Filed in: Surfboard Reviews | On: March 22nd, 2007 | Comments:
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Firewire Surfboards have finally hit Hawaii surf shops and the hype has been building. These boards have a Rolls Royce like price tag at over $700 a pop…I went into Hawaiian Island Creations and saw boards selling for $800! There’s been so much hype surrounding these boards and all I’ve been hearing is how Taj Burrow claims these boards are insane. For the steep price tag, I hope he’s right. Firewire Technology Firewire Surfboards feature their ‘Future Shapes Technology’ which produces flex memory and rapid rebound. Most of the hype surrounding these boards lie in the rails which utilize a parabolic balsa wood rail (not new technology). These boards have no center stringer and according to Firewire Surfboards, the wood rails flex and store energy (compress) throughout the turn and spring back to the original rocker (decompress) thereby releasing the energy in the form of speed which triggers rapid acceleration. All Firewire Surfboards are made with epoxy resin which ensures that these boards maintain their long lasting flex patterns unlike traditional fiberglass boards which lose their flex as they age. Customization While the majority of these stock surfboards are sold off the rack, the company’s website states that Firewire boards with custom dimensions can be ordered. However, I would expect the custom boards to take quite a while to get back to you. Durability One thing I noticed while looking at Firewire boards was that they lacked thickness. The company claims that their epoxy/composite surfboards are up to 20% lighter than traditional fiberglass surfboards which is why they can offer a shorter and thinner board. However, these boards last 5-10 times longer than tradition PU boards and the composite materials ensure that these boards do not loose their flex and ‘liveliness’. Models Flexfire - Standard shortboard outline with performance in mind and is designed for maximum speed and quick turning. The website claims “Flexfire series explodes through turns while the parabolic rail configuration guarantees 100% return memory for years.” Alternator - Slightly more forgiving shortboard outline geared for the intermediate surfer designed to paddle well but still turn in a tight radius. Probably the most all around shortboard shape for average to intermediate surfers. Quadraflex - Combines the control of the Alternator with the speed of a twin fin fish. This board basically looks like a shortboard with a wider swallow tail…board also features quad fin setup. This is Firewire Surfboard’s stab at the increasingly popular quad fin surfboard. Futura - Somewhat of a modern fish outline and design. High top-end speed with tight turning ability in a thruster fin setup.
Fishtail - Retro twin fin fish design and in my opinion the most fun looking board in the Firewire quiver. Old school design meets new school composite materials and construction. A twin fin fish with parabolic rails means the fastest fish ever built? I find it hard to believe but if you see the regulars at your spot running circles around you with this board, the myth must be true. Skeptic I’m somewhat skeptical that these boards really explode out of turns with a greater amount of speed than traditional surfboards. The one aspect that has me questioning the worth of these boards is their epoxy construction. I’ve yet to find an epoxy surfboard that has really worked well in choppy, windy, or sub-par conditions. The company claims that these boards perform well in windy conditions but I’ll let you be the judge. Perhaps the local rep here may let us test drive a few boards. We’ll let you know as soon as we ride one of these boards. Stay tuned for our conclusion. 67 Comments »Mike B, on April 4, 2007 @ 12:25 pm |I have a couple of these boards and am pretty stoked on them. I can’t exactly put into technical jargon what they do but a good way to describe how they feel riding them is that you feel like your standing on your sweet spots on your board. I noticed snaps its a lot easier. You don’t feel like you bog rails as much and they snap out of turns really nice. tommy t., on April 6, 2007 @ 8:49 am |My buddy just got one of these. He rode traditional PU boards forever, and just recently broke his surftech board he had been riding for 1 1/2 YEARS!!!! the thing still had life in it but he claimed he loved it. I can attest that he surf WAY BETTER on Epoxy too. I personally love my epoxy board as well. We both got NEw FIREWIRE’s and think they are god’s gift. They flex so well out of turns and out of bottom turn’s! ITS LIKE YOU SURFING A LOADED SPRING!!!! IT JUST SHOOTS YOU BACK INTO THE POCKET AND THROWS HEAPS MORE SPRAY THAN ANY OTHER BOARD I HAVE RIDDEN!!!!. I love thse things, they’re awsome! carlos, on April 10, 2007 @ 6:00 pm |you guys are silly for paying that much for a board that is going to get dinged and will snap. man I thought I was paying a lot for surtechs. they suckered you in as soon as they paid Taj all that money. How has Taj’s surfing improved his ass can’t even win a top rated contest. Bobby Marinez has one more top rated contest then Taj. you guys are consumer kooks. The ex billabong reps are doing the same things to get you to buy their shirts. you know what those boards are they are the Air Jordans of surfing, shit I never felt like I could shoot better with my MJs, but I sure looked good. So basically you clowns are trying to look good in the lineup, that is sad but hey is your money. By the way I ride surftechs cuz they are going to last me way more than PU boards and I ain’t sponsored like some of you fools think you will be. tajrips, on April 12, 2007 @ 5:43 pm |Never surfed a firewire but saw the Bells footage and Taj was full on ripping on one of those things. Must say it did look like that board had a lot of pop