my hands blister every time i go wakeboarding i wear gloves and everything but it doesn't really help. <BR> <BR>Any tips that you could give to save my hands from pain? <BR> <BR>Thanks for the help.

Dont were gloves!!!! they are for water ski:-( <BR>after a few weeks you will have hands like a builder

(see above) That's the consensus you'll get from 99% of wakeboarders...after a few weeks of 20-30 minute sets, no more blister issues. However, what handle do you have? Some are far better than others.

most newer handles are more forgiving on your hands

Just like everyone else said, BE A MAN!! Once you get the calluses built up, you'll have them forever. A large percentage of the European Cable riders wear gloves but their water is much colder and most cables handles are wooden. The wooden handles aren't an excuse though, but MAYBE the cold water. Bernard Hinterberger wears gloves even when he rides at CWC.

Gloves make blisters worse if they don't fit properly. Plus, you don't need gloves for riding, there isn't enough pull on your hands. <BR> <BR>Kyle, colder water helps prevent blisters. Warm water softens the skin up and leads to more blisters.

If you feel that wearing gloves helps, by all means wear gloves! <BR> <BR>Like others have suggested, try and get yourself a new plush comfy handle. Handles have come a long way. I used to get blisters all the time but with the new handles after finding one I liked; no more blisters.

Even comfy plush handles tearup your hands over time. I always seem to have a Micheal Jackson problem after several days of riding. Even when your hands get tough the skin will still rip off. I super glue and tape mine after that.

Back when I was slalom skiiing I used to trim the callouses from my hands with fingernail clippers. If you keep letting them build up they will eventually rip loose.

vagisill. Lot's of it. should get rid of the burning too.

Everytime a wakeboarder wears gloves... God kills a kitten. <BR> <BR>Don't do it.... for the kittens

agreed... dont wear gloves. its almost as bad as wearing a helmet when your not hitting any obstacles... if your hands rip open, fill with super glue. There is also this stuff called 'new skin' that i hear is pretty good!

John had the only advice on here, you need to remove your calluses or they will tear off. Either trim them or get a file and file them flat. Problem solved.

Dude. Duct tape. Works great no lie.

lose the gloves and get a chamois grip handle!

Chamois handle can still cause you to tear a callus off. <BR> <BR>I'll echo what others have said about proper fitting gloves. Don't sweat the "image" of gloves but be aware that modern handles, especially the Chamois style give less grip with gloves! <BR> <BR>When you have your gloves on and cup your hand like you were going to hold a handle you should have minimal to no material bulging or folding at the spot calluses form. If your gloves don't fit properly they will bulge here and give you blisters in no time.

if you have calluses you should soak them in water and shave them off with a razor like once a month. dont cut them all the way off you need to leave a little bit of dead skin.. <BR> <BR>a gay gymnist told me that was the best way to keep girly hands...HAHAHA <BR> <BR> i rode cable a few weeks back and didn't shave mine and bang ripped one off of each hand first day...

all the glove haters make me laugh. at the end of the day my hands probably feel a lot better than yours <IMG SRC="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":-)" BORDER=0> <BR> <BR>(i wear gloves riding cable but not behind the boat)

I wear my gloves pretty snug... No issues until they start wearing out and loosening up too much. <BR> <BR>Luker- I'm making a jacket out the dead kitten fur....

<b>i wear gloves riding cable but not behind the boat</b> <BR> <BR>That's exactly what I do.

"its almost as bad as wearing a helmet when your not hitting any obstacles..." <BR> <BR>Curt, how'd we get from calluses to bashing riders who wear helmets? Listen, for me, water is obstacle enough, and the helmet has limited the damage from that. Gear up any way you want to protect your body. However, gloves... no way :>)

Ive worked in construction almost my whole life, i played baseball for 19 years, I lift weights, and I wakeboard...As a result I have dry , scratchy, callused manhands haha and my girlfriend always bitches about how rough they are, but when she comes out wakeboarding shes complaining her hands hurt after 10 minutes haha...i dont know why i feel the need to post this, because it adds no help to this poor young fella and his sore hands but whatever...

alright well since it last ripped open i havn't got blisters and i was riding cable for nearly 5 and a half hours

Note to self when the hands are sore or you might use gloves don't post here so you don't get ripped. <BR>The vagisill post was the best. haha

Also, try to avoid letting calluses build up. I made the mistake of assuming that was fine and popped the handle a few times and literally ripped a few off. It's extremely painful and is keeping me off the water for a few days so it can heal. It's literally down to the deepest skin layer and bright red. As gay as it sounds try using a pumice stone to keep your calluses from getting too deep and shaving them off with a razor blade. I did this when I powerlifted in HS and it seemed to help. Consider how you hold the handle too. Try not too get a palmy grip but more like the grip you would use climbing the monkey bars (more fingers than palm) Hope it works for you.

I cut my calluses down with some nail clippers. But lately I've been riding a handle with a larger diameter and thats solved my problem immediately. Makes my forearms tired more quickly, but better than bleeding all over my buddies boat after every other set. Tacky materials were the worst for me (i.e. chamosis). Tore my calluses out frequently.

"Gear up any way you want to protect your body. However, gloves... no way" <BR> <BR>Your hands aren't part of your body???

i found that small diameter handles are way more comfotable. we have a large diameter handle and after 5 minutes my hands are killing me. but the small handle you can ride for 20 min+ with no pain

You guys that are no glove guys under any circumstances crack me up. I bet everyone of you that says "gloves no way" would be riding with them if you had your hands torn completely open and knew that your "man pal" wouldn't have to know about it. <BR> <BR>I consider myself a damn tough individual and riding with torn hands down to the flesh sucks! <BR> <BR>I do go with superglue and tape first usually but good god are that may guys really a bunch of style fashionista's? <BR> <BR>Hell even your wakeboard god Parks rode with them back in the day.

new skin is the best thing ever!! get yourself a bottle of that and after the blister rips open put on about 2 coats and get back to riding