Winch or Two Tower System: Which Would You Choose?

Hey Everyone,

I'm trying to get a feel for everyone's opinions on winching vs two tower systems, so I have a few questions to ask.

If you had the choice to pick between receiving a free winch or a two tower system, which would you choose and why? What makes the one you picked better than the other? What would you miss about the one you didn't pick? What prevents you from making the same choice in real life?

I would pick a two tower system because you don't have to waste time walking back to the start. I would miss being able to setup a winch wherever without the need of electricity and quickly. I picked a winch in real life because I'd prefer to spend $30,000 on a house, car or wakeboard boat.

I know most people would probably pick the two tower system hands down, but I am curios what people would really do.

Thanks guys,

Kyle

If you had the choice to pick between receiving a free winch or a two tower system, which would you choose and why?

Free two tower, then sell it, buy a winch and pocket the profit.

What makes the one you picked better than the other?

I'd get more money out of it. Seeing as I don't have a private lake to put the two tower system on, it would be a little useless me keeping it.

What would you miss about the one you didn't pick?

Well in my scenario I would eventually get the one I didn't pick, so I wouldn't miss anything about it..... both have potential to be amazingly fun. If you had a two tower set up, it would be very convenient but it would be tricky to set it up in places you can set up a winch.

What prevents you from making the same choice in real life?

Cost, if I had the land for a little lake to build rails on a two tower system would be so much fun!!! And I would definitely do it!! But those things come with a big price tag. If I had the money for a whole lake and two tower system, I would probably also have enough cash for a good winch too.
Winches are a lot of fun and relatively inexpensive

i just make another winch so when i get to one end i can ride back lol

Hunter- that would work, but for every time you ride one direction, you still would be walking back the other. You could rig up a series of 10 winches, 5 on each end, and walk one direction with 5 ropes in one hand, then take the first pull by holding the other 5 winch ropes as you ride back to the start. Then you would have the following 9 rides setup. Downside is that you would need to buy 10 winches, which would run you over $20,000.

What if the setup of the two tower system was actually portable and didn't take long to setup? That way you wouldn't need your own lake where you can permanently install two towers.

I feel like a 2.0 would get old very fast but walking back and forth from a winch would too. If I had the money to build all the sliders I could think of then 2.0. But as of right now Id have to go with a winch because of the mobility of it and the fact there is an awesome gap near my hosue begging to be ollied

Man, I have thought seriously about a 2.0. Of course I would have to move to a new house to use it but, there are a few houses with ponds on them that would fit the mold.

How fun would it be to have a set up in your back yard you could just ride any time you want, build and change features at will, have a never ending party. That would be sick. All that said Id never trade my boat for a 2.0.

So id take a 2.0 I would miss nothing about a winch, and the only reason I don't do it in real life is??? frankly I am not sure. Maybe it is time to go check out that house with the pond on it i have been eying for the last few months.

Winch gets real old, real fast, unless there is a contest or a photoshoot pushing it. System 2.0 will only get old when you stop pushing yourself cuz you can do all the rail combos, both FS 900s, both Bs 720s, Back Mobes, S-Bend to blind, HS Roll to blind, and then learn it all switch. You better have a juiced up winch if you wanna land rolls an Raleys. Still easier for learning on the Sys2

See, that's what I thought about winches, too. They are great for getting into tight spaces, getting a lot of reps in a short time when trying new tricks, and they are cheap. But a two tower setup has a much better ratio of time riding to time walking/setting up. When the ration goes higher than 1:4 when winching, it gets old really fast. I'd rather be riding both directions if possible. Good point on the type of tricks that can be done on each system.

kinda depends on your style and/or craziness too. not everyone likes to or will even consider the tight spaces that likely include rocks and waterfalls and all that crazy stuff. terrain like that is one way directional anyway. hahaha

I LOVE to watch that kind of stuff (i.e. shredtown) but i would never see myself doing anything like that. so preferably, tower system for me.

