Which Wakeboard Bindings Should You Buy?

Wakeboard bindings, or wakeboard boots, are super crucial to your success behind the boat! Buying a good pair of boots is likely going be even more important than what board you have. This is because these are directly on your feet, like actual shoes, so they need to be comfortable, offer good support, and fit you snug. Here’s an overview on what kind of bindings are out there, what you need to know, and I even added some good examples at the bottom.

Open Toe vs. Closed Toe

Should you buy open toe or closed toe boots? Well, it depends. First of all, if you are buying bindings for a kid, go with open toe. With open toe, you are getting a wider range of foot sizes that can comfortably fit into the boot, therefore while your kid grows, the boot can be used for a longer period of time before having to go up a size. Bindings are usually in the $100 – $300 range, so you definitely want to utilize the bang for your buck.

How many people are you trying to fit into this boot? It’s common that people, especially beginners, will buy 1 wakeboard for multiple boarders as they learn the ropes. So if you are planning on sharing the board, I would go with open toe for the same reason as above. The variance in the foot sizes that are going into the binding is not going to matter as much with the leeway of an open toe boot.

For most other scenarios, you should probably go with a closed toe binding. Closed toe is going to allow you more control over the board because you can utilize your toes more as your are turning, jumping, and landing. It is also going to allow you to dial in on your size better, which makes for a more snug fit.

Size & Fit

As stated above, open toe wakeboard bindings give the rider(s) a wider range of foot size that will fit comfortably in the binding. These usually come in a range of 4-5 shoe sizes (i.e. size 6-10, 7-11, 8-12 and so on). As compared to closed toe, which will usually only come in a range of 2 (size 8-9, 9-10 you get the idea). Most boot sizes are compatible to your normal shoe size, so just match that when buying.

If you are trying on the boots in person, remember this: If it is too tight you will know right away because you can feel it — like a shoe that’s a size too small. But knowing it is too loose is the tricky part. Here’s a tip to know if its too big. Put the binding on 1 foot, tighten it up, and stand up. If you can lift your heel up off the base of the binding without the back of the binding coming up off the ground, it is probably too big for you.

Buying a boot that fits is very important because you will have much more control over your board if the binding is snug on your foot. The right size will also minimize chance of your foot coming out of the board when you fall (total hassle), and will prevent against the twisting or rolling of your ankle on jumps and wipeouts.

Cheap vs Quality

Here’s the deal. You can definitely get low end wakeboard boots for closer to $100, rather than $300. Does it matter? That depends. The more quality the binding, the more support your foot is going to get on the board. The boot is going to be almost stiff. Comfortable, but stiff. What does that do? It makes your board more responsive, quicker, and more elusive. If you are an intermediate to experienced wakeboarder, try not to cheap yourself out on these. You want to reach your full potential.

If you are just starting out, go for the cheap ones. It shouldn’t affect you too much. Most likely you’re just learning to get up and go straight. The cheap wakeboard bindings are usually going to have a more foamy material on them. This means they are softer, so your foot can bend and groove more while in the boot. This makes your board slightly harder to maneuver. But you aren’t shredding outside the wake and doing backflips yet, so who cares? Learn the ropes and next summer when you’re a pro you can sell those and upgrade.

Pro Tip

Wakeboard bindings are hard to get into sometimes. They are made to fit tight for your own safety. There are companies that make “binding slime” which you can drizzle inside your boot to make it easier for your foot to slip in.

DON’T BUY THIS! It is a total waste of money. Bring some dish soap with you to the lake instead, it works just as well for $3 as the binding slime does, which sells for like $20.