Wakeskate Buyers Advice

I have been looking into buying a wakeskate for some time now. I was just wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction as to what kind of characteristics I should be looking into.

For starters though, I have been wakeboarding for 6-7 years. I am currently sporting a 2005 Byerly 137 wakeboard and 2006 Byerly bindings.

As far as wakeskating goes I have tried it a few times when one of my friends came out. As far as tricks go for the wakeskate I have no idea where I would be looking to progress the most since I am not a skateboarder.

So would anyone know what kind of board I should buy or have any insight as to how the characteristics of the board will change the ride? Price is not a limitation either.

For example. a lighter board vs a heavier board,
wood vs composite
amount of rocker
etc

It's just that when I was in the market for a wakeboard I knew how things affected the board. However with my limited knowledge of skateboarding I feel a little lost when looking over specs of wakeskates.

So can anyone help me out?

P.S. Price is not a factor.

one thing that you should make sure to do is to get a board from a wakeskate specific company for example oak, integrity omen ect.

The ideal thing to do would be to try all the boards you can before choosing. I know this is not realistic, so if price is not a factor, and you think you will be into it for a while, then I would go either composite or higher end wood. Check out integrity, Omen, or distortion (I know this list is not exhaustive) for composites. Check out Sattelyte, oak, or Devotid (I know this list is not exhaustive) for wood skates. Also check out Liberation, and Gator. Although it may be argued that LF and Hype make good shapes, LF in particular are notorious for delaminating.....Basically, just do your research for a while, there are several young and established companies out there. I love my 2005 Integrity Team. I also have a Devotid Movement flat Deck. I'm pretty sure I'll be purchasing a Sattelyte deck for 07. Check out wakeskating.com and strictlyskates.com

What about different characteristics like:

weight, rocker, shape, etc

How do these different characteristics affect the overall feel and ride of the board?

Also at the moment trying out the different boards is not an option since the boarding season has been over for a couple months now.

first things first. it is all PERSONAL PREFERENCE

weight: heavier boards sit lower in the water, ride a little slower, and add a bit of traction because the board is more in the water.
a lite board will ride higher in the water causing it to be faster and a little more loose on the water. a lite board is also a little more unpredictable with tricks because it spins faster and might get caught in the wind. to me the optimal weight would be 8.5-9lbs.

Rocker: There are basically only 3 stage and 5 stage rockers when it comes to wakeskates. 3 stage boards tend to be smoother and more predictable while 5 stage is a little sluggish and pops a little more. i really dont know too much about rocker but i know that my 3 stage integrity bucks off the wake and i love it. and the omen's 5 stage felt really slow.

Concave: Concave gives you more leverage on tricks and it feels more comfortable for your feet.

Flat: no concave.

Composite: Composite boards are durable come in a variety of shapes and weights. Some tend to be lighter but composite board technology is coming up with great designs now so it doesnt feel like your riding a chopped down wakeboard.

Wood: Heavier but not as durable. most people prefer the feel/ride of a wood deck. some say they have a snappier feeling.

Rails: Round rails edge are not as resposive, they make the board sit deeper in the water, and they dont catch as easy when sliding the wake.
Sharp edges are very responsive, they make the board ride higher on the water, and the catch easier while sliding the wake. some companies make boards with reshapable rails so you can get them exactly how you like it.

Griptape: Natural feel, closer to the board, grippy but you dont stick to the board so you can move your feet easily, but it hurts to fall on it.

Foam: Not as close to the board, sticky and it is hard to move your feet when you land sketchy, but it doesnt hurt when you fall on it.

i hate having a night class at school. so bored

i agree in that it's all personal preference. i personall like wood...and I'm probably one of the last five people on the planet that still ride a flat deck. but I'd give it up for an 03 4-trac or a bi-level in a heart beat.

one thing that's a bit of a misconception (and something that I was corrected on in the past) is board weight. At 20 miles an hour a pound isn't going to make a huge difference when it comes to how deep a board is going to sit in the water. body weight is a different issue. but for board weight, the main issue is to have something solid under your feet so it doesn't blow away or get lost under your feet when you're doing your tricks or going wake to wake.

anyway, I just thought I'd mention that. years ago someone pointed that out to me and i spoke with my brother in law (who majored in physics) and he was able to verify that for me.

one thing I thought of that wasn't mentioned is your foot size. if you have a larger foot, you might want to try and pay attention to the width of the nose/tails of the boards you're interested in. i know that some people end up with their toes hanging off the edges of some boards out there.

i'd also suggest waiting until the 07 gear is released. oak, sattelyte, and LF (much improved for 07) all look solid this year, and they all have a wooden construction with a PBT base. i guess out of the stuff i saw at expo, i liked their stuff the best. but as others have mentioned there are other brands to check out as well.

(Message edited by electricsnow on November 23, 2006)

"How high" a board sits in the water is determined by the density of the materials in the board.

you're right about that, kdub. rail shape is another factor in determining how deep a board will sit in the water.

""How high" a board sits in the water is determined by the density of the materials in the board."

i did not know that. thanks

oh yeah, well the amount of rocker is another factor. your turn electricsnow.

kdubz most recent post was by me. i forgot to switch user names. my bad.