Wakestlye board for soft landings that isn't terible in chop and lightwind

[jamiew]

After 7 years on a Nobile T5 (137x42) I think it's finally time I upgraded my board. It has served me well, but I'm now landing railey to blinds and want something that is softer and more stable in the landings.

Pop has never been a problem on the T5, so not too concerned about that.

From my research, it looks like the pure wakestyle boards are stiff and have a big rocker. So as I understand it, the stiffness gives you pop but makes chop uncomfortable, whereas the rocker helps with landings and chop but means you need to be more powered. Feel free to let me know if I have this wrong.

I'm a big guy at 95kgs and always seem to be more underpowered than over powered and often ride in chop, so don't want to sacrifice too much upwind and comfort, but am still hoping for something that will give me soft and stable landings on unhooked tricks. I can't work out from the brands marketing speak on their products where this sweet spot will be.

My guess is something with medium flex, medium rocker and channels will be what I'm after, but happy to take difference advice.

Edit - I will primarily be in straps and not boots. Sounds like that has an impact on board choice.

Cheers

J.

[Frank82]

Do you want to ride straps or boots? For boots; buy a pure wakestyle board, they'll be the most fun with boots. Pure wakestyle boards are great in chop when combined with boots because of the large rocker and the extra support from the boots makes you slice right through chop, the extra weight also helps to cut through the chop. Don't be scared that they're stiff but make sure you don't ride them with straps, it will be terrible.

If you want to ride straps buy something like the F-One Trax, Naish Monarch, Crazyfly bulldozer and Axis Vanguard. All nice boards in chop, medium flex and medium rocker.

[jamiew]

Thanks Frank - really useful.

I would be in straps, though having the option for bindings would be a bonus.

[TheJoe]

http://www.evo.com/outlet/wakeboards/sl ... /clone.jpg

Go with this. It is a wake board but it is what I ride with a kite and it is basically the Refraction but cheaper. It comes with wake fins so you would have to get some god awful kite fins if you like them. What ever you get at your weight get the biggest one you can. I'm 88kg and I'm on the 139.

[FLandOBX]

There are soft landings in wakestyle???

......uh, when pigs fly.....

(Just teasin', guys..... )

[dylan*]

You might look at the LF Legacy. I've been riding its predecessor (the influence) since 2012 and haven't found a board that is as well rounded. It's kind of right in the middle of rocker and stiffness, so it's not super rockered or super stiff. Works well with boots and straps.

I'm sure there are other boards that are similar to it too.

[John-B]

The Shinn ADHD

I switched recently from the Ultrasonic as I've been having problems with my right knee. The ADHD allows me to have a freestyle board with loads of pop that is super smooth through chop with some of the softest landings I have on any board (the rocker working it's magic). The downside is that you do loose out slightly on upwind and overall speed but not hugely so and at your weight you could go the big size - I'm 77kg and ride the 137x41.

Don't just take my word for it Iksurf Review and Kiteworld Review

[webtrond]

I will never sell my Shinn supershinn 137x44 board.

Riding with cabrinha H3 boots. 92 kg.

Light, strong, soft landings and good upwind.

[Massimo]

Since you are already riding Nobile, why are you not considering the 50/50?

I own last year version and I found it very confortable, although if you ride it flat instead of its edge it may feel like a piece of wood.

However if you ride it on its edge, it is very confortable in the chop and I rarely end up with my face in the water even if I land wrongly.

For the records the board has also a very good upwind.

I weight 97kg, 8yrs week end warrior (I rarely unhook).

Hope it helps.

[kas911]

With straps the monarch from naish is so nice. 'medium rocker, stiff and extremely light. True wakestyle boards need boots to be handled well no doubt!!