Would a Rear Trac Pad with Spring in Heel Area be an improvement

We are manufacturing a new type of rear trac pad, made out of a visco-elastic gel (think Dr. Scholl’s Gellin) and can modify the spring in the heel area (increase or decrease) and we are trying to determine if more spring is better for aerial surfing, maybe make the boards more response.

THese visco-elastic gels are very soft, flexible, and can be modified to give them a spring.

I would appreciate any feedback, thoughts or opions, pros or cons on what may be an improvement in rear trac pads.

The EVA foam trac pads have little or no spring to them.

I would also be willing to provide a limited number for testing to Swaylock members.

Thanks for your input.

Don Stone

don@mobygrip.com

Please Note my Swaylock “REPLY” function is not working some kinda glitch

Thanks to everyone that posted a comment !


Interesting idea and good on ya for offering samples to the Sways crew.  Keep us informed as to your results;  testing, production etc.  very creative use of the material.  Lowel

No , do skate boards have springy kick pads ?

Nobody rides skateboards anymore.  Instead they are the “go to” for bust in’ out shop windows.

: } .

Well, I think things dont work that way… 

If you put a “spring” there, you will have to load the spring and then the spring will transfer **some **of that energy to the board. Because you cant get more energy out than you put in, and a harder spring will need even more energy. 

But if your goal is to damper/absorb impact of a heavy footed surfer (or aerials) on a board with a lighter glass job, its a good idea! even better if this material wont add much weight

The whole skate deck is meant to act like a spring. hense the term pop in a skate deck.

I dont know the answer…

But I would love to try one, or get one to a few of the groms in my schools surfing academy, not sure where you are located, we are on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland Australia.

To answer the question.  No “Springiness” would not be desirable under your back foot for aireal surfing.  You do not want to dampen the response under foot.  Also, without an arch bar you won’t be selling many to aireal surfers.  My son last year tried a Rusty traction pad that is described as “Ultra soft special rubber with Micro-Dots and Double diamond groove” on Rusty’s website.  My son didn’t like how soft and squishy it was and we ended up removing it and replacing it with a different pad.  Here is the link if you want to buy one:  3-Piece Squash Tail Traction Pad | Shop Rusty Accessories - Rusty Surfboards

My son is what you describe as an aireal surfer. 

 

You should be able to reply now

MCDING- Thanks for your comments, greatly appreciated.

I’ll keep you posted at Swaylock’s

Best regards

Don Stone

Moby Grip

That’s a good point, Not that I know of,thanks for your comment.

Best regards,

Don Stone

Moby Grip

Thanks for your comments, greatly appreciated.

The spring comes from additive in the rubber material in the heel, which you would load with your foot, whether this is beneficial or not I don’t know. i’m thinking along the lines of the  handicap guys that use the prosethics with the flat springs.

Would the springy-ness help catapault the board into the air more easily ?

The spring is not a mechanical spring but an additive that we use to give the rubber material more spring. It would have a great tendency to absorb shock especially in the heel area, and to a much lesser degree in the flat areas (micro shock absorption), possibly reducing bounce that you would get from landing on a hard waxed surface.

 

Thanks for your comments, I don’t have international shipping now, but if you had any friends in California traveling back to Australia I could ship them to an address in California and they could hand carry them back to Australia.They are avaialable in red,pink, and  yellow.

I’m located in Southeast Florida about 100 miles north of Miami on the coast.

Let me know if I can help you, no charge for the samples, just pick a couple of colors.

best regards

Don Stone

don@mobygrip.com

Thanks Huck, it’'s working fine now.

Regards,

Don Stone

Moby Grip

Thanks for your comments, greatly appreciated. I’m currently working on designing one with an arch bar.

I’m thinking maybe snappiness or maybe crispness in the heel area vs. soft and squishy.

Very nice photo of your son.

Thanks again for your comments and the photo.

Regards,

Don Stone

don@mobygrip.com