We see these questions constantly. What board should I get? What do you think of this brand? Well, sorry to disappoint you. We won’t be reviewing all the brands. However, we have picked what we consider as the best of the best. When all the dust settles we believe these companies have the best boards, shapes, designs and construction. If you are wanting a top quality, high performance board these companies have what you are looking for. They are all represented on podiums around the world by the best wakesurfers. Sure, in some instance’s riders are paid a small amount to ride for a company but I can assure you, the wakesurf market is not pro Golf. There aren’t huge sums of money getting thrown at these athletes to use their products. Hell, in most instances there isn’t any money involved. [Sorry to crush your dreams groms, you are going to have to get a job] They pick these boards and companies because of one reason. They like the boards and products and they work for them. The only order they are in and as not to play favourites is that we have listed the board manufactures in alphabetical order. We by no means are giving you a run through of every board these companies make. We picked what we believe to be the best. You wanted the best you’re getting the best.
Kanuk Board Co
Kanukboardco.com
Based out of Vancouver B.C. they are the only Canadian wakesurf company. They take pride in the fact that all of their boards are built with Blood, Sweat and Maple syrup so you can’t really go wrong here. Who doesn’t love Maple syrup? For a little added bonus, all of their surf style boards have Canadian nickel glassed into the tail for some added detail. Kanuk Board Co is the chosen brand of top pro riders, Connor Burns, Cassidy Gale, Tyler Stewart, Lily Anderson, Sara Tallon, Cameron Swanson, Taylor Swanson, Nicole Hudson, Chad Hudson, Stephen Hammell, Kaitlyn Wheeler etc etc. you get the point. An impressive list with an insane amount of world championship titles in there.
They have a bunch of boards to choose from as do the other brands but with this being a best of the best list we should stick with the theme and give you the goods.
Surf Style
Burnsy Pro – Designed, tweaked, re designed and ridden by the Champ himself. Three time, three time, three time, Pro Mens Surf World Champ Connor Burns.> It is Kanuk’s most popular board in their arsenal and what a boatd it is. The first board on the list this surf style board is made to perform. Tricks only thought possible on a skim style board or even a skateboard are possible on this offering by Kanuk and Connor. It has a low nose rocker, hard rails, coupled with a deep concave making this board a beast for running down the line and exploding off the lip. It comes with a straight fin box in a unique placement allowing the board to have a bit more of a loose skatey feel. While that might inhibit a little bit of drive it more than makes up for it in agility. Who knew riding surfboards revert could be this in reach for anyone other than the most seasoned pros. Surface spins are a breeze and its good right up to 540 big spins and shuv tricks only thought possible on skim boards until recently. From the weekend warrior to the aspiring pro this board is an amazing option.
Comes in sizes 4’3”, 4’5”, 4’7”
The Aurora – The Aurora is designed and ridden by Lily Anderson. It is designed to be an aggressive surfstyle board featuring a diamond nose and straight fin boxes. It spins easily with this setup and with the diamond nose and straight fin boxes it will give you a really locked in feel while riding revert. Sharp rails complete with some curvature in the rail line will allow this board to carry a ton of speed down the line while maintaining great responsiveness all the while feeling stable. Fun, agile, and playful are all feelings on tap if you add this board to your quiver. This board comes in two sizes in both male and female colourways. It’s a great board for the lighter rider. Sorry 300lb Vikings. They don’t make this one in your size. They are good up to around 150lbs.
Comes in sizes 4’2”, 4’4”
Cassidy Gale Pro – The Cassidy Pro is the board of choice for Two time, Two time Pro Woman’s Surf World Champ Cassidy Gale. It is designed to be fast, spin easily and help with your progression to revert riding and shuv tricks. It has an Hourglass shape, sharp rails and straight fin boxes. Yes, there is a theme with these 3 boards by Kanuk. Straight fin boxes. It’s not by accident. These riders have tested all sorts of variations of their boards and have all settled on keeping the fin boxes straight. Unlike some other board companies that used to make pro rider boards and then boards for everyone else, you too can get exactly what these pros ride. Straight out of the box. It comes in 3 Colorways for 2021. Kanuk recommends this board for riders in the 110-160lb range.
