1st wakeboard

bullinachinashop · Newbie Joined: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 9 City: Greenville

Trying to figure out a good 1st board for my style. 1st of all, my "style" for wakeboards doesn't exist yet, but after kneeboarding over 15 years I do have a style I prefer. I like to ride what wakeboarders call "loose". I like to be able to rotate the board on the surface any way I choose without digging in. This is great for off axis landings and improvising to turn something unexpected into a cool move. But I also like the board to edge firmly when put up on edge. I prefer a progressive edge where a little lean gives some bite/direction but still some looseness & a solid lean gives a solid charge.
I tried an old Blindside DV8 with 2 big center fins and HATED the feel. The board was locked to the water and going to go ONLY where pointed. I have read on new boards that have smaller long based fins near the edges. These are supposed to be out of the water when flat so you don't hook up when you don't want to. I like the sounds of that. Variable edges rounded in the center and sharp/cupped on the ends sounds good too. I will list some boards that sound good to me and would like some input. Remember, even though I'm a boarder, I've never been a wakeboarder, so maybe there is such a thing as too loose or too aggressive, I don't know. My wake isn't big so good verticle pop is a plus, as is soft landings for my 42 year old body (I do still board as hard as I did in my 20's & 30's though). I would guess that given my background, I will have what they call a knees bent fluid style. I like to stay close to the water. Here's the list. Feel free to add others.

Hyperlite: State, Premier,3DS, Era, Murray
Liquid Force: Omega, Substance, Litmus, Balance, Trip
Obrien: Demented

Thanks a lot. Looking forward to trying one on my new Big Air tower!

ttuclint · Addict Joined: 12 Aug 2003 Posts: 984 City: Lubbock, TX

1997 Connelly Dually w/ sandal bindings. Laughing

I would buy the LF Team/Sphynx combo.

seedickride · Criminal Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 97 City: Munich, ND

I'll comment on the Liquid Force and O'Brien products. Based on your description, I'd recommend first the Substance, as it's going to give you that looser feel with a progressive edge. It's not going to give you an instantaneous push toward the wake with big speed like the Balance, Team, or Subjekt will, though. The Omega and Litmus will be somewhere inbetween the Substance and these other boards. The big advantage to the Omega is that you can get it as a package deal with Alphas, and save a bunch of money. The Alphas are an excellent binding, too. The Demented from O'Brien is going to be somewhat more aggressive on edge than the Substance, but not quite as aggressive as the Subjekt, Team, or Balance. You'll probably get the biggest vertical kick off of the Substance, with the Demented close behind. The Subjekt will give about the same kick off the wake as the Substance.

Snipermonkey456 · Criminal Joined: 01 Jul 2005 Posts: 62 City: Granbury

you complain about the fins why dont you take them off then. That would make a huge difference

bullinachinashop · Newbie Joined: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 9 City: Greenville

I was just using a friends board for a short time and never even thought about removing the fins. Thanks Mike for the comments about the boards. You gave me EXACTLY the kind of info I was looking for. I'm definitely narrowing it down now.

xxMetalheaDxx · Criminal Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 91

it is all about power to move the board around it was hard for me to do to when i first tried it now it is almost to easy and i have tried boarding without fins as soon as i hit a edge my board flew out from under me so quit complaining your stuck with a fin.

ps. It's not knee boarding it's wakeboarding.

bullinachinashop · Newbie Joined: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 9 City: Greenville

I just got and finally rode my "new" board today. Its a 2000 model Hyperlite Belmont off Ebay. You're right metalhead, I think I do just have to get used to fins. I tried the Belmont without fins and with the stock 1.9" fins. With the fins it was easier to power around than the old school boards I rode before, but still caught me by surprise a few times because the fins went from no bite to lots of bite right now. But forget it with no fins. Absolutely no traction and I landed on the back of my head a lot. So for now I'll try to get used to the 1.9's. If I still don't like them I will try a smaller fin. I don't even know what sizes are available for the Belmont.