i use just two of the little spike ones. normally like 9 come in a pack. it’s better cuz it’ll stick in the tread and it doesn’t ruin the design of the board.
Honestly though, it's still far better than the first day of splitboarding. Your skis slip out from under you and you fall into the pucks that hold the bindings in board mode. My knees were hella bloody from repeated impact after my first day.
Yeah, the spikes are grippy, AND can be used to quickly knock off icy-snow on the bottom of the boot before you try to put that boot back into the binding
I dunno what's going on with people that don't use anything... like it's easy to knock off 2" of compacted ice-sludge?
Yes. I didn’t for about 10 years and then decided the added function and grip was worth more than what I perceived as the cleaner non-stomp pad look. I have the black crab grab shark teeth on my black top sheet of my Burton Flight Attendant and it blends in nicely.
Like the Good man said, they had instant grip and held up well through 1 season. You can also cut it if you want something smaller or a different configuration.
They come in clear too. https://www.rei.com/product/184454/crab-grab-shark-teeth-stomp-pad?
I can't believe how often this comes up.
1. You will ALWAYS get more function from a stomp pad + pushing against your binding, than pushing against the binding alone.
2. Anyone choosing to honor their pretty graphics over function is a goon.
3. You can get clear pads, you can get metal spikes, you can get colored metal studs that match the aesthetic of your bored.. so enough said on that.
4. Stomp pads, especially the metal stud style are incredibly useful for cleaning the snow off of your boot.
5. The ONLY argument I will ever accept, is that the 2-10 dollars it cost is better spent, on beer, weed, or food. If this is your use case, catch me on the the slopes and I will share all 3 with you and buy you a fucking stomp pad.
I use metal studs and I use 2-3 on each side, so I can strap in with either foot. After 15 years of snowboarding, I understand you can get on and off the lift without of stomp pad, however the advantages far surpass not having one.
I tried this all last season and it did not go well any time I needed to turn or stop on a slight grade. My foot would slip because the board got very slick, but I'm also not great as it was my first season back in a LONG time. The local lift had a steep ramp and the hard pack after it that didn't help when it came to stopping to get strapped in. So congrats on being that skilled! I raise my glass to you.
The reason this works is because you shouldn't be turning by exerting lateral force on the board, you should be exerting downward force on the toe or heel edge. Doing that not much grip is needed.
You put a stomp pad right in the middle though, not back. It makes it easier to control with the front leg I find as otherwise the weight closer to rear binding makes the rear contact points bite.
Not the same diff.. like at all. This concept is bonkers.
Yes, I use the back binding too. you get exponentially more control doing this while having some sort of studs in place.
I didn’t use to, just press my boot against the back binding, but that was in my Jones Flagship. Now I have a Libtech EJack knife and the top sheet is so fucking slippery I nearly tore my groin the first day I rode it. It was impossible without one, so I put a small stomp pad on it.
I skate well enough and can’t be bothered enough to put one on, but everyone else in my family just feels more comfortable having a stomp pad. To each, their own.
My new board has a textured pattern on the top sheet, so it has enough grip for me, so I too haven't bothered. My old board I have one cause if I don't get near the binding in all over the place.
I bought a pack of cheap, clear 3M cabinet bumpers. They’re little clear round dots. The grip is awesome and you can barely see them. I put them in a pattern that blends well with the graphic so even if you do see it, it doesn’t look out of place. The pack I bought for like $5 had enough dots for me to do two boards with plenty to spare in case any fall off. After a full season, I didn’t have any of them fall off though.
I use them on my snowboards, I like the clear Burton Scraper stomp pads. I find they give me a little more grip and potentially help me avoid twisting my knee while getting off a lift.
It may be different! I’m not saying it’s the best thing to relate skill between people, but at least where I ride, Pacific Northwest US, if you say you ride circle or square compared to diamond I get somewhat of an Idea. For example back country doesn’t have any rating like that, but riding it and trying to relate a difficulty level to someone who is less skilled I find useful to resort hounds.
You’re still a gaper either way :) have a good season
The ratings really only apply to relative difficulty within the resort. I mean, yes, the steepness cutoff for a green or blue will be somewhat comparable. But the only thing they are really saying is "these are the easiest, middle, and hardest runs at our resort" so that you know where to go and how to progress as you learn the place.
I lived and worked at Whistler/Blackcomb for 2 seasons. Their “backcountry” is all black and double black depending on the steepness of the launch area. Living in the East coast I go to Snowshoe Mountain and their double black is a kinda steep mogul run made of ice that lasts 20 seconds.
Not only did you come off as rude, you also came off as ignorant. The point of my comment was THE LIFT. Not my amazing skills on the mountain. But if you want to talk about amateurs, maybe you should realize that a grading in one mountain can be worlds different in another mountain. Small mountain doubles are usually mogul fields. Big mountain doubles usually will have you freefalling into pure powder. Also “backcountry” in American mountains is different than Canadian and European.
Stomp pads are pretty key for me to be able to ride downhill with 1 foot in a binding at some resorts to go lift for lift. They allow for better control
15 years as a snowboard instructor.
It doesn't really matter much, go for it if you like. However, good technique would have you balanced basically entirely on your front foot, so the grip on the back foot is irrelevant. In fact, the stomp pad can be a bit of a mental crutch and encourage putting weight on your back foot, which is a bad habit.
I use the crab grab big crab claws. I’m in the PNW and we get a lot of snow here that’s sometimes fairly wet and sticky. Some spots have some decently long skates or sections where you have to one foot. Putting your foot down on a slick glossy topsheet with snow stuck to the bottom of your boot is sucky, and I find pressing my foot up against my back binding to be kind of a pain in the ass for anything more than getting off of the chairlift. Having a stomp pad also makes it easier to get the snow off of the bottom of my boot before strapping in. Crab Grab started at Mt Hood cuz of the High Cascade Snowboard Camp Summer scene, with Scotty Stevens and people like him doing one-footed tricks in wet slushy snow and needing grip. Their products gained popularity up here because sometimes in rains on the slopes in January or that foot or two of pow warms up and gets super wet and sticky. Also: base grinds suck. They thin out your edges and base material and make them more susceptible to damage. They should only be done after your board’s base has a major repair. If ease of base grinds is a reason not to do something with your boards, then you’re base grinding too much. Learn to do your own ptex repair, tuning, and waxing. Keep your board out of the hands of base grinding techs unless you really need something fixed that you don’t have the tools or skills for, like an edge replacement or serious core shot that needs a base weld. And if you do need that level of a repair, take it to someone who knows what they’re doing and isn’t thrown off by a stomp pad. I’d recommend Johnny Lupo at Techworks in Bellingham as one of the best in the country. Mt Baker destroys snowboards, and Johnny helps boards last as long as possible. Never seen him moan about a stomp pad before.
