Hyperlite Roam Board

I'm looking at buying a Roam board and just had a question

I have found a 2005 model for a good price, but I noticed that it is shaped differently than the 06 and the 07 board.

Are the differences in the shape gonna make that much of a difference, and if so, what are the pro's and con's of the different shapes?

I don't have a Roam but from what I've heard from some different riders on my lake you need to stay away from the 05 model they've all told me their different 05 model horror stories of them breaking in half on sliders or the inserts coming out on just one side so you end up doing the ole one leg on the board landing and screwing yourself up but that's just what I've heard

I have the 2006 version and it was held up really well. I think most people like the newer and wider shape better than the 2005. You should be able to get one very, very cheap. I paid $100 last year for a 2006 that had only been ridden a couple of times.

Thats awesome. Hopefully I can find a deal like that. Ebay has some for about 170 (2006 model). Might do that.

Call Grizzly Sports. If they have any 2006's left they will kill that price.

Just got the 07' for $118 shipped of Ebay, should be here any day, then I got to tell the wife I bought it.

i heard the 05's broke easily...

here ya go- they got 2 i think
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-HYPERLITE-WAKEBOARD-ROAM-139CM-2005_W0QQitemZ330162970749QQihZ014QQcategoryZ47363 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

(Message edited by bbking on September 06, 2007)

Jeff, I bought the 05 because I liked the way it felt on the surface better than the more snowboard shaped 06/07. The newer shape does have a better durability record. We mostly wanted it for those butter conditions when you just want to slide around on the surface and take a break from your regular ride, so we aren't putting a lot of stress on it.

From what I read prior to trying it out the 05 is prone to pulling out the binding posts if you push with big jumps or flex it too much. We don't have sliders where we ride so that isn't an issue for us. We have noticed that after a few hard manuals the binding screws can work themselves loose so you really want to check that before each ride. Got ours for $100 and have already gotten our money's worth out of it in surface spins.

I have the '05 and the '06. Truthfully, both inserts react the same and both break the same. As far as the size, its all preference. Kyle Murphy found out I had an '05 leftover and asked me for it...

I broke two 05's and so i have an 07 now. The first time i rode the 07 i didnt really like it, now after acouple rides i like the 07 better. I dont hit sliders so wake to wake the 07 has better pop (wider nose) It edges different but after getting used to it i make turns that put slalom skiers to shame. (id never caught my back knee in the water before this board) I do feel that the 05 ollied better the tail on the 07 is so wide that you cant really get it to sink in the water. It takes more of a snowboard ollie to get the 07 to pop (using the flex).

the 05 slyshed better the 07 nose hangs up in the wake

The ironic part is that Lib Tech, a snowboard company, is playing with wake shapes, meaning less sidecut. And here we are thinking sidecuts are good. lol,

I have an '05 Roam, I love it, I have never ridden an '06 or '07, I just know that they are wider on the tips. Either way you go its going to be a fun board. I have heard that the flex in the '05s are different than the '06 or '07, but who knows.

Would the 139 roam work for me, Im 5'3" and 105 pounds?

yes it would... most recommend to get a bit bigger than you normally ride. But I have a 139 I might be willing to sell too. Warranty board and ridden once. lemme know

i have been riding the roam since they first came out and havent really ridden a normal board for more than a half a set since, and thats only been 3 times i think.

the 05 rides a bit more like a normal board because of the sidecut. the 06/07 is slightly stiffer due to the fact that theres more board, however, the fact that there is more board also enables you to ride longer in the slides and presses. my opinion is the new shape is way better.

as far as breaking them goes, typically i go through about 12-15 boards a year, so far this year im at 9 i believe. i have broken them in everyway possible. pulled inserts, delamination and completly snapping in half. i am riding harder now than i was in 05 and still broke more 05s than the new shape. so they are getting stronger.

I have the 05 and love it... i got the $100 deal on Ebay! We love it.. my wife has a blast on it doing surface 360's. We don't do sliders so I can't speak for how it holds up on sliders..
I have the 139 and i am 5 8 180ish...
I think I would like the 144 but it would have been too big for my wife. IT is fun after some regular riding. plus, gets you used to riding on an edge!

