Safety gear advice and does it make a difference

Chocoholic · Soul Rider Joined: 21 Feb 2009 Posts: 363 City: Dubai

Hi All,

Just wondering if I could get some advice on safety gear and whether any of it actually helps or could hinder.

I face plant (quite alot - actually it's my specialty) and I'm always splitting the inside of my lips or biting into the inside of my mouth when I hit the deck. Random thought - but do you think gum shields might help at all?

Do you recommend wearing helmets? Or are these only really used when riding on rails etc?

I get black eyes quite alot but I guess with that you just have to suck it up.

Medina · Posted: Feb 23, 2009 12:50 am Post subject:

Faceplant your speciallity!!! Welcome to the club, i do it arround 4 times a session Laughing

Helmet = Great, you wont get headaches Very Happy

Bite your inside your mouth, never had that though, maybe close your mouth while riding and breathe trough your nose?

Chocoholic · Soul Rider Joined: 21 Feb 2009 Posts: 363 City: Dubai

haha thanks - I think!

Yeah think I might have to invest in a helmet. Although the FP is took at the weekend was horrific, literally hit the water so hard my eyelid got all cut up and was pouring blood - yikes!

Medina · Posted: Feb 23, 2009 2:15 am Post subject:

Chocoholic · Soul Rider Joined: 21 Feb 2009 Posts: 363 City: Dubai

Once a month?! Out every single weekend! I just got cocky and caught an edge is all, I don't fall that often anymore, just obviously when I'm trying new stuff. But sadly I do have a reputation for going down very hard - oh well.

Now if someone could teach me how to fall gracefully and minimize the impact, that would be great.

Medina · Posted: Feb 23, 2009 2:58 am Post subject:

Chocoholic · Soul Rider Joined: 21 Feb 2009 Posts: 363 City: Dubai

Go out with friends and have coaching sessions.

The best thing I've found so far is: www.waketrix.com - very nice step by step breakdowns of everything.

I'm getting there, pulling surface tricks and nearly clearing the wake now, but sadly coming to this a bit later in life, so as fit or flexible as I used to be, but hey I don't ever expect to be able to back roll or invert or anything like that, I'm just having fun. But obviously I would like to minimize the injuries whilst doing it.

Medina · Posted: Feb 23, 2009 3:51 am Post subject:

flyhigh · Addict Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Posts: 809 City: Monticello

lol, Chocoholic, that could be the funniest thing Ive read in a while. Normally to a post like this I would jokingly say, ya where all the gear, mouth piece, Helmet, safety goggles, and don't forget the knee and elbow pads. But man, sounds like you may really need some gear. Ive rocked a helmet before, and seems to help some.. I took some face eaters as a beginner, along with everyone else, but sounds like you are taking some super rough ones. You could try a mouth guard if you want, but might I recommend maybe trying just chewing gum first. Will keep your teeth together and will definitely help on the pride points Wink

Zach2orJack · Soul Rider Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 255 City: Haleyville

Chocoholic, Whatever you do DO NOT CHEW GUM if you're doing hard face plants. Sorry to correct you on this one flyhigh but I learned this riding motorcycles. He already sounds like he's opening his mouth so gum would be something that could get lodged in his throat. It happened with a racer once and he almost died before they figured out he was choking. I would go with a mouth piece of some kind. Chewing gum is dangerous at any level but as a beginner it's especially dangerous.

flyhigh · Addict Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Posts: 809 City: Monticello

and another tip, if you have time to think before you catch a frontside edge. When Im trying new tricks where I sometimes have the board slide around, and I know Im about to edge hard, I kindof have a way I go in, that minimizes the "Slap".. If I feel it happening, I actually bend at the waist and prepare myself for a dive. Kinda go in head first like that, and it is so much better than a slap to me.. guess that just came with lotsa experience eating it. So I dont know it that makes since to you or not, but I hope it helps some.

And whats that? you ask if I might have an example of what Im talking about? well as a matter of fact i do. Here is a crash vid I made a while back. If youll look at the 42 second mark, youll see a cab roll that went wrong. notice the heed first approach. Hope that helps reduce some beaters.. Very Happy

http://www.blackwaterrydas.com/crash.mov

right click, choose save target as

flyhigh · Addict Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Posts: 809 City: Monticello

Zach2orJack · Soul Rider Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 255 City: Haleyville

flyhigh, No problem. If I had not been told several times how it can be bad I would have never thought about choking on it. There is no way I could chew it because I seem to have the O shite face right before I do a faceplant. It sounds like he is doing the same thing Laughing

JeffreyCH · Posted: Feb 23, 2009 7:49 am Post subject:

I started WB late in life myself, been skiing for almost 30 years(ugh am I really THAT old) I developed a reflex to cover my face with my arms as soon as the handle comes out of my hands. Most peoples reflex is to put their hands down and try to "catch" themselves, doesn't work on water. A boxing style mouth guard may help with the biting thing, however, I would suggest just keeping your mouth shut while riding.

Zach2orJack · Soul Rider Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 255 City: Haleyville

I just saw that chocoholic is a girl. Very Happy

Like Jeff said, try a mouth guard. I have a friend who wears a mouth guard riding sportbikes and wakeboarding. I've thought about getting one myself after biting my tongue pretty hard one time.

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

Chocoholic, a helmet will help you. If you are doing that many faceplants, it's only a matter of time before you get one on the side of your head and blow out an eardrum. Ask me how I know. Getting a helmet with ear protection will protect your head and ears from not only water impacts but from the board coming back over you and hitting you as well. I've seen that happen on many faceplants.

A mouth guard is advisable as long as it's a sport designed mouth guard. I would even go so far as one that can strap to your helmet strap so 1) you don't lose it, 2) you don't swallow it.