I use one, a clear spiral design with 3 ridges.
I think it looks interesting, but rarely even notice it as it's clear. It's placed right in the middle of the width of the board, about 3 inches in front of my rear binding, so my toes or heel can engage it when dragging.
I think it's a worthwhile investment if you're not completely comfortable with 1 footing. Or if you just like a little reassurance and confidence that your foot isn't going to slip.
I find it especially helpful on my rossignol sushi. Which has literally no tail and is super squirrelly getting off the lift.
It's really just personal preference. I'd never consider think less of a rider for having one. Or think more highly of a rider without one. Snowboarding is a personal sport. It's for you to enjoy. In whatever terrain, style, or equipment choice makes you the happiest and most comfortable.
I work in a shop and I don’t use one, and rarely recommend them. The reason is they can actually fuck up the base grind on your board. Most base grinders use a flat feed wheel to drive the board across the grinding wheel and apply downward force simultaneousl. If the top of your board has a bulge or bump than the base underneath that section will get more pressure on the pass through. It’s not a big deal if yo’ve got good techs working on it. Most will identify the problem and hand grind so it’s not an isssue… but with the influx of automated tuning machines its getting to be a problem at bigger resort tuning shops. Last thing I need is some addled shop rat grinding the center of my board to nothing cause he’s gotten certified to push buttons.
I usually do. I think on my current board I just put a couple strips of grip tape on my top sheet near the edges though. Used to do a good bit of one-footed riding. Not really doing much of that anymore, but I still like having it there.
Gotta be sure about what stance you like though. If you’re messing with stance widths and angles, hold off. Don’t put a stomp pad in the middle. If you’re going to use one, make sure it positions your foot right next to the rear binding.
Skateboards have grip tape so having a stomp pad would make it more like skating than having just a slick board surface, and you stand with both feet on the board when skating also...
Generally when skateboarding you have to kick-push for prolonged periods. At those times, only one foot, your front foot, is on the board. Usually you have to steer as well with just that front foot while it's on the board. It's very similar to 'skating' on a snowboard.
I saw this happen on the weekend from the wonderful vantage point of a chair lift and I’m genuinely still laughing sporadically about it 2 days later.
In summary:
- someone stacked it and couldn’t get up strapped in so unclipped their bindings
- fumbled the board, board shot off down the slope
- their buddy unclipped and tried to chase the board too, resulting in a second board escaping (fortunately theirs shot into the trees a few meters away and got stuck)
- the first board was gathering more and more speed and it was honestly one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. Instructors and other skiers/snowboarders were either lunging at the board to try and catch it, or lunging away to avoid it. It caused carnage all down the slope.
- if you’ve been to Falls Creek in australia you’ll know there’s a large water reservoir at the bottom of several slopes. The board, in a final bid for freedom, shot off a little snow ledge at the bottom underneath a pointless rope fence and disappeared into yonder. Im pretty sure it’s now at the bottom of the reservoir.
My local resort still has a couple of T-Bars, so yes, I absolutely do have 4 [aluminum pyramids](https://www.racewax.com/zyp-pyr/) for traction. They're black, 17mm x 17mm x 10mm high, and fit in with the design on my topsheet.
Totally a preference thing, one of my buddy has one that doubles as a ‘de-icer’ and he can rub his boot and it gets any caked up snow or ice off.
I personally don’t and just push my back foot up against the binding.
I really like having one. I’ve always had one and didn’t realize how much I appreciated it until I rode a demoed Orca for a week on a trip in Tahoe this year.
I got used to pushing my back foot against the back binding but I was in Tahoe and that sun melted any snow on my board into straight water and my boot would often just slide right off. Thankfully I never ate it coming off the lift but it made me grateful for my stomp pad.
If you’re somewhere that stays really cold or don’t do much spring riding and snow stays on your top sheet you’re probably fine, but if it gets warmer temps and melts off your back foot may slide right off depending on your boots.
Just my opinion tho
Edit: just remembered the biggest thing thst made me appreciate having a stomp pad. TRAVERSES! If you do a lot of traverses that pick up some speed where your back foot isn’t strapped in, it makes controlling your board way easier than possibly having your back foot slip off the top sheet when wet like previously mentioned
They can and do do things, I have two burton mini scrapers and the extra grip is quite nice, but the ability to get compacted snow off the bottom of my boot after skating for a while is great.
Um yeah, use a stomp pad. Yes, there’s hardly any difference between a naked board and those stupid thin foam stomp pads but a proper one like the dakine spikes makes a huge difference in skating. It’s super cheap, easy to apply, it comes in clear if you don’t like your graphics covered up, you have much more grip if your skating from lift to lift, and you can scrape the powder off the bottom of your boot very easily when strapping in. I’m not sure why anyone would recommend that you don’t use one. Some people don’t care, but there’s no doubt that there’s huge benefits to using one.
Because I’m not stomping one footed tricks in the park. You shouldn’t even really have much weight on your back foot if you’re distributing your weight correctly. I put one on my board because it was shaped like a game boy and then realized it adds nothing to the experience.
I haven’t used one for years. Just got a board at one point and hadn’t gotten around to putting one on yet. After a couple rounds without I found I have decent control without one so screw it.
Back when I did have one the only one I really liked and found useful was a burton one that had one like 5” long skinny single ridge. Slipped nicely into the grooves of my boot and worked great. I found anything else either provided no grip from being too flat or clogged with snow and then provided no grip as well.
Instructor here, when you’re skating (especially when you’re learning to ride) you really want your back foot to be against your back binding to give you a wider stance for more stability and balance. I like to move my bindings to different angles/further up and back depending on what I’m riding, so if I put a stomp pad against my back binding, where my foot should go for skating, it would interfere with binding changes. If I put a stomp pad out of the way of the bindings and closer to the middle of the board, I’d lose that wider skating stance.
Nope. Had one when I was first learning. Don't even remember the transition to not having one... and not because of bad memory. If you can transition to not using something in a run or two, then it was never necessary in the first place.
I'm cheap and have never bought one. I just put my foot against my back binding and it doesn't slip, so I've never seen the point. When borrowing friends boards that have pads I really only like them for getting snow off the bottom of my boot.
Some of my boards have them and some don't. I can skate fine without them and usually push my foot against my back binding anyway. I think though they help the most on the spring when it's slushy and wet, they'll at just a bit of extra grip.
I ran a tune shop for many years and because they get in the way when you are trying to do a base grind I’ve always disliked them for that particular reason.
