7 Best Wakeboard Towers-What to look for when Buying

A while ago, most boats were fitted with pylons which proved quite shaky and needed to be readjusted every once and again. At the time, the use of wakeboard towers on boats seemed almost ridiculous. However, the advantages and looks of modern wakeboard towers have made them a favorite of most users.

Besides their looks, wakeboard towers come with some benefits especially when combined with their accessories. These include protection from the sun, a structure for sound speakers, wakeboard racks and light systems, extra hang time, support for movement in the board, and they also provide an elevated tow point for the boat.

Modern wakeboard towers come in various designs and makes with the most common types being edge wakeboard towers, harpoon wakeboard towers, saber wakeboard towers, reverse arch wakeboard towers, razor wakeboard towers, and blade wakeboard towers. We reviewed the best of the below.

1. MTE Wakeboard Tower

The best of the lot is the MTE Wakeboard Tower with a 2.5-inch tubing of a T6 bright-dipped anodized aluminum. The anodized coating prevents corrosion of the metal while giving it a great look. It also has a universal fit which makes it fit any boat with a beam width between 60 and 102 inches.

The installation process is one of the simplest as you don’t need an expert to do it for you. It’s packed in just 5 pieces that are easy to assemble without confusion. For low-profile storage, you can quickly fold the tower into the rear of the boat. You’re also covered with a warranty of 5 years which is more than the competition offers.

Pros

• Made of high-quality T6 anodized aluminum that doesn’t rust or corrode.
• Easy installation.
• Universal fit (for beam width between 60” and 102” boats).
• Hinged top section for easy folding when you need a low profile.
• 5-year warranty.

Cons

• None.

An affordable yet highly durable and good-looking wakeboard tower for the modern wakeboarder.

2. Origin OWT-I Advancer Wakeboard Tower

Another wakeboard tower with great features is the Origin OWT-I Advancer. It’s an adjustable tower for boats with a beam width between 68 and 98 inches. It also has a universal design that fits most boats between 17 and 22 feet in length.

The Advancer comes with a 2.25-inch polished aluminum tubing with other stainless hardware. This ensures that it lasts even in salty and harsh waters. It’s also one of the easiest to install thanks to the single bolt feet. Finally, you get an impressive 5-year warranty.

Pros

• Universal fit for boats between 17 and 22 feet in length.
• Easy installation thanks to the single bolt feet.
• Fits boats with beam widths of 68 to 98 inches.
• Polished aluminum tubing at 2.25 inches that’s corrosion-free.
• 5-year warranty.

Cons

• None

Another great option made of high-quality materials and with good looks to boot. It also installs easily.

3. MTK Wakeboard Tower

The MTK Wakeboard Tower is among the premium options you have with its great features and premium look. Besides having high quality 2.5-inch aluminum bars, it’s among the few options you can find with options for different finishes including an anodized one, a black powder coat, Polar White or even a Stealth Black one.

It comes with an integrated navigation light which would otherwise cost you extra if you bought one on its own. It’s meant for any boat longer than 16 feet and having a beam width between 72 and 102 inches (standard measurements for boats). It can fold both backwards and forwards without any tools being used in the folding process.

Pros

• High-quality 2.5” aluminum bars.
• Available in anodized, black powder coat, Polar White and Stealth Black finishes.
• Integrated navigation light.
• Fits boats longer than 16 feet.
• Fits boats with beam widths between 72 and 102 inches.
• Folds backwards and forwards without tools.
• Easy installation.
• 5-year warranty.

Cons

• None

The MTK wakeboard tower beams with quality in all areas from the looks to the quality of materials.

4. Big Air Ice Wakeboard Tower

The Big Air Ice Wakeboard Tower would look great on any type of boat no matter its color thanks to being available in polished chrome and gloss black powder coat finishes. It also fits boats between 62 and 103 inches in beam widths. Thats just about every boat you’ll find on the market at the moment.

It’s made of the industry standard 2.25-inch aluminum tubing that can be fully collapsed to near the windshield height. The U-joint rear leg connections make it easy and smooth to collapse the tower when the need arises.

Pros

• 2.25” aluminum tubing.
• Fits boats with beam widths between 62 and 103 inches.
• Adjustable stance from 40 to 60 inches.
• U-joints make the collapsing process easy and smooth.
• 3/8” holes pre-drilled internally for easy wiring.

Cons

• None

The look of the Big Air Ice Wakeboard Tower coupled with the ease of installation make it a great option for most people. It also fits more boats than the other options on the list.

5. Big Air Cuda Wakeboard Tower

Another entry from Big Air, the Cuda Wakeboard Tower comes with the industry standard 2.25” aluminum tubing which can be collapsed to about 26 inches in height. It also fits boats with a beam width between 72 and 103 inches. The tower comes in a polished chrome finish.

The Cuda wakeboard tower has inbuilt mounts which can be used with many different accessories from the Razor Series line and others. Their strength means that you can hang just about anything you wish on them. We tried several heavy wakeboards and they were still sturdy and strong.

Pros

• 2.25” aluminum tubing.
• For boats with beam widths between 72 and 103 inches.
• Polished chrome finish.
• Reinforced at the bends for a sturdy finish.
• Built in mounts for accessories.

Cons

• None

Another great wakeboard without any blemishes.

6. MT1 Wakeboard Tower

When it comes to quality, the MT1 Wakeboard Tower is at the very top of the pile. It uses the top quality 6061/63 aluminum tubing with 304 stainless steel fasteners for a durable construction. It fits boats with beam widths of between 60 and 102 inches thus a universal fit.

This wakeboard tower is also very easy to install thanks to the highly detailed instructions which come with it. It has a dual header to provide more space for more accessories such as lights and speakers. The folding process is also an easy one thanks to the Quick Release Knobs which eliminate the need for tools to fold it up.

