Surfboard Grip Pads

When surfboard wax just won’t cut the mustard, surfboard grip pads are here to save the day. Essentially wax and pads do the same job, provide grip, but surfboard pads have the added bonus of being built up at the back allowing you to put more pressure on the back foot and helping you turn the board. This is why you’ll often see surfboard traction pads on shortboards rather than minimals or longboards because shortboards need to be turned faster and more aggressively.

Grip pads are also now being seen on stand-up paddleboards a lot as well, partly because positioning on the board is very important and grips work as a great marker, but also because good traction is needed when paddling hard.

The variation in surfboard grip pads in terms of shape and colour really just come down to personal preference. A number of the grips come in a few sections, so you can actually customise how you lay them out, but mostly you will find they are made from one piece of foam.

Before you buy a surfboard grip pad it is advisable to try riding on a surfboard that already has one to see if it works for you. They can be a bit of a pain to remove from the board and you can risk delaminating the board in the process, so make sure you’re certain before replacing your wax with something more permanent.