Seems like he gets board with wakeboarding every now and again and wants to now try wakeskating. He is 13 yrs old, 5'6" , 115lbs. What size board and what is a good beginner board for him ? Can I get something decent in the $200.00 to start with ?

Any size between 39-41. <BR> <BR>Yes, get him something decent. DONT get him a wakeskate from LF, Hyperlite, CWB, or Obrien. <BR> <BR>Check out these companies...great performance, great quality. <BR> <BR><a href="http://devotid.com/" target="_blank">http://devotid.com/</a> <BR><a href="http://www.sattelyte.com/" target="_blank">http://www.sattelyte.com/</a> <BR><a href="http://integrity-wake.com/" target="_blank">http://integrity-wake.com/</a> <BR><a href="http://omenskates.com/" target="_blank">http://omenskates.com/</a> <BR><a href="http://www.oakwakeskates.com/" target="_blank">http://www.oakwakeskates.com/</a> <BR> <BR>Read this article...<a href="http://www.wakeskating.com/showarticle.php?a=464" target="_blank">http://www.wakeskating.com/showarticle.php?a=464</a>

...there are some others companies I didn't mention that are also good...

those companies listed above are good...However, for a begginer wakeskater, i would recommend learning on a foam top board that is shaped kinda like a wakeboard. Then when he gets comfortable on a skate, then maybe get a integrity, omen, oak, or distortion board.

Purchase a LF Anthem. It is a fun and forgiving first board to learn on. It is a wood board with a concave-shaped foam top. True, it may be argued that it may not hold up for as long as a higher quality make, but if your son decides he does not like skating, not a large loss.

1.5 month old 42 Aaron Reed, you and your son could skate together on, $120. If he skateboards, get him grip tape. Thanks

JTW, <BR> <BR>Not to be rude to others that have posted on here...but don't buy a LF wakeskate. <BR> <BR>You own a Sanger, so I'm sure you like high, quality products that last a long time. <BR>If this is the case, then go with one of the companies I listed above. <BR> <BR>Granted, your son may end up not enjoying wakeskating. <BR>Let me tell you, you won't have a hard time at all reselling it on wakeskaing.com or ebay ,with little loss.

pm me if you want more advice or help.

Get grip tape for him. If you get a good board he will have it for years. I still have my cassette concave from 5 or so years ago and will ride it till it dies. I know you can find lots of threads on this but I started on grip when I was 16, 9 years ago and have never liked foam unless I had a few sodas. I think you should start him out on the real deal. I have had a few scrapes when I started out but none in years. Charlie has some great links.

Your best bet would be to wait for the 2007 Oaks. They are $210 and super durable. They should be hitting shops in December. <BR>The other option is to do a Composite like the new 2007 39" Liberation but that will cost around $260, but it has shapeable edges, and I believe it has an option for Griptape or foam. <BR>You can check out these boards and others at <BR><a href="http://www.strictlyskates.com" target="_blank">www.strictlyskates.com</a>

I like the new liberation 39 deck! It has a fairly progressive shape.

What about this one that I seen on season blowout? <BR> <BR>Hyperlite 105 Karma

JTW - he'd be stoked to get that board. It's a stable board that is durable. <BR> <BR>Like others have said there are a lot of options these days with skates (and endless opinions), but he'll like that board.

JTW - if you are thinking of a composite board go for an integrity. <BR>Most people that get a karma later get something else because they find out the board sucks. if your willing to spend the money you might as well get the integrity team deck.

Karma? NO. <BR> <BR>Listen to Mitchell. <BR> <BR>A Karma is basically a small wakeboard with foam on top of it.

I am aproximately the same wiegt hight and love the hyperlyte scape. and youcan pick one up for 99$

i would have to go with the 39.75 integrity

Most wakeboarders buy HL of LF skates because thats what they're familiar with. But If I were you I'd look into some of the smaller skate-specific companies that Charlie listed. You will get a better overall product with a company that backs it up, and a better ride. Also most of those companies are rider-owned and operated.

I am the same hight and wieght and I love the Hyperlite scape. You can pickone up for 99$.

Yeah, the new Liberations are on point this year. There like a Kampus K-Series with concave.

I made the mistake of getting a hyperlite scape for my first skate. I hated it! Look into a Devotid Movement. They're on eBay for only 179.00 with free shipping.

oaks they way to go baby mikey t and steven h those guys are awsome the help you out buy selling you the best skate money can buy <BR> <BR>oakwakeskates.com

alright alright first off dont get LF it sucks trust me i have an impulse 41 '05 its got good concave and i like the grip but the paint peels off so fast and cracks and warps. definetly dont get him a wood board esp. not with EVA foam get grip. I'm 13 myself and have been wakeskating a few years i had a cassette and it was nice but no concave which is bad once you start shuvs and w2w. i dont care what others say get a hyperlite they know what they are doin there. i would reccomend an '05 byerly skate or the '07 catalyst 2.0 they both have good leverage. omen, oak and all the others are not good ive ridden them all and i know drew danielo and rode his omen skate its not responsive at all