The place i work at just installed a Endless Ride Cable, as well as a sesitec as someone that likes to wakeboard and loves to wakeskate I personally have never had the opportunity to use a winch. BUT when you talk about wakeskating this sport is derived form skateboarding. Most of the time when you skate you new terrain to progress your skills. Winching allows you to always find and set up at new places. Really wish i had one when i lived back in Florida. Another BUT like i said we have a 2 tower system in Houston where i work now. We've got a kicker, a box, and a rooftop rail under construction so youve got something to suit almost everyone. Being able to finish work change into the b-shorts and go ride is super sweet. I KNOW THAT WHEN PEOPLE THINK TOWER SYSTEMS THEY THINK TONS OF MONEY. The ERC is not crazy unreasonable and ive talked to the guy that made it. At my work this summer they're gonna be running that thing all day for camp for about 10 bucks a day of electricity.

In the end it goes back to style of riding, and in which way do you want to take your riding and progression of the sport.

Jeremy - right on. Some of that terrain is inherently one-way, and the winch will probably always be king. I also think it is dependent on your riding style. I'm falling into the phase where I just want to get out and ride behind no matter what it is and am not too concerned about where. Can't be picking with a short riding season.

Thad - Agreed on the price of the ERC. It's not overly expensive, but it's not an impulse buy by any means. If you haven't had a chance to ride behind a winch yet, you better get on it. It's pretty fun- minus the walking. It really does depend on the style of riding you're interested in.

That being said, I would still pick a two tower system for the simple reason of I'd prefer to ride both directions and not walk. That's just me.

What else?

Don for get you need to get phase 5 power to the system 2... Which can be hard

Given these two options, is anyone going to pick the winch? They're totally different styles of riding, and cant really be compared as apples to apples.

Dave- That's a good point. There are single to 3 phase converters out there that can get around the phase issue, but that doesn't really help get around an AC power issue.

Ben- You're right. It's not really comparing apples to apples. That's kind of why I asked the question. Knowing that they have their ups and down, which one would you choose if you had to choose one or the other- not both.

But its the kind of comparison thats equal to "Would you rather a Subaru Impreza all rallied out, or a Bughatti Veyron?". No matter what the person wants, they're taking the Veyron, selling it for three million, and then buying a rally car because there's nowhere near their house they can drive a car 300 mph. The only reason to get a winch over a 2.0 is because you have nowhere to put the 2.0, but even then, get the 2.0 and then sell it, as stated above.

never used either system but id say buy a boat. we dont even have a wake boat. we bought a 1988 17 bowrider. i gutted it and replaced the stringers transom and deck. its an I/O bought a joystick wakeboard tower for it. total cost 3,000. is it the best for wakeboarding? probably not. do we still get a lots of air, yeah. plus i have a freakin boat. i get to bring out 7 friends. drink beer, fish, wakeboard, tube, kneeboard, cruise around go to beaches in ur area that other people cant. seriously best 3,000 ive ever spent. i grew up with a boat...im in college im 23. only kid i know with there own boat...not my parents. its actually a nice boat hull and interior are excellent. just had to replace all the wood as it was 30 years old and rotted. but now its good as new!!!!

No doubt a boat is much more fun when you have a crew out with you. Boating is where it all started and it probably can't be beat. The only downside to a boat is maintenance to the motor, which can be expensive and lengthy. If you can get it fixed in a timely manner, then there's no problem, but I know I don't like to wait weeks during a Minnesota summer for a boat to get fixed. You need to try out either a winch or a cable setup. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

Good analogy and points on selling the expensive 2.0 and getting a cheaper winch.

I still think it would be awesome to have a two tower setup and have a bunch of people over to ride while the rest grill and such. It would be nice for everyone to see what's going on, not just the people in the boat.

i agree with all the above ,were doing something like that tomorrow at my work just finished putting in a 80 ft rooftop rail so having a "competition" tmrw at my work in Houston. i believe tho its gonna turn into more of a free ride best trick worst crash kind of deal. with that being said summers creeping up and this will be our first event of the season and an awesome day to get out kick back watch people ride and socialize. my opinion is thats an awesome way to kick off what is gonna be an awesome season with more than just 7-9 people . im done lol

p.s. wish someone would come ride and bring a winch, and yeah we probably will end the day with a nice set behind the boat. no matter how you ride just go ride with friends and make new ones