Watch this video to answer most of the questions you might have about RIKT kick tails and traction pads.

What does #RIKT mean? RIKT stands for ramped interchangeable kick tails.

Are all RIKT kick tails interchangeable? No. RIKTs are available as interchangeable kick tails and permanently mounted EVA foam traction pads with integrated kick tails.

Why are #RIKT traction pads and kick tails so much better than a traditional traction pad for #surfing? Because they support your entire back foot when executing any turning maneuver.

Why does a #RIKT work so well for helping you land big airs? Because your back foot has a place to lock in it’s much easier to execute ollies and big 360 airs with your back foot staying glued to your kick.

Why does a #RIKT make a vertical snap seem easy? Since a RIKT supports your entire back foot, you can literally stand on the kick and push the tail down deep into the water. The board naturally goes to twelve noon and then you whip it around to complete the maneuver.

How does a #RIKT attach to your surfboard? A RIKT interchangeable kick tail is screwed into a mounting plate: the mounting plate sticks to your board with the same 3M adhesive used for traction pads.

How long does it take to install a RIKT mounting plate? Mounting plate installation shouldn’t take more than 10 seconds once you decide how far back to place it. Once in place it requires 72 hours for the adhesive to bond at maximum strength to your board.

Why is a #RIKT clear kick tail what you want to surf on at an evening session at your favorite wave pool? RIKT clear and translucent kick tails can light up at night in blue, red, pink, green, purple, orange and white colors with our LED lighting package.

Why do #RIKT traction pads and kick tails take your surfing to the next level? Since your back foot is completely supported, you can push with tremendous force against your tail and not slip off your board. Knowing you’re not going to slip off the back of your board inspires you to surf more aggressively and make maneuvers impossible to do without a RIKT.

Watch this video to see our current line up of RIKT kick tails and traction pads.

Why do RIKT kick tails and traction pads work so much better than traditional traction pads for surfboards?

RIKT kick tails and traction pads with integrated kicks are designed to outperform traditional traction pads by addressing the limitations of conventional traction pad designs, particularly for surfers looking to enhance power, control, and maneuverability. We have every base covered; traction pads with integrated RIKT kick tails, interchangeable kick tails with wax for grip, interchangeable kick tails with EVA foam for grip, and kick tails with and without arch support. Here’s why they work so much better, based on their unique features and intended use:

  1. Full Foot Support and Optimal Angle: Unlike traditional traction pads, where the kick is typically a small, raised area at the tail (often 20-50 degrees) not meant to be stood on fully, RIKT kick tails are angled at 33.25 degrees and designed to support the entire foot. This angle is touted as ideal for surfing, allowing surfers to bend their back leg forward for turning without having to bend their ankle, and providing a ramp-like surface that mimics a skateboard kicktail. This allows surfers to plant their back foot firmly and push against a broader, more stable platform, resulting in greater leverage for aggressive turns, carves, and snaps.
  2. Enhanced Power and Explosiveness: The ramped design of a RIKT kick tail gives surfers a larger surface to drive against, amplifying the force they can apply to the tail of the board. Traditional pads, with their smaller kicks, limit how much pressure you can exert without slipping off or losing connection. With a RIKT, the back foot has a “wall” to push into, making it easier to execute powerful, explosive maneuvers with more confidence and reduced risk off slipping off the tail. With a RIKT you can expect to experience the three “C”s of surfing – confident, consistent, carving.
  3. Wider Contact Area: RIKT kick tails are wider than the foot, ensuring 100% connection to the board. Traditional traction pads have narrower kicks that don’t fully engage the foot, especially during dynamic movements. This wider kick increases stability and control.
  4. Interchangeability and Durability: RIKT kick tails are made from lightweight, UV-resistant plastic rather. This material makes them more durable and less prone to wear over time. Plus, they’re interchangeable–mounted via a plate affixed to the surfboard with the same 3M adhesive used for attaching traction pads to a surfboard. You can swap them out like fins, adapting to different conditions or boards without replacing an entire pad. Traditional pads, once glued on, are semi-permanent and can peel or degrade, requiring full replacement. Once screwed on to your board, a RIKT interchangeable kick tail acts like an extension of your board offering the highest level of responsiveness.
  5. Confidence Boost For Aggressive Surfing: With a RIKT, surfers feel more locked in, knowing their foot won’t slip off the back. Traditional pads provide grip but don’t offer the same structural support for vertical or high performance moves. This added security encourages surfers to push harder and attempt more challenging maneuvers, effectively elevating their surfing. RIKT kick tails are available with arch support on the ramp of the kick – a RIKT first. Having arch support on the kick tail allows you to wedge your foot in between with deck and arch support and experience unsurpassed connection and grip to your board.  Also, a RIKT kick tail can be mounted much further back than a traditional traction pad which creates a much tighter turning radius and helps surfers at practically any level immediately start turning with lightening fast speed on their first day catching a good wave on a RIKT.
  6. Wax-Based or Foam Grip: Traditional traction pads rely on textured foam for grip, which some surfers feel is less effective than wax for grip. RIKTs come in wax-for-grip or with textured foam so every surfer gets the grip they feel works best. RIKTs also offer kick tails with a raised area for arch support on the ramp, allowing surfers to curl the bottom of their foot around the raised area for even greater connection to their surfboard.
  7. Easy to install. RIKT kick tails screw on to a mounting plate with two hex head screws similar to the screws used for attaching Futures fins. Changing a kick takes around 3o seconds. The mounting plate sticks on the board with the same 3M adhesive used for traction pads and installation usually takes less than 10 seconds.

