When starting out in the sport, it’s important to ask yourself “What size wakeboard should I be buying?” Well, whether you’re looking to buy a new board or just ride a hire board at your local club or lake, it’s important that you choose the right size board for yourself. Riding a wakeboard too big or too small can make your journey a lot harder, and therefore, a lot less fun.
Different wakeboard manufacturers will have different guidelines for choosing the right size board, but fortunately there is a general guide to follow.
To put it simply – the heavier your body is, the larger the board you’ll need. More body weight requires a larger surface area to keep you on top of the water. OK, enough of the science, here is a table of bodyweights with suggested board sizes:
| YOUR WEIGHT | WAKEBOARD SIZE | |||
| < 100 lbs | or | < 45 kgs | = | < 130 cm |
| 90 – 150 lbs | or | 40 – 70 kgs | = | 130 – 134 cm |
| 130 – 180 lbs | or | 60 – 80 kgs | = | 135 – 139 cm |
| 170 – 250 lbs | or | 75 – 115 kgs | = | 140 – 144 cm |
| 200 – 275+ | or | 90 – 125+ kgs | = | > 144 cm |
You’ll see there are a few weights that overlap, so if you do ride at a cable park or club, and do get a chance to try out a few different sized boards, then it should help you choose the right one for you.
OTHER FACTORS THAT MAY INFLUENCE YOUR CHOICE OF WAKEBOARD SIZE
Your skill level will also have an impact on the size of wakeboard that’s most suited to you. Some regular riders prefer a board at the shorter end of the scale and others will prefer a longer board.
A shorter board is generally slower on the water as there is less surface area for the board to glide over the surface so can be harder work. On the plus side though, it’s easier to spin and easier to land when you’re riding a smaller wakeboard.
The opposite can be said of the longer boards, they are generally quicker on the water and easier to learn on as they have a greater surface area and won’t sink so easily, BUT, the fact they are larger means they are heavier and therefore harder to perform tricks on. Larger wakeboards can also be harder to land when coming back down to the water after any air or trick on an obstacle.
Taking the above into account, if you are new to the sport, don’t think that you should ultimately buy a longer board to learn on. If you do intend to ride regularly or you have lots of experience of other board sports (snowboarding in particular), then you may find that you outgrow the board too soon and wish you’d gone for something slightly smaller.
If you are a complete beginner then it’s always wise to learn on a hire board to get the feel for it. And possibly more importantly, make sure it’s not a quick fad that you will soon tire of, wakeboards and bindings can be expensive pieces of kit to be left sat in the garage collecting dust.