Kneeboards buying guide

Are you looking for a fun water sport that is less physically demanding than wakeboarding? Look into kneeboarding. It allows you to perform safe stunts and enjoy the thrill of wakeboarding. It is relatively safer and requires less physical strength.

As you don't have to stand on the board, you can maintain a better grip and control. However, you have to invest in suitable kneeboards to enjoy the sport.

Good quality kneeboards provide you adequate control and support to perform stunts and enjoy the sport. To select the right fit, you have to look at certain factors.

Investing in an ill-fitted product will ruin your experience and may land you in a challenging situation. So, it is wise to carefully study all the elements before sorting out the best option.

You have to look into the size, weight, style, design, and other additional properties. Gathering information on these features will take up a lot of your valuable time. You have to search through tons of pages online and search the market. Even then, you may end up with wrong facts and details.

On the contrary, a comprehensive buying guide provides you all the information under one roof. You don't have to search here and there. You can quickly analyze all the factors and make and sort out the best board for your expedition.

Moreover, you get answers to several common questions and queries. So, without wasting any more time, let us start with a quick introduction and then move further into this guide.

What do you mean by Kneeboards? Why do you need them?

A kneeboard is a board ridden in a bending or stooping position. Kneeboards are ridden in the sea or pulled or towed behind a boat on a lake or stream.

Kneeboard riders wear life jackets or mostly wet suits and catch the wave by rowing and kicking or plunging their hand in the water. Preferences to kneeboarding incorporate a low focal point of gravity, less wind opposition, the capacity to ride higher and farther back in the cylinders, and taking off on a more extreme aspect of the wave.

You will need a kneeboard to surf the sea or pulled on by a boat in a lake. Many individuals end up with unremarkable kneeboards and do not have to worry about destroying the entire experience.

With these kneeboards, you truly need not worry about them breaking and seamlessly enjoy the kneeboarding experience. They are stunning in pretty much every perspective, and that is actually what makes them such an outstanding choice.

Why should I read this buying guide before purchasing suitable kneeboards?

There are several models present in the market. All the brands gloat over their products to increase their sales. The salesman in the market will never point out the flaw in the particular model.

To sort out the best option, you should have prior knowledge about the product and its characteristics. This will save you from getting duped, and you can invest your money in a suitable board.

By reading this guide, you will get all the information in a streamlined fashion. You can quickly skim through the characteristics and analyze all the models with them. This will allow you to pick a board that will match your requirements and budget.

Let us dive into this immense pool of information so that you can make an informed decision.

Types of Kneeboards

1. Recreational

If you just want to have a simple and fun experience, then the recreational kneeboards will best suit you. This is best for learners and people of all ages.

They are light in weight, so you can carry them smoothly . Also, their delicate froth cushioning makes them unbelievably agreeable to use.

As a little something extra, these recreational kneeboards come with a moderate price value, making them an incredible alternative for first-time purchasers. The smooth edges on it make this board give you an enjoyable ride and is a fantastic choice for individuals looking to develop their abilities and begin rehearsing stunts.

2. Competitive

As the name suggests, this particular variant is developed for the use of experienced borders. These boards are best for professionals who have had a lot of practice.

Obviously, with the excellent quality it provides, the cost is more exorbitant. The boards are made of fiberglass. The material is relatively light in weight and offers a proper response for your actions in the water.

The profile is this, which offers you excellent control. With some experience, you can maneuver the board smoothly and enjoy the activity.

Kneeboarding vs. Wakeboarding

Among the most mainstream water sports, kneeboarding and wakeboarding are practically similar and yet have their own set of particular characteristics. Many people change between these two without an issue.

The decision between the two sports mainly relies upon your experience on the water and other preferences. For instance, if you are new to such sports and need a sport you can start with that poses fewer dangers, then kneeboarding is just for you.

1. Form

The most explicit distinction between them is the structure of the riding board. Kneeboarding involves you kneeling on the board while you're being pulled by the tow, whereas in wakeboarding, it makes you remain standing on the board while being towed by a boat.

You hold on to the tow rope handle with both hands in kneeboarding. But with wakeboarding, you will stand sideways while holding onto the tow rope handle with just one hand.

2. Boards

Both the kneeboard and the wakeboard are diverse in both the size and shape, given that there is a significant distinction in the stance of your body.

Kneeboards are long and practically just flat and thick. This is to increase the buoyancy or lightness of the boards. While wakeboards are flimsy, bent upwards, thin, and shorter than the kneeboards. This provides easy mobility for you.

