How To Choose The Best Wakeboard Size For You
When buying a new wakeboard, size matters! But exactly what size is best? Read our quick guide and view our wakeboard size chart to find the perfect size for you!
When it comes to a choosing a wakeboard, size is crucial. A board that's too small will feel like it's sinking, making you work harder and meaning the boat needs to go faster. A board that's too big can simply be too hard to control.
So how do you choose the right size wakeboard? Read on to find out exactly that, plus some more helpful information to help you better understand wakeboard sizing.
How are wakeboards measured?
Wakeboards are measured in length with the size (e.g. 135) representing the length in centimeters from tip to tail. Each board designed by a manufacturer will come in a range of different sizes, each size often separated by 4-5cm.
When comparing two different model wakeboards, don't get too caught up in a difference of 1-2cm. It's usually those 4-5cm gaps where a more significant difference can be felt on the water.
What size wakeboard is best?
As a starting point, we recommend using the wakeboard size chart below.
Rider weight (kg)
20-35kg
30-45kg
40-65kg
60-80kg
75-95kg
90-115kg
115kg+
Board size (boat)
115-125cm
125-130cm
128-135cm
133-139cm
137-142cm
140-145cm
144cm+
Board size (cable)
125-130cm
130-136cm
133-139cm
137-144cm
142-148cm
146-152cm
150cm+
Stick to the chart and your shouldn't have any issues at all, but there are some other considerations:
Don't be afraid to size up
We've kept this chart fairly traditional, but our experience is that going up a size can be beneficial. A bigger board will offer more surface area which helps riders of all levels.
For beginner-intermediate riders, you'll find more surface area provides better stability while more advanced riders find a larger board can provide more pop and enables you to slow the boat down, boosting the wake a little.
It might not be for everyone, but it's something we recommend to just about every customer that we speak to.
Choosing the right size wakeboard for kids
Kids are tricky. Much like buying life jackets, it's uncanny how often you buy something that they outgrow in about 4.3 days.
To that end, we urge you to follow our previous point and size up. You could make an argument to jump two sizes purely from the point of longevity and getting more seasons from your gear.
That approach can trade off some performance in the short term so if you're more focused on progression then stick to a more traditional size, but if you'd rather not buy a new board every season have a look at going up a size or two.
Why are cable boards longer than boat boards?
If you're on the hunt for a cable board, you'll notice the chart above recommends larger boards for cable compared to boat. The primary reason here is speed. Behind a boat, most adults will ride around 22mph, whereas most cables are 3-4mph slower than that.
As you slow down, you need more surface area under your feet to support your weight on top of the water.
Larger boards on cable also provide a little more stability on obstacles and can help keep momentum with heavy landings off kickers and from air tricks.
What next?
When it comes to choosing the right wakeboard for you, size is important but it's not everything. You should also give some consideration to construction, rocker, and riding style.
Luckily, we have a comprehensive guide on buying the best wakeboard! Click here to read it.
If you think you've got all the information you need, you can browse our range of wakeboards here.
