Should I buy the Parks 143 board?

spacewrangler · Newbie Joined: 14 Dec 2003 Posts: 3

Someone down the street from me wants to sell me a brand new Hyperlite Parks 143 ('03) but I don't know much about that board. Seems like a heavy board, does weight play a major factor in purchasing a board? Also I am a novice rider.

jdink6 · Newbie Joined: 01 Sep 2003 Posts: 22 City: WA

I have a feeling this post WILL turn into something bad so...

It depends how much he is going to sell it to you for. There are a lot of good boards you can get out there on sale right now in the $250 range. The Parks may not be the best of these, but it is a good board overall. Weight wise I think the board is fine, you will mostly want to worry about the rocker and fins and such things to how the board performs, but I think other people will be able to tell you more about that then I. You also may want to search on posts about the parks, but you might find a lot of junk with people flameing about Hyperlite . Hope this helps.

scott a · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 9810

spacewrangler, what boards have you ridden? the parks board is weird in the fact that the fins are angled so you really have to know how to edge.

aguasurf · Outlaw Joined: 12 Nov 2003 Posts: 180 City: Marietta

definetley make sure it fits your riding style, weight, etc. If he selling it too you for like 200 you could buy it and re-sell it.....don't just buy it cuz you want a board though

ssrgeoff · Addict Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 582 City: So Cal

If he is a neighbor and your on good terms with him see if he will let you borrow it or go out with him and try it. You can buy 03 close-outs for $250

I agree with Scott A. It took me a little while to get used to my Parks board but I am happy with it.

spacewrangler · Newbie Joined: 14 Dec 2003 Posts: 3

Thanks for the info. (glad I havne't got flamed so far). I did forget to mention I am 6'5" and 185lbs. My neighbor said he would sell it for $175 so I thought why not but don't know much about the diffrent boards. Again I am a new rider and the board I have been riding up untill now is the TFD 141 ('03). BTW I don't really care what brand of board it is especially since I am so new but I thought it was a good deal to buy my own board. THX

ChumpChange · Posted: Dec 15, 2003 3:56 pm Post subject:

Ride the board if you like it then I say buy it. If you don't like it don't buy it. That's the only way to know for sure.

methodbackroll3 · Guest

The parks is a nice board it really doesn't weigh more then a Premier 141 but is an advanced board and may be a little too adanced for you

scott a · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 9810

spacewrangler, imagine your board but much agressive. thats kinda what the parks board would be.

but my final advice to you is to try and ride it before you buy it. ask the guy to let you borrow it and take it out and see if you think its worth spending the money on. if you dont like it then look around for a different board. i wouldnt buy the parks if you dont like it because there are plenty of other good boards out there. you just gotta look around a bit.

Sinkoumn · Posted: Dec 15, 2003 4:52 pm Post subject:

If you do get the parks, be sure to get some .7" inch fins, cause the stock ones (1.3") suck.

XXX STAR · Posted: Dec 15, 2003 9:48 pm Post subject:

Sinkoumn, .7 fins are the way to go for this board. Try the board without any fins for the hell of it, slippery when wet.

ChumpChange · Posted: Dec 15, 2003 10:44 pm Post subject:

DEMO DEMO DEMO That's the best way to know for sure.

Ruune · Posted: Dec 15, 2003 10:50 pm Post subject:

I've been riding mine without the fins for a couple of weeks, and I think I'm going to keep it that way, 'till I can find some .7 P-wing fins for it. The stock ones are so friggin huge, its a pain in the ass to even do a surface 180. Also, without the fins, the board is a lot more forgiving when you land... there have been several times I've come off a jump thinking "oh SHIIIIIII... huh... I landed it!" Anyways, I paid 200 bones for my '03, new, non-blem on ebay, plus $175 for a set of '03 byerly bindings. not a bad deal.

seanmcd · Criminal Joined: 16 Feb 2003 Posts: 89 City: orlando

that is the worst board on the earth. no one can ride that board well, it is just a wierd board. especially since you are a begginner, stick with your TFD and search ebay or something and search for a board that isnt so advanced, you will end up getting frustrated with the parks bc learning to edge is going to be difficult

Jim M · Wakeboarder.com Freak Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 2933

Learning to edge is not the issue, learning to edge 'properly' is. Especially with the stock fins, it really really locks into its edge and beginners never develop true edge control, they just rely on the railroad tie tracking it gives you. That makes for inconsistent wake jumps and you will have trouble progressing if you dont know what to expect when you come off the wake.

The buck off the wake is the major reason beginners shouldnt get that board, its not easy to control an abrupt three stage rocker- it can control you.

All this stuff has been said 5000000 times though, pretty much word for word, how many times are we going to break down the Hyperlite line of boards for people? Post comments in the gear guide whenever you feel strongly for how something acts on the water.

spacewrangler · Newbie Joined: 14 Dec 2003 Posts: 3

Jim what brand and model would you recommend then for beginners? The TFD has 1.3" A-Wing fins wouldn't this be similar to the Parks stock fins thus creating the same since of false control?

Bicasso · Newbie Joined: 16 Dec 2003 Posts: 47

Try before you buy!!!

Jim M · Wakeboarder.com Freak Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 2933

Try to demo a few boards if you can to see the contrast, there is just so much out there and the difference in board specs really does change the boards reactions, for beginners and advanced riders. I would stay clear of the Parks, Byerly, and any other board with an agressive 3-stage rocker line. Dont know much about the TFD except its a toned down Parks, lots of people on here really like it though.

A board with lots of grip isnt exactly a bad thing bc it means you can rely on your edge being strong. That part can help or hurt your consistency on your approach, but controlling the release off the wake is the big concern and thats where most people really stunt their ability to progress, when no two wake jumps feel the same bc they cant control the board attached to their feet.

Also remember you can get last years board and it will more times than not be the same shape as this years for $150 less. You can demo it, or just buy it and sell it anytime down the road. Last years high-end boards hold resale pretty well.

Sinkoumn · Posted: Dec 16, 2003 6:09 pm Post subject:

spacewrangler, If you want a nice beginner board that you can ride well into progression, I have a '03 Belmont 136 that has not even seen the water (I bought it off of ebay (kind of inebriated at the time of placing the bid), but I ended up getting a better deal on a 138 parks, so that's what I ride now). But if you're interested, I'm selling it for $200 + shipping (usually $25, or so).

scott a · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 9810

spacewrangler, the reason why the parks is so weird is because the fins are angled out, they dont come straight down. yes, the tfd fins are angled out too, but they are angled out only about half as far as the parks fins are. in addition, the parks different because it has a huge 3 stage rocker. the parks is a fast board so people will just speed into the wake and go way out of control. the tfd is a bit more tame, and you probably will have different results with the tfd. im not saying that you will or wont learn any faster, im saying its different, and ultimately the decision is yours as to what you want to ride. the only thing that people really have to say here is to try riding different boards until you find something that you like.

is the tfd yours or your friend's? if its yours and you like it, why not keep riding it?