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Old     (Richardd)      Join Date: Mar 2013       03-01-2013, 6:01 AM Reply   
Hi all,

I'm a keen boat rider (but not that good - w2w 180s etc). I have not progressed much in the last cople of years, partly becuase of having 2 children, but also because I failed to get on with my ronix mana that I bought a few years ago.

I find it too slow, too locked in and generally just suck on it. At the end of last season I used an old motive which I got on really well with. Fast, loose and I cleared the wakes a yard further without even really trying.

All this makes me want to get a new board. I'm not a fan of all the marketing bs which makes every board sound like perfect board, so I want some advice on something that is not too advanced, and is something I can progress on.

I had started looking at the cwb faction which gets good, but not amazing, reports.

From reading around on here, I also have noticed slingshot, and I like the reviews and reports. As well as recommendations on any other board, I'd love to heard which slingshot board you'd recommend for boat use. I fear the response might be too much of a change for now, so was looking towards the Newton or the Whip. There isn't much info on these two, so what do people think?

Many thanks,

Richard
Old     (wakedaveup)      Join Date: May 2012       03-01-2013, 6:10 AM Reply   
Sounds like you want something with continuous rocker and small molded fins or removeable fins. Continuous rocker will give you that consistent feel just like you felt on the Motive. The removeable fins or smaller molded fins will give you that looseness you're looking for. Find some boards in that category and demo a few. The Motive has always been the most entry level board from Hyperlite and typically came with a large center fin. If you rode it with the center fin, I wouldn't imagine it would be that loose but could be your riding style as well.

I'm on the fence about SS as well and considering a switch from LF. Atleast for cable purposes so I'll be paying attention to this thread anyone with SS info (I know there's been 10 threads already) your help is appreciated.
Old     (fly135)      Join Date: Jun 2004       03-01-2013, 6:19 AM Reply   
I rode the Motive for many years. It definitely isn't holding you back.

Old     (Richardd)      Join Date: Mar 2013       03-01-2013, 6:24 AM Reply   
It's not mine unfortunately, but I certainly felt it was quite similar to the cwb faze that I did start on.
Old     (Andy_Mora)      Join Date: Oct 2012       03-01-2013, 6:40 AM Reply   
I ride a slingshot reflex and a SS response before that. My brother rides a recoil. I ride mostly boat with a little bit of cable on an annual trip to Florida. I think they all ride pretty much the same, the recoil may have a tiny bit more vertical pop for boat (probably because of the 3 stage rocker) but I think they're all pretty fast. I really like them - I hate boards that are really locked in and track too much - I prefer a looser board and feel like I can get away with more which is why I like these. I've had friends (not especially good, just wake to wakes and 180s) try my responds and said they really like it and found it very easy to ride.
I haven't had a chance to ride the ballistic line of SS so I can't help you there, but I would be interested to see if they'd be better for boat.
Old     (Andrew14)      Join Date: Apr 2011       03-01-2013, 7:05 AM Reply   
Richardd - as an older rider myself (34 years old) and a very beginner rider as well, I HIGHLY recommend SlingShot boards. My neighbor and I both ride the SS Lyman behind the boat and I feel that it has helped us progress while protecting our old knees (the SS boards just land super soft.....which is very important to me because I want to protect my legs). The Lyman is very predictable off of the wake compared to other 3-Stage boards and carries a lot of speed as well (almost feels like a continuous rocker in this regard). I like a faster board because it doesn't throw on the "brakes" when landing out in the flats or in the trough of the 2nd wake (I also have a HL Marek, LF Watson and LF Harley....all much slower on landings that have a tendency to kill my fragile knees/ankles if I'm not careful). I think SlingShot makes an amazing product and adds a different element/feel to the sport (flex has a unique feel to it)......I'll always have a SlingShot board (also made in USA).
Old     (Richardd)      Join Date: Mar 2013       03-01-2013, 7:16 AM Reply   
thanks andrew. bloody hell though - you make it sound like we're collecting our pensions!! I'm only 33! :-)

