Ask any experienced wakeboarder, and they'll tell you one of the best ways to buff your skills is by getting the right gear — or more specifically, the right board. But in a marketplace crowded with "righteous rides" of all shapes and sizes, how do you find the one best for you? Boating World asks two guys who know a lot about the subject — Dave Briscoe and Mike Ballone — about the keys to selecting a wakeboard. Briscoe and Ballone are both veterans of the sport and have been teaching folks how to get on the good foot for years at their wakeboarding schools (see www.thewakeboardcoach.com and www.lines-end.com, respectively). They offer these "Top 10" tips:
Tip 1: Bring Your Own Board.
If you really want to excel, it's important to have your own wakeboard. "Many riders try saving money by sharing a board with a riding partner" says Ballone. "My experience with this method has been nothing but trouble. What happens is both riders compromise on what board characteristics they want, and neither of them get any better." However, if you absolutely must have a single board for multipurpose use at your lake house or beach bungalow, you should get a good intermediate one.
Tip 2: Check The Label.
Boards generally fall
into three skill levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced. Each category differs by any number
of characteristics - materials, rocker, fins, etc. - which are covered in the following tips. The
main thing you need to know is, if you’re just starting out, you don’t need a tournament-level
board. You’ll just end up spending more money for a piece of gear that’ll feel too fast and loose.
"Beginner boards are a little slower and more forgiving, which will make the learning curve
easier," says Briscoe. "Advanced boards have the most aggressive materials and designs, while
intermediate boards are usually old versions of advanced boards that have been tweaked for
all-around use."
Tip 3: Match Up Sizes.
You need the right size
board for your weight and height. "Too small, and the board will sink, causing the boat to pull you
at faster speeds," Ballone says. "This compromises wake size, making it smaller, and decreases the
amount of control you have. Too big, and the board will be cumbersome and hard to spin and
pop off the wake." Most
manufacturers have sizing charts for the proper weight-to-length and/or height-to-length ratios. If
in doubt, choose the longer board; the shorter the board, the less stability in starts and turns.
Plus, you can grow into a longer board as your skill level advances.
Tip 4: Get Under The Skin.
Most wakeboards are built from fiberglass wrapped around either a foam core or a wood core. Boards made with foam are cheaper, lighter and more durable, whereas boards manufactured from wood flex better. While foam is more common than wood and will stand up to more punishment, wood is reputedly better for providing extra snap off the wake. "Another material being experimented with is graphite," says Briscoe. "Graphite helps lighten the board and adds stiffness. This makes for easier control of the board in the air due to less swing weight."
Tip 5: Know Your Style.
Boards also vary
depending on an individual's particular way of riding. If you come from a slalom skiing background,
where you always ride with the same foot forward, then you’ll probably want a single-tip board.
This design has a narrower front and a square back. On the other hand, if you’re a snowboarder or
skateboarder, where you sometimes switch forward feet, you may prefer a twin-tip board, which is
round on both ends.
Tip 6: Rock On (Or Off).
"Rocker" describes the
amount of bend you see in a wakeboard's profile, and it comes in two basic categories: continuous
and three-stage. A continuous rocker offers predictable performance with a smooth curve from tip to
tail. It's faster and creates a consistent feel off the wake. By contrast, a three-stage rocker has
two distinct bends - almost like a skateboard deck, but less dramatic - and it provides aggressive
lift off the wake. When contemplating your wakeboard's rocker, keep in mind that less/lower rocker
means a flatter bottom and more control when going straight, while more/higher rocker makes it
easier to land jumps.
Tip 8: Investigate The Shape.
"Wider boards will have
more pop off the wake for bigger air tricks, but may not carve as easily while on the water," says
Ballone. "On the contrary, a board
that's narrower will
carve nicely on the surface of the water, but it won’t pop off the wake as readily for extra air
time." Your board's edges are also an important factor. On beginner boards, edges are squared off
to aid in tracking, while more advanced boards have edges rounded to make landing tricks a little
easier, since there's less chance of catching an edge.
Tip 9: Don’t Skimp On Bindings.
Both experts agree that
bindings are vital as well. "Your bindings make you
a part of the board and
can decrease the chance of injury by a huge margin," says Briscoe. "The beauty is that all
manufacturers make interchangeable bindings. Try on several and make most of your decision based on
comfort." You want your bindings to be snug but not uncomfortable. Beginners can use adjustable
bindings, but as you move to bigger air, you’ll want to have your own fitted pair for maximum
protection.
Tip 10: Try Before You Buy.
Perhaps the biggest part of the board-buying process is testing a few different styles and types to see what feels best. Wide board or narrow? Hard edges or rounded? Single-tip or twin-tip? The good news is that more and more board shops are allowing riders to demo boards prior to purchase. Sometimes there can be a fee, but if you end up buying the board, the shop will often take your testing fee out of the final sale price. "Don’t be afraid to spend the extra money to get the board you like," Briscoe says. "Buy it from your local dealer. This will pay off if something breaks or a warranty issue arises. And choose a company that has survived the industry. These are the companies that have changed with the growth of the sport and have worked out all the bugs."