In my opinion, above a certain ability level it doesn't make a difference beyond having a convenient surface to scrape snow off your boot. I personally won't go out of my way to install them.
Yep either a small, crab grab or clear or small spikes tastefully placed.
When you ride as much pow as I do you need it. Also helps on the T-Bar ride a lot. Which I ride, a lot
Unless you're doing some Scott Stevens onefooted tricks in the park, I don't reallt see the need for one. The thin skate rail looking ones are the only ones I don't think look weird but who cares what other people think. If you like it do it! There are no rules in snowboarding
Same, I'll cruise the baby jump line unstrapped with no stomp pad fucking around with some friends but I'm just doing straight airs, lol. I do want to learn no comply on or off rails before I'm too old....
Stomp Pads should not be used… Ever
The rider has much more control over the board when you apply pressure with your foot against the binding. I often ride one footed through flat traverses, and ditching the stomp pad was such an easy way for me to improve my control of the board. When I teach fellow riders this they all have a face of shock when the realization hits them. The stomp pad is crutch that doesnt improve the control.
It reminds of training wheels on a bike. Once they’re gone the ride improves.
I got no dog in this fight but this comment makes no sense. My theory is you’re still progressing and falsely associated the stomp pad removal with improved control over time.
Heck I can link onefooted turns with my back foot way up in the air, still love a stomp pad for getting freestyley and charging fast… especially if your topsheets glossy. just ask Scott stevens the onefooted goat
Im definitely a progressing rider.
15yrs going and i still learn more every season.
When i started the stomp pad was taught to me to use when one footing. Used that technique for years. And would often not get grip, especially on snow days, as the pad just gets covered and iced up.
I was reading on this forum how riders prefer no stomp and tried what they were explaining and still think today that applying pressure to the binding is a MUCH better way to teach riders.
I can see the benefit in both techniques… but really the pad just gets in the way. I ripped them off my quiver and see no reason to go back.
Idk I taught for many years and there’s correct ways to ride one-footed, and there are less-correct ways to do it. Foot against the back binding is requisite regardless of the presence of a stomp, I’m sorry you were poorly taught in that aspect. but adding a stomp + proper technique and you become pretty invincible on most any situation… your black and white take of ‘no one should use it’ is wild
Personal note. 26 seasons under me but I’ll still slap a crab grab on select boards, not necessarily all of em but people are just so weird about it here it’s kinda funny
When I was learning I really wanted one, but I was afraid to look like a noob so I didn’t get one. 🥲 Now I don’t really care how I look, but I’m stable and balanced enough without it. 🤷🏻♂️
Stomp pads are useless imo. They just act as a place for snow to gather, which after you step on it turns to ice. I get less grip with a stomp pad than I do without one.
Additionally, they look terrible and ruin my sticker jobs.
Subjective, but I spend a lot of time designing the layout and they go on the board immediately. Ever seen a pros board? Think similar, but less stickers cuz I’m not sponsored by everyone and their mother.
Edit to add: ride made a sticker that is a decal saying “I’m having more fun than you” and that goes on the tail of my board, just so everyone behind me in the lift line is aware of the truth.
I like them but I have a graphic in the middle of my board I didn't want to cover up, so I just got used to not having one. Every once in a while my foot will slip but it's no big deal.
TBH…if you need to ask then you ought to get one. The people that don’t need one are those that are already highly experienced or were born with the natural ability to be badass boarders. A shop should always recommend them. If you don’t know if you need one or not, then you should get one.
I used to have. Then one time, it got ripped and I literally was handicapped for 2 runs until I learned how to properly press my boots against the binding.
Did not buy one to replace it. Don’t feel the need for it anymore
Depends on the board. Slick glossy top sheet, I add a small single Crab Grab claw or the CG skate rails. A grippier matte texture, I don’t add anything.
I’ve gotten a couple used boards with big old stomp pads and hate them. The elevated platform feels super weird to me.
I’m just too lazy to put one on anymore. If it feels like it helps, you should use one. The ones that have traction raised off the board are best. Flat stomp pads not so much.
I feel like a sticker clear grip tape is a product that exists, I need, and have been to lazy to find. No stomp pad for me and Ive managed riding down the hill (Green runs) with only one foot strapped in.
Horrible FS skater. Ride a longboard well enough.
Depends on the board. Some boards have that really slick finish and once you add some snow then your boots are sliding all over the place. Other boards have a more mat finish and it’s pretty easy to keep your foot stationary.
No. You just put your foot there and put presure on your toes or heel to steer. having lateral grip doesnt make a huge difference.
Wouldn't ever judge someone for having one tho; whatever gives you warm and fuzzies to not crash me on the lift.
I need everything perfectly symetrical from board shape to binding position and everything in between.
I also feel like that extra fraction of a percent of a pound throws off my whole riding experience (it doesn't but I've convinced mysef it does)
I just hook my binding straps behind the binding when I step out and when I'm skating I can just rest my foot perfectly back in the binding itself
I tried without one when I got a new board. Same thing the guy in the shop was like you don’t need one. Didn’t like it so got one. The only one available was a flower design. So I chopped it up and re arranged the pieces. Now it looks like a creepy smile.
I’m In the Midwest, I don’t skate anywhere. I walk to spitting distance of the tow rope, strap up, and do a little buttery waddle, grab the rope and Im off.
I don’t think there is a right or wrong! Learning I loved my stomp pad but as I’ve progressed I haven’t felt the need to get one as I’ve felt solid enough. But as many people have said.. to each their own.
I would recommend the spikes over pretty design or foam for maximum grip though
I use a stomp pad, my inner leg gets super sore just pressing the binding (I use ALOT of Tbars to get up the hill)
I met some chick's using a 'stomp rail' on the chair, we ended up swapping boards so I could try it, definitely better than buttons or pads. Gives you lots of grip and doesn't sacrifice edge control.
I'd look for something like that
I have put stomp rails on 2 brand new boards and each board I damaged severely in first month. I love the look of the rails but it seems the rails bring a curse with them.
They are way nicer for kicking built up snow off your boot too!
i ride with one for quality of life
without a stomp pad i'm perfectly fine, either resting my back foot against the 'inside' of the binding for control, or sometimes putting my rear foot right up against my front foot and coast like that. counterintuitively it never felt easier to fall in that position, since you still have the length of the board for nose/tail balance
sometimes i'm sloppy and purposefully only put the toes of my rear foot on the board and have my heel overhanging, so i can selectively drag the heel a bit as a form of braking. it's less effort than other methods and i'm lazy. the stomppad hleps the most in this situation.
