Carefully remove old traction pad

If you have a brand new board, just wipe it down with some water (or Windex) and paper towel. If you have already been using your board with wax on the tail, scrape the wax off and remove the residue with acetone or similar product. If you already have a traction pad on your surfboard, you will need to carefully remove it. Slowly peeling it off with the help of a razor blade is one way to do it.

Remove residue from old traction pad

Remove any residue with acetone or similar product.

Your tail needs to be perfectly clean, otherwise the traction pad won’t stick properly. (Using “surfboard wax remover” is not recommended, as this can leave an oily residue on your surfboard, which causes poor adhesion of the traction pad)

Trace outline of traction pads

Lay out the pieces and trace the outline onto your surf board. This will let you find the perfect position before you stick the pad to your board. Most people like to spread the pads apart slightly, but it’s all personal preference. It’s also a good idea to put the pad back as far as possible against the leash plug. You want the pad (and your foot) to be directly over the fins.

Stick pads to surfboard

Peel off the backing on the pads, line them up with what you traced, and carefully press them onto your surfboard. Try not to screw this part up, because the pads won’t be easy to pull off after you stick them on. Press firmly all over the pads, to make sure they adhere to the surfboard.

Wait 24 hours to ensure proper adhesion before surfing.