Paul Orehek shares how his surfing background inspired ProRide traction pads for Onewheel.
Vendor name: ProRide
Location: Pebble Beach, CA
Products or services offered: Onewheel accessories; surf style traction pads / darkside grip pads / hardware / tools
Most popular product: traction pads
How/why did your business get started?
As a surfer, I have always enjoyed having traction pads on my surfboard and felt the need to combine this eva foam technology with the Onewheel. I purchased my first Onewheel+ in early 2017 and after putting 500+ miles on it, the idea clicked one day as I felt the need to relieve my sore feet from riding so much.
As we all know, the Onewheel+ had flat wood foot pads that became uncomfortable to ride. I started by cutting up some surfboard traction pads to replace the grip tape. It worked and the biggest challenge was to get it to work properly with the front foot pad sensor. I went into production in early 2018 and started what is now ProRide. From there I started adding more colors and designs to the idea and then as the aftermarket created more rear concave foot pad options (tails), I adapted the traction pads to work and be compatible with them.
What needs did you see in the community that were not being filled?
Foot fatigue was a huge issue. Riders would need to stop and rest their feet in between rides.
What makes your product different from similar products on the market?
Our traction pads and darkside grip pads feature a soft yet durable eva foam and our signature rear kick tail locks your back foot in. The traction pads offer the perfect amount of grip while not to grippy so you can adjust your feet position as you ride. Darkside grip pads offer extreme grip and also combine the soft foam feel with a concave base.
Do you have any new/exciting projects in the pipeline? What are they and when can we expect them to be available?
I’m always adapting our traction pads to be compatible with the newest Onewheel models and aftermarket foot pads. This year we are also adding titanium hardware for the new Onewheel GT lineup and a brand new all in one trail tool that is soon to be released.