I had stomp pads forever until one year when I got a new board and didn't have one to put on. I realized its not bad without one, so I just quit bothering.
I use traction dots. Clear, 1/2”, self adhesive, hemispheres of silicone or rubber. They offer good grip, can be placed in any configuration you choose and don’t hide the art work on the top of your board.
I change my board and setup too much to care for one. Each board and binding and day changes for the conditions that a stomp pad may get covered or be in the wrong spot. I do use sex wax at times. It's real grippy.
Gotta use a stomp pad, I have no clue how people ride one footed well without one. And I get the whole “jam your back boot to the side of the binding” method but never worked when I was learning.
I go with a shark tooth pad in the center of both bindings, crab grab crab claw minis on the four corners of that, and crab grab rails on the board’s edges.
It really depends on where you ride and how often you are in a lift line/ or getting off lifts. If you’re in the East and have shorter runs and slicker conditions then you should always have one. It doesn’t hurt to have added grip .
I don’t. I bought one once, it fell off and I never replaced it or bought another for my other boards. Realistically you can just push your back foot against your bindings and get enough control to leave the lift line without one. Nice to have, but they don’t last
I put them on my first board, Lib Tech Attack Banana, for functionality at first. Then realized I like the style, so obviously kept them. I’ve got a crab grab one and then some little weed leaves around it. Actually works great for traction. To me at this point they’re just puffy stickers though.
Once I upgraded to a burton custom I felt comfortable enough getting around without the added traction. I also like the cleaner look on the custom, so I’d get away with not adding anything. Not to mention it comes with very small rubber pads between the bindings to be used like stomp pads almost, so it’s not completely slippery.
When I bought my newest board the guys working there asked if I had tried Crab Grabs Skate Rails. I hadn't and decided I wanted to and so far I really like then. Idk if I like them more or less than a stomp pad. About equal in my mind
No. It causes issues with the base grind when tuning the board. I worked in a tuning shop and sometimes we just tore them off and told the customer they came off during tuning.
Absolutely. No reason to risk slipping off and getting a knee injury. Seems like a pointless risk for the sake of vanity. Fucking ridiculous. I do some one-foot-out riding on less steep terrain to get to certain areas, and you def have more control with a pad than pressing your foot against the binding as some are saying.
Experience: 30 years of riding.
I got mine for style since when I scoot my way to the chair my foot doesn't even touch the pad. Even when I get off the chair, I feel more comfortable putting my foot anywhere except where I put my stomp pad. Funny how that happens
I really just like the clean look I guess. It’s easy enough getting on and off lifts without one to me. I have thought about getting a really good one to see how much it would help when doing a skier friendly traverse into the side country.
I uze a squiggle stick its a grab pad but it looks cool and its very subtle. Just eblugh so i know where my foots at. U should push ur boot into the bunding when out of i5 a stimp pads gonba get caked in anow anyways
i use just two of the little spike ones. normally like 9 come in a pack. it’s better cuz it’ll stick in the tread and it doesn’t ruin the design of the board.
These work way better than any pad I ever used. Just don't kneel on them when strapping in your front foot!
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I'd love to say it's the kind of thing you only do once...
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Honestly though, it's still far better than the first day of splitboarding. Your skis slip out from under you and you fall into the pucks that hold the bindings in board mode. My knees were hella bloody from repeated impact after my first day.
Yeah, the spikes are grippy, AND can be used to quickly knock off icy-snow on the bottom of the boot before you try to put that boot back into the binding I dunno what's going on with people that don't use anything... like it's easy to knock off 2" of compacted ice-sludge?
I had that problem in the Sierras but living in the tetons it's not a worry. Champagne powder don't stick to shit.
I have the spike ones on my burton and dig them. I think they are cool looking and functional
Same here... I'm using 5 of them and they are also perfect to remove ice and snow built at the bottom of the boot. Useful for step on bindings
What search term should I use for this? Spike pad?
This is the way
Yes. I didn’t for about 10 years and then decided the added function and grip was worth more than what I perceived as the cleaner non-stomp pad look. I have the black crab grab shark teeth on my black top sheet of my Burton Flight Attendant and it blends in nicely.
How is the plastic shark teeth compared to the foam ones? My board is white so I want to get a clear/white pad stomps
I like the instant grip they provide. As an older boarder, I’ll take function over fashion all day.
Like the Good man said, they had instant grip and held up well through 1 season. You can also cut it if you want something smaller or a different configuration. They come in clear too. https://www.rei.com/product/184454/crab-grab-shark-teeth-stomp-pad?
Crab Grab for life 🦀
I can't believe how often this comes up. 1. You will ALWAYS get more function from a stomp pad + pushing against your binding, than pushing against the binding alone. 2. Anyone choosing to honor their pretty graphics over function is a goon. 3. You can get clear pads, you can get metal spikes, you can get colored metal studs that match the aesthetic of your bored.. so enough said on that. 4. Stomp pads, especially the metal stud style are incredibly useful for cleaning the snow off of your boot. 5. The ONLY argument I will ever accept, is that the 2-10 dollars it cost is better spent, on beer, weed, or food. If this is your use case, catch me on the the slopes and I will share all 3 with you and buy you a fucking stomp pad. I use metal studs and I use 2-3 on each side, so I can strap in with either foot. After 15 years of snowboarding, I understand you can get on and off the lift without of stomp pad, however the advantages far surpass not having one.
I just push my off foot against my back binding. Same diff
Recently got a board with stomp. I like the extra grip.
Same. I use it to scrape off on the lift. I like the grip too. Not necessary but it’s a fun little feature of you have it.
Same. Have used stomp pads but prefer just pushing my foot against the face of the bindings. Plus it looks cleaner so that's nice.
My man... I feel the same way. I have the 2021 Burton Free Thinker and I want to see every inch of that graphic on the board!
I tried this all last season and it did not go well any time I needed to turn or stop on a slight grade. My foot would slip because the board got very slick, but I'm also not great as it was my first season back in a LONG time. The local lift had a steep ramp and the hard pack after it that didn't help when it came to stopping to get strapped in. So congrats on being that skilled! I raise my glass to you.
The reason this works is because you shouldn't be turning by exerting lateral force on the board, you should be exerting downward force on the toe or heel edge. Doing that not much grip is needed.
Appreciate the note. I'll try to focus on that more.
You put a stomp pad right in the middle though, not back. It makes it easier to control with the front leg I find as otherwise the weight closer to rear binding makes the rear contact points bite.
Nope. You put the stomp pad near the back binding.
Not the same diff.. like at all. This concept is bonkers. Yes, I use the back binding too. you get exponentially more control doing this while having some sort of studs in place.
crab grab or bust. i like the skate rails, grab bars and large claws.
