Wake
Whether you've been riding behind the boat for years, have just started cable wakeboarding or are looking to master 360's on a wakesurfer, Buy Wake UK has a huge range of equipment at great prices.
wakeboard buyers guide
Buy Wake's guide to what board and boots will work for you.
Essentially you are wakeboarding being towed behind a boat. The boat is designed to sit deeper in the water, creating a wake that once you have learnt the basics, can be used for tricks.
For boat wakeboarding the equipment you will need is a boat (yours, a friends, or a wakeboard schools), rope + handle and a wakeboard set-up.
Boat Wakeboards
When you’re looking for a boat wakeboard you’re looking for a board with great pop off the wake, distance in the air and soft landings.
Each board will be designed with a different balance of these attributes, to match a riders prefered style.
Different to cable boards a boat board will tend to be stiffer for added pop, have a sharper edge to cut through the water with more speed and fins that enable you to lock into the water while edging into the wake.
Wakeboard Rockers – When looking at boat wakeboards you will
3 different board shapes or rocker lines. Ronix define them as…
3 Stage Rocker
An exaggerated rocker line with a later arc and a higher degree of angle at the tip / tail. This style of rocker creates more of a instant explosive buck off the wake for riders that go behind a big boat wake. Wakeboarders riding behind smaller wakes will still feel like they are getting a solid vertical kick.
Continuous Rocker
For riders looking for a smooth, fast trajectory. This tip/tail has a more subtle arc so a rider doesn’t loose any speed leaving the wake. As a result, you can fly longer and carry that speed so you will land softer. You can go into the wake blindfolded and still know exactly how it is going to release off the wake.
Hybrid Rocker
The everyday rocker line for the rider that wants to experience all traits of speed, lift and landings. Depending on how much angle you have into the wake you might experience a more explosive vertical take off, or a faster smoother release off the wake.
Rather than a boat to pull you along, cable wakeboarding has an overhead cable system. This can take the form of a ‘Full Cable’ which is a continuous system that allows multiple riders to ride simultaneously, or a ‘2 Tower’ single rider system that works backwards and forwards across a body of water.
To replace a wake, cable parks install a range of obstacles like kickers and rails for performing tricks.
cable wakeboards
With more cable parks appearing across the world, the range of cable boards on offer grows and grows. When looking for the right cablewakeboard, the riding style of the wakeboarder can help decide which board is the right one. Are you a rail rider looking for a softer flexier board? Do you send it big off the kickers and air tricks? Or are you a rider that can do it all?
Each cable specific board will have its own flex pattern, a super durable base that will feature channels (or no channels) instead of fins and forgiving rails. Most cable boards offer a natural flex due to the durable wood core.
Cable Wakeboard Flexibility – With each cable wakeboard created comes an individual flex pattern to suit your riding style…
Tip / Tail
These riders want a traditional mid-section and extra pliable ends for more of a locked in feel on tip/tail presses and extra snap rebounding out of the press. It allows a rider to exaggerate their press with the softest flex in the tip/tail – but as the press increase the centre of the board prevents it from folding over. Loved by your rail rider.
Centre
These boards have a super soft middle section but the rigid tip/tail that give more snap off a feature and on air tricks. This allows a rider to exaggerate their press with the flexy centre – but as the press builds then the traditional tip/tail prevents the board from folding over. For the rider that wants the biggest sweet spot with the most contact on rails. Big hits off the kickers and sending your air tricks.
All Over
A consistent board where the whole board flexes – creating the most surface area on a rail. A constant flex pattern running the entire surface area of the board might not snap back like the other flex patterns but it will perform in all areas of the park. A no nonsense do it all board style that does what it says on the ‘tin’.
- Easier to spin + manoeuvre in the air.
- Lighter
- Works with a skinny stance
- Quicker more aggressive edge
- Harder on landings / easier to catch an edge
- Less surface area = more drag and harder work
for your arms
- Easier to ride with a larger surface area sitting higher on
the water
- Heavier which can offer added control
- Larger surface area for landings means better for your knees
- Cable boards being created in a sized-up style (longer and
lighter)
- Too big and its harder to control / spin
- Have to go further to get on the nose / tail for presses
WAKEBOARD boots BUYERS GUIDE
Buy Wake's guide to what boots / bindings will work for you.
wake boots
Also known as bindings. Wakeboard boots comfortably attach you (your feet) to the board. Originally just a strap of rubber, now different options offer high tech boots to suit specific rider needs. The best pair of bootsfor one are ones that fit your feet and your style of riding, although there are boots that fit a range of sizes which is great for sharing a board with family and friends.
A new board is great, but it can be argued that the right set of boots will add an incredible amount to your riding. A wakeboard boot should always have a snug firm fit. This will connect you directly to your board giving you the most control. If closed toe, like a shoe you want your toes just touching the end but not to the point of being uncomfortable. You ideally don’t want any heal lift so a boot / binding that locks your heel in is important.
Boots come in different flex patterns to support different riding styles. A more flexible ankle gives more of a free ride feel on the water, allowing you to tweak or poke the board easier. This free feel will however have less ankle support. A stiffer boot will offer maximum ankle support and more response and control. This boot will be stiffer so it will be harder (but not impossible) to tweak and poke your board.