Hyperlite Board

I am looking into these hyperlite boards and I am wondering which would be best for me. I have never wakesurfed before and I am 6'2 180. Looking for just fun and to get into it a bit.

I've ridden the 4.9 and I own the 5.6 Broadcast. I'm your height but a little heavier, weighing 215 lbs. I can ride the 4.9 but I wouldn't recommend it for a first timer at your weight, I'd go with the 5.6. Both boards are very stable, I've had very good success teaching first time surfers with the 5.6.

There are some other very good boards you might want to look at too but the Broadcast is an easy and low cost board to start with. Others that you might want to look at are Shred Stixx (Extreme) or Inland Surfer boards (the Blue or Yellow). I really like Trick Boardz line, but there a little different and don't look like traditional boards, but are easy to spin (I just can't keep my spin in the pocket) might be a good second board. I’ve ridden all of these boards; they’re all good.

The tribal wakesurfing knowledge says that once you learn how to wakesurf and develop a few basic skills you can begin to ride smaller boards. I don't know that I'm that good but lately I've been riding some very small boards.

Good luck, let us know how you progress.

I started wakesurfing by buying a Broadcast 4.9 because I found one on clearance last year. It has ben fine but I think we could have improved faster if I had gotten something else. I'm 6', 180 lbs and have gotten to where I can ride the thing all day long. It took a while to get to this point though. In the process I have tried to teach many people on this board because it is the only board we had. I noticed a trend that they all had an easy time getting up but finding the seeet spot whith the Broadcast has been somewhat frustrating to them. I myself am now looking into getting a second or third board, one to help me progress to some new tricks and another to helop the beginners on the boat. The broadcast seems to be somewhere in the middle-somewhat hard to learn on but will be a little more fun once you fingure it out.

Kenny, have you altered the fin configuration on your Broadcast?

We just started playing with the fins recently. There's the obvious run with the center fin or just out side fins set ups.

We've also put the small fin in the center and a big fin on one side, the side away from the wake. That's a questionable set up, we found that it tends to raise the tail of the board and push the nose low. One of our goofy stance riders said that he thought this set up might help a first time heal side surfers. I'm not sold on this set up.

Put small fins on the Broadcast or try one of the other great boards that are out there. Read through the threads on tis forum or see if you can ride with another surfer.

i think it will really depend on your boarding skills... there are a couple different factors such as cost and learning curve...

as ed mentioned the 5.6 broadcast is a good board for first timers and a very casual surf session (thats pretty much it).

if you are a quick learner then the broadcast 4.9 - it is a really fun board once you get going and you can actually progress with it....it just gives up "quality of ride feel / drive" when compared to a custom board..

given your 6'2" you may need a longer board for a wider stance... a 5'6" surfboard fish may not be a bad idea, they are easy to learn to ride and you can advance on them - jessica oswald who won womens at wakestock rides a 5'6" shoreline fish.... same board my wife first rode on...covers all needs except a skim style board (ie phase 5 /walzer..advanced) i will be getting a 5'6"fish from stripes as my boat board and for me )

(Message edited by clubmyke on October 13, 2006)

What about a convex. I know that I have never done any wakesurfing, but I learn really quickly and would like to just wakesurf for fun, but I would also like to progress in it pretty quickly. Thoughts?

jordan, i assume you are referring to a convex nose (not a expert by any means but if that is it, then it will really catch the front and be limited to to a hang 5 board / crusier board)..

most of the nicer fish surfboards will have a regular nose or blunt nose and diamond tail... the shoreline 5'6" is a really nice board (beginner to pro)..take off the center fin and you got a great performance board (stripes has a similar one in another posting)..kinda cool..you can change the ride of the board with the number of fins and size...

the blunt nose is a personal fave...it gets out of the way when trying to come back..

if they just made that board in blue and gray to match the boat...



(Message edited by clubmyke on October 15, 2006)

What I really ment was coex from hyperlite sorry =P

i dont know... that is a really small board..with that being said... not a good begainner board and hard to ride (good rider and really strong wake)..

if you want to stick with hyperlite then the 4'9" with a mild learning curve (kenny summed it up pretty well in the above post)

I haven't ridden the coex yet but I've heard good things about it. My sister has one and was supposed to bring it to our last Lake Powell trip but forgot it. I was looking forward to trying it out. She loves the coex and had a hard time adjusting to ridding my broadcast 4'9" but eventually figured it out. She said that the coex seems to be easier to carve on and doesn't catch an edge as much. She's only about 120 lbs so like clubmyke said it may be a little small for you. Although she said her husband had him and her daughter on the board at the same time once. They weren't free riding but... I've seen coex boards at a pretty reasonable price so it might be worth a try.

My first board was the coex. I got it cause it was the newest board from hyperlite. I am 6ft 170lbs. I quickly realized I needed a larger board. I then went back and got the bigger broadcast. With the center fin removed, I really enjoyed this board for the last 2 seasons.

Now I have got a new love! I got in touch with Jerry from Shred Stixx and I will never ride a molded board again. I would strongly suggest spending a little more and getting a true surf(foam core, glass)board. You will learn and progress much faster as these boards have so much more speed and flotation. I was getting a little bored with surfing till I got my Stixx. Now I will find any excuse to get out of wakeboarding to get my surf on!

Hey Jason, what is it that is so different between the broadcast and the shred stix? I think I'm at the point where you were on the Broadcast getting a little bored and am looking for a new board. I've heard good things about Shred Stix. What board did you get and what can you do differently than what the Broadcast offers? I would like a board that I can spin and get air on. Does the Shred Stix allow that?

jason brought it home

' I would strongly suggest spending a little more and getting a true surf(foam core, glass)board. You will learn and progress much faster as these boards have so much more speed and flotation.'

true...very true..they are lighter and offer flexability since you can change the fins...there is another thread on liquid force heading this direction.. I suspect hyperlite will be heading this direction soon..

btw, the molded boards do have a durability advantage and storage advantage but that is it (surf racks take care of that)..

b

Kevin, I have the thresher shredder model. You can still do 3's with it and it will make catching air much easier. The board is so bouyant, it almost jumps our of the water. You can really crank up the intensity and carve as hard as you want, only limited be your own abilities. I feel like I can bottom turn so hard on this board you can actualy make speed. It just looks and feels so much like real surf'n. So many times I have had the wake breaking over my front leg and still rode out of it and caught back up to the boat. My wife says even watching is more fun now!

It can be riddin on a much smaller wake as well. I rode mine behind my buddies direct drive boat with only one 500# sac and 5 people.

The only draw back is because of the materials and light weight, it is a little fragile and needs to be handled with care. Hang on to it if the wind is blowing!

Hey Jordan I've got the broadcast 4.9 and I weigh 175 lbs and I can do a 360 but just can't stay in the pocket. I also have the landlock. I don't even ride the landlock anymore. I just use it for beginners now or my bigger buddies. I have been really happy with the broadcast.