What's a mock lineup, and why are we doing it? These are my ramblings on each brand and what I think will happen for the upcoming season before we get range releases, along with inklings that I hear around the traps. What benefit are these? Not a lot, it's simply fun speculation to keep the waterski industry interesting and to see how accurate and tuned I am with the industry, which means I can also be wrong. Still, you will also find little notes about what I think should happen after over 15 years in the industry.
How is this going to work?
We will post about each brand, going through each major category and estimating what could change completely, be updated, or remain the same based on movement and changes in previous seasons and the estimated lifespan of models and shapes. For instance, the Ronix One and RXT models generally undergo near year-on-year refinements rather than a complete overhaul. In contrast, some models, such as the Parks, have remained unchanged for several years and may undergo a complete overhaul or be replaced entirely. But that's enough of an explanation, as all the details and speculation will unfold below!
If you don't want to read all my ramblings, we have a TL/DR section at the bottom!
Ronix Overview
Ronix stand as one of the most interesting brands to preview and might be why we decided to tackle them first, main reason being is they find themselves in both an enviable spot, from having so little changes throughout their range since the beginning of the covid pandemic, but also finding themselves in the unenviable position of being priced in the higher range of the market (particularly here for us in Aus). Does this mean the state of the range needs a complete overhaul or restructuring? No. Will there be some changes? Yes. Will pricing change? That's harder to predict, when beginner packages find themselves over the $1k mark and high end board and boot setups find themselves knocking on the door or through the doorway of the $3k mark, you want to be a head and shoulders ahead of the market, and while Ronix do some great stuff and do their fair share of experimenting, I don't think wakeboarding has a clear front runner at the moment from a tech standpoint as a whole. So let's start breaking things down.
Ronix Wakeboard Range
As we mentioned previously, and will be a theme, most likely not just throughout this mock lineup but the entire series, will be the pricing structure. Let's look at the range as a whole from 2025. We have top-to-bottom options: Blackout, RXT: Blackout, One: Legacy, Supreme, Parks, District, and Vault. For women and kids, we have Rise, Quarter Til Midnight, and Krush, followed by the RX1 series, District Jr., Vault, and Krush Jr., and then Vision and August. If there is one thing I've noticed about the Square One company (Ronix's Parent company), they are reluctant to change names frequently, so I don't expect any particular name changes. Still, I expect to see a near-complete graphics overhaul (Much needed), apart from a few of the kids' models.
Now, where are the fundamental changes? For the bottom end models like the Vault, District and Krush, Quarter til Midnight and the kids range, I expect zero shape changes, the reasoning behind this is the shelf life on these shapes is generally longer (8-10) than high end pro models (3-4), and to be honest the shapes ride incredible, they function as extremely great stepping stones to the next level without hindering or feeling to difficult, but they are definitely due for a new coat of paint as a lot haven't changed for near on 5-6 years.
Moving into the higher-end market, the RX1 is brand new for kids and has a relatively niche market, so its price should remain stable. The Rise is one of those models that is sitting on the edge. It's around the 3-4 year mark, which typically sees a change; however, we might get one more year of this shape before any changes occur. As for the men's, this is where the bulk of the wakeboard changes will be. The Parks, one of the models that pushes the boundaries of wakeboard science, will likely see one of the first major redesigns. While the golf ball tech raised some questions, it was one of the Ronix tech models that can be put out to pasture, similar to Camber Wakeboards. It will definitely still carry the Parks name as it is etched in Ronix history, and I don't expect that to change for a long time. The following significant change that could be in the gun is the Supreme. Although it underwent a construction change a few years ago, the shape itself has had a reasonably long shelf life and is now nearing its expiry. At the time, it was a three party input between Ronix designers, Jake Pelot, and Tyler Higham, this time around I think we'll see a bit more of a targeted design, the big question is if it does change, will it go back to a traditional rocker style or keep its hybrid niche. At the top end, as I mentioned, the RXT and One boards generally get consistent minor adjustments year on year, and I would expect them to get one last year out of these main designs before a complete overhaul potentially comes next year to the boards that Danny Harf and Massi Piffaretti made industry-renowned.
As for the Cable world, this is where things get murky. Changes can happen nearly yearly, then go without any for 4 years. The existing range consists of the Utopia, Kinetik Springbox 2, Atmos/Spring Break, Pinpoint, and the Diplomat, now something is gonna have to change here and I feel it isn't the Utopia or the Pinpoint because they are the newest boards in the range, the Atmos/Springbreak could be in line for a complete reboot, but knowing Ronix it could be more than simply that. The Kinetik project has been a foundation for the cable range for many years, which puts it in the line for a change, but at 50/50 purely from sentimental value, while the Diplomat is the base of the range at the entry point, this is prone to be fiddled with at Ronix as they find the best way to get riders in the park to build a foundation from, so this is probably a 60/40 chance.
Ronix Boot Range
With a new boot designer at the helm coming out of COVID, and a surplus of boots in the Ronix warehouse, it's hard to provide a complete ground-up rebuild of the foundations of the boot range. The time has finally come, and the names may stay the same, but the fit, feel, and finish are about to get a hard reboot, which hopefully begins with more cost-efficient materials.
Ronix was known for incorporating some of the most revolutionary technology into their boot range, and it showed in both their fit and the price tag. They were exceptionally complex in their structure and designed to eliminate any stitching between the baseplate and boot upper. This foundation made a ton of sense from a part replacement perspective and extended the life of boots, and is something that should stay, along with Intuition liners in the high-end. The molding factor from these high-end liners has been proven over the years to provide a superior fit in the snow industry. So, while we most likely will see all of the boot names stay the same, I would expect a completely new look and, hopefully, an even better fit, if that's possible, while shedding some higher pricing and, most likely, BOA (a great system, but probably overkill for the wakeboard industry).
An underwhelming answer, but the boot line makes sense, and if we can increase comfort and affordability in one hit, that's the dream, and I think Ronix knows that.
Ronix Surf Range
What way is the wind blowing? Because that might change what stays in the range, what gets chopped, and what comes in, such is the nature of Ronix's Surf range. But let's stick with what we know is staying the same and not changing one iota, thanks to a heads up from the boys at the factories. The kids Sonic Range, the Standard range in the Skimmer and Brightside, Koal Fish range, Flyweight Atlantik, and Wave King series stay exactly as they are. This makes a lot of sense because not everything needs to change every year, and these make the most sense in order to have at least a 2-year lifespan (The Koal Fish is the only surprising one that has stayed the same).
So that leaves the rest of this monstrous range to decipher, and if I know Ronix, there will be more than just one new shape. I expect graphic updates for the Longboard, Alpha Squad kids' boards, the H.O.M.E Osmo, and the Beaux Skimmer. From here, I expect complete changes. I think we're going to see two new boards in each of the skim, surf, and hybrid styles, and the reason I say this is because of boards that have been removed or changed, along with models that have been staples that are realistically due for an upgrade.
Starting with the skimmer range, we've had two new skimmers last year, but we have seen the drop off of the Carbon Skimmer and the 8:12, and I expect the Element Core: Blunt Nose and the 3-year Flyweight skimmer to be left to the cutting room floor as well. This means two new skim profiles to replace these to round out a 5-board skimmer range. This could mean an updated flyweight skimmer to carry that line with the Atlantik, along with a new form Blunt Nose, or something completely new and different. For the Surf styles I think we're going to see a a new version of the DNA Flyweight come through (this was one of those very Ronix-centric boards, with a lot of quirks) that will fill the high end gap in this style, while the second board I think will be the eventual successor to the evergreen Koal Fish. I know, but sometimes we've got to let things go. Finally, the hybrid range, with a diverse range at either end of the surf spectrum, Ronix has kept this style relatively thin. I think we'll see a new replacement of the M50 to keep the experimentation going, while I think something that has been gone since the conductor in the Ronix range could find its way to fill that $1400 price bracket in the hybrid style.
That's it. That's surfers. I can't say what the new boards are, but Ronix doesn't do things in halves. When they take to the range, it's generally done with a machete and significant cuts.
Ronix Foil Range
The smallest aspect of the Ronix range of products, but the most technical due to the number of components that can make up a complete kit. For the last two years, we've had the 727 range, which consisted of two different-sized front wings, three mast options and two board length choices, then last year came the carbon shadow range, which stepped towards the high aspect, speed style wing with a vacuum seal construction board that rounded out the full range.
This could go either way, though with the pace of change of the tow foil industry, we should probably expect a complete change in the foil lineup to come more in line with the modern shapings that are seen not only from the boating brand competitors but also from the likes of external surf foil brands. I would expect the shift mast to do one of the great houdini acts, as it is great for the better part of a day, then you will be looking for something that can allow you to learn the proper rise and fall of the foil, while front wings and rear stabilisers change frequently to work in with overall feel and control of the board will most likely change as mid aspect wings have altered in design. This could also tie into adding a one-lock/fuselock style fuselage that has become a new technology from Slingshot and Liquid Force, respectively.
For the boards, it's equally hard to say. The 4'7" 727 board is all but done. Longer boards while providing a very stable platform for beginners, are becoming less and less prominent, with boards in the shorter 4 foot range becoming the norm, though whether the 727 shape as a whole gets an update is a 50/50 chance. Still, if the wings change, I wouldn't put it past becoming a whole setup change. As for the Mod84 board, due to its construction and more modern foil board style, it could live to see another day.
Ronix Pricing
So down to the nuts and bolts, what will pricing look like? I expect/hope pricing will come down on a majority of hardware products, $50-$100, depending on whether they are low or high end. Will this make a significant difference to the Christmas balance? Not necessarily, but a downward trend in pricing for the industry would be a welcome change that we haven't seen for a long while in a sport quickly finding itself in elitist company. And mind you, this is not specific to Ronix; it's an industry-wide issue that's complicated. A subject that, in and of itself, warrants its own blog post.
TL/DR
Wakeboards
One: Blackout - Slight tweaks and a new graphic, because like Walt Disney said, as long as there's imagination in the world, Disneyland will never be finished.
RXT: Blackout - Slight tweaks and a new graphic, because like Walt Disney said, as long as there's imagination in the world, Disneyland will never be finished.
One: Legacy - Slight tweaks and a new graphic, because, like Walt Disney said, as long as there's imagination in the world, Disneyland will never be finished.
Supreme: Aircore 3 - I imagine still aircore, but a new shape that could step away from the hybrid rocker design
Parks - Due for a new shape and to move on from the golf ball technology. Still a continuous rocker, but all new.
District - Different Look, but same great taste! (It's only getting a new graphic)
Vault - Different Look, but same great taste! (It's only getting a new graphic)
Rise: Aircore 3 - Same Look, Same Great Taste! (No change at all)
Quarter Til Midnight - Different Look, but same great taste! (It's only getting a new graphic)
Krush - Different Look, but same great taste! (It's only getting a new graphic)
Utopia - Different Look, but same great taste! (It's only getting a new graphic)
Kinetik Project Springbox 2 -
Atmos/Spring Break - Due for a change, and should happen
Pinpoint - New last year, just a new look
Diplomat - 50/50 chance of a change
Boots - This line will be all new fits, but I expect the names to mostly stay the same, but hey! whole new boot line!
One Carbitex
RXT
One
Supreme
Parks
Anthem
District
Divide
Rise
Halo
Luxe
Wakesurfers (Why are there so many...)
Alpha Squad (Skimmer and Sea Captain) - New graphic, same shape
Sonic Kids Series (all of them) - Same graphic, same shape
Standard: Skimmer - Same graphic, same shape
Standard: Brightside - Same graphic, same shape
Marshmellow Thrasher - I haven't seen one of these in years. It's on the site, but I'm not sure if they still do it?
Koal Classic Fish (Both Graphics) - Same graphic, same shape
Wave King Series - Same graphic, same shape
Flyweight: Atlantik - Same graphic, same shape
Sea Captain (Both Graphics) - Same graphic, same shape
Element Core: Longboard - Same board, new graphic
Flyweight Pro: DNA - Gone and to be replaced by a new shape
New Fish Replacement - I wasn't sure how to outline this here, so this will do. New Shape!
H.O.M.E M50 - Gone and to be replaced by a new shape.
New Hybrid Shape - I wasn't sure how to outline this here, so this will do. New Shape!
Beaux Skimmer - New graphic, same shape
H.O.M.E. Osmo Skimmer - New graphic, same shape
Element Core: Blunt Nose Skimmer - Gone, and a new skimmer to replace it
Flyweight: Skimmer - Gone and a new board to replace it, potentially still Flyweight construction
Foils
727 Board - As the inaugural Ronix foil board, there might be an update brewing with the pace the foil game moves at
Balance Wings - As the inaugural Ronix foil wing, there might be an update brewing with the pace the foil game moves at
Mod84 Board - Same Look, Same Great Taste! (No change at all)
Speed Shadow Carbon Wings - Same Look, Same Great Taste! (No change at all)