The 7 Best Wake Boat Ballast Bags & Wake Shapers of 2023
By: Jack Mace: Watersports Buyer | May 18, 2023
A wake is more than just a ripple in the water; it's the foundation of your wakeboarding or wakesurfing experience. The right wake shape can make all the difference when learning to ride or mastering new skills. The ability to fine-tune your boat's wake to suit various riders or styles is essential, and the most effective way to achieve this is by using a combination of top-quality wake shapers and ballast bags. Wake ballast bags are essentially large weights that help adjust your boat's orientation and depth, which in turn affects its planing and the wake it creates. On the other hand, a wake shaper is an underwater-mounted plate that influences the water flow over the hull and out of the jet, ultimately altering the wake's shape. The best wake shapers and boat ballasts enable you to modify your wake shape with infinite possibilities.
New This Year:
Most wake boats now come equipped with ballast systems, but factory options may not always be the best choice for your needs. The brands we’ll cover in this guide offer bags designed to fit a wide range of boats, ensuring easy installation and an ideal solution for enhancing your wake. This year's best boat ballasts and wake shapers are not only adjustable and durable but also significantly impact your wake's shape and size. Whether setting up the perfect weight distribution for wakesurfing or prepping your boat for an epic wakeboarding session, paying attention to the details is crucial. So why settle for anything less than the best? Get your boat dialed in and elevate your wake game with the latest ballast bags and shapers of 2023.
This Year's Best Wake Shapers & Ballast Bags:
Mission DELTA 2.0 Wakesurf Shaper
The latest incarnation of the first suction cup wakeshaper, the Mission DELTA 2.0 Wakesurf Shaper is proof that it's not all about size. With a contoured front panel ringed by vents, the DELTA 2.0 creates turbulence more efficiently than larger flat panels, easing the strain on your hull. This shaper kicks your wake up without an increase in fuel consumption, steering headaches, or excess splashing. It's easy to switch from side to side to suit goofy- and regular footers, and in the event of the ultra strong suction cups detaching, its simple hollow design allows it to float for easy retrieval. This is a shaper that works smarter, not harder!
| Type | Standout Feature | Original Price |
| Wake Shaper | Flexible Mounting Locations | $248.99 |
Eight.3 25 lbs Boost Sac
The Eight.3 25 lbs Boost Sac is the perfect addition to your ballast setup when water ballast just won't work. Versatile and able to be placed where you need it, this bag features solid construction and a reinforced handle to help tweak your wake to perfection.
| Type | Capacity | Original Price |
| Ballast Sac | 25 lbs | $64.99 |
FatSac Pro X Series Side Ballast Bag Set
The FatSac Pro X Series Side Ballast Bag Set fits along the side of the engine compartment on inboard boats. They are designed to get more weight to the center of the boat to balance any ballast you may have aft of the engine. Their narrow profile makes the FatSac Pro X Series Side Set the perfect fit.
| Type | Capactiy | Original Price |
| Ballast Bag | 260+ lbs | $281.39 - $333.89 |
FatSac Pro X Series Rear Seat/Center Locker Ballast Bag
Small yet still mighty, the FatSac Pro X Series Rear Seat/Center Locker Ballast Bag is a smaller version of the Fat Seat minus the arms. It has a lower profile but adds a lot of weight to the rear of the boat. It will also conform to fit in any center locker and many other places.
| Type | Capacity | Original Price |
| Ballast Bag | 650 lbs | $266.99 |
FatSac Pro X Series Integrated Bow Ballast Bag
People often think that all you need for a great wake is weight in the back of the boat, but believe us when we say that balanced weight (both front and back) is absolutely key. That's why the FatSac Pro X Series Integrated Bow Ballast Bag is quickly becoming one of the most popular ballast bags. Designed to fit underneath the front seats of open bow boats, the Integrated Bow Fat Sac Ballast Bag adds up to 650 lbs of wake-shaping weight to the bow for a steeper, more sculpted wake with a lengthened sweetspot and porpoise-free ride. Whether you're wakeboarding, wakeskating, or wakesurfing, the FatSac Pro X Series Integrated Bow Ballast Bag is a must for serious riders.
| Type | Capactiy | Original Price |
| Ballast Bag | 650 lbs | $377.99 - $428.39 |
FatSac Pro X Series Brick Ballast Bag
Do you have a larger buddy that makes it difficult to balance the weight distribution in your ride? The FatSac Pro X Series Brick Ballast Bag will help you solve this problem. This little thing weighs in at 155 pounds when full. Its handles and compact size allow you to quickly reposition it to fine-tune the boat’s wake and eliminate any unwanted wash. The FatSac Pro X Series Brick Ballast Bag will ensure a good time, no matter your size.
| Type | Capacity | Original Price |
| Ballast Bag | 155+ lbs | $182.68 - $193.99 |
Liquid Force Super Sumo Ballast Pump
The Straight Line Super Sumo Ballast Pump is compatible with Straight Line Big Bag and Sumo Bag ballast bags, and offers up to 1,300GPH of water pumping capacity. The Sumo pump features molded in LINK connections which make attaching the pump a breeze and also ensures that there won't be any unwanted spills in the boat. So fill up your bags and get going!
| Type | Fill Rate | Original Price |
| Ballast Pump | 181 lbs/minute | $129.99 |
Learn More With Our Other Wake Guides:
- Wakeboards - How to Choose & Size Chart
- Wakeboard Boots & Bindings - How to Choose
- Wakeboards & Wakeboard Bindings - Compatibility Guide
- Wakeskates - How to Choose
- Wakesurf Boards - How to Choose
- Wakesurfing - How to Wakesurf & Beginner Tips
- Wakesurfing - Boat Setup / Safety
- Wakeboarding - How to Wakeboard & Beginner Tips
- Wakeboarding - Towing Speed, Rope Length & Boat Weight
- Wakeboard Vests / Life Jackets - How to Choose
- Wakeboard Ropes & Handles - How to Choose
- Wing Foiling & Winging - How to Get Started
Learn About our Favorite Wake Gear
- The Best Wakeboard Bindings
- The Best Wakefoils
- The Best Wakesurf Boards
- The Best Wakeboards
- The Best Wakeboard Life Jackets & Vests
- The Best Wakeboard Ropes & Handles
- The Best Boat Fenders & Accessories
- The Best Wakesurf Ropes & Handles
- The Best Wakeskates
- The Best Wake Ballast Bags & Wake Shapers
- The Best Water Skis
- The Best Beginner Wakeboards
- The Best Value Wakesurf Boards
- The Best Value Wakeboards
- The Best Beginner Wakesurf Boards
The Selection Process:
Our wake buyer has an endless amount of knowledge on all things watersports stemming from years of experience in the watersports industry in tandem with their countless hours out in the water catching waves behind the boat or ripping at the cable park. evo's buyers assess all products coming to market, lean into this knowledge, and put together this selection of the best products. They have a unique perspective as they truly see everything offered across the category.
Jack Mace
I grew up on the north end of Lake Washington and was surrounded by watersports enthusiasts who all had an immense passion for any activity done on the water. My dad has also worked in the boating industry my whole life, so those two factors were the main building blocks that shaped my love for the industry from a young age.
After attending Western Washington University, I moved back to the Seattle area and worked as a sailing instructor for a number of years at my cousin’s rental shop on Lake Union before joining the evo family in 2012.
At evo, I started out on the customer service team and worked my way onto the merchandising team which gave me the opportunity to integrate my passion and love for the water into a career as the Watersports Buyer. I still reside in the Seattle area with my wife Katie and two sons, Wes and Carter.