Champion Easy Rider Water Skis Nash Mfg Inc Fort Worth

Popular Mechanics; Courtesy O'Brien

Water skis are a great way to up your summer fun on the water. Over the years, they've become increasingly specialized, from simple wooden planks to fiberglass and carbon construction, with impressive technical engineering. The advances help make it easier for beginners to learn to ride, give slalom skiers the ability to cut sharp, crisp turns, and allow trick riders to perform all kinds of jaw-dropping stunts.

But with so many fantastic models on the market, even those with tons of experience in the sport can have a tough time choosing water skis. That's why we're sharing a collection of our favorites for riders at every level, plus provide a complete shopping guide to help you find the right model.

The Best Water Skis

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  Best Overall Adult Beginner Skis

  Blast Combo Skis HO Sports

  Read More

• 

  Best Value Combo Skis

  S-1300 Combo Skis Airhead

  Read More

• 

  Best Upgrade Combo Skis

  Celebrity Combo Water Skis O'Brien

  Read More

• 

  Best Overall Slalom Ski

  Aspect Slalom Ski Connelly

  Read More

• 

  Best Aggressive Rocker

  Rhyme Combo Water Skis Rave

  Read More

What to Consider

Since there's a wide variety of water skis used for a range of specific purposes, there are a lot factors to consider before you buy. Here, we'll discuss the basics: skier ability, ski type, size, and materials. For more specifics on the anatomy of water skis, scroll down below our reviews for our explainer.

Skier Ability

If you're an advanced waterskier, you know if you need a trick, jump or slalom ski setup for going fast and carving hard. If you're just getting into waterskiing or getting skis for family and friends, you're going to want a set of combo or training skis. Larger, heavier riders should look for skis with a wide width.

Ski Type

The majority of skis covered in this piece are combo, trainer and slalom skis, which are the most popular types of waterskis on the market. However, we also discuss more specialized types as well.

Combo/Trainer
Beginner water skiers will want combo or trainer waterskis. These come in pairs. Trainers, which are typically offered for kids, are connected with stabilizer bars to help keep their feet together as they learn how to waterski. Combo skis usually have one ski with two bindings and a second with a single binding. This allows the ride transition from two skis to one as they get more comfortable waterskiing.

Slalom
Slalom skis are sold as singles and have two bindings. They're intended for intermediate to advanced water-skiers who like playing in the wake, going faster, carving, and maybe doing some small jumps or tricks.

Trick
Trick waterskis are smaller, fatter, and rounder than other waterskis. They usually have a flatter bottom, allowing the rider to glide over the water whether going forward, backward or sideways. Sometimes these are sold in pairs, other times they're sold as solo skis. Trick skis also don't have fins (more on that below). On solo trick skis, the rear binding is canted at an angle, much like on a snowboard, to allow for better positioning during tricks.

Jump
Jump skis are specialized, longer wider planks, like their snow counterparts. They're made for stability under speed and maximum lift.

Size

Most water skis for adults range from 59 to 72 inches long, except for trick skis, which are shorter.

In general, riders 100 pounds or less do best with a ski that's between 59 and 63 inches; those in the 105-145 weight range may want to consider skis between 63 and 66 inches long; riders from 150-190 pounds will likely do well with skis from 66 to 68 inches long; and those 190 pounds and up typically need skis from 68 to 72 inches long, unless they're wider and specifically designed for larger people.

This is just a guide, as a several factors can influence the size you choose, including boat speed, whether you're buying combo skis or a slalom ski, and a skier's build.

Materials

Water skis have come a long way since the original wood planks of the 1920s. Today they're composed of a variety of buoyant materials, including polyurethane foam, fiberglass, graphite and carbon fiber. Fiberglass is found in many water skis. High-end, more expensive waterskis will consist of layers of graphite and/or carbon fiber, which can enhance ride quality and shock absorption.

How We Selected

We carved through the wake on the ponds, used our experience with skiing, and researched for hours, scouring the best offerings in every category of water ski that are currently available. We based our final selections of water skis from reputable brands, including O'Brien, Rave Sports, and Connelly, as well as on customer and professional reviews.

Best Overall Adult Beginner Skis

HO Sports

Blast Combo Skis

Best Value Combo Skis

Airhead

S-1300 Combo Skis

Best Upgrade Combo Skis

O'Brien

Celebrity Combo Water Skis

Best Overall Slalom Ski

Connelly

Aspect Slalom Ski

Best Aggressive Rocker

Rave

Rhyme Combo Water Skis

Best Premium Advanced Slalom Ski

CWB

Connelly V Slalom Water Ski

Best for Larger Riders

CWB

Connelly Big Daddy Waterski

Best Advanced Combo Skis

O'Brien

Reactor Water Skis

Best for Kids and Teens

O'Brien

Jr Vortex Widebody Combo Water Skis

Best for Small Children

O'Brien

Kids Platform Trainer Waterski

The Anatomy of a Water Ski

In the beginning of this story, we shared an overview of basic considerations to take into account before shopping for water skis, including the different types of skis, what to look for based on your ability level, and how to figure out sizing.

Here, we've taken a deeper dive to cover design specifics — the subtle tweaks manufactures make that can greatly effect performance, particularly for advanced skiers.

Base
The base of a water ski is important to consider for stability and ride quality.

V-Shape
A V-shaped bottom is found on beginner skis. Like the keel of a boat, they help the ski stay upright and straight, making it easier for riders to keep their feet under them. They're not made for sharp carving and fast riding.

Tunnel Concave
This is for more intermediate skiers. Tunnel concave bases curve inward toward the center, giving more contact area with the bottom of the ski while carving. However, toward the edges, the concavity flattens out, allowing a flat surface for riding straight.

Full concave skis are for experienced skiers who go fast and spray a fat rooster tail as they carve water. The concave surface is adept at ensuring maximum surface contact with the water, no matter what angle the ski is in relation to the surface.

Trick skis are more likely to have a subtle concavity or flat bottom. This allows them to glide over the water and spin or do other surface maneuvers.

Bindings
For slalom and solo skis, water skis have two bindings, one in front of the other. Trick skis, as previously mentioned, have a rear binding canted at angle. Skiers will change the angle for the left or right foot.

Combo skis have one ski with two binding and the other with a single. That allows the skier to put their dominant foot forward as they transition to riding on one ski.

With the exception of universal bindings on combo skis, which are the most adjustable, most bindings are sold in a range of styles and don't necessarily come with the skis. Check with the binding manufacture to ensure the best fit.

Edge
Fatter, rounder edges are designed for starter skiers. They're made for gradual turns. Small edges combined with concave bottoms are designed for tighter, more precise turns preferred by advanced riders.

Fins
Fins slice through the water providing more stability as you ride. They're not common on trick skis, but even jump skis will have them.

Chris Meehan Chris Meehan is an internationally published writer, author, and editor with more than two decades of professional experience.

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Source: https://www.popularmechanics.com/adventure/outdoor-gear/g40220017/water-skis/

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