Brofessionals - Burton Step On vs Japow Snow

Step Ons VS Powder

Step-Ons have received rave reviews worldwide and have clearly surpassed every expectation. We made our original Burton Step On review a few years ago with only a small amount of testing. As much as we loved them, we weren't sure how great they would be in powder. After spending 10 days in Japan and receiving 1.5 meters of some of the finest pow in northern Honshu, we now know... they are epic!

In Review

Once the binding was cleared and the boot free from built up snow, they were actually still easier than normal bindings to get on as you never had to fight with your straps.

If you're in a position where it's a little hard to get rid of all the snow from the binding, by simply leaning down and pulling the toe edge towards you, you can engage the front of the binding to connect to the boot removing the need to push down. If the snow is too deep to find the bottom then any bindings will be hard to put on, so you'll struggle either way.

Brofessionals - Tips for choosing a life vest

Choosing a Life Vest can sometimes seem overwhelming with all the available options. We're here to break down your next Life Vest purchase so you're only left with the pain of filling your boat up at obscene fuel prices.

Safety First Kids

Most of the vests we stock are designed as a personal flotation safety device that is comfortable to wear in and out of the water.
Suitable for wakeboarding and tubing behind your boat or simply fanging around on your jetski, the majority of our vests are rated as LP50's (an Australian safety rating for closed waterways and harbors).
If you are looking for a comfortable fit with the least amount of bulk, you want the Australian safety standard combined with a soft Neoprene outer - giving maximum safety without compromising flexibility and comfort

Suck It In

Throwing on any modern performance Life Vest will more than likely have you quickly grabbing for a larger size, but remember the tighter the fit you can get away with the better.
Performance life vests are designed to fit like you are wearing a tight wetsuit top, this is to make sure if you take a slam on your wakeboard or a spill off your jet ski you don't want the Life Vest blowing over your shoulders.
If you have suffered from a little over gorging these past winter months and you find most vests impossible to get into, contact us for help, as there are a few select models that are a little friendlier around that waistline

Pro Tips

JAPAN // SECOND TRIP HOSTED BY WILLIE B & JAMES POTTER

Our Trip has sold out! But dont worry we have setup a second trip hosted by our all time crew Willie Beggs & James Potter. Willie B and Potter are going to take you on an epic adventure to two off the track Japanese resorts with reputations for no crowds and loads of that famous Japow snow.

• Flights
• Accommodation
• Meals - Breakfasts 
• Transfers
• 5 Days riding Appi Kogen Resort (and other local resorts) Ski in Ski out
• 5 Days riding Shizukuishi ( 3 Resorts in one) Ski in Ski out
• Transfers
• Night in Tokyo to PAAARRTY!

Brofessionals - Workshop

The Ballistics Full Service

We keep hammering home how important it is to get your skis & Snowboard serviced. Ballistics only use the best  workshop machines from Montana. This helps us ensure we get you guys the best results when you get your gear tuned.

Our Full Service Crystal glide option gives you a lot more bang for your buck than you may imagine. Here is the full process of what we throw down into your gear to bring it up all fast and shiny

Base Clean

Depending on the State of the skis a light base grind + Base cleaner will be applied

P-Tex

All remaining scratches are filled with a Montana Extruder P-tex Gun - Monty

Base Grind

Removes only a small amount of base. This resets the base of the skis squaring them up again and removes all remaining P-tex and scratches

Crystal Glide

The Montana Crystal Glide Twister replaces the structure in the base of your board/skis. Using a Diamond blade it cuts the pattern that we specifically program into the stone that is then transferred onto the base of your gear. This structure remains on the base resembling a vinyl record kind of imprint. It allows your skis/board to glide over the snow breaking surface tension and stopping the base from suctioning to the snow.

Edging / Base bevel

We then pass the edges over the edging belt to sharpen them. We can apply anywhere from a 89 degree angel (standard) to a 87 degree angle (race). Then flipping the machine around we use a ceramic stone to base bevel the edges to allow your gear to have maximum edge hold without feeling too catchy

Base Cleaning

Using a high quality base cleaner we then remove any remaining dirt and wax

Waxing

Getting your wax job done right is the most important part of the process. This is why we have invested in a montana race waxer. This bad boy uses Infrared Bulbs to penetrate wax as evenly as possible deep into the base. This in turn gives you the longest lasting best wax job possible.

Ladies Ski Japan | Hosted by Ballistics

Join Ballistics on this amazing trip to experience a modern Japanese skiing experience at Nozawa Onsen. Sitting at an altitude of 1,085 metres, this pure powder heaven has an unlimited amount of slopes and ski areas for all abilities. What better way to end this group tour than with the add on option of three nights in Tokyo, one of the most exciting cities in the world.

Product Review - 2020 Nordica Enforcer and Santa Anas

Product Review - Mission Delta 2.0

Mission Delta wakeshaper 2.0

Wakesurfing in a V drive / Direct drive boat was always reserved for end of the day, when you have finished wakeboarding etc and you are happy to load all your ballast to one side of the boat. Thanks to the invention of wake-plates modern boats have fully removed the need for weight distribution and now rely on loading the ballast in the boat evenly and placing more drag on one side to create a wakesurfing wave on the other. The downside is these systems are well in excess of $3000 and need to be professionally fitted to your boat.

