So the rocker line of a wakeboard is a very crucial aspect of the board’s overall design and performance. The rocker line refers to the curvature of the board from it’s tip to it’s tail, and this determines how the board will behave on the water.
Continuous Rocker Line
A wakeboard with a continuous rocker is one that has a smooth, consistent curve from the one end of the board to the other end. This type of rocker is generally preferred by riders who like to maintain a smooth, stable ride with the smallest amount of changes in speed or direction. Continuous rocker lines are typically found on your beginner- to intermediate-level wakeboards, as they are easy to ride and forgiving when you make a mistake. An example of a board with a continuous rocker line is the Slingshot Nomad.
Advantages
- Reliable and predictable performance, “more forgiving”: Great for beginners. Because there is no specific “sweet spot” like on a 3-stage board, timing can be a little off on a continuous rocker board and riders will still get consistent pop.
- Softer landings: The curve from end to end really helps disperse water on impact. (Great for my old knees!)
- A little faster: Maintains good speed in to the wake.
- Longer jumps: Versus a three-stage, you might sacrifice some height on a jump, but additional speed and a more mellow pop carries the rider farther.
Disadvantages
- Forgiveness may hurt technique: Continuous rocker wakeboards provide a larger margin of error for riders. Because of this, a rider might more easily develop bad habits because the board will react similarly even if technique isn’t quite perfect.
- Less vertical “pop” off the wake: Continuous rocker boards tend to send riders farther across the wakes but not quite as high.
3 Stage Rocker Line
On the other hand, a wakeboard with a three-stage rocker, has a much more pronounced curve with a steeper rises towards the ends of the board, with the middle of the board completely flat. This type of rocker is designed to provide more pop (lift) off the top of the wake, allowing you to do bigger and more powerful tricks. A wakeboards with a three-stage rocker are generally preferred by your more advanced riders who are looking for a more aggressive and responsive ride from their board. The Slingshot P.O.P is a board with a 3 stage rocker line
Advantages
- Great wake-to-wake performance: 3-stage boards have excellent wake to wake performance. Many disadvantages of 3-stage boards go away if someone is jumping from one wake to the other consistently.
- More vertical “pop”: The big, flat spot in the center of a three-stage rocker board gives a more aggressive, upwards pop off of the wake. It allows for a little more hang-time.
Disadvantages
- Higher-impact landings: While the flat spot gives more pop off the wake, it also comes at the expense of being a little more abrupt to stop when a rider lands in the flat-water. This leads to higher impact and stress on a rider’s legs.
- Less forgiving: 3-stage boards, by design, have a “sweet spot” to maximize pop off the wake. If a rider has poor technique or timing, they may not see consistent performance from the board.
- Slightly slower: This is entirely dependent on a specific board’s design, but in general 3-stage rocker boards ride a bit slower than continuous rocker boards.
Hybrid Rocker Line
Wakeboards with a hybrid rocker, gives you a combination of both the continuous and three-stage rockers. The curve of the board is more pronounced near the ends of the board and tapers off into a flatter section towards the middle. Hybrid rockers offer a good balance of stability and pop (lift), making them a popular choice for intermediate to advanced riders. The KD Maverick board is an example of this.
Advantages
- Offers great features from two other board styles: A hybrid rocker line achieves the goal of offering a mix of the other board styles. A slightly more abrupt kick off of a wake than a true continuous rocker board, but less than a three-stage.
Disadvantages
- A mix may not be best: If you are committed to a specific style of riding, you might want to commit to a three-stage or continuous board. Hybrids do well at both, but if your personal preference is to lean-heavily in to say aggressive wake-to-wake riding, a three-stage might be a better bet.
Which Rocker Profile is Right For You?
The type of rocker that will be best for you can be determined by a few different factors including your riding style and your experience level. The rocker line also affects how the board will carve and turn. A board with a flatter rocker will have a longer, more drawn-out turn, while a board with a more pronounced rocker will have a shorter, more aggressive turn.
Hopefully this little guide about what the different wakeboard rocker lines means gives you a better insight into these board styles. Next time you go for a ride or are shopping for a new board, you’ll know what to look for based on how you like to ride.
While rocker lines help define how a board rides, ultimately the best way to make a decision on what to buy is to try and ride different boards. Much of wakeboarding is down to personal preferences.
With that been said, check out the wakeboards we have on offer!!
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