WakeHouse's Three Reasons to Upgrade Your Waterski
Before reading this, you might already be thinking to yourself, “my old ski works just fine, why would I want to upgrade?”. Change is hard, but waterskis have made tremendous improvements over the last decade. Whether you are a competitive skier in short line on the course or an occasional free rider, advancements have been made to suit everyone’s needs. Still reading? Good, let’s get to it:
Ski Material:
Let’s break down the evolution of materials used to make a waterski.
Wood: Wood was initially used to create a waterski core in the early days of waterskiing. This was because of it being naturally buoyant and somewhat flexible. It was quickly discovered that this would not be a permanent solution though due to warping.
Fiberglass: Fiberglass was one first manufactured materials to be used and this was favored over wood because of its flexibility and durability. Also, fiberglass can be shaped and formed into different waterski shapes making them faster and more maneuverable.
Fiberglass/Graphite: This combination can also be shaped and formed into a variety of shapes and designs, however it is more lightweight and durable than just fiberglass alone. Because of this, skis made out of fiberglass/graphite material exploded into the market and is a very common choice for most skiers.
Carbon Fiber: This is the newest type of ski which is the lightest and most flexible ski material to date. This type of material is most commonly seen in manufacture’s highest rated skis. Carbon fiber is costly, however it is very thin and lightweight while maintaining incredible strength.
One key thing to note is degradation. Overtime, fiberglass, graphite, and/or carbon fiber will begin to break down and lose performance. You will notice your ski flexing more due to this and losing speed. If you are noticing your ski doing this, that’s an indication to upgrade your waterski.
In summary, the way manufactures build waterskis has changed. The waterski that you bought 10+ years ago might not be the fastest, lightest ski best fitted for you like you once thought.
Technology & Design:
Like material, technology used in a waterski has changed vastly over the years. We could’ve written a whole article on the different fins used, shapes of water ski bases, outer layers on water skis, etc. However – what you need to know is that manufactures are using new advanced technology (yearly at this point) to create a more efficient waterski which requires less effort on your part. Waterskis are now designed with three categories in mind:
- Body type
- Type of skier (Competition skier all the way to first timer)
- Skier speed
One myth is that a waterski that takes less effort to ride leads to decreased performance – false. What advancements in technology have done is create more specific waterskis for the environment that you ski in.
Bindings:
Although tons of advances have been made on this front, finding the right binding system depends on a lot of factors. Those factors are things such as preferred release mechanism, skiing style, comfort, price range, and maintenance of binding. If you took a look at our binding selection , you would see what we are referring too. Bindings break down into three categories:
- Single boot with rear toe piece
- Double boots
- Hardshells
**new to 2016, the Radar HRT.
You will need to assess your current ability level and where you want to take your skiing, but our opinion is that fit is above all most important. Advancement over the years has led to bindings that feel more comfortable and less awkward which makes skiing easier and more relaxing.
If we can some up these three reasons into one sentence, it would be that it is harder to out ride your ski than it ever has been. The latest and greatest technology in waterskis for 2016 will require less energy and effort from the skier while maintaining performance. We know how hard it is to part ways with old faithful but, waterskis on the market today are making it hard not to. Need helping finding the right ski for you? Let us know and we'd be happy to help.