A little late in the month but… the May LAKE article Wakeboard equipment: Let’s start with the board and bindings. The board will be a personal preference. You can have a traditional wakeboard or a flexboard, and you can use either a 3-stage rocker or a continuous rocker. Go to demos and ride as many as you can. The bindings are a personal preference of open or closed toe. Usually, you get the option of strings or large Velcro straps for easy in and out. If you do a lot of cable park riding, this is an important choice. Please do yourself a favor and get fitted for your board (not the paper chart on the wall). Boards are not one size fits all, nor are they gender specific, aside from the graphics.
The rope and handle are a critical piece of equipment. Obviously you have to have one to ride, but you should buy a non-stretch rope/handle for safety. The cost is a bit more, but you can really get hurt riding with a traditional stretchy style ski rope due to the recoil of the rope. Plastic coating is optional but worth every penny. Surf ropes are for safety; there is either a tiny handle or knots so that if you fall holding the rope, your arm will not go into the handle and give your shoulder an unpleasant snatch. Trust me. You want to use a surf rope. Usually by the end of April and first part of May, there are demos/clinics the rest of the summer that will offer all ages the ability to test all the equipment from each board company. Each company rep brings the full line, including beginner to pro models of traditional wakeboards and flexboards, and all the rocker styles with all the binding choices.
You’ll get to check out all the wakeskates and wakesurfers they offer, along with every rope and handle combo they sell. Try to take advantage of some free board testing and some good riding tips. See you on the water (or at the demos), Sawyer