I know Mako is wave oriented; what about Pop?

[bart123]

Looking for TT in waves though occasionally want to practise (same spot) wake style (s-bend, 360’s, loops). I know the mako behaves very well in waves but what about pop? Or do you need use small waves as kickers? Currently I use surfboard 5’8” and FLX32 (this one will be replaced).

Greetz, Bart

[RipItUp]

I can only speak for the classic narrow Mako 150 and not the newer wide Mako or the Mako Freeride. The classic Mako 150 is not well suited for wakeboard style tricks. You could get use to it and could probably land your S-Bend and other tricks, but it is a board that rides and lands much different that conventional twintip boards. It is more suited to carving than landing tricks and jumps. As far as POP is concerned; once again take off is different from conventional boards. The older Mako 150 doesn't have a lot of flex to the board, so the jumping technique it more about speed and edging, than flex and pop. It does some things really well like holding a rock solid edge and jetting up wind like no other board I have ever ridden. It does well in the waves and carving, but once again is quite different from the technique used with a surfboard or conventional twintip. It eats chop like no other board, almost like having suspension on your board. Bottom-line is you should really try one before buying one because it is such a different type of board.

[sarc]

I second that. The 09 Mako 150 wide gives me the feel of a directional where you use the fins to push out on takeoff - that's because of the great grip on its rails. The 2009 model seems to be more flexible than the 2008 so it's slightly more springy but not the same as a conventional kiteboard. Try first if you can.

[Janus]

Hi Bart,
Try the Mako 140x40, I think you can do all you want with it.

[eag]

I would recommend the 140x40 over the 150x40. The 140 has lower swing weight like a regular twin, so doing tricks is easy. I've done plenty of spins, loops and unhooked raleys on mine. It requires a bit of practice to get the pop right (off the rail more than the tail), and don't expect it to truly pop like a wakestyle board, but it is the best tool for having fun in both waves and jumps.

[five]

I second what eag says...spot on for all of it.

[discojuggernaut]

I recently took my mako riding to the next level in overpowered conditions on choppy water.

I would just haul ass on my preferred tack and stay real light on my board and keep my knees flexed. Then I'd find the right piece of chop and concentrate on the timing of chop and kite to pull the trigger at the right time. At the crucial load moment, i'd "stand tall" by shifting my weight slightly to my heels. At speed on chop it's hard to get a good carving pop, but the speed itself compensates quite nicely.

Also I found that if you open up your leading knee towards your point of direction (instead of sitting under the bar), you can get a good upwind angle without having to dig the rail too much into the water (saving it from having to bob a lot). If you relax the front leg and its angle, you can get a pretty relaxed position where it's easy to pick up speed.

I'm riding a 150 x 40 wide.

[stefaans]

Bart, this doesn't have to be that hard. Ocean Rodeo has a 30 day money back guarantee. i would say go demo a board but with these boards its going to take you a day or 2 to figure it all out so buying one under the guarantee would provide you the answers you are seeking.

If you are in the states i can hook you up with a board otherwise try the dealer locator on the OR website.

s@windydevil.com

[adamj2281]

Yeah Bart, I actually demo'd the 140 and didn't really love it, it was really smooth and comfy in chop, but hard to hold a real solid edge and ride upwind. That was one 3 hour session or so, but I ended up buying anyways, and I am really happy with the board. Stefaans is right, you need a couple of sessions to get it dialed in, it's not a traditional TT, but once you do, it's so fun in chop, waves, whatever. It's all I'm riding now.

[five]

Bart, this doesn't have to be that hard. Ocean Rodeo has a 30 day money back guarantee. i would say go demo a board but with these boards its going to take you a day or 2 to figure it all out so buying one under the guarantee would provide you the answers you are seeking.

If you are in the states i can hook you up with a board otherwise try the dealer locator on the OR website.

s@windydevil.com

I agree. Can't beat the 30 day guarantee.

It doesn't really matter what anyone else says about gear...just give it a try and see whether you like it or not. Everyone rides differently and prefers different gear.

Also...some people jump on the Mako and instantly love it (me) while others take more time. This board has a niche...and I think it a widespread one.