanding what goes into a good traction pad. Different strokes for different folks. And each feature accomplishes something slightly different. Most grip pads come as either one solid pad or a mixture of pieces.

The most common set up is either a two-piece grip or a three-piece setup. This is where two- and three-piece traction pads come into play. They allow you to better customize your traction pad to the shape of your board.

Though multiple-piece traction pads offer more customization for your board and foot placement, they also offer more variables that can go wrong.

There are many good five-piece traction pads. For a more eco-friendly touch, the EVA foam is biodegradable. This is stuck on with marine grade 3M adhesive. It also looks great in either a simple black design or a more colourful option. This chunky traction pad has a 25mm tail kick to keep your back foot firmly planted.

There is also a 7mm centre arch for added performance. The design is finished off with custom bevelled edges and localised cutouts to enhance the overall feel. In order to reduce plastic use, this innovative product is made from cork. Cork is stronger than plastic, way softer on the knees, and it looks great!

This surfboard traction pad uses a simple diamond groove design for some solid widespread grip. With its lightweight, 2 piece design, the pad can be applied to any board in the exact way you want it. This signature design by Yadin Nichol offers a pretty unique traction pad.

It is very soft to use thanks to the many slits in the arch across the entire surface. This pad uses a system of rectangular and diamond grooves to provide grip and support throughout. The 3 piece system is easily customisable depending on your comfort. The design also features a significantly raised high kick. Performance surfers will have loads of fun with this design. If you are after widespread grip then this is the pad to get.

Channel Islands has created this 4 piece pad which is perfect for boards with extra-wide tails. The pad is nice and flat with mixed grooves — providing plenty of support for a solid stance.

This pad may not be the best choice for high-performance shortboards, but for wider flatter boards its ideal. There is still a 28mm kick at the back though for additional support. A classic design which is still one of the most popular types of traction pads to this day. This pad is comfortable, super stable, and is perfectly designed for a wide variety of surfboards.

Surfers that want to get the most out of their sessions will love this awesome traction pad. The pad comes in three colorways, namely, black, white and grey and black. These are simple accessories that can be utilised by all surfers. This means that traction pads are available at any decent surf shop, or basically anywhere that surfboards are sold.

Surfboard traction pads are also easily available online — this can be the best way of finding the exact product that you may be after. In surfing, having a solid grip is essential. While traditional wax may work, getting a traction pad has so many more benefits. These simple accessories provide grip, support and help you to achieve the perfect stance. Traction pads are easy to bring into your surfing and are one of the simplest ways of enhancing your performance.

Once you have one on your board, you can enjoy a lifetime of surfing without having to apply wax to that area again!