Wakesurfer Buying Guide
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Picking a wake surf board that’s right for you is not that simple. Wakesurfing remains the fastest-growing segment in all watersports, which means there are more options than ever when it comes to wake surfboards. With all these different styles and shapes, you might be wondering where to even start when choosing your first or next surfer. The first step is determining what kind of surfing you like most. Do you prefer to sit deep in the pocket and carve and slash the wave, or are you more concerned with ollies, shuvits, and tricks off the lip? Another factor in choosing a board is your height and weight, along with what size wave you plan to ride regularly. Lastly, will only you use this board, or will it be shared with your friends and family when you’re all out in the boat? When heading out to purchase a new surfer, use the above criteria along with these few technical points to guide you.
We sell wakesurfers from well-known brands such as Connelly, Hyperlite, and Ronix.
What is Wakesurfing?
The beauty of wake surfing lies in the fact that it can be done whether or not you’re near the ocean. This is good news for those who love watersports but aren’t anywhere near a great spot for massive waves. This new sport allows you to create your own waves. And unlike other watersports out there, it can be enjoyed with friends.
Despite being new, wake surfing is known worldwide, to both beginners and experts. In fact, there are huge competitions that celebrate the sport and they are being held in different parts of the world.
It involves a wakeboard boat that tows the rider behind as it creates a wake for them to surf.
You start by lying on your back in the water while holding the rope that’s connected to the boat. The wakeboard boat then starts. It’s important to stand up very carefully at this point. It will start to gain momentum and when the rider is in a stable surfing position, the real fun begins. You let go of the rope and start surfing with the waves created by the wakeboard boat.
There are different things that can be done to the wakeboard boat to create larger wakes. For example, you can add extra weight to it or have extra ballast, which will make the wave look bigger. Having a surf system can also provide the desired results.
The different types of Wakesurfers
Style is everything in wake surfing and every wake surf board will produce something unique from your surf wave. Deciding on which shape wake surf board is right for you depends mostly on the style of surfer you wish to ride. Here are a few of the most common types.
Surf Style Wakesurfers
These wake surfboards take inspiration from their ocean-bound surfboard cousins. They tend to have multiple larger surf-style fins and a thicker construction, which makes them more buoyant. Their high buoyancy makes them a great choice for larger, heavier riders and some beginners. The larger volume also provides more drive and push on the wave, so they perform well on smaller boat waves.
- Available for all kinds of level riders
- Available in all price levels
- Come in a wide variety of materials, lengths, and configurations
- Added volume of surf-style boards helps them stay fast and on the surface.
Skim Style Wakesurfers
Skim-style wake surfboards are shorter, with a thinner profile and smaller fins. While anyone can ride these boards, they tend to be more suited to advanced surfers looking for a loose, more playful feel, who like to pop shuvits and ollies. Smaller, lighter riders also can be well-suited to skim-style boards, because they don’t carry as much speed and won’t have surfers riding into the swim platform.
- Available for all kinds of level riders
- Available in all price levels
- Made to be more playful in the water
- A skim board wants to spin, slide, and do anything but stay on the straight
Longboard Style Wakesurfers
Longboard wake surfboards are great for everyone to ride as the most stable and forgiving platform to learn wake surfing. They are the longest and widest wake surfboards making for easy starts for beginner or heavier riders. If you like a cruisy ride with some sneaky hang fives a longboard is a perfect board. A longboard wake surfer is also the best for small boat wakes. The large surface area means you’ll sit in the sweet spot consistently and have everyone throwing the handle back first go.
- Available for all kinds of level riders
- Available in all price levels
- Made to be stable and forgiving
- A longboard wakesurfer gives you a classic surf feel
Hybrid Style Wakesurfers
Hybrid wake surfboards are a combination of surf- and skim-style wake surfboards and have become increasingly popular. They have the speed and push of surf-style boards but the playful maneuverability of skim-style boards
- Available for all kinds of level riders
- Available in all price levels
- Just what you might imagine: a mix between surf and skim.