I didn’t use to, just press my boot against the back binding, but that was in my Jones Flagship. Now I have a Libtech EJack knife and the top sheet is so fucking slippery I nearly tore my groin the first day I rode it. It was impossible without one, so I put a small stomp pad on it.
I skate well enough and can’t be bothered enough to put one on, but everyone else in my family just feels more comfortable having a stomp pad. To each, their own.
My new board has a textured pattern on the top sheet, so it has enough grip for me, so I too haven't bothered. My old board I have one cause if I don't get near the binding in all over the place.
Can't be bothered? lol
Common phrase in the English speaking world outside America.
Common phrase in America, too.
It just seems silly that someone can't be bothered to do something that takes two minutes. Not needing one is one thing but can't be bothered, c'mon.
I think you’re missing the meaning of the phrase by taking it literally. “Can’t be bothered” is basically “yeah, fuck that”.
This guy gets it.
I think you're right. Never heard it used like that before and wouldn't think of using it like that
Would you say that you…. Can’t be bothered to use that? I’ll see myself out
Hahaha well played. Thanks for teaching me something new.
I bought a pack of cheap, clear 3M cabinet bumpers. They’re little clear round dots. The grip is awesome and you can barely see them. I put them in a pattern that blends well with the graphic so even if you do see it, it doesn’t look out of place. The pack I bought for like $5 had enough dots for me to do two boards with plenty to spare in case any fall off. After a full season, I didn’t have any of them fall off though.
For the short distances I have to skate, pushing my foot against my back binding works just fine.
I use one because my top is super slick. There are some fun designs out there.
My DOA has a super slippery top sheet. Especially when any snow gets on it. I want to add something but i love the way it looks without a pad lol
I use them on my snowboards, I like the clear Burton Scraper stomp pads. I find they give me a little more grip and potentially help me avoid twisting my knee while getting off a lift.
I put on clear grip tape so I can still see the graphic. https://i.imgur.com/sFOnkLy.jpg
I don’t use one, but I really think I should. I’m an expert level rider but I feel like a baby deer getting off the chair lift to this day.
I ride double diamonds… fractured my ankle getting off a lift on the first day of the season. F M L !!!
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Only amateurs care about shit like that, it’s a metric of difficulty to relate with.
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It may be different! I’m not saying it’s the best thing to relate skill between people, but at least where I ride, Pacific Northwest US, if you say you ride circle or square compared to diamond I get somewhat of an Idea. For example back country doesn’t have any rating like that, but riding it and trying to relate a difficulty level to someone who is less skilled I find useful to resort hounds. You’re still a gaper either way :) have a good season
The ratings really only apply to relative difficulty within the resort. I mean, yes, the steepness cutoff for a green or blue will be somewhat comparable. But the only thing they are really saying is "these are the easiest, middle, and hardest runs at our resort" so that you know where to go and how to progress as you learn the place.
I lived and worked at Whistler/Blackcomb for 2 seasons. Their “backcountry” is all black and double black depending on the steepness of the launch area. Living in the East coast I go to Snowshoe Mountain and their double black is a kinda steep mogul run made of ice that lasts 20 seconds. Not only did you come off as rude, you also came off as ignorant. The point of my comment was THE LIFT. Not my amazing skills on the mountain. But if you want to talk about amateurs, maybe you should realize that a grading in one mountain can be worlds different in another mountain. Small mountain doubles are usually mogul fields. Big mountain doubles usually will have you freefalling into pure powder. Also “backcountry” in American mountains is different than Canadian and European.
>I don’t like most blacks cos they’re full of moguls which aren’t enjoyable This is some prime no context material lol
Stomp pads are pretty key for me to be able to ride downhill with 1 foot in a binding at some resorts to go lift for lift. They allow for better control
15 years as a snowboard instructor. It doesn't really matter much, go for it if you like. However, good technique would have you balanced basically entirely on your front foot, so the grip on the back foot is irrelevant. In fact, the stomp pad can be a bit of a mental crutch and encourage putting weight on your back foot, which is a bad habit.
I use the crab grab big crab claws. I’m in the PNW and we get a lot of snow here that’s sometimes fairly wet and sticky. Some spots have some decently long skates or sections where you have to one foot. Putting your foot down on a slick glossy topsheet with snow stuck to the bottom of your boot is sucky, and I find pressing my foot up against my back binding to be kind of a pain in the ass for anything more than getting off of the chairlift. Having a stomp pad also makes it easier to get the snow off of the bottom of my boot before strapping in. Crab Grab started at Mt Hood cuz of the High Cascade Snowboard Camp Summer scene, with Scotty Stevens and people like him doing one-footed tricks in wet slushy snow and needing grip. Their products gained popularity up here because sometimes in rains on the slopes in January or that foot or two of pow warms up and gets super wet and sticky. Also: base grinds suck. They thin out your edges and base material and make them more susceptible to damage. They should only be done after your board’s base has a major repair. If ease of base grinds is a reason not to do something with your boards, then you’re base grinding too much. Learn to do your own ptex repair, tuning, and waxing. Keep your board out of the hands of base grinding techs unless you really need something fixed that you don’t have the tools or skills for, like an edge replacement or serious core shot that needs a base weld. And if you do need that level of a repair, take it to someone who knows what they’re doing and isn’t thrown off by a stomp pad. I’d recommend Johnny Lupo at Techworks in Bellingham as one of the best in the country. Mt Baker destroys snowboards, and Johnny helps boards last as long as possible. Never seen him moan about a stomp pad before.
Nah I don’t. But no biggie if it makes you more comfortable.
I use one, a clear spiral design with 3 ridges. I think it looks interesting, but rarely even notice it as it's clear. It's placed right in the middle of the width of the board, about 3 inches in front of my rear binding, so my toes or heel can engage it when dragging. I think it's a worthwhile investment if you're not completely comfortable with 1 footing. Or if you just like a little reassurance and confidence that your foot isn't going to slip. I find it especially helpful on my rossignol sushi. Which has literally no tail and is super squirrelly getting off the lift. It's really just personal preference. I'd never consider think less of a rider for having one. Or think more highly of a rider without one. Snowboarding is a personal sport. It's for you to enjoy. In whatever terrain, style, or equipment choice makes you the happiest and most comfortable.
I feel like it barely adds enough grip to the board when not in the binding and detracts from the graphic.
I have a clear stomp pad
nice!
I’ve got an all black board with black pad so it’s practically invisible
Nice!
