Get a Grip

Some of our #RYDtribe members weigh in on their current favorite traction pads

Traction pads are very personal. Surfers choose them for form, function and fashion and a combination of all three.

We offer a wide range of traction pads to suit all styles of surfboard as well as skill level (and, of course, color preference).
Our high density eva grips are formulated to give the perfect amount of grip for the duration, which means there’s no need
to wax your grip.

We asked a handful of (very different) RYD Tribe members what they are currently riding, and why:

Llewellyn ‘Coach Lu’ Whittaker - pro surf coach
Traction: Roboto – five piece pad with an arch bar.
“For me personally the Roboto has the best grip. I also like the extra pieces up front of the deck pad. These add-ons are great for when I'm driving down the line and I move my foot forward to aid acceleration around the section. Also, when I go into a long round-house cutback my back foot comes forward over the top of the two front fins, with the Roboto I can still have good grip on the board and hold my cutback for longer.”

Christian Venter - u/16 boys ripper
Traction: Roboto – five piece pad with an arch bar.
“I like that it’s narrower at the back, how much of a kickball it has and soft it is. The five pieces mean it is also easily customizable for my boards."

Daniel Farr - KiwiQScampaigner
Traction: True - three piece performance pad with an arch bar.
“It's got my favorite square traction bumps and a perfectly curved kicker at the back for stepping the foot back and laying into a turn. In the past I've found if a deck pad doesn't have enough curve or height from the kicker to the arch bar it's hard to really rely on and push hard through turns, but with RYD traction pads I have full trust that when I put my foot back and go into a turn it'll be in the right spot and supported throughout the whole maneuver no matter how hard I push! Can't go wrong with the sick color range also!” 

Caption: Daniel Farr in the air with his Roboto traction pad. Photo credit: Brody Dolan Images

Jay Piper-Healion - Kiwi student shredder
Traction: True - three piece performance pad with an arch bar.
“I like how comfortable the pad is under my foot, it is soft but grippy. The True traction pad has worked for me all year: From summer, where I was in boardshorts without any knee rash, to winter, where I was in booties, the pad was grippy and comfortable and I haven't had to wax it once. The black looks good too!”

George Epenetos - Melkbosmainstay
Traction: Tabs - two piece, no arch.
“I like the Tabs for two reasons: 1. I have super flat feet and there is no arch. 2. I prefer just two pieces of traction. I’m also a fan of the black color as it goes with most/any color/design…”

Ceara Knight - Ceara Knight - U/16 girls Girls competitor, currently at the ISA Junior World Champs in California
Traction: Alt - smaller three piece pad with arch.
“I really like the colors and it has a really good grip so that when I do my turns, my back foot doesn’t slip off the kicker. Also, it is super easy to put on and that is really important.” 

Get your own grip – simply surf the net for RYD Traction Pads here and sign up to our newsletter to get connected to the #RYDtribe.