How to Choose the Best Wakeboarding Ropes & Handles

Before you just go out and buy any rope you need tothe height of the wake will diminish after a certain
consider a couple of things prior to doing so. The ropedistance. It has been tested by the rope
that you end up buying will have a lot to do with yourmanufacturers that a rope around 60 to 70 feet is the
current skill level and of course your current budget.optimal length to be able to find the place where the
Although a rope will not be a determining factor ofwake is the highest. As it goes as well, ropes that are
whether or not you are going to master wakeboarding,shorter are closer to the boat where the wake is
it will help in your journey to ride better.smaller and the distance between the wakes is closer.
Some things to consider when looking for aAlthough I mention that longer ropes are used by more
wakeboarding rope.professionals, it is worth mentioning that most ropes
Most wakeboarding ropes are made with 2 differentthat are made nowadays have "adjustment loops" for
types of materials.quick adjustments to accommodate any skill level of
1. Polyethylene- Although the word is a tongue twisterriders. And to even confuse you more, if you purchase
it is not a big deal in what it does for you. Basically it'sa rope that doesn't come with the adjustable loops
advantages are that it stretches a little bit more than ayou can always make these yourself.
regular toe rope. This can help a lot when you firstThe importance of the wakeboarding handles:
trying to get up on the wake. Which is the first thingFinding a wakeboarding handle that is comfortable is
that you will want to do when starting out. Withoutgoing to be one of the most important factors when
getting up...there is no riding. So having a rope thatyou go to purchase a new rope. If you will be riding for
stretches a little bit when you are starting out can help,hours and hours you will want to find a rope that will
especially for beginners.not callus your hands too badly. Most wakeboarding
2. No stretch rope made of spectra material- Thisrope handles are usually 13 to 15 inches wide which is
rope is pretty much self-explanatory. The ropes don'tlonger than ski handles. The reason that wakeboarding
stretch that much at all. Professionals usually tend tohandles are longer than ski handles are because of the
want to use these kinds of ropes more than thetricks that are performed when wakeboarding. What I
polyethylene types of ropes. They help to give amean by this is that a lot of the tricks that you will do
professional better performance because they canwhen wakeboarding require you to pass the handle
predict its limits before trying tricks.behind your back.
The importance of the rope length:When purchasing a wakeboarding rope and handle it is
Most of the standard wakeboarding ropes on thegood to try to get the opinion of other riders. If they
market tend to be around 60 to 70 feet in length. A lothave been riding for any amount of time they will
of professionals will prefer having a longer ropeknow the what they like and it will help in your search
because the distance between the wakes will beto find a better rope.
wider further you go away from the boat. However