| Home Page
Profiles Page
Interact Page
Indo Boarding Photos
Skim Photos 1
Skim Photos 2
Skim Photos 3
Skim Photos 4
Skim Photos 5
Skim Photos 6
Skim Photos 7
Research and Tips Page
What to Buy
Favorite Links Page
Contact Page
Guest Book Page
|
|
Helpful tips!
I have constructed a page on this site, ( which you are currently viewing ), that debates and concludes which products are effective and which are a waste of your hard earned $. I have compiled a list of the leading skimboards, traction pads, and other assorted gear that "supposedly" increase your skimboarding ability and skill to new levels. This is just my personal opinion, and I only compare and contrast what I myself have tried. The following page is what I have just described above. Enjoy!
|
| |
Traction Pads...
Are traction pads really better than wax? The answer is YES! Although it's personal preferance whether you ride with a traction pad or with wax, your best bet for overall traction (of course) and stability will be a traction pad. Using a traction pad will eliminate further indentations on the top of your board caused by a bare foot smacking on a bare board. This indentation also occurs when you "hop" onto the board insted of gradually steping onto it properly...in one fluid motion. In general, waxes wear out within 1-3 skim sessions, and reaplication is nesseary. In adition to enhanced traction, traction pads also have a much longer life span than most other forms of traction. Traction Pads generaly last for 3-10+ months. Hell, they can last for years....mostly dependent upon one factor....The adhesive of the traction pad. Traction Pads come off due to water getting inbetween the pad and the board, therefore weakening the glue and decreasing the adherence to the board. This can be EASILY avoided or prolonged by these steps. 1.Apply the traction pad correctly or have a sales assistant at the shop you are purchasing it at apply it for you. This way the traction pad is on the board via the method intended by the product distributor/producer.
2.Wash all saltwater off your board after every skim session. This will keep salt out of the miniscule area between the traction pad and the board. Salt can also slowly but effectivly eat away at not only the glue inbetween the board and the pad, but it eats away at the board and the pad itself! Important step right there!
3. Buy the correct traction pad! You will learn later on in this site and on this page what traction pads are effective for duration against the elements.
|
This is a traction pad. It is a trusted brand,"X-trak", and is a high quality pad. These come in all different designs, colors, and schemes. |
| |
Arch Bars...
Arch bars are another form of traction other than wax. You apply this rectangular strip of traction enhancing material (whatever particular foam that company may be using) to the top of your skimboard. This give the arch of your foot enhanced traction that was absent while using wax. You can apply wax AROUND the arch bar for added traction. These usually run from 10-20 $ and are worth every penny. |
These are arch bars. They are 13.25 inches long and 2.5 inches wide. You can buy the "Beaker" or "Bill Bryan" arch bar which is a MONSTER! It's 18 inches long, for added traction no matter where your front foot is placed on the board! These also come in a variety of colors. |
| |
Skimboards...
Ok, heres the big one! Skimboards! I will start out with ZAP Skimmers. These are basicly foam core boards (exept for woddies of course) that have there place in the skimboard society today. They are a tourist board, because they have some low quality crap boards for tourists to buy and play around with for a week. But they also have very high quality boards. My first board was a ZAP Skimmer, mainly because they are easy to learn on and very durable. I had a zap pro, but they do offer even better. The comp, it speaks for itself. In the ZAP catagory, the comp has no compatition. Morey skimmers, crap...simply put. Stick to the bodyboards morey. Woodies, most all companies sell them. They are crap, unless you only wanna sandskim. They generaly slide farther on the sand then foam boards, but just TRY riding a wave with one. HA, good luck! Victoria...get this over a zap, because it is both cheaper than the high quality boards of zap that match a vic's calaber, and it is a bit lighter in my opinion than most zaps. Very nice board. Slotstic...never tried one, but I've heard they are up there with the exiles (which you will read about next). Nice look, with a supossed smooth ride to go with it. I'd get one. Exile..these are the big guns! By far one of the best skimboards ever made. This is my current board, a traditional rocker blue/black carbon exile! Incredibly light. Beyond fast. Simply amazing! There are several other small companies out there that I have tried such as Wave zone, and crap like that, but they don't deserve a spot on the list. Not even to be made fun of. lol. |
For those of you who don't know, this is a skimboard. This is my current board, an exile. Doesnt get much better than this. Its hefty 340.00 price tag is worth every penny. |
|
