Wakeboarding is a sport that can actually be thought of as a combination of a number of sports: surfing along with water skiing, with a bit of snow boarding thrown in. Wakeboarding is a sport that is performed on the water surface, specifically the wake that is behind a speed boat as it is powering through. Of all of the equipment that is required to wakeboard, there are five types: bindings, wake vest, wake skates, wake ropes, and the actual wakeboard.
There are a number of features and measures that should be considered when shopping for a wakeboard. These will include the boards’ weight along with width and height, the design of the bottom, and the placement and number of the fins located on the wake board. Also important is the rocker, or overall bend in the board from front to back. These rockers come in two varieties, continuous, which is a smooth curve, or that which more closely resembles a skate board, the 3-stage. The continuous style does not change from its tail to its tip, making it a much quicker ride. The 3-stage board offers greater pop and has two relatively distinct bending points.
The length of the wakeboard is going to affect the spin speed, as well as the level of smoothness in the turns. The width of your wakeboard, especially in the middle, the tip and the tail will affect how high it is capable if sitting when it is in the water as well as how hard it can bounce during the wake. When it comes to wakeboard weight, lighter wakeboards tend to be significantly easier for you to maneuver, and the flex patterns also tend to be better, and these characteristics are responsible for affecting your landings as well as your pops.
The bottom designs of wakeboards are a feature that does not change the ride, but is important for allowing the rider to express his or her style. The bottom design on the wakeboard can possibly feature additional parts however, such as a fin, because fin placement is capable of dictating the release that will be unique to that wakeboard. You should also make sure that you are choosing the right binding, because you need to find a foot bed that corresponds well with the length of your foot, and you need to adjust to make sure that the fitting is correct. As you break in your bindings, the materials may stretch considerably so make sure to adjust them as you go in order to make sure that they are always fitting.
Another product to consider is wake skates, which allow you to ride a wakeboard as if it were a skateboard, but in the water. They come in a variety of different sizes, shapes and surfaces on top, and they do not require the use of bindings the way that wakeboards do. You would use skates shoes, and there are no real set standards here.