In essence, RIKT kick tails transform the tail of your surfboard into a performance-enhancing platform, acting like a “skateboard ramp” that supercharges your back foot when surfing. Traditional traction pads, while effective for basic grip and foot placement, don’t provide the same level of structural support, adaptability, or power potential. For surfers prioritizing progression and aggressive performance, especially on shortboards, the RIKT design offers a significant edge.

RIKT traction pads have integrated kick tails. The 50mm version has a kick tail the same height and angle as the Chris Ward interchangeable kick. The 4omm traction pad is for surfers that want a lower profile kick. The traction pads have arch support on the deck pad but also have a RIKT first – arch support on the ramp of the kick tail as does the Chris Ward interchangeable kick tail. With arch support on your kick tail, you can cup the raised area with the bottom of your foot and wedge your foot between the deck and the kick offering unsurpassed control.

RIKT traction pads are for #surfers who like the soft feel of EVA foam under their back foot, but for #surfers wanting the solid feel and increased responsiveness of a harder kick, RIKT created the interchangeable series of kick tails made of lightweight UV-resistant plastic that use wax for grip.

77 Day Money-Back Guarantee

We’re so sure you’re gonna love your RIKT, we offer a 77 day money-back guarantee on all RIKT kick tails and traction pads. Try a RIKT. Surf on it and if for any reason it doesn’t work for you return it used for a full refund. All you have to do is pay for shipping it back to us.

RIKT Kick tail Color, Size and Grip Options

The interchangeable kick tails come as a 50mm high wax-for-grip flat top, a 50mm flat top with EVA foam (like on a traction pad) on the ramp area, and a wax-for-grip vertical rise kick tail that has a 12mm extension at the top of the kick to lock in your foot better during extreme turning and carving maneuvers. They come in black, clear and translucent gray colors. The clear and translucent gray kicks have a special compartment in the bottom where you can put LED lights so the kick light up at night. Super cool for evening sessions at wave pools. Click here to watch a video showing how RIKT kick tails light up at night.

The RIKT design gives you a steeper, more defined angle (typically 33.25 degrees) and a wider surface to push against with your back foot than with a traditional traction pad. Since a RIKT supports your entire foot that extra leverage makes power carves, snaps, and aggressive maneuvers easier to execute because your foot has a solid, elevated platform to drive from.  Like with RIKT traction pads, you want your foot off of the deck of your surfboard and on the ramp of the kick tail for any turning maneuver. With your foot completely supported and angled perfectly for surfing you can push with tremendous force against your tail and not fall off.

Using a #surfboard equipped with RIKT interchangeable kicks and traction pads, there’s a traction option for just about every surfer.

#1 EVA foam traction on the kick and on the surfboard deck.

#2 EVA foam on the kick and wax for grip on the surfboard deck.

#3 Wax for grip on the kick and EVA foam on the #surfboard deck.

#4 Wax for grip on the kick and #surfboard deck.

#5 Traction pad with integrated 40 or 50mm kicktail.

RIKT has every base covered – interchangeable kick tails in flat top or the higher vertical rise design, EVA foam or wax for grip for the interchangeable kick tails, clear and translucent kick tails that can light up at night and a traction pad with an integrated RIKT kick tail and arch support on the ramp of the kick tail and deck pad.

Ultimately, RIKTs stand out for performance-driven #surfers who want more power and precision in their tail-driven moves.

They’re less about casual cruising and more about amplifying your board’s responsiveness. If you’re into pushing limits and don’t mind a little setup tweaking, a RIKT will dramatically outperform any traditional traction pad and is a #surfboard accessory proven to help take your #surfing to the next level.

Who wouldn’t be a good candidate for riding a RIKT?

Some #surfers have developed a bad habit of hopping up with their back foot 6” to 12” from their tail. As much as they try to plant their foot on the tail of their board for executing sharper turns, they just can’t do it.  Since the increase in power and control achieved by riding a RIKT is only experienced if the #surfer’s back foot is off the deck of the board and on the ramp of the kick, these #surfers won’t experience any benefit from riding a RIKT. But for the rest of you with good surf technique and a desire to shred and take your #surfing to the next level, a RIKT is your secret weapon to pull off surf maneuvers impossible to do on a traditional traction pad.