Please help me get into the right gear......

fombyjambox · Newbie Joined: 06 Sep 2010 Posts: 5

Last weekend I had my first chance to wakeboard and, as I figured, I fell in love with it. I need a little help getting into a good board that will last me a long time as I progress but I can't really break the bank either.

I rode a buddies Ronix One (138) I got up 6 out of 6 tries, the last two I came up in switch without any trouble. I slalom skied all the time as a kid/teen though it's been about 18 years (I'm 37) and still skate pools occasionally so that might be why it came to me somewhat easily. I was able to carve very easily in my dominate stance (goofy), so/so in switch and I can easily cross the wake in goofy (no air yet). I was also able to slide (grind?) along the edge of the wake as well, pretty fun.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure I'd be wasting my money on any type of beginner board, but I'm not sure an advanced board like the One is the ideal solution. I don't want to break the bank but I also don't want to buy something that I'll just want to upgrade right away either.

I've been told by more than a few people to focus on Ronix or Liquid Force, so that's where I've been looking, but all the rocker, edge, fin and other information is overwhelming and I'm not sure what I need. I'm hoping $500 will get me into a decent board/binding setup to suite my needs and I'm perfectly willing to buy a blem model if it's only a cosmetic problem.

I'm hoping the gurus here can help point me in the right direction on a board and any suggestions on bindings, rope and a handle would also be greatly appreciate.

I'm 6 feet tall, 172 lbs

Sorry for the long post, just trying to provide as much detail as possible!

Thanks in advance!

FlyZone CR · Posted: Sep 06, 2010 6:51 pm Post subject:

Cool you're hooked!
You might want to look into the LF Witness, Ben Greenwood's board. Smooth ride, great to learn on, great for pro's. Board hasn't changed in years (or at least not significantly) so you can pick up an '09 or so dirt cheap.

hawkster0001 · Soul Rider Joined: 21 Jul 2010 Posts: 441 City: GR

somthin around 140, you can get a 08 one board and boots new overstock blem for around 400-450, i bought a 142 08 one blem off of ebay for 250 shipped and the boots for 200, if you liked how your buddies one rode, but wanted one that carved faster id say go with the bill there very similiar in the edge and shape

AaronATX · Outlaw Joined: 17 Jun 2010 Posts: 136 City: Austin

I'm in a similar boat, I just started wakeboarding regularly this summer. I just got an 09 One for $150.. It's a demo board but only really has marks that show that bindings have been mounted on it. I was originally going to do a package for about $400-450 but held out for a better board at a better price. You don't get a "brand new" board, but old demo boards can be really cheap and in really good shape.

hawkster0001 · Soul Rider Joined: 21 Jul 2010 Posts: 441 City: GR

also you can get overstock blems for around 200, another good board you might want to look at for cheap is the 08-09 mana

fombyjambox · Newbie Joined: 06 Sep 2010 Posts: 5

Thanks for the responses, guys.

So, based on these suggestions it sounds like I shouldn't worry about getting an 'advanced' model.

Any suggestions on where to find smokin deals on boards? I've found blems but none going for anywhere near $200!

Also, school me on bindings and rope/handles if you don't mind......

hawkster0001 · Soul Rider Joined: 21 Jul 2010 Posts: 441 City: GR

from hwat i hear ronix is basically best in bindings curently then liquid force is right behind, im not to great with hyperlite, there kinda cheapy. but what size foot do you wear

fombyjambox · Newbie Joined: 06 Sep 2010 Posts: 5

Well, I bit the bullet. I searched high and low and couldn't find any of the LF or Ronix boards I wanted in the right price range so I took a chance on a 2009 Byerly Assault 55" and 2009 Ronix Kai bindings. I was able to get both for under $350 brand new so I think I did pretty good.

From all the research I did, and I did a ton of it, the Assault is a really nice board and the 09 Kai bindings had tons of great reviews as well. I was going to ask you guys for opinions but they literally had 2 sets of the bindings left in my size and I was afraid to wait so I pulled the trigger and ordered them.

Getting the board/bindings for that price really helps set me up to get a nice rope/handle and vest.

I'm stoked!

hawkster0001 · Soul Rider Joined: 21 Jul 2010 Posts: 441 City: GR

yep kais are great boots, simliar stiffness to the one, but not heat formable, but hey, you can always say in your conscience you did good sense your riding boots mad of water bottles Very Happy

and the byerly will be similiar to a one, i havent rode one but have rode what ithink is similiar to it, it will carve a bit faster, but will have less pop, because i belive it isa sllightly less rocker, but that doesnt really matter since this is your forst board. and how much do you have to spend on rope/ vest, and what boat do you ride behind

supergoob · Newbie Joined: 08 Sep 2010 Posts: 9 City: Cadiz

I don't think you did too bad. I started boarding a few months ago on a Hyperlite Motive 140 and within weeks I was ready for an upgrade. I picked a demo Liquid Force Watson 138, 2010 model, for $300 with Vantage boots. It was a really good upgrade, and what sold it for me was actually being able to ride it before I bought it.

fombyjambox · Newbie Joined: 06 Sep 2010 Posts: 5

I don't have a set number to spend on a rope and handle but I'm willing to spend 130 or so as I think that should get me a quality setup.

Right now I'm just riding behind my in laws little I/O tahoe ski boat. I'm just after as much time on the water as possible for now and I'll worry about wake quality when they sell their boat and I start shopping for my own. My buddy was pulling all sorts of inverts off that wake last week so I'm not about to start complaining that It's not good enough for me to get some good experience behind.

hawkster0001 · Soul Rider Joined: 21 Jul 2010 Posts: 441 City: GR

yeah, should go with a rope that goes anywhere form 75-80 down to 55-60 so you can progress on the rope, and if you ride different boats it will be able to adapt better, heres what i was thinking would be good for you, http://www.boardstop.com/product_info.php?cPath=67_55_145&products_id=2545

if your not worried about having a zero strectch line, you can go with something like this: http://www.boardstop.com/product_info.php?cPath=67_55_145&products_id=1898
thast what i have for a setup, works great, and it doesnt stretch all too much, (i barely notice it when i switch from zero to thsi or back) plus its nice since it has a little more forgiveness on hard landins or if you dont make it full w2w

hawkster0001 · Soul Rider Joined: 21 Jul 2010 Posts: 441 City: GR

oh and forgot to mention buy em at boardstop and get 10-15% off using the "forumuser" code at checkout