Demo Boards

Just wondering if most people demo boards before they buy them? I am looking for a new set up but i have only ever ridden the '08 Marius and '07 Pure boards. I would like to look at some other options, just wondering what the best approach to find the right board is?

Imagine it like you get to build your own dream gf that you have to do research on to figure out what you like haha but really... Basically figure out what you like out of a board then read up on boards that interest you. For example if you like the pop out of a marius then stick with a poppier board. Example is i personally like a super fast board with pop so since I ride Hype I started riding the murray but I ride into the flats and any board that has a spine running down the bottom of the length of the board is going to land smoother in the flats so I transitioned to the Marek. I like my board to ride real loose like a skate feel so I changed out the stock 1" fins for .8". Each board will have measurements on the rocker and say wether it's a 3-stage or continuous rocker.

If you have any other questions about boards feel free to hit me up

Thanks! One thing i am concerned with is that i am still pretty novice, and my current board has a center fin (the smallest size fin) but most of the boards that i am looking at don't. I am looking for a board that lands soft like Marius, but I don't want it to be too loose, looking for something with good pop, and I think I am pretty indifferent when it comes to the speed of the board. Like I said still novice, but starting to progress so I want a board that can progress with me and I can up my game with. Intially been looking at the new Marius, Transcend, and Ronix Viva...but open to all suggestions.

TL;DR I would if I could, but I haven't found any practical way to do it.

I wish I could. As far as I know there's no place within 500 miles of me to truly demo boards. The local shops only carry a very small amount of inventory, and they don't have any boards specifically for demoing. So they don't want to let you ride one of their new boards unless you're going to buy it.

One place requires a non-refundable $50 deposit to demo a board. That $50 can be applied towards a purchase of a board but cannot be refunded. If you don't like the first board and want to try another, that's another non-refundable $50 deposit in addition to the first one. Basically, if you want to demo, you're locked in to buying a board from their extremely limited selection. By limited selection, I'm talking less than 10 models: something like 2 from Slingshot, maybe 2 or 3 from Hyperlite, and a couple from CWB.

The shops around here will order a board for you that they don't stock, but forget about any demoing. If they order you something, you're stuck with the full cost regardless of whether you like it or not because they can't return it.

I once went to the Liquid Force Free-For-All tour at a cable 4 hours away from where I live in hopes of demoing a LF board and bindings I was wanting to buy. I called the cable before hand and asked if they would have that specific board and bindings to demo. Their reply was, "Yes, we'll have all the LF gear to demo." After my 4 hour drive, they didn't have the board at all, and the bindings they didn't have in my size. It didn't look to me like they really had much of anything other than the Watson Hyprid and Trip for demoing.

I once went to a shop in Dallas when I was on a business trip. I was blown away by the amount of inventory they had compared to my local shops. I was like a kid in a candy store. They had all the bindings I've been wanting to try before I buy like LF Harleys, Sovens, etc., Ronix Ones, Relics, Cells. Unfortunately they had almost none of them in my size (about 8-10). Everything they had was like size 11. I got to try the Harleys and a pair of Cells that may or may not have been the best fitting size for me (I think they had the 9s which were a little tight but didn't have the 10s for me to compare).

I'm not really that concerned about demoing boards. I think a lot of boards are pretty similar, and I'm not that picky. But bindings are a whole different story. There's a world of difference between well-fitting bindings that feel good and those that don't. I've contemplated maybe flying to Florida where presumably there would be more demo options, but I haven't quite reached that point yet.

...and to fully answer your question not many companies do much demoing of boards now a days unfortunately but if you do your research on a board you want im sure you'll be happy with your choice

I think an AWSOME board for you to ride still being a novice rider and basically wanting a "predictable" board, would be the Hyperlite B-Side. It cuts really well but totally in control and doesn't ride too loose. It has really good pop but predictable so you won't be getting bucked randomly when you least expect it. I would ride that board finless becuase it has two molded in fins that hold really well BUT it does come with a third optional bolt on fin for even more grab from your board.

The best thing about this predictable and totally user friendly board is this is JD Webbs pro model so it obviously won't ever hold you back as you get better and you can rock whatever bindings you already have if your not looking to upgrade them

If u do come down to FL...u can demo boards/bindings from Perf Ski & Surf (they carry almost anything) Not sure if other companies do the Free for All like LF does or not. alot of tge wakeboarding schools also have gear to try out if u want to just go out for the day.

I NEVER buy a board I haven't ridden.

I usually don't buy until I demo, but I bought a used Ronix One partly because of all the hype on here and I thought I could just sell it if I didn't like it for what I paid for it, but this board was awesome, so I will have it for a very long time.
Make sure you put Ronix on your list and also hit the wake! with your demo boards, this means don't demo at the cable park. Every board is different and the pop is different too.

I ride the Marius and the 2011 model doesn't have a center fin.I don't think it will hold you back and neither does Trevor Hansen.The new board is faster and softer landing in the flats.

not to hijack, but i am curious how far do people have to go to be able to demo... by "demo" i mean a shop that carries NEW/CURRENT GEAR, including the HIGH END/ PRO MODELS from at least TWO BRANDS.

I know that availability is a major killer for people being able to demo, it is for me. I bet i am in the upper percentile with those who have the farthest to travel to access gear.

5 hours driving one way (conservative driving, basically the time google maps would tell me)

6 hours if i want to give myself options of nearly every major brand (including CWB)

Robert,

Have you tried the transcend also? how does it compare to the marius? I think those are the two boards I am looking at.

Thanks