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Grip Tape

Grip tape and deck grips – stay connected!

SUP paddleboards come with a deck pad or grip tape to help you keep a firm footing as you paddle.

The surfboard deck grip can come in many different shapes, some with a tail kick, others with an arch bar but all designed to provide a safe, secure foot hold when you are SUP board riding.

Like almost everything SUP, deck grips give you a choice. There are grooved grips, dimpled, diamond shaped all of which do the same job but the right choice depends on what feels right for your foot. And then there’s colour. Whether you have a favourite colour, something that just works with the board or don’t really care, we can suggest the right brand of deck grip for you.

Fixing your surfboard deck grip

Most grips come with 3M adhesive on the back so you can choose your own location on the board and, ensuring the surface is clean and has no wax residue, stick it into place. If the board has wax on it, a little solvent and some elbow grease will clean it up for you.

Most of the major SUP brands however suggest applying a very thin coat of epoxy resin after you’ve marked the anchor spot for your grip, and then mounting the grip pad. The epoxy together with the 3M adhesive provides confidence the deck pad won’t lift at the edges.

SUP deck pads range from 2mm to 5mm in thickness which doesn’t seem like much, but combined with your chosen profile pattern provide a very different feel. It’s all about personal choice.

At Stand Up Paddle Gear Australia we have grip tape and deck grips by FCS, Balin, On A Mission and Creatures Of Leisure; plus we have some generic products for you to choose from.