6 Best Surfing Stomp Pads & Tail Pads for 2024: Shortboard, Fish, Women, Frontpad, and Budget
Daniel Lofaso
I remember former tour surfer Taj Burrow saying that he can’t even surf without a tail pad. His foot would just slide right off the back. For many surfers, and specifically of the shortboarding variety, that is especially true.
Whatever you call them, tail pads, traction pads, or stomp pads, they have a special place in your list of must-have surf accessories that come with any surfboard purchase.
Here, we’ve compiled a list of the best tail pads of 2024 to take some of the guesswork out of finding a right one for you. Kick around these options next time you’re in the market.
My Traction Expertise- Why Trust This Review?
Honestly, there is no such thing as a surfboard traction pad expert, just someone who has tried a bunch of pads and who has a subjective opinion on them. But, I've been surfing for about 20 years and have pretty much tried every brand's stomp pad out there so I have some real-life experience. The cool thing about traction pads is that you can try different options on different boards. Not that you asked (or care), but I'm currently rocking the Dakine Andy Irons Pro Surf Traction Pad on my Pyzel Phantom and the Creatures of Leisure Icon Fish Traction Pad on my Channel Islands FishBeard.
Note: the price of these traction pads fluctuates regularly based on color and availability!
Best Surf Traction Pads Overview
- Best all-around- Bruce Irons Pro Traction Pad by Dakine
- Best fish tail pad- Creatures of Leisure Icon Fish Traction Pad
- Most comfortable tail pad- John Doe Corduroy Grip by Octopus
- Best budget tail pad- Premium Traction Traction Pad by Ho Stevie!
- Best front deck tail pad- Front Deck Corduroy II by Octopus
- Best women's tail pad- Stephanie Gilmore Ecopure Tail by Creatures of Leisure
Our pick for
Best all-around tail pad
Bruce Irons Pro Traction Pad by Dakine
The Bruce Irons Pro Traction Pad by Dakine has arguably been the best-selling stomp pad for years. Despite the popularity of Bruce, this classic design contains a center arch that many people love for contouring to your foot and allowing for rail-to-rail surfing. It’s a 5-piece tail pad so it can also be slightly altered upon installation to your personal preference and it’s offered by one of the most trusted brands in surfing, Dakine.
Pros
Cons
Our pick for
Best fish tail pad
Icon Fish Traction Pad by Creatures of Leisure
Made for boards with a fish tail or swallow tail, this flat traction pad is one of the few I’ve found on the market that actually offers the proper shape for fish boards. I know, I know, putting a tail pad on a fish is sort of sacrilegious, but as a traditional shortboarder, I just found that I could not surf without a tail pad on my fish. With the popularity of high performance fish boards on the rise, it’s likely that more of these tail pads will be available from different brands. For now, I really like the Creatures brand, the subtle retro design, and the overtly thin nature of the tail pad. The wedge is also quite minimal, which makes sense because most fishes aren’t designed to be ridden with your foot hammering the back of the stomp pad anyway.
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Our pick for
Most comfortable tail pad
John Doe Corduroy Grip by Octopus
Whenever it is available, I always go for a John Doe Corduroy Grip by Octopus. I don’t know what material they use for this two piece pad but it feels like butter under my feet. Other tail pads have a checkered design with raised ridges which I find to rip up my knees and feet after day-long surfing binges. These corduroy pads, however, feel like little baby pillows underneath my feet which makes ideal duckdiving material. They also have no arch which I actually prefer.
Pros
Cons
Our pick for
Best budget tail pad
Premium Surfboard Traction Pad by Ho Stevie!
Most tail pads these days will run you $40 to $60 bucks so it’s nice to see some slightly more approachable options. Ho Stevie!, known for its budget-friendly surf gear, makes a simple no frills tail pad for under $25 (at the time of this writing).
It's a 3-piece pad that allows you to position the traction in whatever ways you want. The material is soft, so if you are looking for an option that doesn't put so much pressure on your knees when duck-diving, this may be it.
Pros
Cons
Our pick for
Best front deck tail pad
Front Deck Corduroy II Grip by Octopus
The reason I choose this Octopus front deck stomp pad is, again, because of the comfort factor mentioned above. While most people surf front deck pads while wearing wetsuits and thus avoiding any stomach rash, front decks have become fairly popular for use in warm water by aspiring aerialists. Why have a surfboard that you can only use in the winter or during cold water usage when you can have the best of both worlds?
Pros
Cons
Our pick for
Best women’s tail pad
Stephanie Gilmore Ecopure Tail Pad by Creatures of Leisure
Traction pads are inherently unisex but the color schemes somewhat favor men. Enter this more feminine stomp pad with a “dirty eco pink” color scheme and a fun design by women’s championship tour GOAT Steph Gilmore. This tail pad features the square traction pattern, 3-piece design, and is made out of biodegradable foam.
Pros
Cons
Surf Pad Buyer's Guide
How do I know what traction pad to get?
The main factors for a traction pad are size, arch, and grip pattern. First and foremost, you’ll want to get a tail pad that will fit the width of your board without rolling over the edges. If you have a unique tail such as a fish tail, you’ll want a stomp pad that can work with that tail design.
Another factor is the arch design. Some tail pads have them, others don’t. It’s a personal preference thing. The arch is located just in front of the kick pad and is visible in the product pics so if you are leaning towards one option or another, look for it. I have boards with both and while I don't really notice the difference, for some people it may be a lot more evident.
The grip pattern is also of concern; you’ll want to find something that looks comfortable but also allows for the appropriate movement and traction of your back foot.
Surf Tail Pad FAQ
Do pro surfers use traction pads?
Yes, pretty much all pro surfers use traction pads. There are some rare exceptions, but for the most part, everyone who surfs at a high level on a shortboard uses a tail pad.
Are traction pads better than wax?
Traction pads have the benefit of not requiring upkeep and maintenance the way wax does. Most people reapply a layer of wax each time they surf, and with a tail pad, you don’t need to worry about this for this area of your surfboard. Tail pads also have a kick pad, which you can use to push into and to get an understanding of where your foot placement is.
Do you need wax if you have traction pads?
You still need to wax your board if you have traction pads as most people only use traction at the back of their boards. You could use a front deck traction pad as well as a tail pad and negate the need for wax altogether. Some people, myself included, actually use wax on the tail pad before paddling out for some extra tackiness and to help with that little bit of grime that may be accumulating before getting in the water.
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