Wear a helmet

SXIPro

JM781 Big Bore
Site Supporter
This is what scares me about flat water flips. Off surf, you not getting "yanked" around...... It is smooth.

Is this true? A flip in surf is easier on the body than a FW flip? Question is coming from an old man who wants to flip but has never ridden surf. How about compared to a V wake?
 
This is what scares me about flat water flips. Off surf, you not getting "yanked" around...... It is smooth.

I can not really compare as I have yet to ride surf, but I would guess this to be true. As a rule you are looking at more horse power and more body motion to get the flips around on flatwater, so it's easier for your feet to come out of holds or hands to come off grips. Both of which end in pain usually.

I've landed on ski face first and had ski land on my head, either time had I not been wearing a helmet i'd be hurting to say the least. Got hit hard enough to black out WITH the helmet on if that tells you anything lol. That was off a big cabin cruiser boat wake though.

No experience on vwakes but i rarely see a clean one so I would think a normal wakeboard wake would be a little easier to time and setup for vs just hucking and praying off a vwake whitewash.

tl;dr i know nothing but flatwater
 

Mike W

Infidel
Location
North Florida
Good lesson learned and glad you didn’t get seriously hurt. After the guy posted a picture of his teeth getting knocked out a while back was enough for me. Helmet 100% of the time, at least while on the Superjet.
 
This is my wear a helmet PSA. Happened over a month ago. I was riding my buddies Rickter Edge.

!!! >>> **** I had basketball shoes on so my feet did not fit in the holds correctly.**** <<<< !!!

......PSA choices...... not helmet

( not saying one should not wear a helmet )

wish u a quick and well recovery
 
Last edited:
This is my wear a helmet PSA. Happened over a month ago. I was riding my buddies Rickter Edge.

!!! >>> **** I had basketball shoes on so my feet did not fit in the holds correctly.**** <<<< !!!

......PSA choices...... not helmet

( not saying one should not wear a helmet )

wish u a quick and well recovery
Couldn’t agree more. If i don’t feel comfortable in the holds, I’m not trying anything. Ive been in some sloppy footholds and i ended up in the ER. If you’re learning new tricks or don’t know the ski %110, put the helmet on.
 
Is this true? A flip in surf is easier on the body than a FW flip? Question is coming from an old man who wants to flip but has never ridden surf. How about compared to a V wake?
its not true. the violence of the flip is determined by the forward speed when you hit the wake. if you're going slow, you just go up and around if you have to yank on the bars and use a lot of body English to flip, there is a greater chance of the ski getting out of your hands or feet. V wakes are the worst since the wake is moving toward you. its like a head on collision. surf flips go south if you hit it too late and its breaking on you or too early and you don't get enough rotation. surf flip landings are usually worse since you get more height.
 

Big Kahuna

Administrator
Location
Tuscaloosa, AL
its not true. the violence of the flip is determined by the forward speed when you hit the wake. if you're going slow, you just go up and around if you have to yank on the bars and use a lot of body English to flip, there is a greater chance of the ski getting out of your hands or feet. V wakes are the worst since the wake is moving toward you. its like a head on collision. surf flips go south if you hit it too late and its breaking on you or too early and you don't get enough rotation. surf flip landings are usually worse since you get more height.
I totally agree on V Wakes, They are brutal. I only did a few back flips of them, Never lost the ski but landed nasty inverted a few times. Hard on the ski's. This was on a std superjet.
 
Just to add to this conversation. Was working on idle flips today and had the ski land on me, for some reason when i hit the water i didn't lock my arms like usual so ski landed right on my face. Hard enough to gash into the carbon fiber of my helmet and leave a nice long streak down my pole. Without helmet that would have been a broken eyesocket at the very least. One of the harder hits I have taken.

tl:dr wear a helmet
 
Any recommendations for a good helmet to buy? I have an old dirtbike helmet I wonder if that could work.
You'd probably find an old MX helmet would fill up with water and end up weighing quite a bit. Most people seem to end up with a downhill MTB helmet (in carbon, if you're flush). I've noticed some people going with lacrosse helmets as they pretty much guarantee protection from facial injuries - the eyeport on MTB helmets is large enough to let part of a 'ski in under certain circumstances. I'm sure others will chime in with specific recommendations.
 

smoofers

Rockin' the SQUARE!!!!
Site Supporter
Location
Granbury, TX
For what it's worth, I have a Snell/DOT approved MX helmet I use for racing skis. I wear it for rec riding too and have never found it to fill up or be excessively heavy or cumbersome.
 
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