Traction Pad and Foot Placement for surfing

[@nottherealmccoy4955]

Great tutorial Thomye, clear & concise instructions with the reasons for placing it as you did! 11/10 :)

[@rctrix9063]

This is a great how2. I have a system of leash cords that's a bit different. Using 45cm of 4mm cord I fold it end to end as usual, thread it through as usual and the thread that loop through the rail- saver. Finally I double loop the looped end a push the kno through the double loop. It works for those cheapo rail-savers but then you can swap them out for another board, without threading the whole leggy back through the rope. It's the same system they use to attach the lines to a kiteboarding kite.

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Sick tutorial! Pretty clear and sufficient! Can't wait to see El Tomo Fish review. My buddy said it needs more juicy wave to get it moving!

[@ThomyeSurfs]

I got it out today and it's crazy how different it surfs from the Modern 2. I would have thought certain things would be similar. quick spoiler, the board is the opposite of the Modern2. The ET surfs bigger than it is while the M2 surfs smaller. haha but I think I am getting why it does and might help with other board selection.

[@FuzzyL0g1c]

@@ThomyeSurfs what do you mean when you say it surfs bigger?

[@ThomyeSurfs]

@@FuzzyL0g1c my El Tomo is a 5'6 but it surfs like a 5'9. Some boards surf bigger and others smaller. Example, my Sharpeye modern 2 is also a 5'6 but feel like a 5'3. My neckbeard 2 is a 5'6 and surfs like it's 5'6. I think the outline and design has a lot to do with it as well as flex. I'm finding this El Tomo has little to no flex. but I have only been on it once so far so might be premature. although I did have 3 solid waves on it and it felt big on all 3.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

@@FuzzyL0g1c quick thing, forget to mentions that big isn't a bad thing, just a sensation. sometimes, it's a good thing cuz bigger feels more stable. Hopefully I will get some footage this weekend.

[@FuzzyL0g1c]

@@ThomyeSurfs looking forward to your review!

[@alanhart6407]

Love the videos!! Would love a video on fin selection and choosing the right fin for your skill level, board, and wave. Thanks!

[@DeforestLCooper]

Great video on how to put traction on that style of tail. I think Tomo or Firewire should share this video on to properly put a pad on this model! :) Great work Tommy!

[@jnoonanuk]

Hey, great video! Thanks so much for doing this vid. This is a great vid and perfectly answers my question, and I've got a swallow tail! thanks, loving your vids 👍😆

[@taradead]

On my pod mod as a thruster, I have to turn with my back foot a little farther forward than directly over the center fin...or the board gets out of control loose. However, as a quad, my foot has to be directly over the trailers.

[@boltup5566]

Maybe you mentioned this...it's good to have the leash string short so it doesn't slice through your board on a wipe out. My buddy has that board. He swears by a twin fin setup with small trailer.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

I actually didn't mention that, but I should have. as for the 2+1 setup, I would love to try that except mine didn't come with a center plug. :( it's a dedicated quad.

[@miarritzekosurfari]

Cool videos. Thanks ✨🔥

[@donatkinson1596]

Looking forward to the review - thanks!

[@terenceingram7786]

You going to try the Tomo specific quads for this board?

[@ThomyeSurfs]

not sure. I'm not sure they will add much to the board and to drop $150 for something I might try once scares me. I would love to try the H4 quads in this. sort of a miniature version of the tomo fin idea.

[@edcruz11]

Aloha, How would you recommend taking off an old traction to put on a new one?

[@ThomyeSurfs]

There is no easy way. I would say hair dryer or heat gun. You don't want to heat it too much though. Just a very slight bit because the goal is to heat up the glue on the board to pad contact. If you heat up too much, you end up loosening up the glue to the pad. so when you peel it off, you end up with the glue left over on the board is which 10x harder to remove. Hope that makes sense. Just go slow, peel off a corner and heat from under while you are peeling vs on top of the pad.

[@alexandredaubresse7699]

Hi man, I can't seem to find the right placement for my feet .. I am shortboard surfing at an intermediate level and I would like to maneuver a little harder ... But I can't manage to place my back foot at the bottom of my pad, it is still very advanced, almost limit on the board .. When I try to pull it back, I am immediately with my legs too wide apart .. and therefore uncomfortable .. How can I change that? My front foot must also be too far forward I imagine, because when I do my takeoff I just place it in my hands? Do I have to step back on the board even if it means taking fewer waves, or do I move my hands back more at the level of the abdomen? Thank you for your advice!

[@ThomyeSurfs]

how tall are you and how tall is your board?

[@alexandredaubresse7699]

@@ThomyeSurfs 6' both

[@ThomyeSurfs]

@@alexandredaubresse7699 these are the toughest questions. but I will tell you that I had the same problem at one point in my surfing. I too felt my stance was too wide when stepping back. My primary issue was that I was trying to surf with my feet back and not fully understanding what I actually needed to do. When surfing a board at the same height as oneself, the sweet spot is usually forward. it is the flattest part of the rocker and also the widest part of the board making it the easiest and fastest part to surf on a normal average wave. What I have figured out over the years for myself is that I surfing is this constant adjustment of moving forward, back, etc. Unlike something like snowboarding, where you are locked in, surfing is rather fluid. the exact same board can feel different cuz of the wave. One wave could feel great on the tail while another feels off. Anyways, for me, it was all about surfing the tail only to turn or pivot. watch this video of Medina. you will see he actaully surfs way up on his board to gain speed and only steps back for the turn itself or air. www.surfer.com/surfing-magazine-archive/surfing-video/gabriel-medina-lower-trestles/ One last thing that helped me was surfing a wide, short, fat board. I surfed a 5'1 Firewire Baked Potato. I'm 5'8. so to feel like I was centered, I was way up on that board but since it was only 5'1, i literally was on the back part of the tail pad by default. After I got used to this board, turning on the tail didn't seem too wide anymore. Not the best advise I can give but try not to "surf" the tail, rather just turn on the tail. I'll also give it more thought to see if I can come up with any actual methods to use.

