The 8 Best Wakeboards for Every Rider

There’s fun to be had on just about every body of water as long as you have a wakeboard under your feet. In the past few years, wakeboard brands have been going head-to-head to see who can come up with the most innovative designs for the season—the wakeboard market has never been more exciting.

Whether you’re looking for the best model for clearing the wake behind a boat or preparing for a day out at a cable wake park, I’ve selected the best wakeboards for every budget and skill level.

Best Wakeboards

• Best Overall Boat Board: Ronix One Blackout
• Best Value Boat Board: Liquid Force Trip
• Best Women’s Boat Board: Ronix Quarter ’Til Midnight
• Best for Beginners: Best for Beginners
• Best Overall Park Board: Hyperlite Pleasure

The Expert: I have over 20 years of wakeboarding experience and have tested over a dozen wakeboards of various makes and models. My childhood summers were spent wakeboarding on any lake my dad could launch his boat, with California’s Bass Lake as our home base. Later, I cofounded my university’s wakeboard team as an excuse to test out new wakeboards and ride as often as possible.

Today, I wakeboard behind any boat that will take me in the tropical waters of Fiji. My love of watersports led me to create The Salt Sirens, a website devoted to water-based action sports. I also consulted professional wakeboarders Liam Peacock and Harley Clifford for their recommendations and advice.

What to Consider

Length and Shape

Length is one of the most important factors when choosing the right wakeboard. Most wakeboard brands release a size chart that correlates a rider’s weight to the most suitable board length. “If you’re taller and heavier, you will want a bigger board (150 to 153 centimeters),” professional wakeboarder Liam Peacock says. “If you’re a little kid who is learning, you’ll want something like a 128 to 132 cm size board.” A rider who is between 130 and 180 pounds should look at a wakeboard in the 135 to 139 cm range. When in doubt, err on the larger size of the scale.

The curve of the bottom of the board, called the rocker, influences how a wakeboard will ride. Wakeboards tend to come in two rocker types: continuous and three-stage. A continuous rocker connects edge-to-edge in a smooth arc. A three-stage rocker has a flat base with upturned edges. Continuous rockers are generally more predictable to carve, track well, and are easier to land jumps with. Three-stage rockers are ideal for getting extra height when popping off the wake and can have a more playful feel on the water.

Like on a snowboard, bindings secure your boots to your wakeboard. Some wakeboards come as a package with boots included, but others are sold as the board only. Make sure to budget for the additional cost, and purchase boots within the size range of your running shoes.

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Boat vs. Cable Park Board

Gone are the days where you need a boat to go wakeboarding. As cable wake parks become increasingly popular, wakeboard brands are adapting their boards to suit different terrains. Boat wakeboards tend to be stiffer and have molded fins that help the rider track behind a wake. Cable boards tend to have a flexible wood core and reinforced grind bases for durability on boxes and rails.

Skill Level

Professional wakeboarder Harley Clifford advises wakeboarders to choose a board with features that match their skill level: “Do you want a board that feels fast on the water, do you want a board that tracks into edges easily, or do you want a board that’s forgiving?” Answering these questions will point you in the right direction. Beginner wakeboards tend to be stable and easy to maneuver. Intermediate to advanced boards allow more flexibility in riding style, catering to tricks and jumps—though they’re not the most forgiving if you land at a wrong angle or encounter chop.

How We Evaluated

These board choices reflect my years of expertise and experience, podium-winning models used by pros, best-selling models from trusted brands, as well as wakeboards that have scored high marks at outlets such as Alliance Wake. I also checked wakeboard forums to ensure I considered all the top models. During my evaluation, I factored in durability, brand reputation, value for the money, and how accurately each wakeboard performed within its type.