integrity vs. cassette

hey ive been researching diff. wakeskates for a couple weeks and all i hear is integrity and cassette bi-level. i have only wakeskated for about a year and im going to buy a board this summer. ive narrowed it down to cassette or integrity. Before i spend $300 on a board could someone tell me more about the integrity and whats the deal w/ the bi-level. thanks (also is foam offered on the integrity?)

I would have to say cassete since im about to buy one lol. would u guys say this is a good one by the way http://www.the-house.com/wkcf41zzcassette.html and should i get it in foam or grip-tape

taylor,
yeah that deck is just fine as long as you are starting out. if you are on the advanced side then maybe a more expensive one would be better for you. i got that as my first deck, with foam. its a good deal though just to goof off with as long as you dont mind a deck thats a bit heavier but fine for beginner tricks and wake2wake stuff. so far i've had no problems with it de-laminating, foam coming off, etc.

sry ashton for hijacking the post. dont know much about bi-level or integrity.

I have the Integrity 2005 Team Model, Feels like wood, but better w/ molded channels + no chance of delam. Worth the investment to me. You can purchase foam grip from the Kampus website if you need it.

the integrity comes with grip and that is the only option at this time, but it doesnt come applied, so you can put foam on there if you so choose. if you have any specific questions feel free to ask...

Ashton --

It really depends on how much money you have. If you want to keep buying a new skate every year, then the bi level is ok. Every wood skate is going to get water logged. But with the Integrity you get the feel of a wood skate without ever having to worry about it getting water logged.

I have rode both skates, and IMO the Integrity is better. Why? The Integrity just gives you this feeling the bi level can'•••••• hard to explain. Plus the integrity comes with sandable rails.. Meaning .. maybe you feel the skate rides to fast, to high in the water. Then you sand the edges, make them a little round, and now your skate sits a little deeper in the water and slows it down a little bit. As where maybe you dont like the way the bi level rides.. well your screwed.

Hope I could help.. if you got any questions ill be more than happy to answer.

-- Vance

ashton, I'd try to get all of the literature I could on the skates you're interested in and then go from there. Hopefully, you will be able to get some unbiased viewpoints.

Each deck has their pros and cons--no, wood doesn't last forever, and sorry, no deck is indestructable. However, the integrity will last longer, and eventually, cassette will have it set up so you can buy a new top deck if it breaks (you know, so you don't have to buy a whole new wakeskate). You know, basically, the bi-levels should be available in pieces.

Another thing to take into consideration is new developments in wakeskate design. Everyone is different with what they want to ride, but I guess I'd keep that in mind just because new decks will be available every year. However, if you don't see yourself as needing anything like that, then judge accordingly.

And just to comment on how the bi-level rides, my friend has one and has been riding it for a bit, and he said he really liked the feel of his wake to wake jumps (he said he can't remember a skate feeling better), and he also said that kickflips and shoves felt really cool too. I my opinion, if you're coming from a skate background, I think you'd like the shape of the top deck. This is my personal opinion here, but it seems like it would feel shorter, since the kicktails extend farther into the deck (since the bottom deck is what you're using for actual surface area), so your feet arent' actually on the very end on the deck. That excites me, but whatever.

And again, on the flip side, a number of people like the feeling of an integrity. I don't know how to describe it exactly (I think pop and weight are two things), but there is definitely a following for those boards.

From my personal experience, I don't think an integrity feels like wood. And given the characteristics that make it so special (the material has different properties and doesn't "thud" out like wood, but actually vibrates), I'm not sure how it would. I personally like the feeling of a wood skate, and I just ride more consistently on wood. But again, that's JUST ME. You will find people that dig on both types of wakeskate. The tricky part is figuring out what will work for you without actually riding it.

One last point, is that both decks will offer you versatility, but in different ways. As vance said, you can sand an integrity rail if you wish. And as I mentioned before, you'll be able to buy new pieces for your bi-level, which will give you a different feeling when you ride.

Honestly, I think you'll be getting something good either way. YOU need to figure out what your needs are and then find the board that's best for you. With that said...good luck!



(Message edited by electricsnow on May 13, 2005)