So does even Grubb's model the Hyperlite Catalyst and BT's model the Vinyl suck?

gator boards have some sick skates, i had a doyle 40.5 last year and i loved it. <BR> <BR> <BR>but LF put some more weight in their boards and my armada 41 feels pretty good under my feet at the moment

Collin, the omen is an awesome skate. its really different and some people love it. i liked the board but i prefer wood decks for sure. <BR>i dont know how you say hyperlite makes the best skates. the catalyst is a cut down wakeboard. its 45 inches but super narrow. <BR>there are great wood decks out there. i have no idea what you are talking about. sattelyte and oak make amazing decks. my sattelyte has taken a beating and it rides like a champ. and the pbt base slides great and is tough. also the 07 impulses 41" and 42" are awesome. they are made at the same place the sattelytes are made in canada. they also have the pbt base. my friend has been riding his since november and it is still going strong. they are nothing like the previous impulses.

cutdown wakeboard huh? cant say ive ever seen a wakeboard with so much concave. all wood decks warp within 5 months and if you wanna buy a new board every five months then be my guest. hyperlites higher end skates are great for shuvs and flips with the steel rods in them for better rotation i bet you havent even ridden the new hyperlite skates. ive ridden GB LF oak omen HL cassette. super narrow? dude the thing is made for a big foot if you ever meet BT without shoes on you will see why he made it wide with alotta concave. know what your talkin bout before you beat up on the best company around

best company around??? thats a joke right? where do you think they got the idea of putting rods in the board to make it flip better? It sure as hell wasn't their r&amp;d team. this is probably the first year that their wakeskates aren't mini wakeboards. If you think a waterski/tube company is the best wake company around then I feel sorry for you

HO sports is the waterski and tube company. hyperlite is owned by them they make surfers boards and skates. thats like saying jaguar is a <font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font> car cuz its owned by ford. and the riders thought of the rods man they put all their input in the boards they ride. have you ever even ridden a HL skate before?

Yes, I have. Jaguar's are <font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font> cause their made by ford. And the hypertyte riders did not come up with the idea of putting weight in the board.

then who did?

btw i hate ford too its just what popped in my head

Integrity was the first to put weight(rods or something) in the their board to assist in flipping, 2-3 years ago.

Actually, it was mutiny! ;) <BR> <BR>But mr. anthony is right...sure, byerly may have suggested that they centerweight their boards, but the idea originated and was first set into production by one erich schmaltz. <BR> <BR>And I fully agree with mitch too...LF stepped it up with their impulse line (I have one in my hands, but it's just for lookin' through), and oak and sattelyte have all made wood boards a reasonable option. <BR> <BR>But anyway, I'll have none of this dissing ford business, because my dad works for ford...jerks. ;) (I'm just teasing you guys!) <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/559020/448334.jpg" alt="Upload">with

yea but hyperlite has the beveled edges for cleaner shuvs and the layers of glass for weight plus the steel rods dont tell me anyone else has that

I see that discussing this with you is pointless because you aren't really interested in looking beyond your favorite brand. OK. But just know that integrity a) has reshabable rails (so you can set them however you like--sharp or blunted) b) started the trend of adding extra glass to their boards in 05 and c) steel rods are a cheap way to centerweight your board.

Shut up dude! Hyperlite totally invented wakeskating!

haha, nice scott <BR> <BR>liquid force has steel rods running through their armada this year because of the weight issues from last year.

LIEK OMG!!! Liquid Force copied Hyperlite too?!1 Hyperlite is the only company to EVER put rods in their boards. They invented the kickflip fool!

did hyperlite invent breathing? <BR> <BR>or just the lung, i forget sometimes...

dude seriously hyperlite has had glass on their boards since 04. the original wakeskate was a cutdown hyperlite wakeboard with grip top then thomas horrell started cassette but hyperlite is more advanced and technical with their skates

OK, thomas cut down wake techs, NOT hyperlites. Do some research (watch decline of the waterski monopoly too), hyperlite was not the root of wakeskating and thomas horrell would have crapped on a hyperlite before he would have turned it into a wakeskate. Furthermore, the original wakeskate (that was actually a true wakeskate and not a wakeboard with foam on it) was a fresh water traction wakeskate. After jason did his thing, they (hyperlite) tried to make some hideous looking board that was a cross between their first waterskates and a wakeboard with wakeboard binding baseplatees on them. But ultimately, they used his FWT pads on their original line of "waterskates." <BR> <BR>anyway, if you want to get techy, hyperlite had fiberglass "wakeskates" (and not waterskates) in 03. I never said integrity was the first to start using fiberglass. They just started adding additional weight and strength by surpassing the industry standard. <BR> <BR>Anyway, I'm done, I swear! Now I need to find, like, a 15 year old to argue with.

nollies off the double ups, bro!

wow........ a whole new world on here for me to explore.......

...uhh...well...there goes the neighborhood! <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/lol.gif" border=0>

...lol...