2016 Ronix Bill Wakeboard Review

Ronix has always done funny, quirky things with its board graphics, but I’d never experienced an unboxing quite like this one. As soon as I opened the plastic, everyone in our office had to come take a look and smell the board. Yes, you heard it right, they smelled it. The entire top sheet of the board smells like a pine air freshener; there was even a Ronix Bill-branded air freshener included in the bag. We all had a good laugh.

Before we get any further, let’s dive into the changes for 2016. Last year, Ronix offered the Bill with a softer, park-oriented flex pattern, and the William with a stiffer, boat-oriented flex pattern. For 2016, the benefits of both the William and the Bill were rolled up into one hybrid that you can enjoy in both environments.

At the park, the 2016 Bill was a lot of fun. It had a good amount of glide speed, landed great off of kickers, and was really quick from edge to edge, making air tricks easy to load up. It tracked pretty tight even without fins because of the deep edge channels that run along the belly. It was moderately fast on rails and didn’t get hung up at all, although it was a bit difficult to get deep into presses because the board sits toward the stiffer end of the spectrum.

Behind the boat, the Bill outperformed my expectations. The little bit of give that it has in the tip and tail made for soft landings and a snappy takeoff when I stepped on the tail. The belly was stiff, so the rocker held its shape as I edged through the wake. There was a comfortable amount of continuous rocker, which made the board consistent and easy to ride, but it didn’t lack in pop, either. It tracked a little tight for my preferences, even with the ­looser 0.8-inch Free Agent fins, but I like it looser than most riders do. This tighter tracking meant that it held a solid edge, keeping you on track through the wake and helping you lock back into a solid edge when you landed.

Overall, the Ronix Bill is a fun hybrid that anyone from beginner to pro can enjoy. I would feel comfortable coaching any of my students on this board. In my opinion, it does lean a little toward boat riding, but that might just be because I feel more at home behind the boat.

Oh, and I accidentally left it in my car with my soaking-wet gear overnight. Once I realized where it was, I expected to smell a nasty mildew odor that would linger in my car for the next few days, but when I pulled the board out, it smelled like fresh pine! It all makes sense now. Stay fresh out there, folks!