[@MrLbmalibu]

It may be the optics, but those performers look like large size. Are they and curious on your thoughts on sizing the fins on a quad?

[@ThomyeSurfs]

they are actually medium. I thought they looked big too. But so far, they have been working really well. I also thought the rear fins looked way too big. I normally ride the stretch quads which are shorter broader fins but I don't have an FCS set. Most of my quads for some reason are in futures. I need to get a set of the reactor quad rears and performance quad set. then i'll be able to test all boards with upright, balanced, and raked back fins. I always like bigger fins on smaller waves. I'm 5'8 145 and if I followed the recommendations of the fins companies, i would have to buy the small fins. Which is rather bad info. even if you look at pro women, some weighing less than 125, I see them using large fanning fins but it is always for smaller days. Everything in water becomes bigger with speed. so a small fin at 26 mph in water gets stretched out (not physically but hydrodynamically). Anyways, I use that as my rule of thumb. Bigger fins for smaller days, smaller fins for bigger punchier days. I stick with large fins f the waves are big and mushy.

[@GuiKeller]

Nice video, looking forward to the board review. Why did you decide to get the El Tomo?

[@ThomyeSurfs]

they had a couple of blems and I had just the exact amount from selling my Dominator 2. Figured it was worth a try.

[@michaelono7335]

Question about NB2 in spineteck. Got my custom 5’8 28.9L (usually about 29L) and board feels really stiff in decide to size waves (2-6ft) when turning. Started with my favorite MF large and then switch to JS medium which felt better but not the performance I was looking for. Still slow through turns and didn’t feel high performance at all. Any suggestions? 🤙

[@ThomyeSurfs]

do you know where specifically you are standing on the tail? I noticed a similar thing. the board seems super loose rail to rail but turning if i'm not on that back fin or just behind it was difficult. I have a review of it and when you watch it, you will see me really scoot my feet back for turns. I think it's the tail cuz water wants to come evenly off of it and the faster you go, the more you feel it. Sort of like an Alaia board with that block tail. keeps the board wanting to go straight.

[@michaelono7335]

Thanks, I'll try it a couple more times

[@Nick-bl6hm]

No no no Thomye, you got it all wrong, pad goes in the middle of the board cus that's where you stand! While I don't really like FireWire boards, at least you'll probably enjoy the Tomo and let other people know what you think about it. I don't need any more boards so juat curious what youre chucking your money at haha

[@ThomyeSurfs]

LOL. yeah, this one was sort of a bargain. did you see all those finger pressures? I got the board for $475. came home and sold my Dom2 to make up the cost. it was a good wash between selling and buying. I will review this thing ASAP and get rid of it along with a few others. You might be right about the traction pad in the middle though. One of my buddies swears he has never stepped on his traction pad that he put on the tail. haha

[@Nick-bl6hm]

@@ThomyeSurfs 475 is a good deal for a new board, but I've seen too many custom Tomo clones or used tomos to even think about spending$ 300+. But you can probably have a tax right off one any losses for the business. I'm itching to see what you think of more classic and weird shapes like a Simmons, Ryan birch type fishes or single fins. Other than that, production and commentary is on point, just need new sources of content

[@ThomyeSurfs]

@@Nick-bl6hm I will definitely need to have a conversation with my accountant.

[@josephjones9783]

Kinda reminds me of a hydra, just more pulled in maybe.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

Definitely. Hydra proportions are wider so more grovel but it does look similar

[@pullinside9]

I really hate to have to cut the tailpad to make room for the leash plug. I've done that once. At least they didn't put the leash plug in the center. That moves the pad up even further. The only thing is when they put the plug on the side of the swallow tail, they normally put it on the left side for regular footers. LOL ...You just can't win!

[@ThomyeSurfs]

Haha. I hate cutting it too. Got my first surf on the Tomo today. Rather stiff board.

[@pullinside9]

@@ThomyeSurfs Did you get TOMO fins that go with the board? The creepy fingers looking fins?

[@ThomyeSurfs]

@@pullinside9 hell no. haha i would have nightmares. :) I don't plan to only because it's money I don't need to spend and it would literally be a throw away cost.

[@pullinside9]

@@ThomyeSurfs they look gimmicky imo.

[@josesnowsneves5132]

nice...now do the same for a pure twin fin :)

[@ThomyeSurfs]

Haha. No idea where to pad up a twin. I need to surf more of them.

[@josesnowsneves5132]

@@ThomyeSurfs :) yes... I know. I got a call from a friend on the other day which got the JS Red Barron...and he was lost on the where to place the deck since we are use to thrusters

[@chrisleon9813]

Traction pads need to be cheaper! We’re paying 40 for some foam :(

[@ThomyeSurfs]

I know right? Some things seem worth it and other things are so I reasonable. I bought these on clearance from CI for $16 each. But they suck for traction. I have to wax them which defeats the purpose.

[@lexdang2551]

Would this www.realwatersports.com/collections/traction/products/creatures-italo-ferreira-lite-traction-pad-black-carbon be a good alternative to cutting it? I’m not very confident when it comes to crafty things :p

[@ThomyeSurfs]

might be better but depends on whether you are using it for a center plug or side plug.