[csteubs]

My first prototype was for my own ('98 Kawasaki STX900) so I just asked if anyone was interested buying a set in a Kawasaki forum I frequented heavily. When custom orders started coming in I just asked for a picture of their current footwell/tread mat and cross-referenced measurements online. I erred on the side of leaving some models larger so the customer could trim it on their end, but the majority follow a really general form.

I sold about 70 through the forums, 300 from word of mouth, and another 250 on eBay. They make 90's-era skis really lean into that Dixie-cup aesthetic and they work surprisingly well, so a customer's buddy or dock neighbor would ask and I'd catch a referral that way. I think I priced them just right too.

[Unbeliever69]

Thanks for sharing! One last question. How did the astro-turf compare as a slip-free material compared to more conventional materials?

[csteubs]

Surprisingly well, actually. The traction material I removed from my 24-year-old ski was some sort of neoprene-like foam rubber and worked fine despite being original equipment. Each individual astroturf blade has less grip compared to the rubber, but exponentially more surface area; your feet and toes almost sink into the grass instead of resting on top of a rubber mat that's typically covered in water. The benefits are particularly noticeable when leaning into the curves at higher speeds or just hooning it in general.

Because the turf is a highly-textured surface, there's far less tendency for your feet to slip in any direction when the mat is waterlogged and/or during high lateral-g maneuvering, while still retaining the "self-cleaning" characteristics of the foam rubber. The backing surface of the turf is very similar to the original rubber, just arranged in a square cell pattern. Slap some contact cement in the footwells and you've got a replacement that (IMO) exceeds the traction of the OEM mats and looks 100x cooler. I've been running them on my ski for two years now and have yet to see a blade come off after a ride, no matter how hard I push it.