Kneeboards

Plastic vs fibreglass, and what to look for

Picking a kneeboard comes down to three things: skill level, board material, and rider size. Get those right and you’ll spend more time on the water than in it. Plastic vs fibreglass. Plastic kneeboards are roto-moulded polyethylene — buoyant, forgiving, and basically indestructible. They’re the right call for kids, beginners, and anyone who’ll knock the board around in transit. Most plastic boards have a tow hook moulded directly into the deck. Fibreglass kneeboards are stiffer and thinner. They hold an edge better, accelerate faster, and pop harder off the wake — the upgrade once you’ve outgrown plastic. Some fibreglass boards include tow-hook inserts (so the hook bolts on as an accessory); others don’t have inserts at all and aren’t designed to take one. The product listing tells you which you’re looking at. Skill level. Beginners — plastic for the buoyancy and forgiveness, or a softer entry-level fibreglass shape with a more rounded outline. Intermediate — stiffer fibreglass boards that hold an edge through a turn and clear the wake more easily. Advanced — narrow rails, square tips and tails, aggressive rocker for tricks, spins, and big air. Tip and tail shape. Square tip and tail boards release energy off the wake more efficiently — more pop, more air, more rotation. Rounded boards are smoother and more forgiving but generate less pop. Most modern kneeboards are some variation of squared off; full rounded shapes are mostly older designs. Mens vs womens. Womens kneeboards tend to be slightly narrower with shorter foot wells, sized to suit lighter riders. The mens boards work fine for women too — the womens shapes just fit better for most. Tow hooks. A tow hook lets the rider hold the rope to the board with one hand while they get up, taking the load off both arms during the start. Plastic boards usually have one moulded in. Fibreglass boards either have threaded inserts in the deck (hook sold separately, bolts straight in) or no inserts at all — those boards aren’t designed for a hook, and starting is done by holding the handle the conventional way. Not sure what to pick? Tell us the rider’s age, weight, experience and what they want to do — cruise, learn tricks, ride behind the wakeboat. We’ll narrow it down.