Getting a board?

SO yeah I have started wakeskating a lot lately, and am thinking about getting my own board (my guy friends let me use theirs- they all use hyperlite and I have been on the equinox and the catalyst) and I was wondering what size board and what brand and whether to get foam top or grip tape? I'm 5'8" and about 148 lbs. Thanx y'all!

Hyperlite 107 Byerly!!! If you like it loose, then go to a smaller p-wing for fins. It’s light & buoyant, & super concaved.

get a new cassette when august rolls around or get an integrity. There new boards look amazing. Im riding the liquid force concave 41 with foam grip and it has im prooved my riding ten fold in like 3 sessions on it. I used to ride the catalyst and found it to have little pop, even now after trying it again after i really got my ollies high i still cant find the pop in the catalyst. The only real thing the catalyst is good for is lip tricks. Only because u dont need fins and all the slides become easier. Beyond that its not worth the money. In final get a liquid force concave, cassette or an integrity. Besides why would you buy a board all your riding buddies already have. Mix em and ride everything you can.

Danielle – Sounds like DEMO time!!! Remember it’s all about you and you don’t want to spend big $$$ only to find out you didn’t get what’s best for you. Trust me I did… My first was the 116 Grubb, now I’m on a 107 Byerly and it’s night & day difference. After reading what Nick wrote I might try out a flat board also.

it doesnt matter if you have fins or not if you do lip tricks because they will be out of the water and only the middle of the board will be touching the wake.

my brother has a catalyst. its a good board, but i certainly wouldnt buy one for myself. its an easy board to find at shops since its made by hyperlite, and you can usually find places to demo it too. if you are 150ish you can ride the 107. the catalyst ONLY comes as a foam top, which i personally dont like. its also very light and i dont think it feels as solid on the water.

butter boards- i believe it only comes as a 42 inch. i actually really liked it. its kinda like a happy medium between the catalyst and the cassette. it has the foam like the hyperlite and its compression molded, but it has the weight of a cassette, which i love.

cassette concave- a good friend of mine has a 41 inch version. its incredible. after riding my bro's catalyst, the cassette feels like an F'in cadillac. its much heaver, has grip tape, and is just an all around great board.

integrity- the boards are currently in production and you can order them at www.integrity-wake.com they are composite boards, but not compression molded like the butter board and catalyst. they will come with grip tape and a new graphic for every 50 boards produced. there is flex in the ends of the board to help you ollie, and they are sweet on lip tricks. they are about the weight of a cassette. they come in a 41 only.

whatever you get i would stick with a concave. you get much better feel for the board and much better control.

hope this helps...