Anyone had any experience with this clear deck grip

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Versa-Traction-clear-DECK-grip-tape-PADS-longboard-stand-up-surf-boards-SUPS-/140976456349?pt=AU_Sport_Surfing&hash=item20d2da029d

I have not but a fella I surfed with did and cursed the stuff like no tomorrow. That was only last week. Plus I love the ritual of waxing my board and the lovely smell that goes with it yum cream wax smells just like huba buba yeeew

Shame it would have left the boards looking nicer but if it dont work its no good

I've used it on a few boards now.
Especially my Dick Van Straalen, black carbon fibre boards.
Have no issue with it and my shorter boards can go straight into the car with no wax going on the seats.
Also eliminates the issue of wax migrating all over the rails and bottom of the board when using board bags.
Cool thing is one longboard deck kit can do two shortboards.
If you have art work or fabric inlays on your deck you can see it more clearly than if the boards waxed.
Very rarely have any kind of slippage using it and its still easy to move around/walk the board.
Its probably lighter than a wax coating.
Lastly if you're a real man you won't have any chest hair making a waxed deck look like your pubes fell out.

Ok that's a spin out. When I see old mate piggy I'm going to hit him up for a test ride and give my opinion on it first hand. Would like to stir him up anyway.

Might take you a few waves to get used to it.
I've had a mate ride one of my boards with it and he basically forgot it was there right from the start.
Everyone's different.

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Cuttlefish said..

I've used it on a few boards now.
Especially my Dick Van Straalen, black carbon fibre boards.
Have no issue with it and my shorter boards can go straight into the car with no wax going on the seats.
Also eliminates the issue of wax migrating all over the rails and bottom of the board when using board bags.
Cool thing is one longboard deck kit can do two shortboards.
If you have art work or fabric inlays on your deck you can see it more clearly than if the boards waxed.
Very rarely have any kind of slippage using it and its still easy to move around/walk the board.
Its probably lighter than a wax coating.
Lastly if you're a real man you won't have any chest hair making a waxed deck look like your pubes fell out.

So does it give the same grip as wax, any downsides. Does it lift or fray at the edges and would you need to redo it every so often.

I haven't had any of the versa traction I've put on boards lift.
Just clean the board's deck thoroughly before putting it on.
Take your time to squeeze out any air bubbles.
Definitely no fraying.
Its tough stuff.
The only time I have had any issue is when the water has been dirty with flood run off and even wax becomes slippery in that.
First used it years ago and had it sent from the US.
Then John Shimooka was the agent here and I was stoked to find out Riley had started stocking it.
Reckon its great value considering a tail pad retails for $50 odd.
There are alternatives like spray on deck grips and one more traction kit like versas.
Google versa traction for reviews and the surfer mag or Swaylocks forum discussions on it.
Pretty sure they've improved the grip since the earlier ones that are in the older discussions about it too.

i remember in the eighties full deck grips were the go for a bit. i hated it. especially will a wettie on . you couldn't swing the board round and get it away for yourself. stuff was like velco.

obviously not a issue with 666's

when I saw this thread title I thought it might be something to do with.....






Anyway so back on topic.......does this stuff actually hurt your skin? Do you get rashes? I like the idea of no wax....I hate deck grips as well.....I do have rear grips on a few short boards but lately I have not been putting them on as I hate the rash I get when I duck dive in the summer.....

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Ted the Kiwi said..

when I saw this thread title I thought it might be something to do with.....






Anyway so back on topic.......does this stuff actually hurt your skin? Do you get rashes? I like the idea of no wax....I hate deck grips as well.....I do have rear grips on a few short boards but lately I have not been putting them on as I hate the rash I get when I duck dive in the summer.....

Yeah Ted go the Brazo 100%

I always wear a rashie through warmer months and wettie top and wetsuit through cooler ones for skin cancer reasons but if you google some of the previous discussions you'll find others thoughts on rashes.
Bare in mind that they have improved their pattern on the grip over the years since I first used it.
Its nothing like using a full set of traction (ala tail pad) as its really thin and absorbs no water.
Weird thing is I've put it on boards that have had heel denting in the deck already but after I've put it on have not noticed any new ones.
And I'm a lead foot when it comes to heel dents.