Comes in 4’2”, 4’4”
Darkstar Pro – The Darkstar was one of the first boards ever produced out of the Kanuk Board Co shaping studios. It is the OG of their lineup. Like most thing over time (3 Years to be exact) things get improved upon and tweaked. Enter the Darkstar Pro. Pro Rider Stephen Hammell poured his blood, sweat and maple syrup into this one. This high-performance board is ideal for riders in the 150-260 lb range. It has the deepest concave on the base of any Kanuk board giving it incredible speed down the line and allowing for some of the biggest airs in the business. It has a wider nose and thicker tail than the original Darkstar, straight fin boxes and razor sharp rails. Once again this board is designed to ride easy revert to really help you stall out your alley oops and 360’s. If you have ever seen Steve ride it’s kind of his thing…
Comes in 4’6”, 4’9”
Skim Style
Vedder Carbon Pro – This is Kanuk’s most popular of their skims and promoted as their flagship skimboard. If you want one, we highly suggest ordering one early as they are constantly sold out and waitlisted. There is a reason though. This board has sat atop the World Championship podium for the last couple years. It’s the board of choice for top pro riders Tyler Stewart the reigning Pro Mens Skim World Champ, Camron Swanson the previous World Champ, Taylor Swanson, Chad and Nicole Hudson, Kaitlyn and Adam Wheeler, Cody Inman, the list goes on and on. With a full carbon wrap it is their lightest and most durable skim offering. The full carbon wrap enables the board to have a thin profile while still being ridged and durable. All of the above mentioned combined with their proprietary rocker and pintail design makes this board an excellent weapon of choice for you to rip.
Kanuk Board Co does make a non carbon version of the Vedder that is generally more readily available and a little easier on the pocket book for the more budget conscious folks.
Comes in 48”, 53.5”, 56”. If you do some sweet talking to the fine folks at Kanuk you might be able to talk them into a custom size. 50” is fairly popular as well as the odd 52” but their customs usually take a while to get, so be prepared to wait and order early.
Blunt Carbon Pro – The same construction as the Vedder Carbon Pro it also features a super thin profile while the carbon wrap makes the board super strong and ridged. A wider nose then the Vedder and additional volume added to the tail give this board a super stable feel. Combined with razor sharp rails for the ultimate in holding power when on edge it’s the board of choice for Pro riders Sara Tallon, Tracy Wright and Outlaw extraordinaire Ricky Edmonds. With sizes accommodating weights up to 260 lbs plus this is a great board option for those bigger peeps that still want high performance.
Comes in 48”, 50”, 53”, 56”. If for some reason these sizes will not work for you like the Vedder Carbon Pro, you can try and sweet talk Lindsay. She just might be able to convince the shop to make whatever size you need.
The Ankle Biter – Touted as the best Kids board on the planet by Kanuk we tend to agree. It is also the only kids (juniors if you prefer) on this list. That should tell you something. It is the perfect board for kids starting out but leaves lots of room for progression and learning. Kanuk includes a large fin for the Ankle biter and a smaller skim fin so you can set it up for your kids level. The larger fin will help that board track straight and give them some stability. While the smaller skim fin will be there when your kid starts ripping and is ready for the next level. No need to buy another board. This one does it all. Incredibly easy to flip up onto your feet this board will be there from the first time they get up to learning pro level tricks. Don’t believe us? Ask Evan Hudson. He won a Junior and an Amateur world title with this board under his feet all the while crushing pro caliber tricks. Offered in a few different colourways and designs there should be something for everyone.
For more info or to order yourself one of these boards visit Kanukboardco.com Tell them we sent you.
Phase 5
Phase5boards.com
Phase 5 boards hail from Venice Florida. They have been making wakesurf boards longer than anybody and have been in board building business for the last 30 years with their sister company Zap Skimboards. Zap is their ocean division while Phase5 is their inland fresh water division. They know how to make boards and their riders and results are proof. With over 10 world titles from their athletes they aren’t messing around. Pro Riders John Akerman, Sean Silveira, Parker Payne, OG Drew Danielo, Caroline Villeneuve, Stacia Bank, Whitley Stewart, Ashley Inloes and international riders such as Markus Lahmer and Sebastian Belland all choose to represent Phase 5. Every board at Phase 5 goes through the hands of one of their Craftsman. These guys know what they are doing. 30 years in the board building biz is an eternity in such a fickly industry.
Skim Style –
MVP – Designed by and for 2018 Pro Mens Skim World Champ John Akerman this board is surely a stand out (pun intended). The name doesn’t really lie here. Full deck EVA pads running the entire length of the board coupled with a dual kicktails mean this board is meant to rip any which direction you point it. If you have ever seen John ride you will know what I mean. Based originally off the Matrix, (see below) it has a slightly thicker profile for added buoyancy and float. The MVP is also the only board in the Phase5 lineup that has grab channels built into the rails running around the perimeter of the board. For as explosive and hard hitting as John’s riding they made a board to match that energy.