when you got the Lyman, was that because it was one of the first ballastic boards, or because you chose it over the Newton or Whip? I'm open to any of them, but just wonder if I'll prefer the continuous feel of one of those. Also being the most recent, it strikes me that the Whip might be the closest to what i'm used to, whilst still retaining the slingshot "feel"
Old     (cjh1669)      Join Date: Apr 2005       03-01-2013, 7:50 AM Reply   
I just picked up a SS Lyman, super stoked to get it out on the water. Chose it for two reasons, had an old school 07 recoil, that I liked a lot, but it was too flexy for my weight at 225,so i traded in for the LF Lyman and loved that board till I broke it. They no longer made it so I went out and demoed 14 boards and none of them were as good as my Lyman. Ended up between a Viva and B-side and Chose the Viva, because that years B-side looked like a pinata puked all over it. Still neither of them were as good as my recoil nor Lyman. Hoping the new Lyman is the perfect marriage of my two favorite boards.
Old     (Richardd)      Join Date: Mar 2013       03-01-2013, 8:03 AM Reply   
Yes the new lyman has talk of a new base - "Aerospace influenced channels and core fins" (!). Makes it sound like they are giving it the same treatment as the 2012/13 whip base - which is more channeled etc.

What is with those vomit graphics?? I almost can't buy the lyman because of that cammo sadly,
Old     (Richardd)      Join Date: Mar 2013       03-01-2013, 8:05 AM Reply   
By the way, demoing SS boards is nearly impossible in the uk. Only place that does it is miles north of me, and is only a cable park. I'm forced to take a gamble.
Old     (wakedaveup)      Join Date: May 2012       03-01-2013, 8:07 AM Reply   
Sucks when that happens. Sounds like the Lyman is solid. I would check it out. Keep in mind rocker shapes, that's key. If you like the motive, you may not like a 3 stage rocker from SS. Check out what they have in continuous rocker boards.
Old     (Richardd)      Join Date: Mar 2013       03-01-2013, 8:09 AM Reply   
Yeah, all that is pushing me towards the whip. I can get a 2012 model, and it's black, so matches my ronix bindings :-)
Old     (Andrew14)      Join Date: Apr 2011       03-01-2013, 8:53 AM Reply   
Richardd - if it makes you feel any better, its very tough now to demo boards in the US as well. Most shops said they lost too much money on the process, so no longer do it - very unfortunate. Regarding the Lyman, check out the graphics for 2013! They look awesome (I sold my 2012 Lyman for the 2013 Lyman). Also, a portion of the proceeds from the board go to Lyman's "Wounded Warriors" charity - check it out, its a good cause (lots of respect for Lyman for the path he has chosen).

I don't think you can go wrong with any of the SS boards - think its just a matter of boat vs. cable (would not recommend the Lyman for anything other than boat), 3 stage vs. continuous, etc. SlingShot is doing great things over there in WA state - exciting to see them grow through the years.
Old     (dezul)      Join Date: Jul 2012       03-01-2013, 9:35 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richardd View Post
thanks andrew. bloody hell though - you make it sound like we're collecting our pensions!! I'm only 33! :-)

when you got the Lyman, was that because it was one of the first ballastic boards, or because you chose it over the Newton or Whip? I'm open to any of them, but just wonder if I'll prefer the continuous feel of one of those. Also being the most recent, it strikes me that the Whip might be the closest to what i'm used to, whilst still retaining the slingshot "feel"
I am 29 and I am just as worried as Andrew is. My knees and lower back isn't what it once was. Plus I can't afford a knee injury but still enjoy the sport of wakeboarding. Judging by your post, you want a new board. Get it. Treat yourself to some variety. Pending funding and no injuries, I am going to be looking into getting an SS board this year too.
Old     (Richardd)      Join Date: Mar 2013       03-01-2013, 9:38 AM Reply   
Wow, Tim, that's all the encouragment I need! Unless I hear a good reason otherwise, it's going to be a 2012 whip coming my way by Monday!
Old     (Therapy10)      Join Date: Oct 2011       03-01-2013, 10:02 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by dezul View Post
Plus I can't afford a knee injury but still enjoy the sport of wakeboarding. Judging by your post, you want a new board. Get it. Treat yourself to some variety. Pending funding and no injuries, I am going to be looking into getting an SS board this year too.
Are people seeing a big difference with SS or other flex boards on knee/low back pain?
Old     (stephan)      Join Date: Nov 2002       03-01-2013, 10:16 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by Therapy10 View Post
Are people seeing a big difference with SS or other flex boards on knee/low back pain?
Slingshot boards lands really well for people that land a little tail heavy. The board tends to flex them down and soften the landings. They were an absolute killer for me because I usually land pretty centered and the featureless bottom landed like a ton of bricks. If you have knee/back issues no board is going to be some sort of miracle worker to keep you intact. You need to either improve technique or get healthier.

