Wakestyle/freestyle: Choose your boots and board

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Door: lefrang1 / 13 April 2013 / 20:11 / 8911 Hits / 0 Reacties

French version here.

There is a trend towards the use of boots on the PKRA and outside. The wakestyle contests grown up (triple S, roke jam, Slider party ....) so boots become fashionable.

Yes, but how to equip? This is the dilemma for us, who are unprofessional riders. It's hard to try boots at shop test. It is therefore difficult to make the best choice.

For help a bit, here is what emerges from the various exchanges on the beach, on the forums, and with the pro riders who play the game. (Sroll for the surprise)

Choosing your board :

Choicies are huge and you get lost a little. Today among all boards of the major manufacturers are compatible with boots.

We hear often that size does not matter, in wakestyle (a bit like the kite in general) is completely wrong! The choice size of the board is an important thing because with boots, if you put too small, it can quickly disgust you.

To make a shortcut, take one size above what you ride in straps.

The general trend is:

For a weight ranging from 60 kg to 75 kg prefer a size between 136 and 139 / width between 40 and 43.
To a weight of from 70 to 80 kg prefer a size between 137 and 141 / width between 40 and 43.
A weight> 80 kg take the greatest as possible.

Concerning the choice of shape. There are wakestyle boards very effective for this use, but their high rocker (banana shape of the board) pushes more water, so a low range further back. However they are lot more comfortable in shopy watter and rocker brings a lot of handling so do not hesitate choose a bigger size.

Boards more strained (rocker moderate to low) provide better planing, higher speed and explosive pop. But it can hurt more your knees. It is therefore wise to choose this option knowingly. Boots already stiffen the report between the board and water, so a stretched board further accentuates this feeling.

However, there are boards with a low rocker and important flex. It can be a good compromise between low end and confort.

In summary, the water, frequency of use, size / weight and especially your navigation style influence the choice of size.

Choosing your boots:

The choice may seem large but in reality it is easier than it seems. You have two kinds of boots open (open toe) or closed (closed toe).

Open toe advantages:

Easy in sizing without trying.
We keep the contact with water on the skin.
Possibility to use winter boots in.
No sand remains in the bottom of the shoe / rinsing easier.
Your friends can try it.

Open toe drawbacks:

Less support than a closed toe.
Foots can slide on hard landed.
A little less stylish.

Closed toe advantages:

Support and maintains much more.
Stylish look.
An adjustment to your size.

Close toe drawbacks:

The sand rushes easily.
If your friends are not the same size, they can't try.
Difficult to choose the size without trying, so you can go wrong.

The last thing is the choice of the clamping system. Laces or velcro. The velcro have the advantages of not walking, laces have uniform maintains.

In summary, this article includes a panacea to choose his ideal quiver but I hope will guide more hesitant in the right direction.

The choice is yours.

To get an idea to accord board size and weight, here is a list of pro-riders using boots. First of all, I want to thank all the pro riders who have agreed to answer questions about their measurements. The following list is intended to be the most concrete to support this article.

Wakestyle riders: