Picking the Right Wakeboard

Wakeboards are like people; they all differ in one way or another, and no two models are the same. These are designed to suit various types of riding and create a different feel on the water. It goes without saying that there are a few things to consider before buying a wakeboard. To tailor yourself to the right models, check out our breakdowns below and get you on the right model the first time.
 

Getting the Right Wakeboard Length

Two key factors contribute to ensuring you get the right size wakeboard. Firstly, your weight; as you weigh more, you need a greater surface area to provide the float you need to sit higher on the water. Secondly is your personal riding style, this can always be taken into effect as some people naturally prefer riding longer boards to shorter board, which we will explain in a minute. Keep in mind that if you're buying for a group, buy for the person who rides the most or is on the upper end of the weight scale. Also, note that each board has a different surface area, so it is always a good idea to check the recommended sizing for a specific board model.

See our Wakeboard Size Chart

Riding Different Wakeboard Lengths

Shorter Wakeboards
If you're looking to ride a shorter board, here's what to take into account. You will be riding a board with a smaller surface area, which causes more drag and likely speeds up the fatigue process due to a lack of buoyancy, resulting in increased energy expenditure. The shorter board length can also lead to harder landings, and if you land out of form, can cause an easier edge grab and eyelid peeler. The benefits of a shorter board, though, come in its aerial capabilities as a shorter board will be easier to manoeuvre once out of the water, making spins and inverts easier to engage.

Longer Wakeboards
The longer a wakeboard is, the easier it will typically be to ride and start as a beginner. They will feel stable underfoot with greater surface area, help on deep water starts, and help to get 'pop' off the wake for easier height. A longer wakeboard will also create better flotation on top of the water, allowing for added speed and more control in your edges. The opposite of a shorter board, a longer board will become harder to control and initiate moves once out of the water, as more weight and length cause it to be harder to get inverted and twist.

Wakeboard Ability Level

Like most things in the waterski industry, wakeboards can be broken down into ability classes. This isn't the be-all and end-all, as long as a wakeboard is in the right size bracket, anyone can realistically ride any wakeboard. It comes down to how easy that board will be to ride for a person, dependent on their level, in comparison to the level of the board. Once again, this will not stop you from riding a certain wakeboard, and some people tend to thrive in that trial by fire situation. But as a general rule of thumb, there will always be ability levels as stated below:

Beginner
These are for the guys who have never ridden before or ride only occasionally. You're beginning to cross the wake and start or start to jump and want to make life easy. Traditionally, these boards have mellower rocker lines on them, typically continuous or a mellower 3-stage. They also tend to be budget-friendly to get you into the sport without costing you a fortune.

Intermediate
At this point, you should be able to move freely about the water and clear the wake on both toe and heel-side edges. At this point, boards tend to expand and have more personality, so you should check in on what aspects of wakeboards work for you and your riding style below.

Advanced
Alright, now you know where you're at. You've started to build a small trick base, spinning, flipping out, and trying to expand your trick bag. When it comes to these ranges of boards, you will have a tailored styling of the board. You get to choose if you want to be aggressive or have a smooth surfy ride, if you want something that's going to boost you to the moon, or have a smooth transition from wake to wake. To put it in simple terms, these boards are ridden and tailored to the pros, so no matter what you get it's high end

Wakeboard Rockers

Continuous Rocker
Continuous rockerlines were the first rockerline designs around and tend to provide both the smoothest and fastest rides, allowing you to get into your edges and get those harder pressing carves on buttery water. The other advantage of a continuous rocker is its consistent and predictable 'pop' or height off the wake and allows for more carry across the wake and into the flats. Not only does this make it feel easier on the body on landing, but it can be a real confidence booster to the ego. 

3-Stage Rocker
This rockerline is typically signified by its visually noticeable three panels in its design, with a pivot point where the two ends kick up. The advantage behind this is to create a more abrupt and vertical pop at the point of contact with the wake to give you more height but less carry. These guys are all about height. The downfalls of a 3-stage rocker are its desire to plow through the water due to its abrupt kick, and so it will have a slower feel. It will also have a slightly looser feel when boat speed is increased and have a slightly harder landing due to a reduction in carry across the wake.

Wakeboard Core Constructions

PU Core

The most common core found in a boat wakeboard is a PU core, which provides balanced weight reduction with strength. The advantage of Polyurethane is that it will still allow for the stiffness required to give you the 'pop' or height off the wake you're chasing, but not break down over time or crumble over the wake like a wood core. In most cases, these guys are borderline bulletproof, and you will have to work to break them. Or ride A LOT.

