WBM '05 Gear Guide Interpretation

picked up the feb issue of WBM with the gear guide...was pretty excited initially 'coz I tot i cld get much needed help in picking my new board...but realized im absolutely clueless on how to interpret the "WBM Board Matrix". I got the 1st category "target ability" clear enough...but am pretty stumped at "edge transition","edge load","speed & lift". Someone help a clueless gal here pls...Layman explanations for each category pls?

Edge transition is how fast the board transitions from edge to edge, speed wise, in terms of how fast or slow and also how edgy it is. when you initiate a turn a board sometimes is nice and mellow and smooth and others bite a little harder.

My best guess at Edge Load is how high or low the board sits so when you aproach the wake at a usually higher speed it can feel more floating and smooth (ie: any Murray model) or more rigid and fast (drifter/project-TFD-3ds, Subjekt). I really am guessing at this one?!?

Speed and lift sees to be directly related to the rocker line of the board. a 3-stage in this guide is supposed to go wake to wake and a continuous is more fast and out into the flats.
This sh*zz confuses me because the Parks is rated the highest of 3 which is correct but other boards that are just as abrubt as the parks like the Absolute and Gonzalez are rated signifigantly more as into the flats.

the Parks is WAY MORE abrupt than the Gonzales and Absolute(atleast the older absolutes).

they assume that a abrupt 3 stage board will send you more higher than further.

the way they rated the Vandall's board confused me as well.

Stacy,
You can ask 10 people what the terms mean (ie speed, load and transition) and you will get 9 different answers.

Board shapes don't make NEARLY the difference than people think.

worst gear guide EVER, less than half of the products, gaps in pages. next issue is gonna be the revise issue

I completely agree with R.J.

I took once glance, saw the layout, and put it down. I haven't picked it up since.

(Message edited by wakestar8878 on January 11, 2005)

i thought it sucked too. im sure they asked all the companies to rate the boards on x criteria. and each company did that which is fine. but i think its more helpful to look at i.e. obrien boards and use the guide for each company rather than trying to compare an obrien with a hyperlite. each company has their own guidlines and ratings for boards. and the maximum pop of x company may be far less than y company. however since within x company this is the best popping board they will give it the highest rating while if y company had that same board they would give is less marks for pop. perhaps i am more confusing than the guide

The gear guide was deffinately not nearly as good this year. I liked how in the past they have let the pros talk about their setups. Surely it doesn't take half the amount of effort to produce the gear guide issue, so they should put it out on one of the "off" months. It just seems a shame to waste one of the 9 issues per year on

thks for all the feedback guys, i feel better now knowing im not the only one confused abt the gear guide. sighz but am back to square one tho... still clueless on which board to get...

the alliance gear guide killes it good job!