Kneeboards height ranges between 5-6 feet, whereas a wakeboard is somewhere between 4-5 feet. The stature of a kneeboard is mostly about the same as your height to provide you superb control of the board.

3. Speed

The speed for both the sports ranges around 15-20 mph. You can go a lot quicker with the wakeboard compared to the surfboard.

You do wakeboarding in bigger water bodies and hence achieving speeds as much as 30 mph or significantly higher.

4. Stunts Possible

While both kneeboarding and wakeboarding have little of a significant stunt one can perform, wakeboarding offers the rider a superior situation to do stunts and even more unpredictable ones, along with a lot simpler ones. For kneeboarding, as you are on your knees, doing some unpredictable stunts is a lot harder.

Things to deem about while selecting appropriate Kneeboards

Material

Kneeboards are fabricated using two distinct materials, namely the fiberglass and the other being plastic.

As you do kneeboarding barefoot, it is best to go with the plastic-like material. Fiberglass boards are a lot more hardened with more honed edges, which permit the board to perform stunts more effectively.

The board material is likewise more solid, so a more experienced rider is more suitable for them. Plastic sheets are gentler and hence are lighter. They also have more extensive edges, which makes them simpler to control.

Kneeboards for recreational and proficient use, unlike these materials, will make use of altogether different materials. Since new riders are still learning on their boards, hard plastic is the best and the most relevant choice for recreational sheets. It is strong and also has less weight.

Then again, experts know how to control and move their boards easily. Hence they are better at using them. Along these lines, you regularly find fiberglass as a popular choice for the materials. This is significantly more lightweight and simpler to move through the water.

Hence, while choosing material for kneeboards, you must carefully choose the one which will fit your necessities and expertise properly.

Size

While picking a kneeboard, you need the first figure out who will be using the board. Depending on their stature, decide upon the size of the board.

The size of the board will have a significant influence on the experience and ease of controlling it. If you are not focusing on one individual while getting it, then in such circumstances, you should get one size that will fit almost everyone.

If a person with a small stature takes on one of the kneeboards, then there will be problems carrying and controlling it. In the other scenario where a person with large stature uses a small board, then it will be challenging to control the board.

The size can influence the weight of the board too. Hence you must check which suits you best and lets you enjoy the experience entirely.

Style

You should always pick the style that you need and suits you the best. You should choose the style of the board such that it goes with the style of your riding. There are two basic styles that you can base it on:

1. Slalom

Slalom kneeboards furnish the rider with improved ability at turning and speed. These have honed edges which allow the kneeboard to easily cut through the water.

2. Stunt

Stunt kneeboards have a particular appearance that distinguishes them. This style of kneeboard has a rounder base, and edges are more like round than being sharp. This helps to improve the rider's control of landing stunts and tricks.

Price

Price can affect your choices while buying kneeboards. The range varies between 100$ to 200$.

Eventually, the board you will choose has to provide you full comfort and support, and the price tag should fit your budget.

Depending on your budget, sort out the best option by looking into the quality, material used, and other features and make an informed purchase.

Additional Features

There are a lot of additional features you can expect with the kneeboards. There are many highlights and additions to consider, which you can add to provide better control and comfort while kneeboarding.

Some of these additional features are standard and only for a particular model, while others are something that you can add on to any model of different styles or sizes. The following are the absolute most popular kneeboard highlights.

1. Rocker

The rocker is a significant add-on that you can include when you are looking at gaining the speed on kneeboards. In simpler definition, the rocker of a kneeboard is the estimation of the degree of the bend on the base of the kneeboard.

A high rocker number shows a simpler turning board, while a kneeboard with a low rocker number will represent a more difficult turning board. The lower the number, the quicker it is. The higher this number is, the less speed it has.

A typical rocker on the kneeboards is about 5-6 centimeters.

2. Leg Straps

All kneeboards accompany leg straps that fit over your thighs and keep you held on to the board. This is a fundamental addition you need, as kneeling on board without it will rapidly bring about losing the board often.

The most significant thing to check when taking a leg strap is that it should be comfortable. Also, it must have a cushion, so it does not cut into your legs or cause uneasiness while riding.

Top Kneeboarding tricks

There are a lot of kneeboarding tricks you can perform while on the kneeboards. A major portion of the stunts require turning, bouncing, and side slide. The switch flips, back move, wake 360 front-to-front, all these require a timely movement to successfully do it. You can perform the stunts effortlessly if you have practiced and found a perfect opportunity to perform the stunts.