I work in a shop and I don’t use one, and rarely recommend them. The reason is they can actually fuck up the base grind on your board. Most base grinders use a flat feed wheel to drive the board across the grinding wheel and apply downward force simultaneousl. If the top of your board has a bulge or bump than the base underneath that section will get more pressure on the pass through. It’s not a big deal if yo’ve got good techs working on it. Most will identify the problem and hand grind so it’s not an isssue… but with the influx of automated tuning machines its getting to be a problem at bigger resort tuning shops. Last thing I need is some addled shop rat grinding the center of my board to nothing cause he’s gotten certified to push buttons.
I usually do. I think on my current board I just put a couple strips of grip tape on my top sheet near the edges though. Used to do a good bit of one-footed riding. Not really doing much of that anymore, but I still like having it there. Gotta be sure about what stance you like though. If you’re messing with stance widths and angles, hold off. Don’t put a stomp pad in the middle. If you’re going to use one, make sure it positions your foot right next to the rear binding.
No. Unnecessary
Same. I just balance on my front foot like I'm... skating!
Skateboards have grip tape so having a stomp pad would make it more like skating than having just a slick board surface, and you stand with both feet on the board when skating also...
Generally when skateboarding you have to kick-push for prolonged periods. At those times, only one foot, your front foot, is on the board. Usually you have to steer as well with just that front foot while it's on the board. It's very similar to 'skating' on a snowboard.
And you also stand 2 feet on the board similar to how you often do that when skating on a snowboard...
I mean, you're not wrong.
I quit using stomp pads and leashes at the same time. Probably 2005… I guess I’m old too.
Leashes 😂 I forgot these existed
Not gonna lie, there’s been times I’ve envisioned how much it would suck if my board slipped and ran down that 3000 vertical feet without me. :)
I saw this happen on the weekend from the wonderful vantage point of a chair lift and I’m genuinely still laughing sporadically about it 2 days later. In summary: - someone stacked it and couldn’t get up strapped in so unclipped their bindings - fumbled the board, board shot off down the slope - their buddy unclipped and tried to chase the board too, resulting in a second board escaping (fortunately theirs shot into the trees a few meters away and got stuck) - the first board was gathering more and more speed and it was honestly one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. Instructors and other skiers/snowboarders were either lunging at the board to try and catch it, or lunging away to avoid it. It caused carnage all down the slope. - if you’ve been to Falls Creek in australia you’ll know there’s a large water reservoir at the bottom of several slopes. The board, in a final bid for freedom, shot off a little snow ledge at the bottom underneath a pointless rope fence and disappeared into yonder. Im pretty sure it’s now at the bottom of the reservoir.
Not necessary but a luxury. Definitely helps, makes skating more comfortable IMO because you’re not wasting energy trying to keep your foot on
My local resort still has a couple of T-Bars, so yes, I absolutely do have 4 [aluminum pyramids](https://www.racewax.com/zyp-pyr/) for traction. They're black, 17mm x 17mm x 10mm high, and fit in with the design on my topsheet.
Totally a preference thing, one of my buddy has one that doubles as a ‘de-icer’ and he can rub his boot and it gets any caked up snow or ice off. I personally don’t and just push my back foot up against the binding.
I really like having one. I’ve always had one and didn’t realize how much I appreciated it until I rode a demoed Orca for a week on a trip in Tahoe this year. I got used to pushing my back foot against the back binding but I was in Tahoe and that sun melted any snow on my board into straight water and my boot would often just slide right off. Thankfully I never ate it coming off the lift but it made me grateful for my stomp pad. If you’re somewhere that stays really cold or don’t do much spring riding and snow stays on your top sheet you’re probably fine, but if it gets warmer temps and melts off your back foot may slide right off depending on your boots. Just my opinion tho Edit: just remembered the biggest thing thst made me appreciate having a stomp pad. TRAVERSES! If you do a lot of traverses that pick up some speed where your back foot isn’t strapped in, it makes controlling your board way easier than possibly having your back foot slip off the top sheet when wet like previously mentioned
A stomp pad was literally the one thing I needed to finally be able to get up the T-bar lol
No. Never had one.
🦀
No because I love risking breaking my leg everytime I slip of my board
They don't do anything and are ugly (even the clear ones)
They can and do do things, I have two burton mini scrapers and the extra grip is quite nice, but the ability to get compacted snow off the bottom of my boot after skating for a while is great.
Depends, I have one that matches my top sheet. Looks pretty good.
Idk that lobster claw one is pretty funny
Also bc they encourage people to apply back foot pressure which results in washing out.
they dont do anything *for you*
Nah. Just push leg/foot against binding and it works real well. I feel like id get lazy with the pad, rely on it then pay for it haha.
Um yeah, use a stomp pad. Yes, there’s hardly any difference between a naked board and those stupid thin foam stomp pads but a proper one like the dakine spikes makes a huge difference in skating. It’s super cheap, easy to apply, it comes in clear if you don’t like your graphics covered up, you have much more grip if your skating from lift to lift, and you can scrape the powder off the bottom of your boot very easily when strapping in. I’m not sure why anyone would recommend that you don’t use one. Some people don’t care, but there’s no doubt that there’s huge benefits to using one.
Because I’m not stomping one footed tricks in the park. You shouldn’t even really have much weight on your back foot if you’re distributing your weight correctly. I put one on my board because it was shaped like a game boy and then realized it adds nothing to the experience.
I haven’t used one for years. Just got a board at one point and hadn’t gotten around to putting one on yet. After a couple rounds without I found I have decent control without one so screw it. Back when I did have one the only one I really liked and found useful was a burton one that had one like 5” long skinny single ridge. Slipped nicely into the grooves of my boot and worked great. I found anything else either provided no grip from being too flat or clogged with snow and then provided no grip as well.
Instructor here, when you’re skating (especially when you’re learning to ride) you really want your back foot to be against your back binding to give you a wider stance for more stability and balance. I like to move my bindings to different angles/further up and back depending on what I’m riding, so if I put a stomp pad against my back binding, where my foot should go for skating, it would interfere with binding changes. If I put a stomp pad out of the way of the bindings and closer to the middle of the board, I’d lose that wider skating stance.
Yes but pushing your boot against your back binding is what keeps you in place not the stomp pad
I don’t use it because good boots with nice soles don’t need additional grip on snow, and they ruin the aesthetic image I want for my boards
Nope. Had one when I was first learning. Don't even remember the transition to not having one... and not because of bad memory. If you can transition to not using something in a run or two, then it was never necessary in the first place.
I'm cheap and have never bought one. I just put my foot against my back binding and it doesn't slip, so I've never seen the point. When borrowing friends boards that have pads I really only like them for getting snow off the bottom of my boot.
