Wakeboarding is a type of water recreational activity that involves balancing yourself on a wakeboard while surfing the waves. When riding wakeboards, a boat will tow you while you hold a cable. It has been a huge sport since the 1980s in Australia and New Zealand.
If you are still learning and want to take your wakeboarding skills to the next level, consider some of the factors that can affect your performance before jumping onto the waves. If you want to know more about how you can improve your expertise, keep on reading.
Wakeboarding Essentials
You can’t perform the sport if you don’t have the necessary gear and equipment for it. You must know every part and gear you need and what to look for to ensure that the materials are of the best quality.
As mentioned, a boat should tow you when wakeboarding. It may doesn’t seem like it, but the kind of boat you use can also affect your overall performance. If you want some high-quality boats, you can choose from Bayliner, Axis or Calabria boats.
You need a good set of bindings, such as Velcro, adjustable boot, and high back boot bindings. A rope is also essential for the activity. A shorter rope is better for more control, especially if you’re still a beginner. It will help if you wear a wetsuit and a buoyancy aid for your safety.
Choosing Your Wakeboard
You can’t perform this sport if you don’t have a wakeboard, and you can’t just buy anything you see online or at the market. You need to know the best type for the best experience and your safety.
1. Size Matters
Consider your weight when choosing the appropriate wakeboard size for you. Longboards tend to turn and can become less responsive, while shortboards are sometimes harder to lean on and can become unstable.
Thus, you must choose the best board length according to your weight. For example, if you weigh 45 to 77 kilograms, your board must be around 134 to 142 centimetres long. You can also lookup more size charts for your reference.
2. Wear Comfortable Bindings
You must choose the most comfortable and compatible binding for you. Your feet should not feel any discomfort when wearing them. If you’re still a beginner, you can opt for adjustable bindings so you can adjust them according to your liking but make sure that it’s neither too tight nor too loose.
3. Examine the Materials
The cost and quality of the wakeboard also depend on the type of material used. The most common wakeboards are generally made from wood or foam wrapped with fiberglass.
If you want to try something cheaper first, you can opt for foam boards. They are also more lightweight and more durable. However, it is the wood boards that provide good durability and pop.
The wakeboarding ropes handle aids in focusing on riding behind the boat rather than re-gripping the handle after each trick or pass across the wake.
4. Choose Your Best Rocker and Fin
Each wakeboard differs from one another because of its rocker, fin, and shape. A rocker is located between the tip and tail of the board. It is designed differently for every board to give varying performances on the water.
With fins, you are given more balance and stability. Fins are essential for beginners, and the larger the fin, the better. But some advanced riders ride the board without fins.
In wakeboarding, you must have the complete set of equipment for your safety and comfort. And since the wakeboard is the heart of the activity, it is only right that you consider plenty of factors before buying one, such as the size, bindings, material, rocker, and fin.