1. Turning

Once you are comfortable with your boards, then the first thing you have to learn is turning it. It is a fundamental skill that is quite important to learn. All you have to do is lean your head and shoulders to the side you want to turn.

In the beginning, start slowly and keep your arms and hands straight. Practice with a slow and round turn and when you are comfortable with them, start practicing sharp turns.

On the off chance that you need a significantly more sharp turn, then you will have to pull the handle with the end goal that is around your hip region.

2. Surface 360

It is clear from the name that you will turn around by doing a 360 degrees turn.

To do this stunt successfully, turn aside with a focus on the gathering of more speed. Turn towards the side inverse of the underlying one.

On the off chance that the turning is to one side, discharge the hold on the one hand at that point and turn before snatching the rope again. When you pull the cord with your hands, you will turn 360o and complete the stunt.

3. Air

The trick is quite similar to the ollie in skateboarding. To perform this stunt, make the cord tense and form a firm grip over the tow rope. Keep in mind that the string should not be loose.

Press in the downward direction with your knees. This will help you in creating downforce. Now all that is left to is jump in the upwards direction. This will make you jump with the board above the water surface.

4. Wake Front-to-Back

In this stunt, the goal is to ride the board in the opposite direction. Start your movement from the outside of the wake. Make a firm grip over the rope handle, and you move outside of the wake, start making a cut.

As you are going to hit the wake, quit cutting and bounce up with your knees pushing in the opposite direction of your chest. You will get more momentum and weight that will aid your movement.

The second you're airborne, you pull your body in the direction of the wake and handle to the hip region. Lean forward somewhat as you turn until you're confronting the tow vessel.

How To Take Care of Kneeboards?

Cleaning and Storage

Clean with fresh water and keep it away to dry in a shady area or spot. You should keep the kneeboard in a cover. Make sure that the cushions are not damaged in any case.

Also, check the storing place for rodents. They can damage the product severely.

Also, make sure that the board is completely dry before storing it in a secure place.

Care

Keep the board away from the reach of your kids. While playing with them, they can damage it or can end hurting themselves. So, it is advised to keep the board at a secure place where it is not accessible by your kids.

Try not to leave the kneeboard sitting in direct daylight for hours together. It is ideal to return them to their cover to put them under shade.

Toenails will slice or cut into pads. So, cut your nails before using the product to maintain a long life. If you have pets with you, make sure you ensure that you place the board in a spot so they can't run over the board's pad.

Care and Maintenance Instructions

1. Try not to leave your kneeboard exposed to the sun or extreme climate for a longer time. Continuously store your board inside a cover or under a shade when not being used.

2. Always rinse the kneeboards subsequently to remove or eliminate dirt, sand, and the saltwater. Try not to clean boards with abrasive or grating materials. Only make use of cotton cloth to wipe it.

FAQs

1. What is the ideal length of kneeboard straps?

Your kneeboard straps should have an apt length as per the rider's legs. Thus, it is generally dependent on every rider. Thus, the strap manufacturers keep it adjustable so that you get the best fitting strap for everyone.

2. I am a beginner, which is the best kneeboard for me?

Kneeboards tend to be quite tricky to ride while you are a beginner. Thus, you can go for a kneeboard that has softer edges and is thick and wide enough to impart a stable grip. Hence, always make a choice for a thicker kneeboard owing to its ease of maneuverability.

3. Are there separate kneeboards for kids?

Generally, the kneeboards come in one size and have adjustable straps to fit any sized individual comfortably. However, there may be some manufacturers who develop smaller boards, especially for children. If you find them, you can use them too.

4. How to increase the durability of the kneeboards?

Proper maintenance is the key to a highly durable kneeboard. Follow the given steps to ensure that your kneeboard can last for long:

1. Always store the kneeboard in a dry and cold place.

2. Make sure that you clean the kneeboard using fresh water after each time you use it.

3. Never use an abrasive cleaner on the board. This can damage the product and reduce the shine and design on it.

4. Keep it away from the reach of your pets and kids. They can damage the cushion and pad of the product.

5. Keep sunlight away from these kneeboards to guard them against UV rays.

5. Are the non-padded variants a good choice?

Yes, they also provide the same support, control, and speed as the padded variant. They only get under your skin and may decrease the comfort level. If you are comfortable riding a non-padded variant, then you can easily opt for them for your expedition.

Final verdict

With all the information under your possession, all you need is to select the best board for yourself. Here in this guide, we have laid out all the pointers in a well-organized manner.

These pointers define the usability and performance of the product. Skim through them and pin down the best model that caters to your requirements and fit your budget. Pick an elite board and enjoy the sport safely.