Traction Pads
Tail pads or traction pads are an easy way to give yourself traction in your back foot when surfing. Using a super-sticky adhesive, they're easily applied to... Read More
Traction Pads
Tail pads or traction pads are an easy way to give yourself traction in your back foot when surfing. Using a super-sticky adhesive, they're easily applied to your board and won't come loose once they're on there.
Compared to using just wax on the tail of your board, a traction pad gives you excellent grip that doesn't require upkeep. This texturing combined with a kicktail typical in most tail pads mean you can really push into that backfoot without coming loose.
Choosing what traction pad you think will work for you and your board, you'll want to consider four factors:
- Number of pieces: Probably the biggest variable between tailpads - for a narrow board an easy to apply single piece pad will suffice, but for slightly wider tails you might prefer the customizability of a multi-piece that you can spread over the tail's surface.
- Arch: This is intended to help support your foot for better stability and power transfer to your board. Those with a bigger foot might opt for a larger arch, while if you have smaller feet, small to no arch will feel more natural.
- Kick: The kicktail locks your foot into place, and how steep it needs to be will depend on your style of surfing. if it's rail-to-rail lip-hacking you'll be undertaking, a steeper kicktail is better. For the more relaxed down the line style surfer, a steep kick isn't required.
- Texture: This one's debatable, ultimately we believe it comes down to what aesthetic you prefer. Intuition would say the rougher the texture, the stickier the pad.
