griptape or foam?

[dinkadoo]

whats the advantages/disadvantages of griptape or foam tops.

[Jonesie]

http://www.wakeskating.com/forum/search.php

[Schimkat]

From "Choosing The Right Wakesate"
By Dave Barousse

Preferred Surface
There are a couple of types of surfaces available for wakeskates. They basically fall into two camps though, grip-tape vs foam. Grip-tape is what you’ll find on a skateboard. It provides the best traction for your feet, and gives your wakeskate more of a skateboard-like feel. However, it pretty much requires that you wear shoes, and if you fall and brush your skin on the grip-tape you can get some skin abrasions. Most pro wakeskaters opt for the grip-tape surface. The other surface choice is foam, or some kind of after-market grip like Gator Grip or Astrodeck. These soft surfaces are easier on the skin if you crash, you can ride on them in bare feet, but they provide a little less traction for doing technical tricks. Foam grips are probably better for people who are just wakeskating to take a break from wakeboarding, and aren’t too concerned with pulling off hard tricks.

[gate-rider]

dinkadoo, Foam- grips better then griptape because it does not get ruined or less grippy then grip tape and also it has a softer feelfeel when you ride it it is not as hard on landings and also it does not mess up youre legs or shins whern you scrape against it
Griptape- has a more skateboard like feel also youre feel is closer to the board and some people say it feels better becuase of that clsoer to the board and does not indent as with foam

[Mr. Top Hat]

once you ride grip you will never go back.

[-=AlexXx=-]

grip > foam

foam my keep you from hurting yourself on the nasty lil grip burns, but grip burns are just anohter part of wakeskating. Grip feels better to me, but i think its personal preference.

[wakemitch]

like gate-rider said, foam grips better but i think of it as a draw back. grip tape lets you move your feet around better so you can correct your stance easier when landing

[SamHill]

I'm a griptape fan myself. I think foam is too sticky.

[gate-rider]

wakemitch, that is true but some poeple might not like that less grippy ride at any time it really depends

Mr. Top Hat, ive ridden grip and tryed it a bunch of times and have gone back everytime

[wakemitch]

i think everyone should try as much different stuff as possible(boards, sufaces, fins, ect. ) because its all personal preference. you dont know if you will like grip until you try and you dont know if you will like foam untill you try it

[gate-rider]

wakemitch, exatly best advice posted ont his topic so far two thumbs up

[wakemitch]

gate-rider, thanks. i try, haha

[tribal]

I have skates with both and I prefer foam.Last's longer,no probs with grip and since I'm really into w2w it gives my old knees a little padding on landing.

[MUCHADO]

grip is the shizzle.......... what's a wakeskate without grip?? a perfect place to slap bindings on and call a wakeboard

[gate-rider]

MUCHADO, a wakeskate without grip tape is a wakeskate wth foam haha

[Raven]

Grip lasts longer than foam. Foam is too sticky. Skate grip.

Perhaps foam has a better feel on a composite board; but wood and grip go back a long way.

[wakemitch]

Raven, i support grip but foam does last longer

[deepcove]

Grip it and rip it.......

[MUCHADO]

[gate-rider]

MUCHADO, well then its a wakeboard not a wakeskate