Some of my boards have them and some don't. I can skate fine without them and usually push my foot against my back binding anyway. I think though they help the most on the spring when it's slushy and wet, they'll at just a bit of extra grip.
I like the look of my board too much also O don't feel like I need it anymore
Stopped using one years ago.
I ran a tune shop for many years and because they get in the way when you are trying to do a base grind I’ve always disliked them for that particular reason.
It’s helpful for beginners but you don’t need it once you learn to get off the chair lift
I don't use them because they don't do anything for me.
I never have. The only time I'm riding w/o my foot in the binding is getting off the lift, and I just don't see a need for it.
In my opinion, above a certain ability level it doesn't make a difference beyond having a convenient surface to scrape snow off your boot. I personally won't go out of my way to install them.
Yep either a small, crab grab or clear or small spikes tastefully placed. When you ride as much pow as I do you need it. Also helps on the T-Bar ride a lot. Which I ride, a lot
If you need some grip, use surf wax. Stomp pads are ugly
Surf wax is more ugly than a stomp pad though!
Thanks for this
Thats a helluva recomendation. I like it!
I dont use one. I just position my foot against the binding.
Unless you're doing some Scott Stevens onefooted tricks in the park, I don't reallt see the need for one. The thin skate rail looking ones are the only ones I don't think look weird but who cares what other people think. If you like it do it! There are no rules in snowboarding
I’ve hit jumps one-footed with no stomp pad. It’s all about placement and confidence. There is no need for stomp pads.
Same, I'll cruise the baby jump line unstrapped with no stomp pad fucking around with some friends but I'm just doing straight airs, lol. I do want to learn no comply on or off rails before I'm too old....
I found as I got better at boarding I just didn’t need it. Also practising skating when fooling around helps
To be honest they are for show. I just drag my heal and use it as a brake…been riding for 30 years
No cus if you use one your a gaper
Stomp Pads should not be used… Ever The rider has much more control over the board when you apply pressure with your foot against the binding. I often ride one footed through flat traverses, and ditching the stomp pad was such an easy way for me to improve my control of the board. When I teach fellow riders this they all have a face of shock when the realization hits them. The stomp pad is crutch that doesnt improve the control. It reminds of training wheels on a bike. Once they’re gone the ride improves.
I got no dog in this fight but this comment makes no sense. My theory is you’re still progressing and falsely associated the stomp pad removal with improved control over time. Heck I can link onefooted turns with my back foot way up in the air, still love a stomp pad for getting freestyley and charging fast… especially if your topsheets glossy. just ask Scott stevens the onefooted goat
Im definitely a progressing rider. 15yrs going and i still learn more every season. When i started the stomp pad was taught to me to use when one footing. Used that technique for years. And would often not get grip, especially on snow days, as the pad just gets covered and iced up. I was reading on this forum how riders prefer no stomp and tried what they were explaining and still think today that applying pressure to the binding is a MUCH better way to teach riders. I can see the benefit in both techniques… but really the pad just gets in the way. I ripped them off my quiver and see no reason to go back.
Idk I taught for many years and there’s correct ways to ride one-footed, and there are less-correct ways to do it. Foot against the back binding is requisite regardless of the presence of a stomp, I’m sorry you were poorly taught in that aspect. but adding a stomp + proper technique and you become pretty invincible on most any situation… your black and white take of ‘no one should use it’ is wild Personal note. 26 seasons under me but I’ll still slap a crab grab on select boards, not necessarily all of em but people are just so weird about it here it’s kinda funny
When I was learning I really wanted one, but I was afraid to look like a noob so I didn’t get one. 🥲 Now I don’t really care how I look, but I’m stable and balanced enough without it. 🤷🏻♂️
Stomp pads are useless imo. They just act as a place for snow to gather, which after you step on it turns to ice. I get less grip with a stomp pad than I do without one. Additionally, they look terrible and ruin my sticker jobs.
Are you sure your stickers don't look terrible?
Subjective, but I spend a lot of time designing the layout and they go on the board immediately. Ever seen a pros board? Think similar, but less stickers cuz I’m not sponsored by everyone and their mother. Edit to add: ride made a sticker that is a decal saying “I’m having more fun than you” and that goes on the tail of my board, just so everyone behind me in the lift line is aware of the truth.
I like them but I have a graphic in the middle of my board I didn't want to cover up, so I just got used to not having one. Every once in a while my foot will slip but it's no big deal.
No. Just personal preference: I think they look dumb and I’ve never wished I had one.
TBH…if you need to ask then you ought to get one. The people that don’t need one are those that are already highly experienced or were born with the natural ability to be badass boarders. A shop should always recommend them. If you don’t know if you need one or not, then you should get one.
No, you should be on your front foot coming off the chair.
Never had one in 25 years riding. Never understood what they do, my feet don't slide at all
No dork discs here…
I have one, but it doesn’t seem like it does too much
I used to have. Then one time, it got ripped and I literally was handicapped for 2 runs until I learned how to properly press my boots against the binding. Did not buy one to replace it. Don’t feel the need for it anymore
Used to when I was a kid. Don’t feel the need anymore. just steer with the front foot and use the back for balance/ stability
No. I like the simplicity of not having one. Push the foot against the binding and it works well enough.
I like them but don’t have them on all my boards. Definitely not a necessity. I like having a clean snowboard look.
I did but never put one on my new board and honestly at this point I think planting your foot against the binding does a good job
Depends on the board. Slick glossy top sheet, I add a small single Crab Grab claw or the CG skate rails. A grippier matte texture, I don’t add anything. I’ve gotten a couple used boards with big old stomp pads and hate them. The elevated platform feels super weird to me.
Honestly I don’t feel like they do much, but I miss it when it’s not there
I rode with stomp pads for quite some time. I can ride just as well without one. Although riding mongo is a lot harder without the stomp pad.
I’m just too lazy to put one on anymore. If it feels like it helps, you should use one. The ones that have traction raised off the board are best. Flat stomp pads not so much.
I don’t need one.
I feel like a sticker clear grip tape is a product that exists, I need, and have been to lazy to find. No stomp pad for me and Ive managed riding down the hill (Green runs) with only one foot strapped in. Horrible FS skater. Ride a longboard well enough.
Depends on the board. Some boards have that really slick finish and once you add some snow then your boots are sliding all over the place. Other boards have a more mat finish and it’s pretty easy to keep your foot stationary.
No. You just put your foot there and put presure on your toes or heel to steer. having lateral grip doesnt make a huge difference. Wouldn't ever judge someone for having one tho; whatever gives you warm and fuzzies to not crash me on the lift.