- The goal of these boards is to combine the playfulness of a skimboard with the power of a surfboard.
The story of a Wakesurfers Rocker
By setting the board on a flat surface, and looking at the side of the board, you can see that the tip and tail will rise off of that surface – this is a rocker. A Rocker on a wakesurfer is similar to one on wakeboards or skis and snowboards. More rocker will make your wake surfboard slower and tend to plow through the water but react more dramatically with the wave. Less rocker makes the board faster on the wake and gives you a smoother feel.
The story of a Wakesurfers Rails
The rails are the edges of your wakesurf board. The design and shape of the rails affect the way that the board moves through the water, and how it turns. Thinner rails bite into the wave more, offering turning precision – they are quicker and less forgiving. Thicker rails are slower and more forgiving.
Wakesurf board rails can be “hard, “soft” or “blended.” Hard rails mean that the board has an abrupt edge. This gives the board more responsiveness and speed, which is great for more advanced riders. Soft rails, meanwhile, have a somewhat rounded edge. This is also sometimes called a full rail. This makes the board more consistent and stable, great for beginners. Blended rails incorporate both.
The different sizes of Wakesurfers
Wakesurfers are measured in feet and inches like surfboards. There are no strict length recommendations, however, rider weight and wake size offer good guidelines. Other factors that influence size are the shape of the board, rocker, and nose & tail shapes. Below is some information that will help you decide between sizes.
NOTE – If multiple riders will be using the same board it is best to go with a board in the size range of the largest rider. Smaller riders will be able to adapt to riding a larger wakeboard with no problem, but the bigger riders in your group will have a much more difficult time trying to ride on a wakesurfer that is too small for their size.
Reasons to Choose a Smaller Wakesurfer
Smaller wakesurfers are more maneuverable, spry, and faster on the wave. These are an excellent choice for more advanced riders and lighter-weight riders. Big wakes will support the use of a smaller wake surfer.
Reasons to Choose a Bigger Wakesurfer
Bigger wakesurfers have more surface area and more float, which means they work well for heavier riders. If you are riding behind a boat that throws a smaller wake, choose a bigger board. Larger wake surfers move more slowly through the water and are easier for beginners to learn.
The different construction of Wakesurfers
The most basic construction of wakesurfer is a soft foam and fiberglass blend that makes learning to wake surf safe and won’t damage your boat if a first-timer kicks it into the back. Because they’re soft they are quite forgiving but lack the performance of compression molded or epoxy surfer.
Compression-molded fiberglass is the same construction method used in making wakeboards. This makes a stiff surfer with sharper rails that turns and edges far better than soft foam. Fiberglass is more cost-effective to manufacture than epoxy but adds to the overall weight of a wakesurfer making the board slower.
High-end wakesurfers are constructed from epoxy/carbon fiber composites much the same as a modern surfboard. They’re more expensive but so lightweight you’ll have better response and a way better time on the wave. The downside is that like a surfboard these wakesurfers can be quite fragile. It’s definitely worth the performance, you just have to look after it.
The different accessories for Wakesurfing
Big expensive wakeboard boats these days don’t need a lot of help to get you surfing. With automatic ballast and in-built surf gates these boats will put out an impressive wave all on their own. If you don’t have an inboard boat with a surf system there are a lot of products out there to help you build your wake up to wake surf standard.
Ballast bags which can be manually filled and drained using a pump will add weight to your boat and pump up the volume of your wake. You can try this out on the boat yourself using people in place of ballast bags. The more people you pile in the bigger the wake!
The next step is to get a Wakesurf shaper. A wedge attaches to the back corner of your boat at the waterline to help redirect water, giving your surf wave better shape and more power.
Wakesurfer Maintenance
- Keep your wake surf out of the sun for long periods of time. Sun damages gear just like skin
- Always rinse your gear with fresh water after use in salt water
- Protect your investment with a wakeboard bag for storage and transportation.
- Store your gear in a cool, dry location
Contact us for more information
- Call: +371 228067676
- Wattsup
- Email info@waterskis.lv
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