Contemporary Surfboard Traction . . . your take on it?
Can't beat a solo tail pad plus a healthy wax job up front.
I'm unsure on the merits of the latest resurgence of full deck grip (besides a good marketing campaign), though I must admit I was a full proponent in the mid-late 80's when they first came out.
No Pads, wax all over
Never seen any advantage in a pad. I've had a few but only when they were a freebie with the board. Someone creating more torque than me might gain a bit more traction but for most surfers I think, whether they know it or not, they are just decoration.
On a standard shortboard thruster I always have a tail pad. On everything else ie. step ups, guns, fishes, twinnies, mid length etc it's always only wax. No idea why? Habit I guess.
Same, crg.
Ditto. I love the feeling of having the side of your foot locked against the kicker in small waves. I'd never go without it. When I buy a small wave board I buy a tail pad, simple as that.
In bigger waves on bigger boards I think I stand forward a touch so it doesn't bother me. I can take or leave a tail grip.
The very first product that Surf Hardware International (SHI) ever brought out was called a Rocket Block, which was a small block, about the size of a washing up sponge, that you stuck near the tail of your board. When I was young I bought a second hand board that had one, and though my foot wouldn't always land in the right place, when it did the Rocket Block worked wonders.
Curiously the second product SHI brought out was Gorilla Grip and it didn't have a tail kicker that worked like the Rocket Block. It took a fair few years for them to incorporate a kicker in the tail pad.
I remember the Rocket Block well. Gary Mountford (SH founder) tried to explain it to me but I didn’t get it. Still don’t, maybe I stand just that little bit further forward but I am totally unaware of a kicker when I surf ..... I reckon he was still plumbing when we had that chat!
Just wondering what others think about board traction, the myriad of products on the market, the merits, deficits, hype and possibilities. I've never gone down that road . . . curious as to forum members' thoughts and experiences on the subject.