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Best Wake Shaper Reviews
Taking watersports up to that next level of fun is all about making big waves. Investing in a new boat specifically made for sports like wakesurfing and wakeboarding will cost you thousands. But you can avoid that huge expense altogether with a simple device: a wake shaper.
The best wakeshapers easily attach to the hull of the boat you already own, producing bigger waves, and saving you a ton of cash.
Wake shapers use powerful suction to stay put, which means no drills and glues that might damage your expensive hull. Launch your boat, and place your wake shaper in any variety of positions to optimize the size and shape of the wave.
These little gems go by a couple of different names. You’ll hear watersports enthusiasts also refer to wake shapers as a wakegate, wakesurf gate, wake maker, and a couple other names.
They are all essentially talking about one in the same device. There are some minor differences that are important to consider before you make a purchase. It’s particularly crucial that you make sure the base of the wakegate will fit your hull properly, so we made sure to look at versatile units when we launched our wake shaper reviews project.
We love ripping across the wake as much as anyone, so we can really appreciate a good day on the water. Investing in a quality wake shaper will spin the fun dial up to eleven. We are here to help you find the best wakesurf shaper for your boat.
Top Wake Shaper Features To Consider
- Buoyancy – This is usually the very first thing that comes to mind for boaters that are new to the concept of wake shapers. What if it falls off? Does it come with a tether? Well manufacturers are pretty crafty, so they nearly always make their wakesurf gates out of highly buoyant materials. No worries if your wake shaper pops off your hull. Just spin around and pick it up!
- Easy Positioning – Having the ability to switch your wake shaper from port to starboard whenever needed is a real plus. Positioning is really going to depend on whether you are pushing waves for surfers standing goofy-foot, or regular. But if you need to change back and forth depending on the rider, you really want to be able to make the switch easily and quickly.
- Footprint – The footprint of any particular wake shaper is going to be absolutely pivotal to know before you make a purchase. Some boats are much less picky than others, and will take just about any wake shaper without a fuss. But there are a good number of boats with hulls that are heavily stepped, and therefore don’t offer a lot of vertical space to mount just any wake shaper that comes along.
- Rugged – Wake shapers are under a tremendous amount of force while being dragged through the water. In fact, that’s exactly why they generate waves. Strong build quality is essential for making wakesurf shapers last for the long-term. Mechanical failure in the middle of a day of wakeboarding is going to really put a damper on what could have been a good time.
- Gentle On The Finish – Beyond rugged build quality, you don’t want your wake shaper peeling the gel-coating off your boat. This is where a well-established reputation for having a gentle touch will speak volumes. Wake shapers connect to the hull with suction, and need to provide significant grip to stay in place. Quality designs will firmly hold position, and won’t cause damage to the hull of your boat.
- Big Waves – Yeah that’s what we want to see behind the boat! A nice big wake that is placed at a good distance from the transom is a sight every wake surfer wants to see!
Top Wake Shaper Comparison Chart
Best Wake Shaper
1. SWELL Wakesurf Creator 2.0
SWELL Wakesurf Creator 2.0
This wake shaper has really taken the sport by storm and nearly become a standard of what other wake gates try to imitate. Meeting at the perfect crossroads of affordability and performance, the Swell Wakesurf Creator 2.0 is sure to impress.
The Features:
You can use the SWELL Wakesurf Creator 2.0 to double your wakesurf wave as this design serves to significantly increase your wake size, every single time.
You can attach the SWELL Wakesurf Creator easily to your boat by pushing the two suction cups provided against the hull of the boat and then flipping the locking levers over and into place. You will find that you need to install it on the opposite side of your surfer after the boat is loaded up, just three to four inches below the water line. As long as you have an area of five by thirteen inches you should find that it attaches very easily.
The SWELL Wakesurf Creator 2.0 design enables you to switch its position around the boat within seconds as you simply attach, remove and reattach the suction levers. You can do this whilst floating by reaching over the side of the boat. There are no fiddly velcro type systems in use here, and the suction cup design has a proven track record to withstand speeds of up to 14MPH.
This can be used with any boat and has been tested on a large variety with the same strong results. It is easy to clean and install when not in use.
All of the materials used are to a marine grade standard and are fully UV-protected. They are designed for strength and durability in the water so you should find that this is incredibly long-lasting equipment.
The Positives:
One of the standout positives of this wake shaper is how super easy to install it is and the ability it has for you to shift the side that it is operating on whilst out on the water.
The SWELL Wakesurf Creator 2.0 definitely gets a thumbs up for ease of use with the suction levers, with most people finding these to be brilliant at remaining firm in any and all conditions.
The SWELL Wakesurf Creator 2.0 creates both bigger and longer waves, giving you more opportunities to enjoy the surf, without any need for ropes.
Here is a great video showing how easy it is to install and move the Swell Wakesurf Creator 2.0:
2. MISSION Delta Wake Shaper
MISSION Delta Wake Shaper
The MISSION DELTA is the original suction-based wakesurf shaper, designed and built from MISSION’s own experiences and determination to create the ideal wakesurf shaper. Hours upon hours of design and production have created this wake shaper, and you can be confident that it has been tested by waksurfers on a large variety of both v-drive and direct-drive boats.
The Features:
The wakesurf system works by creating a wake pattern, asymmetrically, proven to increase the turbulent flow of water that is already being produced by the symmetrical design of your boat. The Mission Delta wakeshaper harnesses this increase in turbulent energy and projects it into a focused and formidable wake.
