Tige Z1/RZ2 vs Malibu VTX w/ Diamond Hull

[bbmatt9]

Anyone have experience with the Tige Z1/RZ2 and the Malibu VTX w/ Diamond Hull? Specifically I am talking in turns of how it is to ski behind as I know both boats will be great for wakeboarding and surfing. We are in the market for a used wakeboard boat that we can still ski behind. Any input is greatly appreciated. Thank You.

- Matt

[dom w. forte]

Thats tough to compare, the Malibu will have a better slalomn wake and a recreational wakeboard , surf wake, the Z1, RZ2, will have a recreational slalomn wake and exlent wakeboard ,surfwake, also resale value for the VTX diamond hull is tough, most hardcore wakeboard, surf wake people want those areas to be the best, hope this helps.

[boardman74]

You will be hard pressed to find a VTX with the diamond hull. I believe that is special order only. Like Dom said the people buying that boat are surfers/ boarders and not skiers. From what I am told it really hurts the wakeboard wake.

[talltigeguy]

You will be hard pressed to find a VTX with the diamond hull. I believe that is special order only. Like Dom said the people buying that boat are surfers/ boarders and not skiers. From what I am told it really hurts the wakeboard wake.

Of late, there have been a number of threads on the Malibu crew about this exact thing. I argued that resale with the diamond hull would be less, since it is generally considered a 'skiing' hull. But those who actually have ridden both are extremely confident that the diamond hull does not affect anything below 28 MPH. They think it offers the best of both worlds...like a Tige hull does. So many have ordered even their V-drives with a diamond hull, despite my recommendations.

I would go with the Tiges you have described above, just because they are bigger than the VTX, but I think if you can test drive, the whole diamond thing wouldn't scare you away for wakeboarding.

[thtrog]

You will be hard pressed to find a VTX with the diamond hull. I believe that is special order only. Like Dom said the people buying that boat are surfers/ boarders and not skiers. From what I am told it really hurts the wakeboard wake.

Not true....

[Ewok]

ET, can you elaborate for the OP? What's the deal with the diamond hull? Good for wakeboarding but not good for surfing? Vice Versa? Inquiring minds want to know.

[NICKYPOO]

I've got some time behind a 21xti with the diamond hull. It is a slalom/foil crew for the most part. It has a wedge for rear ballast and some sort of front ballast, I don't think its more than 300#. It has the worst surf wake on the planet. Absolutely no transition and absolutely no, and I hate to use this word, "push". It's more aggravating than anything. If you have any interest at all in surfing, this is not the hull for you. IMO, no Malibu is unless you are very serious about your ballast system. I've been behind a few now (Ds and Vs) with mild ballast and they have all sucked. Duffy swears by the 247 (Wheelhouse's) and if he says its good, I believe him.

The slalom wake is a little disappointing. It's quite large. I was really surprised by its size. It's soft but, it is one really big roller. He skis it hard (former slalom instructor) and gets through it just fine but, he is an animal on the fire stick. I plan on going head to head on slalom wakes with him in June. I know my boat has far superior surf wake and I feel it has a better slalom wake as well. We've never skied them back to back and in fact he's never skied my boat. I think he's worried my funky old boat will out perform his fancy pants Malibu. We'll see come June.

[thtrog]

I've got some time behind a 21xti with the diamond hull. It is a slalom/foil crew for the most part. It has a wedge for rear ballast and some sort of front ballast, I don't think its more than 300#. It has the worst surf wake on the planet. Absolutely no transition and absolutely no, and I hate to use this word, "push". It's more aggravating than anything. If you have any interest at all in surfing, this is not the hull for you. IMO, no Malibu is unless you are very serious about your ballast system. I've been behind a few now (Ds and Vs) with mild ballast and they have all sucked. Duffy swears by the 247 (Wheelhouse's) and if he says its good, I believe him.

The slalom wake is a little disappointing. It's quite large. I was really surprised by its size. It's soft but, it is one really big roller. He skis it hard (former slalom instructor) and gets through it just fine but, he is an animal on the fire stick. I plan on going head to head on slalom wakes with him in June. I know my boat has far superior surf wake and I feel it has a better slalom wake as well. We've never skied them back to back and in fact he's never skied my boat. I think he's worried my funky old boat will out perform his fancy pants Malibu. We'll see come June.

