How to Size a Wakeboard
While the weekender might use a one-size-fits-all philosophy when inviting friends to wakeboard (usually around 136 cm), skilled wakeboarders know that size and fit matter. Before you attempt grabs, rolls and spins, you had better make certain you are secure on your board.
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Instructions
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Sizing Up Your Wakeboard
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Start with length. The two most important factors in choosing a wakeboard are the size and skill of the rider. Unlike athletes choosing a snowboard, weight, not height, determines length. The heavier the participant, the longer the board you will need. Kids generally use boards that are 120cm in length; women, a board between 125-135cm; men, a board between 135-140cm, and large adults (over 200 lbs), boards between 140-145cm. Check out the below website for a more exact sizing chart.
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Consider skill and athletic ability. A person's innate skill and personal preference can override the above sizing chart. Longer boards offer stability on the water, a larger surface to surface ratio, more friction. However, that also translates into less maneuverability, more drag, less speed. If you are already a snowboarder or skateboarder, consider your own comfort level on the board, any board.
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Rock on. The rocker or the running surface of a wakeboard is the angle upward at its ends. A lower rocker means the board sits on the water with more stability and thus it is suitable for beginners. However, the lower it is to the water, the more difficult it will be to pull tight turns. Advanced riders opt for higher rockers because the pivot point is smaller enabling quick, sharp turns that return a boarder faster in the landing of a jump.
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Shape up. While there are as many different shapes today as there are manufacturers, one basic difference is squared or rounded edges. Beginners go with the squared edges because they offer more control and stability, while more advanced boarders will want rounded rails so they can land their killer tricks with less risk of catching an edge.
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Boards are generally single-tipped or double-tipped. A single tip is pointed at the front, flat at the back, like an old model snow ski. Double-tipped boards look more like a skateboard or a snowboard, rounded at each end. If your boarding background comes from skateboarding or snowboarding, you’ll probably choose a double-tip; if you’re a skier, you’ll want single-tip.
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Find a fin that fits. All wakeboards come with built-in fins that aid in steering and stability. However, you can add on fins for more defined movement, like the cutting of blade on ice. Small, thin fins can be handled by skilled boarders to carve up a lake with sharp turns and flips and are okay for beginners in smooth waters, but wider is better for the beginner and they offer more stability in rougher seas. Forgoing the add-on fins is a good idea if you're working on surface tricks like butterslides and surface spins.
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A simple test for boarders to determine which foot to place forward is to stand still and have someone give you a shove. Do it a few times. Which foot lands forward? There you go. That’s the foot you’ll place in the forward binder.
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Bind it up. Choosing bindings to suit your wakeboard has its own set of criteria. Bear in mind that you want support, comfort and ease of operation.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are choosing your board for your boat rather than yourself, going a little long will enable a wider variety of people onboard to participate.
Always wear a life vest.