Comes in sizes 50”,53”, 56”
The Key – Sean Silveira flow boarder turned wakesurfing extraordinaire converted to some behind the boat riding and took the sport by storm in 2017. He is the 3 time Supra Pro Tour winner and this puppy was made for him. Built for rapid fire tricks this board does not disappoint. If you have ever seen Sean ride you will know it’s hard to wrap your head around what he is doing. With a slightly snubbed nose version of the Matrix, Sean’s “The Key” is what you are looking for if pumping out tricks at a blistering pace is your thing. Due to the snubbed tip and tail which allows for aggressive spins and shuvs in a tighter package, this board will enable you to ride an inch or two shorter than your typical skim. Whether its facing forwards or backwards this board is built to ride in any direction, pop and spin. Just like Sean’s riding.
Comes in 46”, 50”, 52”, 55”
The Matrix – This is the OG of their modern competition style skims and the choice of pro rider Parker Payne. If you have ever had the pleasure of watching Parker ride, you will agree with us on one thing. He is smooth as butter. With his effortless style, butter smooth transitions and spins this board was used as the basis for the two previous models. If you are looking for a board to take you from beginner to pro this board is your safest best. It is Phase 5’s lightest and thinnest offering with a carbon fiber stringer and continuous core. The thinner profile will help the rider feel the wave and water underneath the board giving you a very up close and intimate feeling not as pronounced in other models. And who doesn’t like models. We are guessing Parker does.
Comes in sizes 48”, 51”, 53”, 56”
Surf Style
The Phantom – Parker Payne’s masterpiece. Parker wanted a board that would be fast and versatile. This board delivers. With a parallel rail outline the Phantom is super fast and will generate a lot of speed down the line with a good amount of pop equating to one thing. Big airs. With a wider nose, this board maintains speed while riding revert making it an excellent option for intermediate to advanced riders looking to progress. The phantom is constructed with Phase 5’s Flextec V2 glass system which gives it the feeling of a traditional surfboard with the added bonus of some wake surf specific features. It comes in an FCS Quad fin setup leaving you lots of options to run trailers for some added holding power.
Comes in sizes 48”, 50”, 53”, 57”
The Swell – Designed with input from Stacia Bank the swell has been a solid board offering from Phase 5 for a few years. It has more of a pulled in nose than the Phantom and a bit leaner of an outline while still maintaining that poppy tail characteristic we all love. Still rocking parallel rails, it will give you a ton of speed down the line. The poppy tail will feel nimble but keeps some volume around your back foot to make the spins seem effortless. The Swell is constructed with Phase 5’s Flextec V2 glass system which give it the feeling of a traditional surfboard with the added bonus of some wake surf specific features. It also comes in an FCS Quad fin setup leaving you lots of options to run trailers for some added holding power.
Comes in sizes 53”, 55”, 58”
Soulcraft – Custom Wakesurf Boards
Soulcraftboarding.com
Based out of Oceanside Ca. Soulcraft finds itself smack dab in the middle of the surfboard building capital of the world. Soulcraft was one of the catalysts in wakesurfing for high performance wakesurf boards. Cultivated and refined from years of experience shaping and glassing some of the worlds most respected surf brands they put out a top knotch product. Over the last 10 years and 15,000 wakesurfboards later, Jeff Whalers and his team have helped elevate the sport and push the riders and the riding to whole new levels. Soulcraft builds surf style wakesurfboards exclusively with the one exception of the Keenan Flegel Pro Skim. As we are most familiar with their boards we will stick to those as… well, frankly Keenan can ride a picnic table better than you can ride a surfboard.
The EM – AKA the Emily Agate pro model has evolved over the years. Its latest offering has a squash tail with a fuller nose over the previous iterations. Boxed sharp rails help this board down the line and with the mini blunt nose and squash tail it makes for a quick responsive board easy to maneuver, spin and air. The EM is also the only board in the Soulcraft arsenal to have a nose flip. The nose flip is added nose rocker to aid you in avoiding the dreaded pearl. The board comes as a quad with futures fin boxes. It is typically ridden as a twin, but you can add the nubsters for added tracking and holding power.
