wakeboarding

Liquid Force creates a brand new construction process to create the lightest Liquid Force boards ever.

Here’s the blub from Liquid Force:

Whether you want the all around smooth feel of a Watson, the fast and explosive
feel of a Lyman, the playful yet aggressive feel of a Shane, or the aggressive yet
forgiving feel of Phillip’s all new S4, the F.L.Y. Series is guaranteed to take your riding
to levels never experienced!

Precision CNC milled PVC cores
- Compressive strength without the dead weight in the center
- A new construction process to yield the lightest Liquid Force boards EVER!

Internal multi- layered stringer system
- Superior strength with a lively spring

Translucent graphic substrate material
- Provides a window into the tech while reducing weight

Available on 8 Liquid Force PRO models
- Freedom of choice in our highest offering

F.L.Y. Series 2 pack inserts
- Less Material equals less weight!
- Stance options are the “Sweet Spot” stance options preferred by the pro whose name is on the board

The boards must be good, but are the pro’s actually using them??
For more information see www.liquidforce.com

Summer is coming for the Northern Hemisphere, Liquid Force are quick to roll-out the summer 2009 boardshort collection.  Support the industry that you enjoy,  forget the surfing labels and buy wakeboarding gear.

For more boardshorts see LiquidForce.com

The Liquid Force Limited Edition Bindings are considered by Liquid Force to be the “future of performance wakeboard specific footware”.
Do we think so?   We’ll let’s start with a look at the Limited Edition Bindings Specifications.

Air Ride Technology
Full length airbag cushions the biggest landings with ease and will not pack out or harden over time.

Integrated Plate
Integrated chassis and plate removes unnecessary hardware and weight.

Open Base Tec hnology
Baseless bindings allow for your foot to be closer to the board, while still offering more cushioning underneath your foot.

Aloy Suport Beams
Specific hardened alloy support beams provide an ultralight and rigid base eliminating heel lift commonly associated with light weight boots.

Liquid Fit Technology
No heat molding necessary. Exclusive blend of ultralight foam that forms to your foot after a few rides. Mold your boots to your riding stance rather than a relaxed position in a shop.

So is it a gimmick?  We’re not sure unlike the Air in Nike shoes that was always a draw-card when you are running on concrete surfaces – with wakeboarding you’re landing on soft water.  Having said this if you want to potentially save the knees, look super-fly and spend the extra USD$50, we say why not upgrade to the limited… unless you hate the lack of colours.

The drawcard, these new bindings are made specifically for the new 2009 Liquid Force wakeboards and boards with a 6” insert spread – if this is you, (ie you have 7″ pr 8″ spread) you may have limited stance options.  This can be overcome by adding a Retrofit Lock Kit, shown below.

We’ve previously done a scoop storey on the Shane Limited Boots, but we think it’s time to visually meet the Limited Binding family.  Like the Shane boots, when the normal high-end Liquid Force bindings have gone retro the limited a plain colors of either white, red or black.  The only binding that features color is the Melissa Limited  - the disadvantage for us, it’s a ladies boot.

Liquid Force Shane Limited Binding

Liquid Force Watson Limited Binding

Liquid Force Soven Limited Binding

Liquid Force Vantage Limited Binding

Liquid Force Melissa Limited Binding

The Liquid Force  09 Limited Bindings are now officially available at pro-shops and the Liquid Force Online store.

ShadowBox - Record your wakeboarding in 3D

This small box the size of a pack of cards attaches to your wakeboard to allow you to track your positioning whilst wakeboarding.   It is very high tech featuring gyros, accelerometers, magnetometers and the only thing we actually know GPS to determine your position.   What do we think about the ShadowBox.  Well we can either play it safe and say this could be the greatest wakeboarding invention of all time seeing that so many companys have jumped on the band wagon… or we could be slightly honest and say, why would you want to compare shadows????
We can see the ShadowBox being used for Instructional purposes such as using it to shadow a Pro.

