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Traction Pads (surf/skim)

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Bmo.
Posts: 4907 - Karma: 2,667
This is sort of a want to buy but also a what should i buy for my skim board. anyone got one in there garage i could have? wish they were cheaper, its only a sticky piece of foam

also post up some good skimboarding videos, will be at the beach in 2 weeks. cant fucking wait!
Jul 17 2012 12:30AM
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Steeze_Minister
Posts: 1432 - Karma: 240
If you can't afford a stomp pad I would just wax your board up a ton, it really doesnt make that much of a difference
Jul 17 2012 12:45AM
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Bmo.
Posts: 4907 - Karma: 2,667
wax doesnt do enough for me. i use the board for wakesurfing too, and i slide all over the place even after a fresh wax. hoping someone has one sitting in their garage that theyll give me for cheap
Jul 17 2012 12:49AM
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AndrewGravesSV
Posts: 3067 - Karma: 14,904
this just wax that shit

on another note:

Jul 17 2012 12:53AM
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p.hawks
Posts: 2832 - Karma: 581
For just skim I prefer wax, and when I wakesurf I use a soft top board with wax. Are you looking for just a stomp pad, or one with the whole strip for your front foot?
Jul 17 2012 12:55AM
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Bmo.
Posts: 4907 - Karma: 2,667
ive been using just wax for years, but i tried my friend's zap with stomp pad and arch bar and it was sick. mainly just looking for a stomp pad
Jul 17 2012 12:56AM
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p.hawks
Posts: 2832 - Karma: 581
see I'm the opposite. I only get to skim for like a week or two each year, but I can way surf occasionally. Anyways my friend put it on his zap, and I just didn't like it as much, but I could see how it would be good for the more surfing aspect. I think the main thing I didn't like was how thick and narrow the front pad was. back was nice though
Jul 17 2012 1:02AM
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zapadelic
Posts: 483 - Karma: 48
For wake surfing I prefer a waxed board over a traction pad personally, just like the feel of it under my feet for the longer sessions. Seshday had dakine pads on about a week ago for Around ten bucks so your able to get em for pretty cheap or you can likely get one for someprice around that at a surf shop.
Jul 17 2012 1:11AM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,122
I just have a stomp pad on mine. I hate the arch bar it just feels so weird.

checkerboard pattern is even more key on a skimboard than on a surfboard. Once you have done a checker board base with a really warm water wax you can save that for a while and just put the cheapest wax over it since it only lasts a short time anyways. Hell I sometimes scrape the old wax off my surfboard and it gets the job done.

mind you I suck and just have a cheap board.
Jul 17 2012 1:13AM
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Steeze_Minister
Posts: 1432 - Karma: 240
Stomp pads and arch bars shouldnt be that expensive, I bought mine at a local surf shop for like $25
Jul 17 2012 11:14AM
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a_pla5tic_bag
Posts: 9210 - Karma: 5,357
on my skimboard i have a stom and an arch, both freak. my surfboard just has a stomp pad.
Jul 17 2012 11:26AM
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p.hawks
Posts: 2832 - Karma: 581
I think my friend paid close to $40, most of the ones I've seen in shop were around $35, though I haven't checked in a while.

Also, OP, what do you use for wax? I think I use sticky bumps and sex wax and it works great
Jul 17 2012 1:07PM
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AndrewGravesSV
Posts: 3067 - Karma: 14,904
sticky bumps ftw

