Wakeboard Ropes Buying Guide
Wakeboarding 
is a high energy sport that takes guts. From balancing to performing tricks and catching sweet air time, none of it would be possible without the proper equipment. And the rope is just as important as the board, as the tighter and stiffer it is, the more capable you are of doing spins, flips and a ton of other impressive moves. To get you on the path to becoming a wakeboarding superstar, start with the rope buying tips here. Then you can hit the water.
The Choices
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Low-Stretch - Like water ski tow ropes, low-stretch wakeboard ropes are usually made of polyethyleneem.
- Low-stretch ropes should stretch one percent in length when working with a normal wakeboarding load.
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No-Stretch - No-stretch ropes are constructed using a different material than water ski tow ropes called Spectraem.
- No-stretch rope is the strongest variety on the market, and it has no elastic properties.
- These ropes generally stretch less than half a percent when under a normal wakeboarding load.
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Multi-Purpose - If you spend most of your time water skiing, there's no reason why your ski tow rope can't double as a wakeboarding rope. But if you acutally want to learn to do tricks on your wakeboard, you may want to invest in a stiffer rope that is specifically designed for wakeboarding.
- If you spend equal amounts of time skiing and wakeboarding, doing both sports recreationally, then a low-stretch, multi-purpose rope is the best of both worlds.
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Handles and Length
- Some wakeboarding ropes have adjustable loops, while others have a fixed length.
- Wakeboard handles have a wider grip than water ski handles, which makes it easier to perform tricks--like passing the handle behind your back--and aerial manoeuvres.
- Wakeboard handles should have either a second smaller handle grip built into the rope, or a rope braid for the rider to hold on to.
- The handles should have neoprene foam floats to keep it on the surface of the water--this makes it easier to find for a fallen rider.
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