Surf traction is a key tool of the trade for our lifestyle. While full deck used to be the rage, and still is for some surfers, it’s nearly always about which humble tail pad is best. Do you want a great value tail pad? Do you want a fish tail pad, or one to fit a mid-length? Do you just want surfboard traction that looks kinda cool? This guide covers those bases, keeping things simple to choose the best surf tail pad for you.
High Performance Surf Traction Pad
We asked world champs Mick Fanning and Italo Ferreira to develop the next generation of surf traction with us. Over 3 years of testing, analysing and improving, we finally cracked the code. Proto™1.4 both elevates performance and reduces environmental impact. It’s the new gold standard in tail pads, quite literally. Proto™1.4 recently won a coveted gold ‘Good Design’ award, as well as the SBIA’s surf accessory of the year.
SHOP PROTO™1.4 SURF TRACTION HERE
Best Fish Tail Pad
When it comes to fish traction pads, you want something with plenty of coverage that’s going to suit wider tails, especially swallows. More and more people are wanting surf tail pads that look and feel great on alt boards like mid-length twin fins or hybrid shortboards too. We’ve developed the HardWear range specifically for those kinds of surfboard shapes.
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Best Looking Tail Pad
This is a tricky one, since style so often comes down to the person that’s rocking it. If you’re looking for a style that your favourite pro surfer is using, then the easiest place to find that best tail pad is in our signature range. To go one step further, we’ve asked select team members to develop something extra steezy as part of our art series. Check it out below.
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Best Surf Traction For Women
Women are normally much more ready to add extra style in their tail pads with fun colours to suit. To cater to those who enjoy a feminine touch, we’ve great a handful of options they’ll love. We’ve also narrowed down the tail on some designs too, for those riding more refined shapes like Molly Picklum.
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Best Entry Level Tail Pads
When it comes to great value surf tail pads it’s hard to go past the Icon III. It’s stealth black, comes in our proven ‘square loc’ traction pattern, and has three pieces to spread out on wider tails if needed. A great, no-nonsense tail pad that’s going to give you plenty of grip for your buck.
SHOP THE ICON RANGE HERE
Finally, if you’re looking for the best surf wax to add some extra traction to your surfboard, we recommend Sex Wax. Here’s a quick guide to which surf wax is best for where you live too.
A Bonus For True Surf Traction Geeks
A select few surfers really want to dive into the details of how the best surf tail pads are made. To help, we’ve broken down each of the main components, with materials and adhesives too, in case you want to level-up your knowledge.
Creatures EVA Formula
Our formula consists of a unique cross linking, uniform cell structure offering high impact resistance, foam memory and UV stability, water absorption resistance and an extremely high tear threshold. The exclusive formula enables our pads to be sliced extremely slim without compromising strength and durability while significantly reducing weight. EVA helps to make your traction lighter, strong and more durable.
Moulded Traction
Traditional tail pads are routed out using a machine to create the traction pattern. This leads to a lot of waste. To solve this issue, and open up a whole bunch of possible 3D pattern possibilities, Creatures developed the world’s first fully moulded surf traction. You’ll find it here. We’re also looking to expand this offering in the near future.
The Anatomy of a Surf Tail Pad
Tail Pad Kicks
The kick is the wedge at the back of a tail pad you jam your foot against during high-torque turns. The type of kick you choose depends on the type of surfer you are. More kick will give you more leverage for power surfing and rail-to-rail maneuvers. A lower kick reduces the possibility of any drag in the water.
Arches
Big arches? Small arches? No arches? Much like a shoe, the arch support on a tail pad is adjusted to suit various foot shapes and preferences. For example, our Proto1.4 arch is modelled off of Mick Fanning’s favourite height and then tweaked for maximum engagement.
3M Adhesive
Anything worse than your pad peeling off after your first session? That’s why we use the world’s most stable adhesive for traction pads. All Creatures traction pads are made using 3M adhesive, featuring fast tacking and high temperature resistance properties.
Traction Patterns
No two waves are alike – we could say the same for feet. We all have different preferences for traction design, so we’ve developed a variety of traction patterns so you can find that ideal grip for your lowest extremity that cleanly compliments your board. Fun fact: our classic Square Loc II pattern has won more world titles than any other! (13 and counting as of 2024).
To explore the full Creatures surf traction range, head here.
