What's the difference between the wave board and a ripstik?

Whats the difference between Flatland and Wave ride skimboards?

• Hey U can't do wave riding where I live so i only ever do inland. I am looking to buy my first $$$$ board and don't want to buy one that turns out to be more for wave riding. I have seen some ones that state for flatland and I know victoria and kayotic do a lot of Inland but I can never tell if the board I am looking at is suitable for Flatland. P.S: Is this a flatland board? http://www.shopdbskimboards.com/servlet/the-18/Thomas-Pro/Detail

• Answer:

  The boards that can only be used on flatland are wooden core skim boards. The boards that can go out into the waves are foam cored skim boards. The difference is that although a woody can't go out into the waves, a foamy is right at home on the sand or in the waves. The big difference is that it's lighter so it will float better out into the waves, but being lighter will also give you longer rides up in the sand too. Here's a great website that will explain it all to you. The board you show is a foamy, but as far as I'm concerned it's an unknown entity foamy. I think you'd do better to look at a Victoria Foamie which is a good transition board to go from the sand out into the surf, but in your case would just be a super light board to let you get used to skimming the sand on a foam board. The website has links to Exile, Victoria and Zap websites. As a matter of fact the webmaster on the site is an owner and founder of Exile skim boards. They're one of the best brands out there, and also in the price range you're looking at already. Good luck!