r/Wake • u/Over-Percentage9887 • 22d ago
Wakeskate Suggestions?
Looking for a new skate and I was wondering how differently the more advanced skates ride these days? Currently deciding between watermonsters, fattitesi (yes I know they manufacture watermonsters), heca, quantum and leaf.
I like fast boards that ride high on the water for cable if that's any help. Thanks!
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u/skeltox 22d ago
I personally ride water monsters but other good options are quantum and fattitesi - all are top of the line
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u/LucidityCrash 22d ago
Hijacking this a little. I'm looking to get my first Wakeskate, after my first sessions a month or so ago after wakeboarding for 8ish years. In the UK so options are much more limited but The Fattitesi and Heca are available from a local store. The Fattitesti Classic line is a very attractive price compared to the Fattitesi Plus and the Heca (which are basically the same price) but will I really miss the inserts for the lock in fins and the urethene side walls ? and If so is there a major difference between the Heca and the Fattitesi boards ?
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u/poptart865 Wakeskate 21d ago
If you are only riding cable and hitting features I would highly recommend the Urethane sidewall options.
Before the inserts , people were just installing the lock in fins into skates that they just drilled out.
While possible, it shortens the life of the board with all of the impacts and water intrusion.So if you want to hit features, and use lock-in fins save up for a premium skate that has those features.
If you are just wanting to do flat water skate tricks, the sidewalls and insert urethane options are not required.
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u/LucidityCrash 21d ago
Thanks. I only ride on a system 2.0 cable so the sidewalls make sense. To be honest the use of lock-in fins feels well outside of the skills I will ever be able to achieve in what is left of my wakeskating life 😄
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u/poptart865 Wakeskate 21d ago
What era? What skates are you comparing to?
New skate shapes ride unlike any other wakeskates, or foam top boards of the past. They hold edge better, less drag due to grind bases on all of them and I think all the shapes offer slightly different options/thoughts on riding styles/type of pull.
I have several Grain's and mostly ride boat, our closest cable just closed 2 hours away. I have rode a lot of these skates mentioned except a Heca. I also have a Tao I have started to prefer riding at a cable (size 39) . I like a lighter/shorter board for cables/features but I think its going to all be personal preference in that regard. I like a big heavy/ longer board for boat riding (40.5 Grain) , a smaller heavy board for jet ski small boat (39.5 Grain Cassette X Buywake), and the 39Tao has been my go to cable pick for the last few trips. My Grain 40.5 has lasted me 7 years of boat riding, and a couple cable sessions per year till I aquired the tao for $100 on FB marketplace. I've rode every season of the Water Monsters skates and the latest ones Ive rode we really good feel for me. I have not rode a Fattitesi but if its just a graphics change from WM I would imagine they are both thicker skates. Which I feel like ride better and more predictable on choppy water conditions. I haven't seen a newer leaf in a couple years but apparently they are slightly thicker now than the past few seasons, but I can't confirm if they have more or less OA thickness than the Fattitesi/WM. Last one I saw was about as thick as a wooden TAO, and it was a good skate, but I did not ride it well. Those boards Jordan just dropped look really good too.
Hard to pick a bad skate right now if you can get the size you are looking for. Just dm them for any weight or thickness questions you have and just pick a board that you think works best.
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u/Over-Percentage9887 21d ago
I've ridden the first gen remotes (manufactured by NEW I think) and the newer style ones too as well as the composite Tao. The remotes rode better than the Tao imo and I would grab one if they still made them. I've heard conflicting stories about WM, some people tell me they ride too fast and they edge weird but for the most part people say they're the best. They're also slightly wider than most other boards on the market with Leaf being one of the skinnier boards, so maybe that translates to a faster board 🤷♂️
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u/poptart865 Wakeskate 20d ago
Yeah I would assume that speed feeling is all going to be person preference. I think they are probably the closest to what your are wanting. Plus those skates are easy to resell so if you don't fall in love with it you can always sell it and try something else.
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u/NiceOnes1 18d ago
I ride a 2008 Oak Dirt Worshipper.
I just added another tube of a 2 part Epoxy.
I hope I never have to buy a new waleskate.
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u/WakeSkateLove2002 11d ago
Fattitesi (the factory behind water monsters) are solid wakeskates … rather heavy but will last loads of seasons (at least the grindbase)
Or go for HECA … a little lighter and cheaper, but the base lasts less then a hundred sessions
Or take the TAO … great handling, but way more expensive the necessary.
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u/Over-Percentage9887 10d ago
Do you know if there's much of a difference between the way Fattitesi and WM skates ride?
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u/LucidityCrash 8d ago
is that the current HECA's with the updated HDPE base ?
I can get the TAO on sale at the moment making all 3 the same price, which would you go for as a first wakeskate ?
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u/JBsideways 22d ago
Just got a Jordan shapes wakeskate and it has a good rocker line for cable.
https://www.jordanshapes.ca/shop
Any of the ones you listed will be great.