Tuesday, March 30, 2010

What, You Still Use Wax?

XM sent us a sample of their new Clear Grip peel & stick traction. It basically feels like medical tape with tiny holes cut into it.

I decided to try it out on my single fin. After cutting it into appropriate size pieces and sticking it to the board I wasn't sure it was going to work. It didn't feel too sticky.

I got a chance to surf yesterday so I thought I would try it out and it worked much better then I expected. I slid off the board a few times while sitting waiting for waves but when I was up it worked great.

Will something like this replace wax? Probably not. It is nice though not to have to worry about whether I brought wax or not and I won't have to change it when the water warms up. We don't have any of this stuff in stock, but we can get it so let us know if you guys are interested and we'll pick some up.

20 comments:

Burchinator said...

I'm still waiting for the Barton Lynch Gorilla Grip to come back - do you know that father HO will not let Mason/Coco to use traction!

Anonymous said...

how does this stuff feel while paddling? i am really interested in this and the stuff versa traction makes. the idea of never having to wax up/clean up waxy mess from a boardbag sounds too good to be true

grumpy local said...

Really?

Waxing up was always a part of surfing for me. The smell, the art of a tight swirl in order to create the tiny bumps. Stripping the old and putting on a fresh coat the night before a big, good swell. Seeing who could amass the biggest ball of used wax. Good times.

One more example of the industry selling something to hodads making it "easier" to surf... don't want wax on that BMW now do we...

Reminds me of a Roncomatic commercial that comes on after midnight showing the distressed house wife struggling to cut a carrot, hair in her face, cuts her finger, etc...but for 14.99 she could have the Roncomatic that does it all for her... next scene is a much prettier housewife in a much nicer house simply dropping the carrot into the machine...whoala

I'll pass, but that's just me, yall go on an get you some.

Reed Cocks said...

I remember when Astro Deck came out with the spray on sticky stuff in the 80's. Looks cool.

Drew said...

It is a little slippery while paddling but not enough to make it un-usable.

Lost Boy said...

It'll probably turn yellow and brittle after a season. Probably a major pain to take off if you don't like it. I agree with grumpy, part of the surfing experience is the wax.

Trey said...

I think I agree with lost boy and grumpy local... Wax is a part of surfing. I just took a trip to cali and forgot to pack wax. When I stopped to get a bar all they had was sexwax, which I havent used in like 10 years, but when I opened it the smell took me back to being 12 years old and stoked as hell to ride a piece of shit board in knee high waves... Felt good man... gotta have wax...

Anonymous said...

go ahead and pass ,maybe you'll feel better.
its just slipcheck 2010

Anonymous said...

isn't it funny how smells can take you back in time.
They say you have thousands of smell receptors ,but only 4 tastes.
I'll bet if I ever get laid again it 'll take me back!

grumpy local said...

Anonymous said...
go ahead and pass ,maybe you'll feel better.
its just slipcheck 2010

I will.

Probably not.

Huh?

Trey said...

everytime I pass by a papermill I remember my first time getn laid... memories...

Anonymous said...

slipcheck .
look it up if your too young to remember it.

grumpy local said...

Google say's....

LIFETIME DOG COLLARS
SlipCheck Company's specialty, the Lifetime Dog Collar,
features a unique design, fine materials and excellent
craftsmanship that has earned thousands of satisfied,
repeat customers since 1957.

A favorite among hunt clubs and kennel clubs, these extra
strong collars have stainless steel fasteners and our famous
die-formed stainless steel nameplates built in with imported
Herm Sprenger® nickel-plated or stainless steel chain.

The Lifetime Collar is the strongest, safest, cleanest, longest
lasting dog collar around. They can't be slipped. Pups can't
chew them. Kids can't remove them.

Protect your dog with the proven ultimate in collars --
the genuine SlipCheck Lifetime Dog Collar.


Never heard of that one, sounds like a good collar to me but we didn't have fancy stuff like that growing up.

Roll out sticky stuff on my board sounds like crap and I doubt it will outlast the lifetime of my board.

You think it will still be going strong 55 years from now?

Anonymous said...

Used to be sold at Folly surf shops.
Young knowitall whippersnappers.
Google Morey Pope Penetrator and come back when you're dry behind the ears!

grumpy local said...

What ever Gramps....

Anonymous said...

no problem kuk.

Anonymous said...

So in other words, what was shit then, is shit now.

Thasnks for educating us gramps.

Anonymous said...

thanks

Anonymous said...

By 1966 standards, that was pretty cool. They were still rubbing candle wax on their boards at that point.

Give them credit for trying. Some of things that happened during that revolution took hold, some of them didn't.

Slipcheck was one that didn't.

Anonymous said...

For those who care to peruse some history.

http://www.surfline.com/surfing-a-to-z/traction-pad-history_933/