Pros

• Uses 6061/63 aluminum tubing with 304 stainless steel fasteners for a durable construction.
• For boats with beam widths between 60 and 102 inches hence a universal fit.
• Easy installation with a detailed manual.
• Dual header allows for more accessories being attached.
• Quick Release Knobs for easy folding.

Cons

• None

A simple yet high-quality wakeboard tower with lots of space for accessories.

7. Airborne 2.0 Wakeboard Tower

Wrapping up this list is the very impressive Airborne 2.0 with premium 6061-T6 aircraft grade aluminum at 2.25” (diameter) tubing. The bars are in a black powder coat finish which looks great in the sun. With the deck mounts 70 inches apart, it can fit boats with beam widths between 76 and 108 inches.

You get easy vertical clearance thanks to the easy folding design. In the package, you get all the needed hardware including 4 aluminum backing washers. It’s bundled with a US Coast Guard certified 2-mile all-round LED white navigation light. The light is rated at more than 50,000 hours of use.

Pros

• High-quality 6061-T6 aircraft grade aluminum at 2.25” (diameter).
• Fits boats with beam widths between 76 and 108 inches.
• 4 aluminum backing washers included.
• Easy folding for vertical clearance.
• Navigation light included with a rating of more than 50,000 hours of use.

Cons

• None

This wakeboard tower is a great choice given its quality and features.

Any one of these wakeboard towers will make your boat more beautiful and functional. They all have great materials and features to make your wakeboarding experience much easier.

Buyers’ Guide-How to choose the Best Wakeboard Tower

When on the market looking for a good wakeboard tower, consider the following aspects:

1. Quality of construction

A wakeboard tower isn’t cheap and neither is it something you’ll buy frequently. For this reason, you need something that’s durable enough to last through the lifetime of your boat. You’ll be in the sun, the cold and salty water when wakeboarding. You thus need something that can withstand these conditions without breaking apart.

Some of the best materials to use are aluminum and stainless steel. The best type of aluminum is 6061-T6 aircraft aluminum. This type doesn’t corrode or rust and will last for long. It’s also light and doesn’t add weight to the boat. While you may find others made from 6063 aluminum, it’s not the best quality although still good enough to work without issues.

Stainless steel is the best material for this work although it’s both expensive and adds lots of weight to the boat owing to its inherent weight. It’ll thus be tougher to install owing to the weight but does a great job when it comes to resilience and maintaining the looks of your boat.

2. Ease of installation

Installing a wakeboard tower can be quite difficult given its size, structure and weight. As such, always confirm how easy the tower is to install before making a purchase. The advantage is that you can always look at the installation videos online or hire an expert to do the installation for you.

3. Compatibility and accessories

Each manufacturer will have their own set of accessories for their wakeboard tower. However, there is a standard for these towers where any accessory can fit on any tower. For towers made with either 2.25” or 2.5” tubing, you can fit them with any type of accessory you please.

If the tube isn’t any of the two sizes, you’ll need to buy clamps to attach your desired accessories. This is an extra cost and the fitting you get for these accessories won’t be sturdy enough.

4. Anti-weather properties

The materials you choose for your wakeboard tower will be important. However, the protection added is just as important. This is because, given time, high quality materials such as steel and aluminum still lose their shine due to exposure to salts, the sun and other elements.

The methods used in making these materials resilient against the elements include anodizing, brushing and powder-coating. Of the three, powder-coating is the best and most reliable against the elements.

5. Pattern of wakeboard tower

While you can have a customized wakeboard tower pattern or style, the main ones are edge wakeboard towers, harpoon wakeboard towers, saber wakeboard towers, reverse arch wakeboard towers, razor wakeboard towers, and blade wakeboard towers.

6. Style of mounting feet

The mounting foot is the point of contact between the wakeboard tower and the boat. In this regard, there are those with one large bolt while others have four smaller bolts. Between the two, the single bolt is the better option as it’s more stable and doesn’t do much damage to the boat. The smaller bolts can also easily lead to cracks on the body of the boat which is quite costly to fix.

No matter the style of mounting feet you’ll go with, always ensure you re-torque them every once and again. This prevents lots of issues such as cracking and general damage. The rocking of the water, towing wakeboards, carrying accessories and bumpy roads during transport can easily loosen the bolts up.

7. Ease of collapse

While great pieces to have on your boat, wakeboard towers may need to be tucked away when you need the open air above you. If it has the capability to collapse with ease, it’s a great advantage. If it needs to be fully removed, it’ll be problematic.

8. Customer support and length of warranty

When it comes to customer support, the manufacturer should be a ready to help out when you run into an issue. Just because a wakeboard tower is great isn’t guarantee that it won’t run into issues. If the seller can help you deal with the issues you run into, it’s a big bonus.

The length of a warranty is the level of confidence the manufacturer has in their product. For wakeboard towers, most manufacturers offer 5 years which is a great addition to have. You’ll know your manufacturer has your back and will have peace of mind when using the tower.

Keep these aspects in mind to settle on the best wakeboard tower. We based on these ones and the user experience to come up with our list of the best towers above.

FAQs

Further Reading on Wakebording

• How to Wakeboard: A Basic Beginner Guide +Tips
• How to Jump on a Wakeboard
• How to Get Up on a Wakeboard
• Wakeboard Tricks & Names: Easiest to the Hardest
• Wakeboarding vs Wake Surfing
• How to Pick the Right Wakeboard Size-Chart & Guide
• 7 Best Wakeboards + Buy Guide
• Best Wakeboard Life Jackets & Vests for Women, Men & Kids
• Best Wakeboard Bindings & Boots