Our Tige 22i was an excellant wakeboard boat with lots of ballast! It was also a good recreational skier at speed and TAPS at 2. That said, who asked about Tige or Malibu direct drive models???

[thtrog]

ET, can you elaborate for the OP? What's the deal with the diamond hull? Good for wakeboarding but not good for surfing? Vice Versa? Inquiring minds want to know.

I can tell you the Diamond Cut hull is most common on the VTX, do a quick search. The VTX is specifically targeted as a crossover boat…add the Diamond Cut hull and it shines as a skier for a 20 foot v-drive. As talltigeguy shared, below 28 mph you would be hard pressed to tell the difference in surf or wakeboard wakes.

[Bruizza]

I have tons of time in a VTX as one of my best lake buddies has one. It throws an amazing wakeboarding wake like all Malibu V Drives. It also throws a very nice surf wave with weight. We run 750s in the lockers and a 650 in the bow. Fill up the side you want to surf and the bow weight and the wave gets very nice for a 20ft boat.

As to the comment that finding a VTX with a diamond hull is hard I 100% disagree. Almost every VTX I have ever looked at, talked about etc... has the diamond hull. It is the PERFECT boat for the diamond hull.

We don't ski so I can't comment on any of the boat's you mentioned ski wakes. I will say our RZ2 has the better surf wake but my buddy's VTX has the better wakeboarding wake.

[shawndoggy]

I've got some time behind a 21xti with the diamond hull. It is a slalom/foil crew for the most part. It has a wedge for rear ballast and some sort of front ballast, I don't think its more than 300#. It has the worst surf wake on the planet. Absolutely no transition and absolutely no, and I hate to use this word, "push". It's more aggravating than anything. If you have any interest at all in surfing, this is not the hull for you. IMO, no Malibu is unless you are very serious about your ballast system. I've been behind a few now (Ds and Vs) with mild ballast and they have all sucked. Duffy swears by the 247 (Wheelhouse's) and if he says its good, I believe him.

The slalom wake is a little disappointing. It's quite large. I was really surprised by its size. It's soft but, it is one really big roller. He skis it hard (former slalom instructor) and gets through it just fine but, he is an animal on the fire stick. I plan on going head to head on slalom wakes with him in June. I know my boat has far superior surf wake and I feel it has a better slalom wake as well. We've never skied them back to back and in fact he's never skied my boat. I think he's worried my funky old boat will out perform his fancy pants Malibu. We'll see come June.

You are introducing a pear (21XTI) to an apples (vtx) and oranges (Z1/RZ2) comparison.

[Ewok]

Thanks ET.

[NICKYPOO]

You are introducing a pear (21XTI) to an apples (vtx) and oranges (Z1/RZ2) comparison.

I was just throwing in my two cents on that hull. I should have put a disclaimer on there that I don't know the differences (if any) between the D and the V in the actuall running surfaces.

I guess I should also look up what the VTX actually is. Why can't Malibu put some sort of number in there to at least give a clue as to what size it is? VTX, VLX, VXL, XLV, WTF?

[boardman74]

I stand corrected. Its the other way around. Good luck finding one without the diamond hull. We looked at the VTX when we first started looking last fall, first problem I saw was I could buy a new RZ2 or Z3 for less money. The VTX is a comparable boat to an RZR(IMO) and they were priced 20K-25K more. Used 2010's up here are listed for almost 60K. I paid less than that for a 2013 RZR which is the comparable Tige, IMO.

Size wise there is no comparison between the boats. VTX is a average 20 footer, New Z1 is big inside for a 21 and the RZ2 is huge. Only place the VTX is going to win is ski wake, but you give up things for that. It comes down to whats the most important. Wakeboarding may be comparable with the right ballast, Surf wise the VTX will never compare to the RZ2 or the Z1.

[bbmatt9]

Thanks for all the comments guys. I figure the boat will be used 90% of the time for wakeboarding and surfing and 10% for skiing. So with that it seems like I would be better off with the Z1 or RZ2. For comparison sake is the RZR a decent value vs the Z1/RZ2 or do you sacrifice too much with room, wake, etc? It is technically rated to fit more people than the older Z1s i believe.