When selecting a wakeboard rope, hands down spectra would be the pick of the bunch would have to be spectra as it far outweighs the other two in tensile strength and weight. Many now come with a thermal coating to resisted kinks and twists and also a PVC coating for extra durability and all generally have adjustable lengths so you can ride at the length that suits your riding speed/wake size. This is the type of rope the pro’s use and there is a reason for it. However like anything that is the best on the market, it generally costs more. A good spectra rope can be usually be picked up for under $150 depending on the brand and quality compared to a poly-e that retails for about half that. Get what suits your budget however as your wakeboarding progresses you will eventually want to use a spectra rope. So bottom line if you can afford it, get it.

Selecting a handle comes down to personal preference again as there are many types and feels of grip on the market, however look for one that has a wide handle between 13-15 inches (to make those handle passes behind the back easier ), has a nice grip that is comfortable to hold and wont slip out of wet hands easily.
At the end of the day for such a simple piece of equipment, the wakeboard rope and handle is one of the most important gear apparel that you will own. So make sure your first choice is a good one, otherwise wakeboarding can be a very frustrating sport.

Stay tuned for our next part of The beginners wakeboard instructional Lifevest selection. It could be a lifesaver

Over the series feel feel to ask questions if you are not sure of anything, after all we’re here to help….

To begin the journey follow the link below

Part 1- Wakeboard equipment Guide

Rocker type- The rocker is the curve in the board from tip to tail and the type influences how the board rides, the speed of the board, the amount of pop (height gained when hitting the wake) and the hardness of landings. There are two types of rockers.

Continuous rocker (continuous arch, smooth)

These type of rocker provide a smooth, fast ride with predictable pop and softer landings. They are a more relaxed board that suits many riders great for carving. Beginners are encouraged to start with this type of rocker.

3 Stage rocker-(angled with flat spot)

The 3 stage rocker have 2 defined angles at the tips of the board with one a flat spot in the centre. This type of rocker gives a agressive (more) pop however is not always as predictable as the continuous rocker. The landings are harder because of the flat spot and speed is slower as board does not glide through the water. Fins do not track as well and results in a looser feel on the water. This type of rocker is recommended for more advanced riders that can control the unpredictablity of the pop and harder landings.

Brand name- With the growing popularity of the sport, many new companies are emerging to cash in on the masses. Here are a few of the big players in wakeboarding, a safe bet that your new board will be good investment.

• Liquid force
• Hyperlite
• Obrien
• Ronix
• Double Up
• Gator Boards
• CWB

Construction material- As technology advances many new types of materials are being used in the making of boards, each with different characteristics be it strength, weight, or flex. The two main ways of constructing a wakeboard is either by having a solid polyurethane or foam core wrapped by fiberglass, or a honeycomb fiberglass/graphite core wrapped in the same material. The latter is a more expensive construction but the benefits are a lighter board which is more easily maneuvered and gives a smoother ride. This core is found on more advanced and pro model boards. The base of the board can also be made in different materials to give extra strength for hitting hard objects like rails and kickers.

Board edge/rail type- Two edge types are available in today’s market are the uniform edge and variable edge. A uniform edge is one the has the same thickness throughout the entire rail from middle to tip. A variable edge as the name suggests has a thicker and rounder edge in the middle and progressively gets thinner and sharper towards the tip of the board.  The thickness of  the rail dictates how aggressive the board will track which will establish how fast the board accelerates and overall speed when on rail. Thinner/sharper edges are more aggressive and faster however are less forgiving and are easier to catch an edge than a thicker rounded one.  Therefore it makes sense for beginners should choose a board with thicker rounded edges. The benefit of have a variable rail is that it combines the best of both worlds of a thick and thinner edge. It has a more forgiving rail whilst keeping aggressive tracking when on rail. Most companies today incorporate this into their boards.

Fin type/size- There are two types of fins that are on the modern wakeboard, molded (which cannot be removed) and removable (which can removed). The amount of, the size, and how your fins are set up will regulate how well your board tracks the water. Personal preference decides if you want a hard tracking board or a looser, snowboard feel which normally reflects your riding style. Large fins give a more stable ride but makes it harder to break traction for surface tricks and can sometimes catch the water more often if you don’t quite land your trick right. They are however more suited to beginner riders or for rough conditions. Smaller fins ofter the opposite with the ability to break traction easier for surface tricks and are preferred in smoother conditions. Depending on the level of board, they can have a combination of small and large fins however most either have on large fin at each end (possibly with a few molded fins),or 2 smaller fins at each end (again with with/without molded fins). Removable fins give the flexibility to change how hard the board tracks as they can be removed to give a looser feel on the water. They can also be removed if you are hitting rails or kickers to prevent board damage.

Board base shape: There are four basic shapes that are incorporated into today’s wakeboards, with some involving a combination. These shapes are as follows:

• concave- are indents on the base of the wakeboard which break the suction between the base of the board and the waters surface. This creates lift, makes the board sit higher in the water and allows the board to move faster.
• channels- are long, fin like sections of the board which direct the water beneath it which break water tension, this gives smoother landings.
• v shape/spines- help soften landings and ease the transition from edge to edge (heelside to toeside)
• featureless- a board without any of the above features and relies on the board shape, fin set up and rocker to determine how the board rides and handles.

Board Size: The size of your board should reflect your body weight with longer boards for heavier riders and the opposite for their lighter counterparts. Board lengths range from 120-150cm and usually have the weight recommendation on them. Other factors of choosing board size are that shorter boards in general, are slower across the water as it takes more energy to push them through the water (they have less surface area to keep them above the water = more drag in the water). However due to their shorter length they are easier to spin and maneuver off the wake but landings are also harder. Longer boards are the opposite generally being faster across the water with landings softer but spinning and maneuvering being harder.  These characteristics make longer boards  recommended to beginner riders as they are easier to learn on and ride in general.  Here is a chart on weight vs board size: