Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

Wakeskates, How do you start out?


gonorth

Recommended Posts

Picked up a wake skate, anyone got any advice on ways to get up on one of those things? Do you need those special shoes or can you go barefoot?

It is a Hyperlite Escape 107, is it any good? Sufficient size for 150# girls?

Link to comment

Should be plenty big. That board has a foam top, so you can go barefoot, but shoes would make it better imho. I've done both on a foam top skate and going with shoes is better. I would recommend water shoes though as normal shoes tend to get VERY heavy and water shoes are usually closed foam and drain better.

Starting out isn't too hard if you've wakeboarded or surfed. Same concept as the surfboard...get a little pressure from the boat, flip the board under your feet and when you get in the same position as a wakeboard start, hit it and you'll pop up. Check this out. Wakeskating.com has other good stuff too, check it out.

Link to comment

I like Old Skool Vans for wakeskating... :thumbup: ...all canvas (so they don't get heavy) and pretty cheap ($ 29.95 at the Vans Outlet).

Getting up is just like a wakeboard but I like to move my feet out closer to the ends of the board than they are on a wakeboard. My feet are probably about the same distance apart but the board is shorter... :unsure:

Be ready for some entertaining crashes. :biggrin: The board will feel really loose compared to a wakeboard. One last thing...you might want to think about picking up a helmet (if you don't already have one). With a skate you have a much better chance of taking a board to the head... :surprised:

Link to comment

You really do want to wear shoes - it's much more comfortable. If you don't want to lay out the cash for real wakeskate shoes or spend the $29.00 for Vans mentioned above, there is an alternative. Grab an old pair of tennis shoes that you have around the house and don't mind "converting" into wakeskate shoes. Drill four or five holes through the soles for the water to escape and *presto* ...wakeskate shoes.

BTW, wakeskating is a lot of fun. It's like learning to wakeboard all over though. Getting up, crossing the wake and jumps are brand new again.

Link to comment
I like Old Skool Vans for wakeskating... Thumbup.gif ...all canvas (so they don't get heavy) and pretty cheap ($ 29.95 at the Vans Outlet).

Getting up is just like a wakeboard but I like to move my feet out closer to the ends of the board than they are on a wakeboard. My feet are probably about the same distance apart but the board is shorter... :unsure:

Be ready for some entertaining crashes. Biggrin.gif The board will feel really loose compared to a wakeboard. One last thing...you might want to think about picking up a helmet (if you don't already have one). With a skate you have a much better chance of taking a board to the head... Surprised.gif

And you gotts love the styling. You be stylin', man!

Link to comment

Those Vans look like something out of 'Happy Days'. Thanks for the tips, those other sites will be usefull. I gotta go to Lake Elmo Sports pretty soon for some spectra line so I will check out helmets then. Been wacked a few times in other places from knee boards, I bet those other areas could be at risk with wake skates too. :blush:Shocking.gif

Link to comment

Shoes are a MUST.

I use some Teva river shoes that almost grip too well...

Getting up is the same as a wake board...except you hold the board to your feet with your hand and idle the boat. The force of the water will then hold it to your feet so you can grab the handle with both hands and off you go....

Easy on the throttle though....

Edited by RoverOn
Link to comment

The one thing I wouldn't suggest as far as shoes go is picking up a cheap pair of skate shoes from Target or Walmart. Even after drilling holes in the sides and bottom, they still held enough water in the cushioning to make my feet like 2 lead bricks. I went and got some Reef Byerly II's after that and absolutely love them. I haven't been skating for long, but I'm having a total blast. It's great fun.

Link to comment
No way, those Vans are from Fast Times at Ridgemont High...One of the best classic movies!

Rockon.gif

Did you know you can go to Vans.com and order those checker board shoes in custom colors. Talk about retro :)

Link to comment

So for those of you that do a lot of skating, do you always wear shoes? Better grip I assume? In your opinion, how does that affect the possibility of serious injury? I made the comment that I may take up skating, but someone told me that it was actually more risky than wakeboarding for tearing ligaments & such. Comments?

Link to comment

On one hand, with your feet not attached, you reduce the risk of twisting knee type injuries. On the other hand, with your feet not attached, you run a greater risk, imho, of your feet landing back on the board at an awkward angle or with a stiff leg. I can easily see injuring an ankle much easier on a skate than a wakeboard. I haven't been doing it very long, but the board can do some crazy stuff when you get air or your feet are off of it for any number of reasons (shuvit's, kick flips etc). I think it depends on how you'll ride and what tricks you'll attempt. It feels safer to me than wakeboarding, but I'm sure as I progress, that will change.

I always wear shoes, it's just more comfortable on the board for me and yes, it does give you more surface area in contact with the board and, in turn, more grip. If you have grip tape board, shoes are necessary or you'll tear your feet up.

Link to comment

I have a foam board too, and shoes definitely help. You don't absolutely need them with that top, but it still feels better. You might find yourself stubbing toes without shoes on... Crazy.gif My daughter rides without shoes, but she wants to get a pair of water shoes to use. I bought a foam top board to help stop abrasions from the grip tape hitting shins etc.

Link to comment

Thanks for all the good info. It is frustrating right now since the skate is siting in the living room with the wrap still on it waiting for a good day to take it out. Every time it is good the daughter has volleyball practice or a game or I can't get loose. Tonight we are both free but clouds are here and storms are predicted. arg, fall is a beautiful time to get out if you can time it right.

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

We finally got out today. My daughter finished volleyball and basketball isn't going too hard yet. I was available and it was a nice day. Air temp got up to 63 and the water was 49. I know cold for a lot of you but pretty darn nice for mid October in Minnesota.

Anyway, Tina did just as instructed above and she got up on the first time for the three runs that she did. Two of the three whe skated till she let go but on the middle run we hit some waves and she lost it. She really liked it, said she felt more free than with a wakeboard but was a little careful not to get too wild and have it slide out. She did several cuts back and forth thru our wake but not too agressive and I did not have the wedge deployed. It was a fun day, at least till we got home and I started to winterize the boat. Kind of a bittersweet ending to a really nice day.

Link to comment

Ah cool...she's going to love it. You don't really need much of a wake right away. Just get her used to the feel of the board and start doing some suface stuff since the board is so slick. 180's, lip slides, surface 360's...it's all fun for starters. Then she can gradually learn to get that harder edge and pop a few ollies and what not. Have fun!

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...