Advanced Wakeboard Recommendations
 

I am looking for an advanced/expert caliber wakeboard to buy. I know this is a very opinionated question and your opinion is valued. What boards would folks throw out as the best, most advanced on the market? We ride behind a Super Air Nautique and have several very advanced amateur riders.We are definitely more about bigger air than surface tricks and style so I think an aggressive 3-stage rocker is likely what we are seeking.

Not to be snotty, but money is of no consequence so completely factor out price unless 2 boards are identical and one is cheaper. Furthermore, I know some folks will recommend that I demo different boards but to be honest, I would rather just roll the dice and buy a few. It is worth the money I would spend on a board to not have to devote the time going to demo boards.

So, if you had unlimited funds and wanted the best the market has to offer, what would you buy?

Honestly there just isn't enough information here for us to help you choose a board. 3-stage rockers do help with vertical pop but they are not the end all to boards that get big air. If you are a rider that likes to go big but also likes to go into the flats I wouldn't recommend a 3-stage rocker. They loose a lot of momentum when you land out in the flats compared to continuous rocker boards/less rocker boards. Do you hard charge the wake, or is your style relaxed? I ride with guys who are really good, go big and they don't ride 3 stage rocker boards. One is really aggressive with lots on inverts and hard charging. He liked the Ronix Bill Board and HL Marek board. The other has a super relaxed style with lots of spins and grabs and he loves his Oli Slignshot Board. Point is, you really need to know what you want out of a board because most pro model boards ride very different from each other. We can't help you until you have a pretty good list of how you want to board to behave on the water.

Thanks for the reply. I am definitely the hard charger, invert type. I guess I would vote for a board with some versatility, but most hard charging pop off the wake. I definitely am more about the pop and air than the spins and grabs. I am sure we are splitting hairs because I am sure the pro guys can ride the Slingshot you mention and do inverts with huge air and likewise, could strap on a Marek and spin and grab with the best of them. Really I just want to make sure I get a great board--everyone keeps trying to sell me more intermediate style boards and I end up outgrowing them and being disappointed in them. I want something that an expert would be happy with. What was posted above was helpful as it at least gives me a few names to start narrowing things down with. When you go shopping and they have 120 boards to choose from it is hard to know where to start. Just giving me a few names to research is helpful. Thanks!

If you are wanting a pro model board, find what riders you prefer to emulate when riding and research their models. I would look into the Ronix One though.

I will definitely look at the Ronix One--I have heard of that one before. As for riders, they all look pretty good to me. And I'm sure that while they all have their strengths, they can probably all do most things pretty well.

Feel free to throw out some other options. I would love to hear some other choices.

I just moved from a Slingshot Hooke, similar to what is now the pill model, to Ronix Code 22. It sounds like it is something you're looking for, when you set an edge on this thing it locks in and will send you into the flats, I've had a similar experience when I've ridden a One as well, I just have less experience with those. Byerly's boat boards also have a very locked in shape, I went to the hooke after that to get something a little more playful for surface tricks. Also just fyi would strongly considered getting another slingshot (I ripped out the fast track after 3 seasons on it), their boards are awesome and super durable, just got a good deal on the ronix.

When I was looking for a board earlier this year, it was all about getting away from anything with a foam core, even as an intermediate rider I snap those boards a lot. On my list to check out would be the One, Code 22, Humanoid's Circus, Slingshot Pill, Byerly Agenda.

Ronix One Time Bomb. I have yet to meet someone who didn't love this board.

Liquid force Next. Been riding for years and this board is a rocket ship with massive pop. The only downside I can find is that it is always on edge.

what boards have you ridden and outgrown?

I've been riding different boards more often the last few years than I have historically. The challenge is that every rider is different and how a board feels to me may be different than how a board feels to someone else. That said; the things I always want in a board:

quick transition (when I cut out and cut back in I want my board to hook up vs drift then hook up)
medium to quick
deeper rocker
some cushion to the landings
predictable pop
quick release

In the last few seasons I've been on the LF Harley Classic, CTRL Hustle, CTRL RX, CWB Dowdy, CWB Mode, LF Lyman (pulled this one out of storage). Of all of these the two I'm liking the most right now are the CTRL RX and the CWB Mode. Both are different. The RX has a bit of a loose feel but it still makes you work to break it free, is a blended 3 stage, quick transition, predictable pop, quick release, medium speed. The Mode is a sticky board, continuous, transition is comparable but different, quick, pop is predictable but feels more abrupt, landings are a bit softer, and ts can really hook in.

I was very surprised by the Mode, it was a very easy transition from the RX and I had a feel for it by the 3rd jump. In the past I struggled with continuous boards but this one fits my style of riding very well, the board is so wide with an aggressive rocker that the release is very comparable to a 3 stage.

Best advice I can give is to try/demo a few as each board fits the rider a little differently. I've been thrilled with the Mode and I didn't think I'd ever like a continuous board after trying a few a couple years ago (including the LF witness).