PVC Core

Much like a slalom waterski, a PVC core is used firstly to reduce weight and secondly due to its reactive nature. PVC is stiffer and 8 times more reactive than Polyurethane so it's not a common occurrence in a wakeboard. The advantages are in boards that are looking for a more aggressive ride that will grab and dart through edges and explode off the wake. In this case, you would expect a 3-stage rocker or aggressive continuous rocker, and in most cases, a sharp rail.

Wood Core

Wood core wakeboards are generally associated with cable boards, but do lend themselves to a handful of boat-style boards. The reason for this is wood's absorbent and flexible nature. A wood core board will allow it to naturally flex over kickers, sliders, and any other obstacle you can think of and hold up to the abuse. They also absorb the impact on landings quite well, softening landings off obstacles or from the air.

Wakeboard Base Features

Concaves

Rolled moldings in your base that reduce the amount of drag that water will produce on the board, allowing you to ride faster thanks to greater lift and upwards pressure on the board.

Base Channels

Serves a dual purpose, acting as water disruptors to break up tension on the water, while also providing a greater flow of water through the edge for control.

Centre Spines

Centre spines are there to help pivot you into your edges and make transitions easy. They also double down to soften landings and tend to be a key feature of 3-stage model boards due to the nature of their vertical 'pop'

Featureless Base

In 99% of cases, this is the key feature of a cable model wakeboard, devoid of any shapes or fins on the base; it relies purely on the rocker and core construction of the board to help it react and ride. They also slide over obstacles more easily, hence the cable association.

Grind Base

These bases are designed primarily with cable riding in mind, typically featuring a tougher, sintered-style base that can withstand the wear and tear from obstacles at the cable park.

Wakeboard Edges

Sharp Rail

A sharper edged rail will react more aggressively and track harder into the wake. This style of rail tends to lean more towards fast acceleration that will drive through to the wake at top speed. The side effects of a sharper rail are that the harder edge bite can also lead to easier edges being caught, giving you the eyelid peeler effect. When it comes to sharper rails, you want to be all about going big and getting the most out of your aerials, as they don't adapt well to surface tricks.

Variable Edged Boards
A variable-edged board will give you that sweet spot between a board that will edge with intent but have a more forgiving or 'softer' feel through the centre. With a sharper tip and tail that blends to a fuller, rounder rail in the centre, it allows the board to release easier on butter and get out some soul turns and carves. The softer centre edge also allows for a more progressive cut into the wake with more control, so you can gradually build speed into the wake and generate vertical pop.

Wakeboard Fins

Fins will determine the amount of grip that you have on the water, some will be bigger for added grip or smaller for a loser ride. Some will also be molded or screw-in. Let's have a deeper look at the differences.

Wakeboard Fin Placement and Size
Fin placement is a big one, as you go from beginner through to advanced, you will notice fewer fins (from 6 or more to say 4). The more fins and the bigger the fins, the more stable your ride will be, and the harder it will be to get the board to release from the surface of the water. Once you reach higher-end boards, you will notice smaller fins and typically no center fins, which allow for greater edge pressure and easier release off the wake and the surface of the water.

Removable vs Molded-In Wakeboard Fins
Alright, so this seems pretty self-explanatory, right? A removable fin is a screw-in fin, either on the outside edges of your board or in the centre. A molded-in fin is fibreglassed into the mold of the board. The difference in feel is a removable is much more customisable and can tend to be sharper and more responsive due to the way they square off against the board base. A molded fin will give a smoother feeling ride and tends to make moving into edges easier.

Wakeboard Maintenance

Like a car or a boat, wakeboards need maintenance, maybe not as much as those, but still, if you want to get the longevity out of your board, always do the following:

• Keep your wakeboard out of the sun for long periods of time. UV rays beating down on your board is like baking in the sun without sunscreen.
• At the end of the day, give your gear a hose down with fresh water.
• Check over the Fins bolts and Binding Bolts regularly to reduce strain on the board and prevent losing anything.
• For maximum protection, ensure you have a cover. A cover will do exactly what you think, protect from scuffs, bumps, scratches, friends who don't care because it's not theirs. You name it, a bag will help.
• Store your gear in a cool, dry location.