knee board deck grip
Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 3:16 pm
Kneeboarding Deck Grip and Clear Grip Tape.
There is no doubt that kneeboarders are a breed of their own, but as I watch surfboard shapers refine their hybrid boards more and more until they look like kneeboards you realize that maybe we have something to offer.
One thing which goes without saying on any modern kneeboard is deck grip. As some of us are in the twilight of our surfing lives we long ago learnt that to ensure the longevity of our knees and hips some sort of shock absorption and grip was essential. Whether it is shop bought, purpose built kneepads or some sort of home made creation [which can be pretty smick] they are one thing you can’t live without.
Once we had the knee pads sorted back in the 80’s that only left you with one other problem and that was that you still had to use wax on the front and back of your board to give you some traction for your hands when you got up and to try and keep your feet or flippers on the board.
It took until 2014 for a [what I think is brilliant] solution and that is Riley clear grip. This gives a finish that is similar to the textured decks of old and is remarkably grippy. It has the advantages of being clear so any fancy tints or sprays show through and has coped with all conditions on two of my boards for the last six months or so. You don’t need to worry about waxing up or melted wax and you are not continually using a petrochemical by-product.
It all seems like a win win situation and I am struggling to see any negatives with this stuff. Check out the photos of two of my boards on the Riley website, using the grip and have a look at www.balsasurfboardsriley.com.au for details and online shop.
Note: I have used some strips of the clear grip on my boards. Riley sell all shapes and sizes to suit all types of boards. For my brand new board I am going to buy a single piece of grip to stick in front of the knee pads.
Damian [Pineapple] Coase
There is no doubt that kneeboarders are a breed of their own, but as I watch surfboard shapers refine their hybrid boards more and more until they look like kneeboards you realize that maybe we have something to offer.
One thing which goes without saying on any modern kneeboard is deck grip. As some of us are in the twilight of our surfing lives we long ago learnt that to ensure the longevity of our knees and hips some sort of shock absorption and grip was essential. Whether it is shop bought, purpose built kneepads or some sort of home made creation [which can be pretty smick] they are one thing you can’t live without.
Once we had the knee pads sorted back in the 80’s that only left you with one other problem and that was that you still had to use wax on the front and back of your board to give you some traction for your hands when you got up and to try and keep your feet or flippers on the board.
It took until 2014 for a [what I think is brilliant] solution and that is Riley clear grip. This gives a finish that is similar to the textured decks of old and is remarkably grippy. It has the advantages of being clear so any fancy tints or sprays show through and has coped with all conditions on two of my boards for the last six months or so. You don’t need to worry about waxing up or melted wax and you are not continually using a petrochemical by-product.
It all seems like a win win situation and I am struggling to see any negatives with this stuff. Check out the photos of two of my boards on the Riley website, using the grip and have a look at www.balsasurfboardsriley.com.au for details and online shop.
Note: I have used some strips of the clear grip on my boards. Riley sell all shapes and sizes to suit all types of boards. For my brand new board I am going to buy a single piece of grip to stick in front of the knee pads.
Damian [Pineapple] Coase