When it comes to setting up and riding a wakeboard, a big decision you need to make is the width between your feet on the board. Most boards will have 3 or 4 options for you to decide how to set up your bindings.
Of course there is no 'right' answer when it comes to how you set up your stance, but there are a few noticeable differences that can be found.
How are your bindings set up right now?
0%Skinny
0%Wide
0%Somewhere inbetween
WIDE STANCE
In the early days of wakeboarding there was a clear trend of a very wide stance (bindings all the way out). This was largely due to the trends in wakeboarding at the time. Big kicker glides and air tricks meant that going big was the aim of the game and the wide stance is great for solid landings, however over time it quickly became apparent that the wide stance was also a culprit for causing knee injuries. Due to the feet being wider than shoulder width it makes the knees vulnerable to problems around the joint. As time progressed and wakeboarding evolved the wide stance style also started to lose it's charm. The wide legs, big air tricks and kicker glides began to slowly fade out, and the new era of wakeboarding was about to begin.
So what are the pro's and cons of the Wide Stance?
PROS | CONS |
Wide base makes landings more stable | Can be a cause of knee injuries |
More control over nose and tail as feet are closer to each end of the board | Looks a bit whack |
Reliable pop | Spin slower due to legs being wider |
SKINNY STANCE
Skinny stance (bindings all the way in) has over the past few years been becoming more and more popular. In fact we remember when we first started to see other riders moving their bindings all the way in and thinking how ridiculous it looked. Over time with a little bit of experimentation we tested the skinny stance and the difference between the 2 is a completely different riding experience. By having the boots narrower it brings the feet in to shoulder width and allows the knees to bend over the toes. It also allows the board to spin faster as the body is in a bit more of a straight line. This does however have some drawbacks as well. Narrower base makes it easier to fall over the nose and tail on landings, and control of the nose and tail is a little bit more difficult as the feet are not as close together.
So pro's and cons of a skinny stance:
PROS | CONS |
Knees are aligned better reducing risk of knee injury | Easier to fall over nose and tail |
Able to spin faster | Landings can feel a little bit heavier |
More nose and tail available for presses and rails | Less control of nose and tail of the board |
So in conclusion, what would we recommend? Depending on your riding style, a mid width stance is usual the best to go for. Combining the pro's of both all out & all in the mid width stance has you covered but of course feel free to try the different combinations.
To be completely honest with you the best thing about wakeboarding is that there ARE NO RULES. It really is what you make of it. Go and experiment, don't be scared to try and know that there is no right or wrong, ride how you like it!
DID YOU FIND THIS HELPFUL?
CONSIDER JOINING OUR COMMUNITY!
Comments