Man Jason...have the board companies told you 'thanks, but we don't want your business anymore' yet? In 5 years of riding, I haven't come close to breaking a board (and I have the '05 Roam). My knees tore up before the board did. I know you go big...but 12-15 boards/year...that is HUGE.

The Roams also have special Binding screws, i learned this after breaking my own. Suprisingly, this info isnt in their catalog at all or anywhere else. So FYI, if your looking at buying a Roam ASK ABOUT THE SPECIAL SCREWS. lol This has been a public service announcement

the screws are the same just about 1/4" shorter then normal because the board is thinner. Normal screws will bottom out before they are tight. All wakeboards use the 1/4x20 thread for the screws. the extras that come with the board will work with hyperlite bindings, but due to the differnt style binding clamps you might have to go to a hardware store to get some that work

the roams actually come with the right size screws in the packaging.

Yeah unless you're using liquid force bindings. My 2005 Roams on my board still need about a 1/4 inch worth of spacers to make them fit tightly without play. They work fine with Hype bindings if using the Claw.

Man I'm still itching to get my Roam out on the water. I got an 05 off of eBay a week and a half ago for $80 shipped. I did have to buy shorter bolts for the bindings. They're threaded the same though. These days, I use stainless bolts and lock washers for all my boards because I'll change out bindings between riders frequently and because the lock washers keep the bolts tight. Just make sure you don't over-tighten if you use bolts yourself.

Given what I've heard about inserts ripping out, I'll probably dig out my old LF sandal bindings until I can get a looser decent pair of bindings for the Roam than my Exo Suctions. My Exos have pulled inserts out of my thicker boards. I'd hate to see what they do to a Roam. Hopefully I can find a pair of cheap Comps or something along that line.

i like riding a stiffer binding because it gives you more ocntrol when edging and flexing the board out

i love the way my 05 rides over the new shape... it take a little more skill to edge. the new shape is too easy to ride and for some reason that takes away from some of the fun. as far as size, i was told to go about 4-5 cm bigger than your wakeboard

i think that its harder to get the right edge on the newer shape. the 05 was fairly easy for me to figure out. it took alot longer to figure out the new shape especailly toeside

you should try the ronix covenant. it still has some sidecut for edging but much less than the new roam

I have a 05 and a 07 model Roam. I actually love the boards. I have had no problems with the 05 but earlier this season I pulled the inserts out of the 07 model. I caught a heelside edge and came up with both boots and no board! I am glad both sides let go. I have destroyed my left knee before and not ready to ever do it again.

dont let marvin fool you he broke the board because he kills it no seen to many people ride a wakeboard like he does let alone a board with no fins to speak of hes my hero hahaha. mmaybe some day ill get brave enough to ride it.

Thanks man. You rode great today also. We were talking about how you charge over dinner tonight. Take care of that knee man. How is it feeling? You know, most of the time when people tear stuff they slow down.

I finally got to ride my 05 Roam yesterday and it was the most fun I've had wakeboarding in a while. I didn't do much on it. The first couple of pulls felt like I was learning all over again. It didn't ride THAT much differently. It still tracks but it'll come off track with very minimal effort. I had a hard time riding goofy at first because my body's natural tendency to put the other foot first was throwing the board around on me. I still haven't pulled off a 360 but I'm a lot closer on the Roam than I am on a regular board. I can't toe side very well on it right now but I was a lot better by the end of the day than I was at the beginning. It's a great 2nd board but I don't think I'd want it to be the only board I owned. I still haven't ridden an 06 or 07 but the 05 shape seems to get the job done.

I don't think lib's working with less sidecut. They have a different side cut or edge pattern (magne traction, which looks serrated, instead of one smooth looking inward curve), and this year they have a snowboard that has rocker (like a wakeboard) instead of camber. It's the skate banana.

Libs are the best...

Chef, check this out, pretty crazy idea huh?

http://lib-tech.com/snowboards/hammock.html