New Tail Handle

[surfcowboy]

Magenta, the one I made also functions like this. It's thick so your fingers slip and it can't pinch. Like the pad it releases from your grip if the board flips. Not competing lol just noting for those that don't want to carve their pad.

No thin handles.

[stoneaxe]

That's the biggest difference between them. The solid one on my Foote feels slightly better than the pool noodle one but so long as it provide good control without danger of entrapment it's all good. My broken middle finger is a good reminder of  what happens when pieces get caught.

[southwesterly]

The tail handle thread is like Freddy Krueger,

just when you think it's dead and buried, it springs back to life!

[stoneaxe]

I think that just like Freddy, the tail handle has a bunch of weirdly passionate fans... . I know I'll never have another board without one.

[magentawave]

A friend had half of his finger chopped off when he grabbed the string at the leash cup that holds your leash. That was a dumb move and he knows it and I know that little 1/8" think string is totally different than these handles but I'm still hesitant about using anything that can twist your hand or fingers. I like Bill's handle a lot though.

Bill, where did you get the eva or whatever it is that you made the handle with? And did you attach all the parts together with contact cement?

[stoneaxe]

That's exactly how I broke my middle finger.....on a chest high wave....doesn't take much. Can't happen with any of the handles I now have....it's why I have them. A solid one like Pono's or like the one on my Foote is the best but like SC said even the pool noodle DIY's can be safe so long as you do it right. I think the easiest way to make yourself a solid one would be to buy a stomp pad with 3M adhesive and then cut off the back and shape it to fit on the tail....in fact i think i'll do that this weekend to my 9-0 which had the ez-plug one I had on there come off....haven't surfed it since.

[magentawave]

That's exactly how I broke my middle finger.....on a chest high wave....doesn't take much. Can't happen with any of the handles I now have....it's why I have them.

So the handle you have in earlier posts was an NSI prototype that still can't be purchased?

[stoneaxe]

They never put it into production. They probably realized how easy it would be to DIY with a stomp and can sell their current handle with a better profit. Too bad because other than being a bit bigger than is really necessary it's the bomb. Take a look at the edit I made while you were typing....a modified stomp pad will do the trick i think.

[magentawave]

They never put it into production. They probably realized how easy it would be to DIY with a stomp and can sell their current handle with a better profit. Too bad because other than being a bit bigger than is really necessary it's the bomb.

Maybe they just need some convincing. Has anyone sent them a link to this thread to prove that there's interest?

[stoneaxe]

Yup....it's how i got them started on it to begin with.

[TallDude]

When I first started surfing on a sup, it was on a big 11'6 board. Way bigger than I was used to. I realized I couldn't duck dive with this big board, so I improvised. I grabbed my leash near the board and wrapped it around my 4 fingers to make a grip while in the impact zone. I figured I'd be able to drag it under. NOT! The board nosed and popped back at me fast. My hand swung under and the back edge of the fin cut deep in between my thump and pointer finger. It was at DoHo and the lifeguards poured a whole bottle of hydrogen peroxide on it. I think it was about 6 stitches or so. Won't do that again. 

[surfcowboy]

Magenta, I doubt this tiny niche will ever make it beyond DIY.

They are easy to do, just hack up a cheap eBay or Amazon pad as a test. You can sand the EVA really well too. I made my own kick tail on my last board. Super easy.

[magentawave]

Magenta, I doubt this tiny niche will ever make it beyond DIY.

They are easy to do, just hack up a cheap eBay or Amazon pad as a test. You can sand the EVA really well too. I made my own kick tail on my last board. Super easy.

You mean make it out of polyethylene foam like this http://tinyurl.com/y9vgnfxp or this http://tinyurl.com/ydajwonu and glue pieces together with contact cement to get the right thickness? Can you shape that stuff with a belt sander?

[stoneaxe]

No...not dense enough. save yourself some time and buy this for $20. Actually find a solid one...I think it will stick better than the 3 piece or maybe just glue the 3 piece together.
https://www.amazon.com/PUNT-SURF-Ripper-Traction-Pad/dp/B008OME2QE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1520040685&sr=8-3&keywords=surf+stomp+pads

then cut off the thick part where it starts to flatten out...along the red line. Turn it backwards so that the rear of the stomp faces front and peel and stick where you want it....shape it with the belt sander before install....I'd put some finger ledge at the front for a bit more grab.

[digger71]

Turn it backwards so that the rear of the stomp faces front

I've made a bunch of tail handles but never considered doing that - so simple.  Glad I visited the Zone today!