Comes in sizes 3’6”, 4’2”, 4’4”, 4’5”, 4’6”, 4’8”, 4’9”, 4’10”
The Secret Weapon – Sporting a moderate rocker, tucked rails, round nose and a fang tail this board has some thought into it. Its marketed as an advanced rider board but is more than capable of intermediate riders enjoying and using it to advance to the next level. You won’t outlearn this board. It will only aid your progression. A unique feature on this board is it has a concave deck which helps “cradle” your feet and helps you feel connected all the while taking this thing into the stratosphere. The base has a flat entry into a deep single concave. What does this mean? A forgiving board that is fast down the line and will fly off the lip. With the wide fang tail it will have plenty of drive and lots of pop while still maintaining control in and out of tricks and airs. It comes as a quad fin as well, allowing the rider to choose between running it as a twin or adding the nubsters for added traction and stability.
Comes in sizes 4’2”, 4’3”,4’5”, 4’6” x 19”, 4’6” x 19.5”, 4’7”, 4’8”, 4’9”, 4’10”
The Super AV – With a moderate rocker, traditional nose and sharp boxed rails this board over the years has gone through a few changes. They have improved the response and speed generation down the line coupled with the wider fang tail to aid in recoveries deep in the back of the wave. The fangs act like fins and provide more control into and out of surface spins, airs and other surface tricks. The Super AV is great for the intermediate to advanced rider looking to progress. The board can be run as a quad with real trailers or nubsters but is most typically run as a twin. The manufacturer recommends futures Grom John Honeycomb fins.
Comes in sizes 4’, 4’2”, 4’4”, 4’5”, 4’6”, 4’7”, 4’8”, 4’9”, 4’10”, 5’
The Keenan Pro Surf – Keenan Flegel should need no introduction but in case you have been living under a rock or new to the sport Keenan has checked pretty much every single box a pro wakesurfer could possibly want. Multiple world titles? – Check!! Invented new tricks? – Check!! Recognized as one of the most innovative riders? – Check!! Can possibly walk on water? – I wouldn’t put it past him!!
Keenan set out 6 years ago armed with the idea to create a board that is user friendly to a vast range of riders. Pro boards aren’t any good if there are only a handful of people in the world that can ride them. They need to be user friendly to the masses and average joe while still be high performing. Soulcraft and Keenan have accomplished that with this board. It has minimal rocker and straight rails making it super fast down the line. Unlike some other boards with super straight rails as you near the tail of this board Soulcraft and Keenan have come up with a pretty unique design for wake surfboards to make this board turn on a dime. With a swallow tail, hips and soft rails make this board feel like something that’s akin to riding in the ocean and hailing from south Florida growing up on the beach the ocean is in Keenan’s blood. The majority of riders run it as a quad and so does Keenan. If it aint broke don’t fix it.
Comes in sizes 4’5”, 4’6”, 4’7”, 4’8”, 4’9”
Honorable Mentions
Victoria Skimboards – Victoriawake.com
Victoria started building skim boards for the ocean in 1976. With over 30 years in the board building business they know a thing or two about building boards. Victoria Skimboards over the years have helped refine shapes, introduce rockers to skimboards and introduced the first foam core in 1980 that are the basis for all modern skimboards. They were also one of the early pioneers in using the vacuum bag technique used in most modern construction by the other high-end manufactures listed. With a pro team of some of the finest ladies in wakesurf, Taylor Dorey, Erika Sos and Vanessa Vincent all choose to ride Victoria. They are also surprisingly affordable. It’s hard to find a board built with this quality and to do it at their price point coupled with their high performance its certainly one to consider.
PCX – The PCX is one of the lightest and most responsive boards on the market. They have decreased the width of the board and redistributed the volume to other areas so while it still preforms at a high level its incredibly forgiving. Built with a high-density PVC foam core and a full carbon fiber wrap. The full carbon wrap increases board stiffness and extenuates response while cutting down on the boards overall weight. Another added bonus with the increased stiffness is it will help with your pop. Over all a great board for someone looking to push their riding to new levels.
Comes in sizes M, L, XL
The Factor – Tried, trusted and true, the Factor is an amazing board with an excellent pricepoint. Priced like a compression molded value brand board you might get from another brand this board performs at an extremely high level. They have strategically placed volume in various areas around the board allowing you to ride a slightly shorter board. With the reduced swing weight, you should notice the added maneuverability and finally nail those spins, shuvs and airs your working on. The Factor’s outline should give you plenty of forward drive allowing you to keep up to the boat with ease and spend your time and efforts directed towards nailing all those tricks you have been wanting.
Comes in sizes 50.2”, 52.2”