The MISSION DELTA boasts a lovely compact design, and it has been created this way to be as efficient as it possibly can be. In this way, it takes up very little room while in storage, and it takes very little of your boat’s floor space, leaving room for more passengers and making sure everyone can come along for a good time on the water.
The MISSION DELTA wake shaper comes supplied with the unit itself, a storage bag, the two suction cups, two can coolers and a very straightforward set of instructions.
The MISSION DELTA also includes a satisfying one year warranty, which will kick in for you from the moment of your purchase date and protect you against issues with defects in manufacturing or materials.
The Positives:
The MISSION DELTA floats, which makes it nice and easy to see and adjust if ever you find it necessary to do so.
It creates an instant clean, long wake and a better lip for surfing, and it can do this with only a couple of people in the boat. Of course if there are more people on board, the wake simply gets even better and helps you to create amazing conditions for surfing.
The MISSION DELTA is proven to be a durable and long-lasting wake shaper. As an added bonus, you also have the security of that warranty to protect you against any initial issues, but we wouldn’t expect any problems. Overall, this is a top notch wakesurf shaper that we don’t hesitate to recommend.
3. Nauticurl WakeSurfing Wake Shaper
Nauticurl WakeSurfing Wake Shaper
The Nauticurl WakeSurf Shaper has been professionally engineered and tested to maximize your wake. It is designed to prevent your boat from listing, while producing nicely shaped waves that will have you riding high, every time.
The Features:
The Nauticurl WakeSurfing Wake Shaper is considered to be the official wake device of Heyday Boats, and holds universal appeal.
The wake shaper is made from completely water absorbent rigid foam which, along with its sleek design, ensures that it floats.
As with many other wake shapers, it uses heavy duty suction cups to attach to your boat, allowing you to attach and remove it quickly and easily.
The NautiCurl Wake Shaper is made from high-strength aircraft aluminum alloy with a durable and protective powder coat finish.
The Positives:
The appearance and design of the Nauticurl WakeSurfing Wake Shaper wins points with us as it is sure to look stylish on any boat.
This wake shaper design is made completely from aluminium alloy, with absolutely no plastic incorporated into the design. For us, this manages to add to its strong look, sturdy durability and positive environmental footprint.
You can confidently expect your wave to curl and significantly lengthen with an equally weighted boat using the Nauticurl Wakesurfing Wake Shaper.
Your surf area will greatly increase giving you plenty of room to enjoy those waves and stay a safe distance away from the boat.
4. SWELL Wakesurf Creator Slim
SWELL Wakesurf Creator Slim
The SWELL Wakesurf Creator Slim has been designed specifically for boats with small mounting surfaces. You will find that it fits perfectly to Mastercraft series boats, such as the X2, X9, X10, X23, X30, X45 and Maristar, along with the Sanger series boats, such as the V210 and the V215, and many more.
The Features:
The SWELL Wakesurf Creator Slim uses all of the same technology as the SWELL Wakesurf Creator 2.0 listed above. However, you will only need three and a half inches of vertical space to use this wake shaper, which is brilliant for those hulls with lots of steps.
You can attach your SWELL Wakesurf Creator Slim by pushing both of the suction cups against the hull of your boat and then flipping the locking levers into place. You have complete flexibility as you can simply switch sides by installing it on the other side of your boat as and when you want to.
Despite its slim design, the SWELL Wakesurf Creator Slim is sure to create longer and larger waves for you every single time, just as the original Creator 2.0 has been proven to do.
The Positives:
You can expect seven to eight feet more wake to surf with this wake shaper, without needing to be concerned about the number of people or weight on your boat.
The suction cup design makes it very easy to install and change the position of the SWELL Wakesurf Creator Slim quickly and simply.
This design has been created solely to solve the issue of wake shapers on narrow boats. As such, it is perfect for slim boats, making it a must buy for those that fall into that category.
5. Sylvan Wave Maker Surf Gate Shaper
Sylvan Wave Maker Surf Shaper
Coming in last but not least, the Sylvan Wave Maker is designed to change your wake an into impressive wake, worthy of serious surfing. And as one of the most affordable wake shaper options out there, this wake shaper has gained a lot of appeal for newcomes to the sport of wakesurfing.
The Features:
The Sylvan Wave Maker is designed to float, as it has been made with durable and long-lasting water grade materials. Having undergone rigorous thorough testing, this wake shaper is built to last and does what it needs to do for you every time, creating those waves to surf.
This wake shaper has been designed to help you to get the largest and best possible shaped waves by using the latest cutting edge design.
To use and install the Sylvan Wave Maker Surf Gate Shaper, you need to ensure that you first clean the boat’s hull where you plan to put the Wave Maker, and then place it below the waterline using the suction cups.To allow for different shaped boats, you might need to play around with it a little to find the very best position for yours, the one that gets you the biggest and best waves. Remember that when you position it, you will be surfing on the opposite side of the boat.
The Sylvan Wave Maker is made using aluminium alloy fixtures and completely waterproof foam inserts that act as flotation devices.
The Sylvan Wave Maker also comes with a 100% money back guarantee, so you can be confident when you are making your purchase.
The Positives:
The Sylvan Wave Maker is super simple to assemble, so you can be surfing in no time at all.
It floats well, so on those rare occasions when the suction cups might let you down, it is easy to find and retrieve your wake shaper.
It is easy to move the Sylvan Wave Maker from side to side of your boat, allowing you to alter your wake.
The Sylvan Wave maker is super compact, making it easy to transport and use.