Snowboarding Newbie
 

Does anyone know whether a Stomp Pad is really a necessary thing? I've got one, but am tossing up whether to put it on because it covers the graphics on the board. Why do snowboard designers put the graphics right where they will be covered up?

Makes it easier to ride T-Bars (stops your foot from slipping)... depends on how much you're planning on using T-Bars i guess

MrFlux, that's what I thought they did, but the dude that I spoke to in the Snowboard shop said that no one uses stomp pads because the boots now have rubber soles (when didnt they??) and the rubber has no problems gripping to the surface of the board.

I disagree. The rubber just slips off of the board. Stomp pads are needed.

There are clear rubber dots out there that you can use as a stomp pad that will minimize the amount that your graphic is obscured. I linked to an example that I have seen work just fine.

LINKY

ANOTHER

SIMPLE

You don't need one. I agree, they are ugly and cover up graphics. You'll fall a few times learning from your foot slipping. Just wedge your back foot tight up against your back binding. Your front foot should be providing the majority of the control anyway. In the long run you'll be happy you didn't put it on.

I wedge my foot and it don't slip.

you can learn to live without one. Most of them get clogged up with snow anyway.

If you do get one, get the ones with a scraper in the middle, or the ones with raised dots, so you can scrape the snow off your boots.

OR you could just get a clear stomp pad ....

1st rule in snowboarding

don't worry about the fuckn' graphics!!!!!!

had a friend that rode like shit cause he was looking down at his board the whole time.

make sure u like the board for the flex size width and all that don't pick it up cause u dig the graphics

but to your point:

half the dudes in shops donno shit sometimes. rubber soles on a boot isn't going to keep your foot still on the board without a pad. think about it walking through the snow. snow gets on the boot then it is snow on board not boot sole on board. if your a nebie to boarding use the pad at first. don't have to use the whole thing cut it up if ya want so u can see some of your graphics that bad. later u will find that just putting your foot infront of the back binding and putting presure against it will get u by once you get better.

My board's top surface is really slick, and when it gets wet, any boot will just slide right off.

I have those little clear dots mondak was talking about, they work really good and dont cover your boards graphic (which dont matter IMO).

My boards extremely slick also, but I decided not to get a stomp pad. I would just press my foot again the binding hard to keep in control... Don't even think about it anymore, it's second nature now.

Thats the way to do it. I haven't used one in about two years. and nothing makes a t-bar any easier except practice and even then they still suck!