Wakeskate choices

Looking at buying a Liquid Force Concave 40 or a Hyperlite Catalyst 112, anybody have recommendations on either of those, or what the differences are? I don't have much experience wakeskating, or at least where I could compare them without riding them.

Ryan – Depends on your size. I’m 5’5 and 155lbs. and started on a Hyperlite 116 Grubb. After learning more and getting a chance to talk with Byerly at a boat show I learned I needed something much smaller like the 107 Hyperlite or a 40 Cassette. Stick with something concaved better control and easier for tricks. I really also like the foam top and not grip tape, and yes I have done the skateboard thing. About 90% of the time I fall riding the wakeskate the board stays under me and I’m able to keep a foot or leg on the board so I don’t kick it away and have to swim to get it. In doing this I’m thankful for the soft foam top and not grip tape eating my legs up. Plus you’re able to let others with out shoes to ride.

Support your local shop and see about doing some demo riding and try as many as you can.

Right now the local shops are REALLY low on boards until about a month when the 2005's come out. I would agree with Jamie about the concave boards. I have tried a flat and didn't care for it.

I tried the Hyperlite Byerly 107 and thought it was too light and too buyant for my liking. I'm 125 and 5'5" and also found it didn't have a whole lot of foot room as my feet took up all of the foam space! I think it is made of the same wakeboard-like material as the Catalyst. Because it was so light and so buyant I found that it bounced me all over the place with rollers and choppy water. I've heard the wooden ones are better for this reason and I can attest to that-I have ridden the LF Concave and found it to sit lower in the water and therefore it tracks and edges better. You also don't feel the ripples in the water as much. The downside is that it's heavier, which I actually saw as a plus.

Size - I have the same question. Your 112 is a 44 (2.54 cm per inch). I rode a 112 and thought it was too big for me.

the catalysts do ride much differently than a wood board. some people like them because they have foam tops and you dont need shoes, but i find that the foam doesnt work well with shoes because it gets too tacky and sticky. i would actually check out cassette since they are the guys that created the LF boards.

nonetheless try and see if you can find someone that will let you demo one of each company's boards. that way you will know what you will like.

i thought the catalyst rode way too high and was way light. the water seemed to push it around some if it was a bit choppy whereas the cassette sits lower in the water (as tammy has mentioned). i also thought the cassette concaves felt MUCH more substantial than the catalyst.

Do you guys think a heavier board sitting lower in the water is easier to ollie and do board slides? I do notice on my hyperlite I can’t ollie as good as I think I should, and when I do surface spins and slides the board sits more on top of the water allowing it to be real loose.

The wood one seems to break loose just as well for spins and the heaviness will help your ollie. You need to try one out.

Tammy- Thanks for the tip. Sales guy at our local shop is big on LF and has been trying to get me to try one. I’m looking at the 40” concaved Cassette for next summer.

I didn't care for the Catalyst I rode, seemed to light for me..... Stick w/ Cassette

Would a 40 or a 41 be too small for me (180, 6'2")?

Check out www.integrity-wake.com

Ryan - I would prob go with one that is a little bigger. You're pretty tall and will need to have room to spread your feet out and you will need the extra inches on width that a larger board may offer since you are 6'2" you prob. have big feet too.

The new catalyst is alot heavier this year, and the edges arent sharp any more they are more rounded, got my 05 catalyst on saturday it's pretty sweet.

I am 6'1'' and 175
I started with The GAte... I didn' t like it.
Then I bought the LF concave 43.... GREAT ! Much nicer ride and easyer to learn on it