Richard, enjoy that board. They make a very unique product and you will have a blast on it. Keep riding and progressing.
Old     (Richardd)      Join Date: Mar 2013       03-01-2013, 10:51 AM Reply   
I literally can't wait!
Old     (Andrew14)      Join Date: Apr 2011       03-01-2013, 1:33 PM Reply   
Richardd - just noticed a question in your earlier post. I chose the Lyman not because it was one of the first ballastic boards, but because it was the "stiffest" board in the SlingShot line-up (this was going to be my first FLEX board, so I wanted the transition to be an easier one for me coming from a traditional non-flex board) and because I knew it was a 100% boat board (I have zero interest in rails/cable....only hitting the wake behind the boat).

Also, I tend to agree with what Small Light has said here...."SS boards land really well for people that land a little tail heavy". I land a tad tail heavy (by choice/chosen form) so that landings are easier (less of a tendency to "bounce" on landings or slide out) and the SlingShot boards really reward those who do land a bit tail heavy. You can literally feel the board "flexing" as you touch down on the water (especially in the flats) and press it down to edge out of your trick/jump.

I honestly can't think of one negative thing to say about SlingShot boards - at first, the board felt a bit loose for my liking, but I just changed to longer fins....easy fix! Now its dialed in perfectly for me.....just wish I were a good enough rider to justify having such a cool board!
Old     (Richardd)      Join Date: Mar 2013       03-01-2013, 1:51 PM Reply   
Thanks for that. I always land tail heavy (poor technique).

I take it that, even as the stiffest board, it still flexes noticeably more than a regular board like my Ronix Mana?

Just a little concerned that the whip is probably up there on the stiffness scale, and that I will see a difference?
Old     (ghettofab)      Join Date: Aug 2008       03-01-2013, 8:04 PM Reply   
Rich- You can't go wrong with any of the slingshot boards. The ballistic series have the added channels to help behind the boat but youll be amazed at how fast you transition over to flex board. Its a huge difference but its easy to adapt. Flex boards work with you/land softer compared to stiff boards that when set your edge pretty much go in a straight line at the wake and then land with no flex to help with landings.

Landing tail heavy is a common thing and a flex board totally absorbs the shock and reflects it through the board to give you soft landings.
Old     (you_da_man)      Join Date: Sep 2009       03-01-2013, 9:42 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by Therapy10 View Post
Are people seeing a big difference with SS or other flex boards on knee/low back pain?
All you 29-33 year olds act like you have one foot in the grave already. I'm 41 and started wakeboarding 4 years ago. I know I'll probably never go beyond a w2w 360 and maybe an invert in my future but I'm totally cool with that. As far as knee/back pain the Slingshots definitely feel much softer and are more friendly on the body. I like to change things up from time to time and ride my Slingshot Reflex or my Ronix District which are two totally different boards. When I ride the Ronix District (tradition built board and continuous rocker) I notice my pop is effortless as far as timing goes...almost like there's more margin of error in the continuous rocker. It just doesn't buck you off the wake like a 3 stage can. However, the next day or two my knees and back feel it compared to if I rode the same sets with the Slingshot. I still find the Ronix District a fun board, that's why I ride it every now and then. I'll be looking at the Slingshot Newton I think this year for giggles. Maybe with the added stiffness of the ballistic series and the built in channels the board will still land soft with a little more pop and track to the wake easier on edge.
Old     (Richardd)      Join Date: Mar 2013       03-03-2013, 12:36 AM Reply   
So, ordered the whip yesterday, hope to try it out next weekend. I will try to get back here and give my thoughts, although I'm not very technical or even that good, so won't be able to say much more than "yeah it's great".... Or not!

Did two sets yesteay and rode the mana for the last time, for my first set, and then rode an s4 (instructor's board). Can't believe how different they felt. S4 was unbelievably fast and lose in comparison, and it was good fun. unfortunately my fingers were so cold by then that I could barely hold onto the handle so i didn't get the chance to put my back into it. Water was 5 degrees (41F)!
Old     (Richardd)      Join Date: Mar 2013       03-11-2013, 2:41 AM Reply   
so for the sake of completeness, I thought I'd put down some first impressions...

took it out on saturday for the first time. It's a nice fast ride, although not as crazy as the S4 I'd ridden the week before. I rode with the fins on, whereas the S4 was finless, which probably is why the S4 felt like it was all over the place. It's much easier on the water than my Ronix and my arms lasted a lot longer (a definite bonus in terms of reach the end of a 30 minute set).