For those interested here’s an extract from the press release, for the others I’d probably save the ’shadow’ bragging rights and just record it on your video camera.

Extract from Press Release on 1st April:

The ShadowBox is a tough, fully-waterproof device, no bigger than a deck of cards which attaches securely to a wake boarder’s deck. When the ride is over, riders can check out their ride data directly on the device, or upload the data to their computer later and analyze every aspect of their performance in 3-D detail.

Similar to the electronics in an aircraft, the ShadowBox uses gyros, accelerometers, magnetometers and GPS to determine position. In its first release, the ShadowBox features a software program called WakeTracker 1.0 that will capture the wake boarder’s pathway; the height, distance, hang time, and speed of every jump; the rotation and spin rate of every trick; the speed and angle into the wake or at any point during the ride, as well as various other measurements. From training to competition to simple bragging rights, the ShadowBox will allow riders to truly see what they’re doing and back up their hype. Riders can also send their 3D ride data to others on the web where, via the website and a free download of the WakeTracker 1.0 software, anyone can view their ride for free. While this first software application is tailored to the sport of wakeboarding, it is only the first of many sport and science applications to come in ShadowBox’s future.

Backed by Kent Water Sports, the parent company of several major water sports brands including HO Sports, Hyperlite, Accurate, WakeKite, Liquid Force, CWB, Connelly, Pro Line, O’Brien, Absolute Outdoor and more, ShadowBox is a new brand and product line set to re-define how riders view and talk about their rides.

For purchasing, the ShadowBox is available online at www.shadowboxlive.com. Pre-orders will begin online on April 1, 2009, with shipping to fulfill orders starting in late May 2009. For more information please contact Dan Meyers at 503-550-6110 or dan@shadowboxlive.com.

BlackDiamond leaves Air Nautique Boats and signs with Malibu Boats Australia.

BlackDiamond wakeboard school which has been operated by Scotty Kell since 1996 on the shores of Australia has now signed with Malibu Boats Australia taking on the 2009 VLX Wakesetter.    BlackDiamond was previously well represented by Air Nautique and was pictured in many Australian wakeboarding competitions and magazines.

Malibu VLX Wakesetter

BlackDiamond is home to many famous Australian wakeboarders, some of which are; John Henson, Dean Smith, Chris O’Shea, Scotty Broome and Amber Wing.

More Details contact BlackDiamond Wakeboarding or Malibu Boats Australia.

Liquid Force has released the Shane Limited in god white!  While the rest of the series is shown in Technicolor the limited wakeboard boot is pimping in classic white.

Liquid Force Shane Limited Boot

Ok… maybe some color is needed.

The limited boot is guarenteedwith  100% Air Time.  That’s right wakeboarders the limited boot now has technology similar to Nike Air, allowing excellent absorption on landings.  This is just what the sport needed.

While I don’t think these boots are affiliated with Nike, it still makes us here wonder is Nike 6.0 coming to the wakeboard scene?  They’re already trying to attack the wakeskate and snowboard scene.

Quickly check this out. Liquid Force have teamed up with Dragon Alliance to release a custom pair of sunglasses. This is the image released with the press released. Intriguing and retro isn’t it…

Industry Press Release:

For more info check out www.LiquidForce.com and www.DragonAlliance.com for more info!

Surpa Boats have released Wraps. Joining the market with Mastercraft boats to allow boat owners to individualise thier boats.

The wraps are released through ZDecals who also produce custom wraps for cars, nascars and buses.

They have created heaps of custom wraps for Supra Boats and Moomba Boats,  both of cource owned by the same company,  Skier’s Choice Inc.

We’re also looking forward to see Australian born, Supra Sponsored and Australian Sales Rep for Supra, Josh Sanders with a new Supra boat wrap for every photo shoot in the future.

Below are a few images from ZDecals check them out for more images.