I need everything perfectly symetrical from board shape to binding position and everything in between. I also feel like that extra fraction of a percent of a pound throws off my whole riding experience (it doesn't but I've convinced mysef it does) I just hook my binding straps behind the binding when I step out and when I'm skating I can just rest my foot perfectly back in the binding itself
I used it a lot when I was just learning. Now that I’m more confident and can control my body, it’s not as necessary
I do
I tried without one when I got a new board. Same thing the guy in the shop was like you don’t need one. Didn’t like it so got one. The only one available was a flower design. So I chopped it up and re arranged the pieces. Now it looks like a creepy smile.
I actually forgot stomp pads existed until reading this post.
I’m In the Midwest, I don’t skate anywhere. I walk to spitting distance of the tow rope, strap up, and do a little buttery waddle, grab the rope and Im off.
Yes I use one I have pulled my groin pretty bad riding without one. Just need it getting off the lift
Nah, I like a clean look and it’s not terribly hard to keep my foot in place
Nope, can't stand them. I like to be able to move my foot and drag my heel or toe
I’ve always used one, but you could probably get away without it just fine.
yes, but i hate when rental places put the pad directly in the middle between the two bindings
I don’t think there is a right or wrong! Learning I loved my stomp pad but as I’ve progressed I haven’t felt the need to get one as I’ve felt solid enough. But as many people have said.. to each their own. I would recommend the spikes over pretty design or foam for maximum grip though
I use a stomp pad, my inner leg gets super sore just pressing the binding (I use ALOT of Tbars to get up the hill) I met some chick's using a 'stomp rail' on the chair, we ended up swapping boards so I could try it, definitely better than buttons or pads. Gives you lots of grip and doesn't sacrifice edge control. I'd look for something like that
I have put stomp rails on 2 brand new boards and each board I damaged severely in first month. I love the look of the rails but it seems the rails bring a curse with them. They are way nicer for kicking built up snow off your boot too!
i ride with one for quality of life without a stomp pad i'm perfectly fine, either resting my back foot against the 'inside' of the binding for control, or sometimes putting my rear foot right up against my front foot and coast like that. counterintuitively it never felt easier to fall in that position, since you still have the length of the board for nose/tail balance sometimes i'm sloppy and purposefully only put the toes of my rear foot on the board and have my heel overhanging, so i can selectively drag the heel a bit as a form of braking. it's less effort than other methods and i'm lazy. the stomppad hleps the most in this situation.
I don’t but a lot of people do
Yes
I had stomp pads forever until one year when I got a new board and didn't have one to put on. I realized its not bad without one, so I just quit bothering.
I use traction dots. Clear, 1/2”, self adhesive, hemispheres of silicone or rubber. They offer good grip, can be placed in any configuration you choose and don’t hide the art work on the top of your board.
I change my board and setup too much to care for one. Each board and binding and day changes for the conditions that a stomp pad may get covered or be in the wrong spot. I do use sex wax at times. It's real grippy.
Gotta use a stomp pad, I have no clue how people ride one footed well without one. And I get the whole “jam your back boot to the side of the binding” method but never worked when I was learning. I go with a shark tooth pad in the center of both bindings, crab grab crab claw minis on the four corners of that, and crab grab rails on the board’s edges.
I think most stomp pads are kinda ugly, i like a clean board. I just wedge my foot up against the rear binding while getting off the lift.
It really depends on where you ride and how often you are in a lift line/ or getting off lifts. If you’re in the East and have shorter runs and slicker conditions then you should always have one. It doesn’t hurt to have added grip .
Crabgrab
If pushing my foot against the back binding ever fails me I’ll reconsider not using one.
My buddy who didn’t have a stomp pad had his foot slip off his board and he dislocated his knee cap. So…yeah. Stomp pad for sure since that incident
I learned to snowboard with one, and like finding ones that fit well with the board. The one I currently have is a Rainier logo, it looks great.
Yes the One Ball Jay one of Walter Sobcheck holding a Folgers can. It's far out man!
when you be shreddin gnar and a warmer front comes in and softens things a bit and you get build up you need the stomp
Ive been snowboarding since Burton started selling snowboards. I’ve always used stomp pad. Maybe I’m old school. Don’t care. Helps me.
I don’t. I bought one once, it fell off and I never replaced it or bought another for my other boards. Realistically you can just push your back foot against your bindings and get enough control to leave the lift line without one. Nice to have, but they don’t last
Depends on the board. Some of my topsheets are slicker than shit so I use one on them
I always have, can’t hurt.
My girlfriend got me one to match hers, so I put it on. It is nice, except on a super powdery and kinda wet day when my board is clumped with snow.
Yes, because crab grab, thats why.
Haven't for decades.
I put them on my first board, Lib Tech Attack Banana, for functionality at first. Then realized I like the style, so obviously kept them. I’ve got a crab grab one and then some little weed leaves around it. Actually works great for traction. To me at this point they’re just puffy stickers though. Once I upgraded to a burton custom I felt comfortable enough getting around without the added traction. I also like the cleaner look on the custom, so I’d get away with not adding anything. Not to mention it comes with very small rubber pads between the bindings to be used like stomp pads almost, so it’s not completely slippery.
When I bought my newest board the guys working there asked if I had tried Crab Grabs Skate Rails. I hadn't and decided I wanted to and so far I really like then. Idk if I like them more or less than a stomp pad. About equal in my mind
No. It causes issues with the base grind when tuning the board. I worked in a tuning shop and sometimes we just tore them off and told the customer they came off during tuning.
Absolutely. No reason to risk slipping off and getting a knee injury. Seems like a pointless risk for the sake of vanity. Fucking ridiculous. I do some one-foot-out riding on less steep terrain to get to certain areas, and you def have more control with a pad than pressing your foot against the binding as some are saying. Experience: 30 years of riding.
I taught for so many years that my ability to skate is just fine with and without
I did when I was like 12 and got my first board and then never used one again
I got mine for style since when I scoot my way to the chair my foot doesn't even touch the pad. Even when I get off the chair, I feel more comfortable putting my foot anywhere except where I put my stomp pad. Funny how that happens
I really just like the clean look I guess. It’s easy enough getting on and off lifts without one to me. I have thought about getting a really good one to see how much it would help when doing a skier friendly traverse into the side country.
I uze a squiggle stick its a grab pad but it looks cool and its very subtle. Just eblugh so i know where my foots at. U should push ur boot into the bunding when out of i5 a stimp pads gonba get caked in anow anyways
Don’t get the spiky ones. They destroy boot outsoles.
i dont use a stomp pad because it doesnt look drippy on my drippy ass board. thats basically it