First few jumps were somewhat underwhelming - I basically was hitting the wake and not having much pop - at which point I started to worry! A few jumps later I started to get a nice sense of the timing of the board. That sounds really pretentious, especially from someone who's not very good. But what I mean is, everything felt predictable in terms of timing, and after a few jumps I could really sense when I need to push the legs. When I got it right, it felt like it sprang from the wakes really well. With my Ronix I never felt like I engaged with the board with jump timing - it was probably just a bit abrupt and therefore I would lose balance or momentum or something - and would only land a few decent jumps.

After 1 outing (2 x 15 minute sets) I'm really pleased with it, although feel like I need more time to really get the most from it. I really launched a few times, and went high and long, which felt great. I also landed my best ever W2W 180 which was a satisfying end (I'll remind you that i'm not that good!)

Board seems to land smoothly and in control - and I feel like next time I'm out if I put a bit more speed into things (I was taking it relatively easy) I will really get it dialed down.

Overall very happy. Wonder if I'd have preferred the Lyman with its 3-stage rocker for a little more pop, but have no desire to sacrifice speed for pop, so really pleased in any case.

Last edited by Richardd; 03-11-2013 at 2:45 AM. Reason: typo
Old     (fly135)      Join Date: Jun 2004       03-11-2013, 7:50 AM Reply   
A friend of mine at the cable park is going to let me borrow his Whip. I'm curious to see how I like it. Glad you like yours.
Old     (Richardd)      Join Date: Mar 2013       03-11-2013, 7:57 AM Reply   
that sentence reads even better if you take it out of context
Old     (dezul)      Join Date: Jul 2012       03-11-2013, 8:10 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richardd View Post
that sentence reads even better if you take it out of context
Did the landings meet your expectations for softness?
Old     (Richardd)      Join Date: Mar 2013       03-11-2013, 8:49 AM Reply   
desperately trying to think of a good pun in return...

but anyway, yes the landings were much softer than before. I'm hardly falling from great heights, but it was definitely kinder on the knees (I've had some heavy board-slaps with my Ronix board). My first few jumps didn't even clear the second wake, so the landing was heavy on the lip, but it didn't jarr like I'm used to.

Really keen to out out there again, but it's bloody snowing here right now! that won't do much for the water temperature!
Old     (dezul)      Join Date: Jul 2012       03-11-2013, 3:38 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richardd View Post
desperately trying to think of a good pun in return...

but anyway, yes the landings were much softer than before. I'm hardly falling from great heights, but it was definitely kinder on the knees (I've had some heavy board-slaps with my Ronix board). My first few jumps didn't even clear the second wake, so the landing was heavy on the lip, but it didn't jarr like I'm used to.

Really keen to out out there again, but it's bloody snowing here right now! that won't do much for the water temperature!
What made you decide to get a continous rocker over a 3 stager? I think you will like the board...till you try another. This sport is the devil. It makes you want to try them all. Have fun and let the wake be kind to those old bones.
Old     (Richardd)      Join Date: Mar 2013       03-11-2013, 4:07 PM Reply   
The reason I went with continuous is that I had an 'abrupt' three stage on my previous board, and from the very first set I rode I found it to be very hard on the arms. Much slower through the water, and as I'm not the strongest or the fittest, I found I couldn't last as long before resorting to bad riding.

I think those kinds of three stage boards are great if you are advanced, but I'm a casual rider, and didn't think I'd see the benefits of the aggressive pop.

That said, I believe the Lyman and Recoil are both quite mellow three stage boards, so probably would have been fine. Essential I'm doing the classic thing of not liking one board so going for the total opposite next time - rigid locked in abrupt three stage switching to a continuous flex board.
Old     (fly135)      Join Date: Jun 2004       03-18-2013, 10:14 AM Reply   
I'm riding a borrowed Whip now. I love the board. Very fast on the sliders, good pop on the ollies, and decent edging on the air tricks. Now my only issue with it is another guy has one and it's showing wear from sliding.

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