Before, there was only griptape. Now, there is griptape, and there is Seismic Lokton griptape. The two are not the same.
At 36-grit, this is a coarse griptape designed primarily for downhill and sliding. It's sharp and once your feet are planted on it, it's actually pretty hard to move them. Seriously, it can be a bit weird at first, but it's hard to move away from once you're used to feeling that secure on your board.
This is a 3-sheet pack of the "Fishnet" pattern. The cut-out patterns make the griptape more flexible and easy to stick to your board, and all the extra edges provide still more grip.
Paper-backed and with pressure-sensitive adhesive, Seismic's instructions on application are roughly as follows:
1) Get your deck clean of any grease or glue residue from your previous griptape
2) Remove paper backing, then warm up the griptape with a hair dryer or heat gun - gently does it
3) Place on your deck, starting from one end. If you're happy with the positioning, immediately apply pressure by standing all over the board. You can even bounce up and down a bit
4) Trim edges by cutting from the top. Do not file or bend.
One pack contains:
- 3x 28cm x 28cm squares (11" x 11")
That means boards up to 33" can be completely covered by one pack. However, this stuff is pricey and very sharp - what we tend to do here is to use a piece where your feet go and leave the nose, tail, and middle of your board free to be covered with regular grip, left clear, covered in stickers... etc. Wait for a rainy day, get creative... then go skate!
No worries about slipping off your board when you're riding the Seismic Lokton griptape.