Thankfully a year or 2 ago easy fit wake-shapers came along. Now with a small amount of fitting you have multiple different brands available on the market that can be placed on the side of your older boat at a fraction of the cost of a wake-plate system. 

The Brofessionals wake-shaper of choice is the Mission Delta as it was the first wake-shaper on the market with suction cups. It comes well detailed and has been  proven on many different styles of boat to produce an epic wakesurfing wave.

Now the mission Delta 2.0 has been launched we have done the hard yards and tested these bad boys back to back to give you our opinion on whether the 2.0 is better than its predecessor.

Potters Back

Japan - In Retrospect

JAPOW

A Brofessionals review from our trip to Japan

The Japow snow getaway is the pinnacle for any powder pig looking to get lost in the deep white fluffy stuff. Deep pow, Sushimi, Sake, Ramen, Onsens, Bidets, Asahi, chopsticks are all to be expected but the Brofessionals have now smashed Japan a bunch of times and we have a few little secrets that might help you when you go chasing the powder goodness.

Trains vs Planes

Getting around Japan can seem daunting at first, but the train network is unbelievable. If you are planning on staying for a decent stint, then opt for a train over a domestic flight every time especially if you are traveling with 2 checked-in bags. You can get up whenever you like and walk around. The seats and leg roomaren’t even comparable, and the luggage allowance is basically as much as you can carry. Some trains like the Hayabusa travel around 320kph getting you the equivalent of Auckland to Wellington in 3 hours. They are relatively quiet and the majority we have come across have free wifi.

Cheat code: If you pay for a Koru membership (Air New Zealand) with an Airpoints Credit card you can travel with an extra bag no extra charge and its under $500 PA. An extra bag return is $220 normally.

Respect 

The Japanese are a quiet bunch who love to fuss over you and are so polite it hurts. They don’t mind a foreigner having a laugh / good time and are often too shy to try and join in conversation even though most speak a little English. But if you are traveling Japan make sure to always respect their traditions especially when it comes to any sacred land and their rules around Onsens. These places are full of old traditional customs that can sometimes be easy to overlook but are massively frowned upon.
 
Cheat Code: Onsen rules - Click Here

Resort Choice
 
There are over 500 ski fields in Japan. This gives you the opportunity to really get the experience you want. If you really want after hours activities and more of that big resort feeling you cant go past Niseko, Hakkuba and the Nagano area. These resorts have a large range of dinner options and bars that give you loads to do after you have finished shredding or on down days.

A preferred Brofessional option is to choose a smaller resort/resorts smash powder all day with no lift queues and then stay in Tokyo for 3 days at the end to party your ass off.

Japan resorts will offer everything from 2 seater chair lifts on the side of a hill with epic tree runs to full American style resorts with gondolas from the base of the hotel, to cable cars taking you to 1400m with full out of bounds back country skiing with no trails. 

Cheat Code: Get to resorts that start above 300m but stay below 1200m too low and the snow gets wet go to high and they will never open. This is roughly the ‘goods zone’ - Geto Kogen, Appi Kogen, Rusutsu, Aomori Springs, Hakkoda, Myoko Kogen.

Brofessionals - How to choose a wakeboard

The Brofessionals guide - Buying Wakeboards

Size, shape, Glass, Wood core, fins, no fins, boat, cable, me, her, kids, mates.... 

Looking for a new board, but have no idea how to choose the right set up other than finding the right kick-ass graphic you like?

We've attempted to simplify below to help get you started.

Still have questions - hit us up on FB messenger. Or call the shop 09 4894074

1. Board Size

Probably the most important feature to consider is the length of your wakeboard. The length is determined by your own weight and foot stance, and if multiple riders will be using the board, it is better to adapt the board to the heaviest rider.

Rider Weight (kg) =  Board Size (cm)
11 - 31  =  111-118
18 - 38  =  118-130
29 - 50  =  124-134
31 - 80  = 130-138
45 - 100  = 134-142
68 - 110  = 138-146
77 - 110+  = 142-146

2. Board core

Choose the board construction to best suit your riding options - 

Boat / Jet Ski
If you're simply riding behind a boat a foam core glass board will provide a stiffer ride giving more pop across the wake. A woodcore will provide a lot more fun when trying ollies, boardslides presses and general mucking around.

Boat & Cable 
Wood core boards are best if you want the option to ride wake and cable. With removable fins to ride rails & Kickers yet still provides plenty of pop. They also give you a way softer landing behind the boat for those bad knees.

3. Fin & Channel set up

Fin position

If you're a beginner rider, look for a board with a centre fin - This will provide you with a stable ride when you get up and you are flat tracking behind the boat. 

Side fins help you once you advance to a higher level. Giving you more edge control when you don't have perfect technique. The larger the fins the more the board will hide imperfect body riding position. The smaller the fins the more forgiving and slippery the board will feel.

4. Board shape

Rocker is simply the curve (bend) profile of the board and determines riding style.

• Continuous rocker profile offers a smooth, predictable ride, with flowing transitions into turns. his shape is often used for cable park riding;
• The three-stage rocker profile adds a break in the curve for aggressive riding style and a flatter center curve for speed and rail control. Often chosen for riding behind a boat.
• Hybrid rocker profile blends two curves together for improved performance. This shape may come in handy both in the park or behind the boat.
• 

• In short...

  We know it can be complicated, especially if you have a few different riders to consider, so hit up with any questions on FB messenger, email, phone or in store and we'll get you sorted.