Creatures of Leisure

Creatures of Leisure · Three-Piece Surfboard Traction Pad

Creatures of Leisure Mick Fanning Lite Traction Review

9.2/ 10 Estimated score

9.2

Estimated from 3 independent sources (no numeric scores published)

Average price$59Range $57–$60 across 2 retailersSee sources

Mick Fanning's signature tail pad from Creatures of Leisure: a three-piece, 320 x 320 mm deck grip using the brand's lightweight Thermo-Lite foam, a Square Loc grip pattern, a 30 mm Alpine kick and a 10 mm diamond arch bar. It is the pad you see on a lot of high-performance shortboards.

View on Rider Shack

Quick specs

Type: Traction pad — three-piece tail pad
Dimensions: 320 mm x 320 mm
Foam: Thermo-Lite — Creatures states ~30% lighter
Grip pattern: Square Loc
Kick: Alpine kick, 30 mm
Arch: Diamond arch bar, 10 mm

Creatures builds this pad around Mick Fanning's own back-foot preferences: a pronounced 30 mm Alpine kick at the tail, a modest 10 mm diamond arch bar under the instep, and a Square Loc surface pattern that grips hard without shredding the top of your feet on a long session.

The headline material is Thermo-Lite, which Creatures states is around 30% lighter than its standard foam. On a light performance shortboard that difference is measurable at the very back of the board, which is exactly where added weight is least welcome. There is also an EcoPure version of the same pad, listed at $60 on evo.

Pros & cons

Three-piece layout adapts to narrow and wide tail outlines
30 mm Alpine kick gives a clear back-foot reference without hunting for it
Thermo-Lite foam keeps tail weight down on light performance boards
3M adhesive — the industry standard for pads that stay stuck

$57–$60 puts it at the top of the mainstream tail pad market
30 mm kick and 10 mm arch suit performance surfing — beginners often prefer flatter pads
Three-piece install is less forgiving of a crooked first placement than a one-piece

How it surfs

Retailer copy across Rider Shack, evo and Amazon agrees on the specification — 320 x 320 mm, three pieces, Square Loc pattern, 30 mm kick, 10 mm arch bar and 3M adhesive — which is a good sign that the published numbers come from Creatures rather than being paraphrased.

Published customer feedback is thin: evo shows a single 5-out-of-5 review at the time of writing. Because that sample size is too small to average meaningfully, the Surfex score for this pad is an aggregate estimate based on specification, price positioning and consistent retailer listings rather than a large pool of scored reviews.

Volume & sizing chart

Use the chart below as a starting point. Add half a litre if you are less experienced, subtract half a litre for a looser feel.

Size	Volume	Rider weight	Best for
One size	320 mm x 320 mm, three pieces	Any	Intermediate to advanced

Verdict

A properly specified performance tail pad with a real pedigree behind it: light foam, a decisive 30 mm kick and 3M adhesive. Worth the premium if you surf hard off the back foot, overkill if you are still learning to stand.

Estimated score: 9.2 / 10

Estimated from 3 independent sources — see full list below.

What reviewers around the web are saying

Surfex does not test gear directly. Below are independent retailer and editorial sources. When a source publishes a numeric score, it is normalized to a five-point scale; otherwise the source is listed without a score.

Estimated score

9.2/ 10

9.2

3 sources, none scored

Source	Score	Summary
evo — Creatures of Leisure Mick Fanning Lite EcoPure Pad	No numeric score	"Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars from 1 published review on evo, listed at $60.00."
Rider Shack — product listing	No numeric score	"The Mick Fanning Lite Pad from Creatures of Leisure is the ultimate traction pad designed for high-performance surfing... Ultra-Lightweight Thermo-Lite Texture: 30% lighter while maintaining maximum grip and durability."
Amazon — Creatures of Leisure Mick Eugene Fanning Lite Traction Pad	No numeric score	"Stomp designed for small wave surfing with Square Loc Traction Pattern, Alpine Kick — 30mm & Diamond Arch Bar 10mm; customized 3-piece construction, L 320mm x 320mm, made with 3M adhesive."

Where to buy & average price

Listed prices come from verified retailer pages. The average price below is an unweighted mean of verified retailer prices — converted to USD (≈) when retailers list in different currencies. Click any retailer to verify the native-currency price.

Average price

$59

$57–$60 · 2 retailers

Retailer	Price	vs. average
Rider Shack (US)	$57	-$2	Visit
evo (US, EcoPure)	$60	+$1	Visit

Frequently asked questions

What size is the Mick Fanning Lite pad?+

It is a single size: 320 mm long by 320 mm wide, supplied as three separate pieces so you can set the spacing to suit your tail width.

How high is the kick?+

30 mm at the tail — Creatures calls this the Alpine kick. The arch bar under the instep is a much lower 10 mm diamond profile.

Is a three-piece pad harder to fit than a one-piece?+

Slightly. Dry-place all three pieces first, mark the outer edges with tape, then peel and stick from the centre piece out. Clean the deck with warm water and dry it fully — 3M adhesive does not bond to wax residue.

What is the difference between the Lite and the EcoPure version?+

The EcoPure version uses Creatures' more sustainable foam and is listed at $60 on evo, against $57 for the standard Lite at Rider Shack. Dimensions, kick, arch and grip pattern are the same.

Is it good for beginners?+

It is built for high-performance surfing. The 30 mm kick is a strong back-foot stop, which experienced surfers want and learners often find intrusive. A flatter, cheaper pad is the better first purchase.

Why is the Surfex score an estimate?+

Because only one scored customer review is published across the retailers we verified. Rather than average a single data point, we estimate from specification and price positioning and label it clearly.