I need Help with a board

I tried this over at TT, and now I will ask here.

I am in the market for a new board and I need help decieding what to get.

Stats - 6'2", 235lbs, riding style - have yet to find the style I like.

I am not the best boarder in the area, but I am trying. Last season ended with a big face plant because the tip of the board caught the wake, ripped my bindings apart, off the board and I just bought a new pair at the boat show. I have done alot of research and stil cannot find what type of board is the best for me. My old board was a 2003 Hyperlite Motive 140.

So far I was leaning towards;

3-stage hybrid
inter-advance level
144 or bigger

I will not be using it on rails, and I do not like a loose feel.

Can you guys help me out?

I figured since I bought my girls their first wakeboard, dad can get a new one too. I ride behind a 2000 MC 210VRS, looks more like an X-10 now though, no ballast.


Thanks everyone in advance,

-SFC V

i suggest finding something that has two removable fins on each end. this way you can dial in how tight or loose the board will be by the size of fin you bolt on.

take a look at:
cwb transcend
ronix district
hyperlite murray
slingshot lyman

just to name a few, but not in any particular order

I am just about the same size as you and I ride an '10 Ronix One setup. The bindings are super comfortable with no heal lift. The board was completely locked into the water when I first got it which was nice in the beginning because it made it every stable and predictable. I did find that over the season as I got better at riding the board was a little too locked in and it made it hard to do surface tricks. I switched the 1.0" fins to .8" fins which made the it perfect. Now I am locked in when I want to be and can break the fins loose on command without any effort. Just be aware that I am no expert and in no was qualified to hand out advice.

forgot to add a note that the cwb transcend has fin extensions that bolt on, so only the length of the fin can be changed and not the depth of the fin. but thought id mention it anyway.

Don't get me wrong, I am by far no expert either. I am just trying to find the right board for my needs.

Roger,

The new Hyperlite Marek 145 sounds right up your alley. Its based off an abrubt continuous rocker, and is one of (if not) the fastest boards on the water today, so it will not wear you out just to ride it. It still has tremendous pop thanks to the abrupt rocker in the tip and tail. It comes with 1.0" p-wing fins, that will not be "loose" on the water by any means but the rounded edges of the fins allow for a quicker, smoother release to break free when you want and also save the upholstery in the boat. Its very stable, and the edges have been softened slightly this year to reduce the "bitey" feel that the old marek was known for. To me this sounds like a great fit for you, not a beginners board but enough rider-friendly features that any intermediate rider will enjoy and progress on. The old marek was one of the most popular, successful shapes in recent history, so to improve upon that is a very good thing. It comes in both PVC and biolite (standard foam) cores (i would suggest the biolite, but if you want to spoil yourself then look at the PVC or "Nova" core). Do yourself a favor, and check one out! Hope this helps.

Shane 142

I have been told that the State 145 would be a good fit..........but the marek looks about the same........

Love my LF Witness. Continuous three stage for pop but with plenty of speed for soft landings. I also like molded fins also because they are very predictable and stable.

The state and marek are 2 completely different board styles. The marek will be a lot faster and more responsive than the state. A lot more of an aggressive board than the state.

I rode a hyperlite state 140 for a few years while I was progressing. Now that I've grown a little and progressed a little, it was time for an upgrade. I upgraded to the 2012 Marek Bio 145. I'm 6'4", 220. Hope I can answer any of your questions. Both are great boards.

marek vs state..............has the design changed within the last couple of years or could i go for an older model.......limited income prevents me from just jumping out there and buying a $500 board......

Roger,

Hey bud. If you can give us a call we sell almost every board listed here. The best thing you can do is give yourself the opportunity to trade boards if you make the wrong choice. We give you a written performance guarantee so you can trade several times and if you take care of the board, get all your money towards another board. It cost me a bit to do this but my riders always get the right board and boots. The boots are even more critical if your a big dude. Thanks for the post and thanks to all the other responders that gave such great suggestions.
Tommy
www.gettommys.com
Twitter Tommysurfs
1-800-592-7547

just so you know the hyperlite state is not symetrical. it has a heelside/toeside specific edge on it. this can help a rider be more confident with edges, but if you share the board with someone that uses the opposite foot forward than you it will not ride the same for them as you.
as you progress, you may likely want a symetrical board, too

just something to consider and weigh the pros and cons

umm...........if the toes are pointed towards the same side of the board, isn't the edges on that side the same? as in short side short fins is the heels, long side long fins toes?

oops.. ya
silly me. didn't think that one through.
just be sure you mount it right.

anyway. the other things i said still stand though.
some can see the different edges as a help, others as a crutch (long term)

If you want to stick with Hyperlite I have been riding the tribute for a while now. It tends to be a looser feel on the water, however it has two removable center fins to add a little more stability on the water. It also has a beveled edge that makes it a little less likely to take those nasty edge catchers. Honestly this board has saved me a lot of time and injuries in learning tricks and the overall progression of my riding. Mike Schwenne(founder and owner of West Coast Camps) and Greg Nelson partnered up in creating the shape. It was designed with the campers riding and learning curve in mind. It is very fast on the water, roles on edge smoothly and although it has a continuous rocker it will give you plenty of pop and a very consistent edge and take off through the wake.

I currently ride the Hyperlite franchise, however I find that if I am having trouble learning the trick I can always go back to the tribute to stomp it more often than not. The tribute is offered in a 142 model for big guys like you and I (I am 6' 190lbs.) Its also a fairly cheap pro model shape. For what its worth I think you should check it out.

i guess i shouldn't call the asymmetrical shape of the state a "crutch"
i have seen video of a girl less than half my age doing more than half the tricks i can on the Ronix version of the state

i'm just biased to it personally i guess and i should just say that.

..before i have both feet in my mouth

this reminds me, that there are even a few pro boards that play with rider-controlled/optional asymmetry, but only with the fin. i.e. adjustable fins and fin extensions.

anyway, ive talked too much already. have fun choosing and riding your board

Someone already mentioned it, but the Liquid Force Witness 144 is a great board for any level of rider. Benny G rides it, and if you don't know now you know, he shreds!! The point being that it's great for beginners all the up through pro level riders. It has a blended 3-stage rocker. Continuous between the feet and more kicked up at the tip and tail. It gives you the speed you need to accelerate through your turns and soften up landings, yet still provides great pop off the wake. The fin set up is a removable center fin and long base, outer molded fins. With the center fins on you stay super locked-in. Take them off and you have a looser feel when the board is ridden flat, but a nice locked-in feel when edging provided by the molded fins. It also features a catch free variable, beveled edge. Translated, this means the edge isn't that sharp between your feet, so if your landings aren't spot on, you won't catch an edge as easily (read: less face plants!!) As the edge moves out toward the tip/tail it becomes increasingly sharper to help the board track better when put on edge. Best part is, you can put this board together with the Transit binding (red or blue) as a combo for $449.99. You really get a lot of bang for your buck!! Check out this set up along with other combos that LF has to offer at: http://www.liquidforce.com/wakeboards-witness.html.