help choosing a board for cable

can you help me in choosing between the Gator Legend 145 and the Gonzalez 143 boards for cable riding only? i am 33yrs old, 6'2 and 240lbs but still quite athletic. i know that the Legend is a little bit longer while the Gonzalez has a wider middle and wider tips. i also noticed that the Gonzalez has tip to tip rails on the bottom surface of the board while the Legend has a flat smooth bottom surface.

i would want one of the two boards that would be best for kickers, sliders, surface tricks, edging and surface raileys riding on cable and flat landings (all the time). no wake to wake here. i have tried looking for reference on the web but mostly it's opinions from riding behind the boat. your opinions on which would be faster, edges better, lands softer, anything -- would really help.

i know i'd rather get a slingshot response 145 or something else but where i'm from these are the biggest locally available boards that i like as of this moment. thanks!

Whatever you do .... Do not a Gator

Go with company

The Gongelez has TONS OF POP. My roomate had one, rode it often, It would do just fine on the cable and awesome behind the boat.

thanks centexshred, but there are no Company boards available here as of the moment, maybe when the new Vandall board gets released in the market?

clutch, thanks for input, appreciate it. that's +1 for the Gonza.

I ride a Sling Shot recoil, but the SS response was rated the top one for cable according to alliance wake.Might be something to check out. Active wake has some good prices...Good Luck

+1 Slingshot (recoil or reflex)

Tough as nails, super smooth on rails, tons of pop/snap off kickers with the flex.... awesome boards.... just make sure you get an 09 or newer - they have a different base than 07/08.

I have an 09 Recoil that has never been ridden if you are interested

So do flew boards give you better pop off the water on the cable? I understand the physics of the boat but the does the flex help on flat water?

i understand the slingshots have flat bottom surfaces (except for the fins), are they able to hold edges well for surface air tricks without wakes (eg. Railey) to help them get up in the air?

Oh good, another "Slingshot/Company is the best board ever" thred. For a second there I thought people were actually going to give him advice on the boards he was looking at. Silly me.

^^ You're right, suggesting the "best" board for his situation would be stupid... lets just throw every board into the mix and make it more confusing that it has to be.... Least you added some good advice for him.

Obrein makes a flex board that keeps its warranty on rails, that maybe worth a look too.

I understand the physics of the boat but the does the flex help on flat water?

Have you ever snowboarded? ... you can use the board to help snap you up on an ollie.... also off of kickers you can "load" the board and have it release off the lip popping you more than just a hard edge and your legs would

When he outlines the boards he is looking at, and reasons for not looking at other boards, then yes, suggesting the "best" board for him may be stupid. Or at least not as helpful as opinions on those two boards. Sorry for the aggressive post.

thanks ben

i really am choosing only between these two boards (legend and gonza) since they are the only ones available that i like where i am from. and where i am from is 10 minutes drive away from a local cable park and about a 16 hour flight from the US. i wish i could easily get a Slingshot or a Company or even CWB's new 147 Vibe (147?!?!?!) but unfortunately (seems like it is unfortunate) i can only choose between these two boards.

from these are the biggest locally available boards that i like as of this moment.

I suggested Slingshot because I have one for sale that I would ship.... so his local selection doesn't matter.... and he also said:

i'd rather get a slingshot response 145 or something else

So suggesting the Recoil/Reflex was really stupid of me, you're right.

Dex, not sure if you heard about Phalanx Wake, but Ricky Gonzalez is our Pro rider / Co-owner...We are super close to releasing our boards. Ricky helped shape and dial in the flex pattern on these. So if you liked Rick's old Pro model and your bound for Cables we may be an option. It similar construction to CO & SS, but using higher end materials. Check us out...www.phalanxwake.com as well as you can e-mail me at ray@phalanxwake.com

hi Ray, ofcourse i've heard about Phalanx, i'm sure everybody's excited to see your board on the racks. thing is, i don't know if your boards will get here in the Philippines as soon as it's available in the US, it usually take a lot of time. i need another board right away as the Pure 141 i'm using has delaminated already.

anyways, i'm definitely keeping your board as an option in the future, seems like the cable riding is progressing into flex boards. good luck!

i was browsing the Slingshot website early this morning and saw them offering a good deal for their older boards and bindings. i just couldn't resist not resisting and found myself ordering the 09 Response 145 with 08 D2 bindings for $350 including shipping. kinda excited to see what the hype about slingshot is all about, and how a flex board rides. i'll have to wait for six weeks though (via forwarder) before it gets to where i live, so in the mean time i think i'll get the Gonza 143 and sell it or something when the SS arrives. I just don't know if the D2 bindings would be better than my Watsons though.

got an email from Bryan T. of Slingshot saying that they've ran out of 2009 Response 145 in stock and upgraded my order with the 2010 Response 145 board for a $100 more. i think it's still a sweet deal. So far, customer service's is better than expected.

So $450 for a 2010 board with bindings??? That's a steal! 2010 Board is listed at $429 alone isn't it!? Europe (& UK specifically!) needs more SS!!!

hey Tim, yup! even i was surprised by their offer, it's impossible to resist! and since i'm bringing the board halfway across the world from the US, they even included an extra set of fins. amazing!