I"m looking to buy my first wakeboard and need some suggestions. For one I'm unsure what size to get ( I'm 5'2", 110lbs) and not sure about brands/style either. Would love any input... THANKS!!

demo.

hey kate. <BR> <BR>i personally ride liquid force. but it really just depends on how you like the feel of your board. so like jessica said head up to your local shop and let them know whats up <IMG SRC="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":-)" BORDER=0> most places have boards for you to demo and most will let you demo any boards you like. all you have to do is ask. if you dont like the first one dont worry go ahead and ask to demo a different one. if you arent comfortable on a board then dont get it..keep looking till you find one you are comfortable on. and if you have a small shop near you -local owned and all- then def support them. the bonus is most of the people that work there ride as well. and its nice to have that personal touch and heck maybe even new people to ride with! <IMG SRC="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":-)" BORDER=0>dont worry about looking like you have no idea whats going on. they understand. :D ask as many questions as possible!!! <BR> <BR>ecehm anyway! <BR> <BR>i think you would probably ride around a 132. <BR> <BR>but like i said before..( many times i think ..sorry) its best to demo and find what you like. <IMG SRC="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":-)" BORDER=0>

Thanks for the info and I would definitely love to demo, however, I live in Minnesota so the ice on the lake kind of puts a damper on things. I wanted to get one for my birthday, but I think I'll just wait till summer when I can actually try them out. THanks for the advice!

Take a look at the reveiws here on the boards. For first time get a beginners board. Like the hyperlite motive 128. You can find them cheap on ebay. Do not buy advance board until get the hang of the beginners. I use both the motive and the Parks and the parks is supper hard to ride. Right now I prefer the motive and dream of the day when I can make the parks board work.

nancy, the parks is hard for everyone to ride not just you. I would get something different like a Jett. just a friendly two cents

i second the jett idea..

I would have to go with the Motive/Divine line. That was my first board and Im still riding that style now after a few years.

I used to be a believer of buying beginner boards if you had only ridden a few times but this summer changed my mind. I had 5 girls with me from 8 years old to 35 and started them all on beginner style boards...then one of them wanted to try my board, a pro model with nicer boots. She liked it better, then the others wanted to try mine and all of them liked it better as well as the comfort of the boots. They actually rode better on them. I had two different brands and models of beginner boards and two different pro models. These were girls that had never done any watersports so my thought now is buy the best set up you can afford within reason. You will progress beyond the average beginner board within a season if you ride with any consistency. I would stick with mid level boards when stepping up...Nothing crazy like the Parks or the Byerly where most people who were good either loved them or hated them. I have a PS3 with Watsons and a Syn with Shanes both boards are similar in feel to me. I bought the Syn so that when I rode double with the girls I wouldn't be stuck with a board I didn't like cuz they wanted mine. <BR> <BR> <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" border=0>

I need to buy a board for my wife, we just bought a boat and she has never been up on a wakeboard. We have an old waketech 138 with sandal bindings also laying around, <BR> <BR>Should I wait until she gets up on the waketech before we start demoing or buying a new board for her, no doubt she'll get up eventually but just wondering if it would be easier to learn on a newer board <BR>I too am a total beginner so i don't have much knowledge of boards just yet... <BR> <BR>Thanks

if you think a 138 is the right size for her then i dont see the harm in using it just until she gets up. a new board is always helpful. they always have new technolagy and such to help the beginner. but if you have a board that she can use then i personally say just use that one for now.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" border=0> <BR> <BR>(Message edited by wakegrace on January 09, 2008) <BR> <BR>(Message edited by wakegrace on January 09, 2008)

Get a pylon if you don't already have one. I just got one last summer and I got two people up last summer on the first try. Before the extended pylon I had a harder time getting up and my friend the summer before it took her a 1/2 dozen times with just the ski pole. The hardest thing to do is to wakeboard from the tube loop from the back of the boat like an I/O or a Outboard. I sold a board to a girl and all they had was a I/O and she never did get up. I felt so bad I bought the board back and told her mom they bought the wrong boat or they need a tower installed on their boat. I hope to get back in touch with her this summer and get her up behind my boat. Her mom waterskis. My personal opinon buy an inboard. If is worth the extra cost. I learn behind an outboard and when I got to ski behind a inboard I was sold. Buy a video like The Book wakeboard getting started and building a foundation. It show you how to drive and how to get up. It is a big help to know a little bit about what you are doing before you try.