also some traction pads:
Jul 17 2012 1:46PM
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AndrewGravesSV
Posts: 3067 - Karma: 14,904
sorry for dub post
Jul 17 2012 1:49PM
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gnarnia.
Posts: 1346 - Karma: 55
people have the common misconception that a traction pad is just for that, traction. but theyre not. theyre no grippier or provide any more traction than wax. on surfboards their main purpose is to provide a little cushion under your back foot to prevent pressure dents due to the heavy weight of your backfoot and the weak materials under it. surfing and skimming alike, their primary function is for muscle memory. its so you know where you are on your board and knowing youre in the right or wrong place. do they replace wax for that foot of board? sure, but if its traction youre after wax is sufficient. if you want a cool dakine/channel islands, freak/etc pad that looks dope than thats a whole new story. cool, but unnecessary.
Jul 17 2012 1:54PM
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erikK
Posts: 3245 - Karma: 2,325
my brother has a DB board, one of those ones where the whole top is foam. i think it feels kinda weird but i know he likes it and a lot of other people do too.
Jul 17 2012 1:59PM
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AndrewGravesSV
Posts: 3067 - Karma: 14,904
it also depends on where you skim. If its flatter and you are trying to do pop shuv its then just wax is preferable to a traction pad.
Jul 17 2012 2:05PM
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RubberSoul
Posts: 11249 - Karma: 14,642
i know theyre more expensive than you'd think but id just go get a dece one for 30 or 40 bucks (and an arch bar if that's your thing). ive always liked x traks cause they fucking never fall off but the beaker pad also looks pretty dope
Jul 17 2012 4:40PM
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RileyZap
Posts: 420 - Karma: 27
I prefer wax over traction pad all day. Sometimes the kick pad is handy, but definitely wax on the front. You just have to make sure you are using the right temperature wax for your water conditions. But if you're set on a traction pad, go to local surf and boat shops and look in discount bins. I got a full traction pad for $5 at my local shop! Just a cheap one, but it will work perfect for a custom board we are making.
Jul 17 2012 6:02PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51261 - Karma: 157,432
Rub a mix of epoxy, sand, and crusty poop into your board
Jul 17 2012 6:11PM
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TheClap.
Posts: 21649 - Karma: 4,013

Jul 17 2012 6:15PM
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Bmo.
Posts: 4907 - Karma: 2,667
Solid advice
Jul 17 2012 6:23PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,122
A foam DB board is for flatland though. You wouldn't put arch bars and stomp pads on wooden board. But i've got a board like that and it's sick.
Jul 17 2012 8:26PM
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Dlud
Posts: 938 - Karma: 544
I'm looking for a new board, I mostly ride at the coast but I do enjoy the occasional flatland session. Any great experiences or recommendations?
Jul 17 2012 8:36PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,122
get a good wave board and just get a crappy one for playing on rails and stuff?
Jul 17 2012 9:39PM
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buddychaps
Posts: 1817 - Karma: 583
Same here, except I am mostly flatland, however I would like to start skimming waves too. Thinking maybe Zap, Victoria or DB
Jul 17 2012 9:48PM
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Dlud
Posts: 938 - Karma: 544
Yeah, that is what I'm planning on. My question wasn't very clear, but I'm wondering what kind of wave boards everybody prefers.
Jul 17 2012 10:29PM
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Bmo.
Posts: 4907 - Karma: 2,667
if you guys ever go to florida, you can go to the zap factory and get the "mistakes" for like $150 off. My friend has one and there is literally nothing wrong with it. sooo sick

i think ive decided to just wait til i get to the beach and hope the surf shop is having a sale on stomp pads and buy one there
Jul 17 2012 10:31PM
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powderdrunkie
Posts: 2034 - Karma: 976
Click for larger image

just got this. stoked.
Jul 18 2012 12:01AM
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Bmo.
Posts: 4907 - Karma: 2,667
thats awesome^. ive never been surfing :(
Jul 18 2012 12:02AM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,122
how steep are the beaches you skim at? do you know what thickness you want? Check out exile's website. If I ever get the money I plan on buying one after I buy my next surfboard.

also keep an eye out here for cheaper boards

http://www.exileskimboards.com/shop/cid-71-1-blemished-skimboards.html
Jul 18 2012 1:27PM
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RileyZap
Posts: 420 - Karma: 27
Go to www.hydroturf.com . You can order the stuff by the sheets and just cut out the shape you want for your pad. Plus there is like a billion colors to choose from.
Jul 22 2012 10:33PM
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Bmo.
Posts: 4907 - Karma: 2,667
thanks but way too expensive for me
Jul 22 2012 10:40PM
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