Watersports Gear Guide

The days at the lake may be in the rearview mirror, but that doesn’t mean that summer feeling has to leave just yet. With the holidays right around the corner, this is the perfect gift guide for the person in your life who loves watersports, or to treat yourself to some fresh gear since you’ve been so good this year. Either way, we’re here to provide you with a path forward and a knowledge base so you can find the best gear that is right for you and your loved ones. Speaking of that, there are a ton of awesome new products this year that are sure to make your upcoming days on the water great. Everyone wants to maximize their time out at the lake, and having the right…

Don’t fret: We’re here to help. We’ll assist you in a little self-discovery, walk you through the core concepts of board buying, and share this year’s latest and greatest boards. Armed with that knowledge, you’ll be able to narrow your search to a few select models. From there, head to your local wake shop and ask for some demos, because no amount of reading is an adequate substitute for actually feeling how a board performs beneath your feet. ASK YOURSELF Where will you ride most — behind the boat, in the park, or a combination of the two? What’s your preferred riding style? Do you like a more locked-in feel, or do you prefer more maneuverability? NEED TO KNOW Wakeboards these days are typically designed to ride behind the boat,…

FLEX When we think about flex in wakeboards, we often envision the rail-pressing flexibility of park boards, but every board features some sort of flex, from super soft to super stiff. In fact, board builders design different degrees of flex in different areas of the board to achieve a variety of performance characteristics. Some riders prefer stiff boards while others like a flexible setup. In the end, it all comes down to your personal riding preference. ROCKER “Rocker” refers to the curve profile of a board, and it has a significant impact on a board’s performance. Boards with more rocker generate more abrupt pop off the wake and yield softer landings. Boards with less rocker produce less drag, which makes them glide across the water for more speed. You’ll experience…

Think of your boots as the direct line of communication between your body and your wakeboard. What kind of conversation do you want to have? Stiffer, more supportive boots are more responsive, communicating your movements quickly and more efficiently. Boots with softer flex patterns are more laid-back, providing less-responsive performance but giving you added mobility to poke out your grabs and press deep into rails. To find the perfect boot, start by poring over this primer, and then explore the boots in this section and start matching up your riding style with boots that feature corresponding characteristics. Finally, head to your local watersports outfitter to try them on in store and demo them on the water. ASK YOURSELF Who are you shopping for? Will these boots be for your feet…

Creating an entirely new trend in the watersports industry is not something that happens all the time, but when it does, there’s little surprise when the Slingshot brand is at the forefront. The company, based out of Hood River, Oregon, is known for creating groundbreaking products that push the limits of what people can do on the water. For 2017, Slingshot is making another one of those innovative pushes with the introduction of the Wake Foil. A technology that’s been used in other industries, and even in towed watersports with the “air chair,” it’s now being repackaged and repurposed to fit into the wake market, all at speeds under 15 mph. Riding a Wake Foil is like nothing else, though, and learning to ride one feels as if you’re going…

From classic surf shapes to spin-happy skim-style models, there is no shortage of best-ever boards to suit every style of rider. While that kind of variety can be a little overwhelming, if you know what you want and know what to look for, it’s a great problem to have. ASK YOURSELF What kind of surfer are you? Are you looking for mellow carving sessions, or are you out to attack the wave? Do you want to pop, shove and spin, or is simple slayshing more your speed? Who are you shopping for? Are you buying yourself a board, or do you need something a little more universal for the entire boat? NEED TO KNOW Wakesurf boards typically fall into one of three style categories: surf, skim or hybrid. SURF-STYLE BOARDS…