Buying the right gear for a sport is very important. It is important to understand the qualities that a water skier needs to look out while buying a ski rope. Water skiing games include a lot of trick and jump skiing and the length and handles for each of these tricks differ from each other. One major factor to consider would be your commitment level towards the sport. Other factors contributing to the choice of rope include the individual rider's skill and the type of skiing he is interested in as he is likely to invest in a rope that meets his requirements for the sport.
Some characteristics to look out for in water ski ropes
Stretch and flexibility: Elasticity is an important feature to look out for in any water ski rope. This is a very important feature for water ski ropes as taut ropes will put you at a disadvantage while taking sharp turns as you follow the boat's route in the waters. This feature will also play an important role when going slalom skiing. The stretch feature acts as a good shock absorber when the skis jump the wakes left behind by the boat.
Length: Generally most ski ropes measure around 70 feet of rope length and around 5 feet towards the rope handle giving it a total length of 75 feet. Different adaptations of the sport mandate different lengths. Almost all the water ski ropes have the flexi length option with markings to identify where it is possible to shorten the length. This enables you to choose the rope length you need while slalom skiing at different distances. For trick skiing the length of your water ski rope should be around 50 feet. It is therefore important to ensure that the water ski rope purchased provides you the flexibility to choose the length required for the different versions of the game. Most ropes have around 10 adjustable sections but unless you are a professional competing in a game, you are most likely to alternate between 5 different lengths only.
Handle: Depending on the variant of the sport you are playing, the requirement of the handle will also differ. Almost all handles are made of aluminum wrapped in a rubber mould. A trick skier's handle should have a foot stirrup for toe tricks. A jump skier will need rope handles that are narrower and longer than the normal ones. Most professional players opt for sinkable handles which are hollow and allow water to seep in whereas amateurs prefer floatable handles made by injection molded rubber.
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