My board is really thick, like 3 5/8 and the rails can be really hard to grab, sometimes it does not matter too much, it just looks funny when I try to do a quick turn and paddle, lose my grip on the rails and the board flies out from under me like a dirty big banana.

Other time, it can be a bit dangerous when I'm trying to stop it from hitting someone or something.

So I went out and bought a cake of the softest wax I could find, it cost me 6 bucks and there's no way I would every pay that much to wax a board, but if this worked, I would take a long time to get through it.




Before I went out for my last 2 surfs, I covered the palms and fingers of both my hands with it to see if it helped, I think it did, not only did I feel a better grip on the rails, it seemed to help my popup (trust me, it needs a lot of help) another plus was that it helped get a good grip on the board as I carried it down.

On the down side, I'm not sure when I should put my sunscreen on, before or after the wax (ATM I'm just using a single fingertip to apply it after I put the wax on) secondly, until you can get to somewhere with some warm water and soap, it feels weird between your fingers after you're out of the water.

I may keep doing it for a bit longer.

Put some velco on the rails then wear velco mitts.

Ive seen mac doing that

I would say sunscreen first... I usually have a towel and a rag floating in the back part of the wagon... I tend to wipe my sunscreen hands on the towel... Or you can wipe the last excess sunscreen onto the underside of the our arms, or even the insides of your thighs!... (I'm not talking balls here, low down on the thighs! )

But yes, I like the very soft wax. I'm a fan of Purple Sex Wax for our cool water... But I tend use it in Summer also, but you don't need very much at all...

obct, the Purle Sex Wax is almost as sticky as this one, but a quite a bit cheaper... So try the Purple in future...

Yep I've been doing this for a long time...not unusual for me to just wax comb the existing wax on my board & pull out a block of wax to wax my hands

you sure your not surfing a sup

Yeah simondo, that's the best way, i went for one last surf this arvo and changed my routine so that the very first this i did was put on the suncreen, then after I'd got the board out of the bag, took off my gear, put on my wetty, and so on, all the oil was gone, then i could wax my hands

And i did actually only comb the board today, so only my hands got the wax.

I apply sunscreen onto the back of my hand, then rub in over the face, that way no grease on the fingers..

BTW I've been using Tribal clear as I get a reaction to normal sunscreen and it works well, though a bit greasy.

Wax...I use warm water Stomp and it works ok for me..don't like the soft wax as it transfers onto the wettie and boardies

The other alternative is that next time you get a board made you get the shaper to take a bit off the shoulder of the rails whilst still leaving lots of meat in the middle. Basically just take an extra few strips of it with the planner - can make all the difference. Lots of people judge volume by the rail - but a good shaper can hide a lot in the middle with some nice work on the shoulder.

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surfbroker said..
I apply sunscreen onto the back of my hand, then rub in over the face, that way no grease on the fingers..

BTW I've been using Tribal clear as I get a reaction to normal sunscreen and it works well, though a bit greasy.

Wax...I use warm water Stomp and it works ok for me..don't like the soft wax as it transfers onto the wettie and boardies

I actually like getting a bit of wax rub off on my boardies so when I'm at the pub and had a few I don't slip off my chair,win win

I mostly just pick up a few handfuls of sand as I hit the water and give them a good wash. Seems to work a treat.

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Ricardo1709 said..

surfbroker said..
I apply sunscreen onto the back of my hand, then rub in over the face, that way no grease on the fingers..

BTW I've been using Tribal clear as I get a reaction to normal sunscreen and it works well, though a bit greasy.

Wax...I use warm water Stomp and it works ok for me..don't like the soft wax as it transfers onto the wettie and boardies

I actually like getting a bit of wax rub off on my boardies so when I'm at the pub and had a few I don't slip off my chair,win win