Whats so different between skates

CrzyTexan · Frontside 180 Joined: 05 May 2006 Posts: 475

whats so different between a cheap hyperlite scape 107 or a integrity? what makes them better? Do they ride better? better pop off the water? easier ride? what makes them so expensive

NotSoBueno · Backside 180 Joined: 16 Oct 2005 Posts: 1806 City: SoCal

this should be interesting

pipo · Backside 180 Joined: 13 Oct 2004 Posts: 1214 City: 0172

The amount of people that ride them.

freerider4 · Backside 180 Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 2462

thank you for your intelligent answers. There are countless things that make them better from the concave, how much rocker the board has, the material that is used to make the board, the dimensions of the board, the weight of the board all of these affect the ride and when you get them all right you get a gret riding board. Not everybody likes the same thing in a board and that is why some people might like a hyperlite while other might like a kampus to totally different board suited for different people.

CrzyTexan · Frontside 180 Joined: 05 May 2006 Posts: 475

thanks freerider, but with a integ would you be able to curve harder and pop better than a cheap hyperlite

dirtyohioriver22 · Backside 180 Joined: 13 Mar 2006 Posts: 1705 City: cincy

u better if its 3 times as much

s34n · Posted: May 07, 2006 2:32 pm Post subject:

CrzyTexan, nope! The price of a board is based mostly on materials it seems. Better materials, more durable deck (usually). It's common sense really.

As far as performance goes, that's all personal. I'm sure some people can pop higher on their K39's (aka the lunchtray) than an Integrity.

DRAGON88 · Dragoon Joined: 01 May 2004 Posts: 1020 City: Portland

What's the difference between a McLaren F1 and a Chevy Caviler?

They both have 4 wheels and go from point A to point B, but Thar's pretty much where the similarities stop.

It's comparing apples to oranges (not just the Integrity, but the scape vs just about any modern skate) As freerider said, the differences are extremely vast. Concave, rocker, size, shape, rails, construction.

That said, being able to do tricks and carve harder rely a lot more on personal skill than the deck you're riding on. If you're just starting out then you'll be fine on the scape for awhile. But as you progress you're probably going to want to step it up to a higher end deck.

At the end of the day it's all personal preference. Your best bet would be to find someone in your area who has an Integrity and ride it for yourself. You might like it, you might hate it.

wakemitch · Posted: May 07, 2006 2:50 pm Post subject:

my first board was a scape and my current board is an integrity.
scapes are flat wood boards. what i mean by flat is that the top of the board doesnt have any concave. concave gives the board better feel and more leverage for better pop. the scapes are also wood which means they wont last forever but they have a feel that most people perfer. wood boards are made out of different plys being pressed together. so if water happens to get inbetween some plys it will cause the board to delaminate. wood boards are sealed but some companies (like hyperlite) use a cheaper sealant and dont seal each ply so the sealant will breakdown over time and will stop protecting your board. scapes, although longer than most wakeskates, have narrow tails which will make it harder for people with 10+ size feet to ride with out catching there toes in the water. The scapes also come with a foam top which is grips well but is a little to tacky in my opinion. the foam makes it harder for me to adjust my stance because of the tackiness. foam is softer than griptape so it doesnt hurt when it scrapes against your legs. most people usually switch to grip tape after awhile for its performance.
Integritys are highend wakeskates built to last. they are made out of a composite material which will not absorb any water. running through the middle of the deck (tip to tail) is a stringer system which adds weigth to the deck where it is needed so it helps the board spin on axis when performing kickflips. on the team deck, the base is made of pbt which is a very durable material that can handle the abuse of rails but will wear out over a couple of seasons. the Pro Model Decks have a dura surf base which is designed to be used on rails. it is highly durable and p-tex candels can be used to repair any gouges that may occur, which means this board can take alot of abuse. on all integrity boards they have reshapeable rails. rails are the sides of the boards. a sharper rail will allow the board to edge hard, ride high on the water, and ride faster. rounder rails, give you more stable ride because the board sinks into the water a little more, it rides a bit slower, and makes lip tricks easier because its harder to catch an edge while sliding the wake. Integrity allows you to customize your rails however you like them by sanding them. this can be done a handful of times so if you change your mind you arent screwed. the integrity has a concave top which allows for better control because the curves give you leverage where you need it. unique to Integrity wakeskates is their pre kick. the pre kick issunk down right before the tail of theboard which gives your feet a nice comfortable pocket for your foot to rest in, and it keeps it a little more locked in. Integrity boards come with pre cut grip tape but it is not applied. Integrity decks also have wider tails than most decks which i like even though i only have size 10 feet. because i like to ride with my back foot all the way at the end.

Schmaltz · Backside 180 Joined: 16 Sep 2003 Posts: 721 City: San Jose

Thanks Wakemitch...
Couldn't have said it better my self...

wakemitch · Posted: May 07, 2006 3:05 pm Post subject:

Schmaltz, see you at the convergance