It will feel weird at first, but it will protect you from mouth bites and stuff. Split lips, well they're hard to prevent. Black eyes? Damn, you must be hitting hard. All I have for that is TUCK AND ROLL!! Laughing

JeffreyCH · Posted: Feb 23, 2009 8:46 am Post subject:

Swallow it Shocked

Medina · Posted: Feb 23, 2009 9:08 am Post subject:

Its so funny this thread.

Chocoloic, according to all these savety measurers, i am kinda curious, maybe wakeboarding is just not your sport Laughing

Very dangerous Laughing

NKCrider · Posted: Feb 23, 2009 11:28 am Post subject:

skabelpunk · Newbie Joined: 16 Feb 2009 Posts: 22 City: Netherlands

Wow.. after reading this thread I'm gonna get all the safety things out there..

The worst thing i've ever had was a faceplant which hurt my nose but after feeling it was still there it was all good.

Well, this season I hope to be able to start practising some tricks so maybe i'll have to get a helmet or something.

dbismyname · Posted: Feb 23, 2009 12:46 pm Post subject:

I can't believe all you guys skipped this question, should have been the first one?

Do the people driving your boat know what they're doing? How fast are you wakeboarding that it splits your eyelid? Do you have that disease like Samuel L in that movie where he breaks something everytime he falls?

Ok last one was a joke but first two are serious

flyhigh · Addict Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Posts: 809 City: Monticello

also, id like to give you some props for taking some of the worst sounding face beaters Ive heard of, and keeping on riding. Most girls I ride with are too scared to cross the wake, because they might fall over. Cool

NKCrider · Posted: Feb 23, 2009 12:58 pm Post subject:

flyhigh · Addict Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Posts: 809 City: Monticello

NKCrider · Posted: Feb 23, 2009 1:17 pm Post subject:

savage3221 · Posted: Feb 23, 2009 1:59 pm Post subject:

OK, so I skipped the last few posts, but didn't see this coming up. I wouldn't want to wear a helmet if I was doing a lot of faceplants because of the increased surface area that could give me worse whiplash on my neck. I think a mouthguard is a good idea for sure though.

I know faceplants suck, but a) you learn to see them coming and kinda "duck" into it a little. Kinda like diving into it, so that instead of getting smacked, you break the water more like a dive and save some of the impact. b) what kind of board are you on? Does it have super big fins or sharp rails [the edges of the board] because it sounds like they are maybe a little too common for you. Laughing

matt1808 · Wakeboarder.Commie Joined: 05 Feb 2004 Posts: 1981

face plants shouldn't be that severe, how fast are you riding?

might help to post videos for advice, if you really are face planting that often.

flyhigh · Addict Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Posts: 809 City: Monticello

savage3221, exactly.. The dive was exactly what I was talking bout..

Chocoholic · Soul Rider Joined: 21 Feb 2009 Posts: 363 City: Dubai

Hey guys, thanks for the replies and I'm happy that I'm providing you with amusement Very Happy

I don't fp that much anymore, it's just when I do hit the deck it tends to be very hard. Sadly when I cut my eye I was riding in some bad chop and doing lipslides - my own damn fault!

Our driver is super good and I don't ride at very fast speeds. Riding a long line 70 - 75, currently on a LF Angel 130, with the large middle fins removed - I like it fast and squirly!

Going to upgrade to a 136, probably the Hyperlite Blur.

Yes I might be a girl, but I'm determined, most of the guys I ride with say I really attack the wake and am pretty much fearless - maybe that's my problem.

Tell me about the head injuries, in the space of 2 months saw one friend put 8 stitches in his forehead, and another 3 stitches in the back of her head! - hmmmm see a running theme here? Laughing

Medina · Posted: Feb 24, 2009 12:27 am Post subject:

You know, i really stuff in my pants of a wake... thats why i love wakeboarding behind a cable so much Laughing

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

Dubai? Wow, wakeboarder.com is seriously going global. Mr. Green

dbismyname · Posted: Feb 24, 2009 8:54 am Post subject:

probably boarding behind an x80

or better yet a 300 with towpoint on the radar arch

WakeMikey · Addict Joined: 29 Mar 2008 Posts: 640 City: Fridley

I have never had that happen (black eye or cuts) and never seen it either from just falling. I would recommend you change up your setup. Maybe try moving your bindings a little more to the heelside edge. Also consider a newer board, my personal recommendation would be Liquid Force because they 'roll' the edges inbetween your feet meaning the edge is much less prone to catching and it is way easier to slide out of an under-rotated trick. Maybe see if you can demo something. I would try the S4 or Watson. They are very user friendly boards.

You really shoudln't be cataching your edge that much to me it says you're either lazy and don't press hard on your heels or toes when edgeing, or else your edges are really sharp and they catch easily. It could also be your bindings, they could be lifting up off the board when you are edging. Called toe-lift or heel-lift. Never bindings with alluminum base plates would stop this problem. LF again would be my recommendation for bindings. Doesn't even have to be this years.

Chocoholic · Soul Rider Joined: 21 Feb 2009 Posts: 363 City: Dubai

Cheers guys.

Riding behind either a Nautique or an X2 at the moment - love the X2 - awsome wake!

Like I said I don't fall THAT often anymore. I am just about to change my set-up to a slightly bigger board. Actually going for a Hyperlite. I've been getting coaching from ex-champion Emma Jones so she's recommended a better set-up for me than the one I have.

Yeah, sometimes I lose a bit of concentration. But it's all good.

There's lots of boarders here in Dubai, it's a big thing these days.

Zach2orJack · Soul Rider Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 255 City: Haleyville