and spring (but then again it was Taj). Who knows though - when’s the last time he won a big event? whythehaters?, on April 13, 2007 @ 6:32 am |Congratulations to Taj for winning the Bells WCT; Taj rode his FW all the way through the event! poop, on April 24, 2007 @ 4:18 am |lost xtr and firewire all the way. i rode my friends firewire and it was truly sick it likes to fly and goes fast slaps the lip nice too Rick C, on May 13, 2007 @ 10:33 am |I just bought a futura, and i would not call it a fish in any way. personally, i bought the futura simply because i weigh a little more and needed the extra float and they do run a little on the thin side. i love it. i have rode surftech’s and like my firewire way more. no comparison. Justin, on August 14, 2007 @ 2:54 am |hey i need help, im buying a firewire in panama today(only day i have) and i need to find out whetther to buy it 2inches shorter than my normal shortboard(as i have been advised by a buddy)or get it the same size as this is what firewire says to do. Justin, on August 14, 2007 @ 3:21 am |please someone, moderator. anyone. if you dont know call your shaper. ask him 4 me Bill, on August 23, 2007 @ 7:23 pm |Carlos, eldad, on August 24, 2007 @ 2:07 am |a reminder for you all surfers araund the globe Johnny A., on September 7, 2007 @ 8:42 am |I’ve own and tried variouse epoxy boards with the surftech, tuff-lite, etc… and I don’t like the stiffness and wierd boyancy you get with them. Out of all of them the EPS was prabably the best. So I chucked the idea of riding epoxy boards and continued to ride my PU boards - until now… I just bought a Firewire and it’s one of the fastest boards I’ve ever ridden. It beats sections that I could only dream of beating with my PU board. It could be a combination of the fin setup as well that gives it the drive and projection out of turns, but this thing just flys. It gives you a real smooth and controlled feeling when doing hard turns. It accelerates out of turns like no other board I’ve ever ridden. The second time I surfed it was in winding conditions and it cut through the chop like butter. I feel it even does better that PU boards in windy conditions. Not to mentions a regular epoxy would have felt like I was either going to fly off the wave out of control during turns or and not get the drive needed to get down the line. The only problem is getting custom dimentions, since you will only have the specifications that are available in production. The sales guy told me that the boards float better than PU boards, but I feel you should stay as close to your normal board dimentions as possible. I’m ridding a 6′0 Alternator and 2 1/4 of an inch thickness. My normal board is 2 3/8. I do feel like it might paddle a little better than 2 1/4, but it definately does not paddle as well as my 2 3/8 inch thick board. Sometimes I feel like there is too much flex in the board, but I think even this will be more dialed in over time… It’s only going to get better. I haven’t been this excited about board technology in a long time. I feel the Firewire is revolutionizing surfboard design. Colin, on September 23, 2007 @ 12:56 am |buying 2 firewires tommorow!a 6,2 and a 6,6 step up! Off to Tavarua october16.I guess I will see if all the hype about these boards are true.See Ya!!!! Neal, on September 23, 2007 @ 2:31 am |Colin, let us know how the boards work when you get back. Have a great trip and many barrels! Peter, on October 14, 2007 @ 12:29 pm |Carlos, Taj Burrow is number three on the WCT, and has won a quarter of the events on tour this year so far all riding FW. FW costs about the same as a tuflite.. you should try it before you say they aren’t any good Mark, on October 28, 2007 @ 4:07 pm |I bought a flexfire about a month ago and broke it completely in half today in crappy waist hight Virginia Beach surf. I think it was a manufacturer malfunction, so if they replace it for me then cool if not then don’t make the same mistake I made and waste all that money on something that won’t even last a month…unless of course you can’t surf and just want to look cool. I have been surfing for fourteen years and have never had a board break so quick. Mine didn’t last a month and i have pictures and a receipt for proof if you can rip i wouldn’t recomend one unless this is just a manufacturing problem in only my board. $700 dollars is a lot of money for something that might completely break in half on you in waist high surf on the East Coast Tronic, on November 1, 2007 @ 2:52 pm |Firewires take a dozen or so wave to get used to, but once you do, you can put power in the bank and spend it w/interest. Not very good in weak surf though(I would stick w/PU if you surf weaker waves). Parabolics will most likely start showing up more in all forms of surfboards- teebs, on November 18, 2007 @ 8:23 pm |tb wouldnt ride sumthing that made him surf like crap. he wants a world title u guys. The only way to judge a firewire is to buy one and compare for urself, they probably suit different styles, good luck so-cal, on December 26, 2007 @ 5:14 pm |I’ve ridden tuflites and PU boards. I’m very tough on boards but tuflites float way to weird. Can’t duck dive them that easy. I would like to try a firewire but as everybody says they cost a lot. I’d hate to get one and not like it. So can somebody tell me all that you know about them so I have some better back-round knowledge about them. Neal, on December 26, 2007 @ 5:33 pm |So-Cal, you should see if any of the local shops in your area have firewire demos. If you can’t find any, try contacting Firewire. They have a few demos here in Hawaii though I haven’t had a chance to ride any of them. so-cal, on December 27, 2007 @ 4:28 pm |Okay cool. Thank you for the info. I’ll look into it. And until then if you get a chance to try one post something on here and tell us how you like it. so-cal, on December 29, 2007 @ 11:20 am |Hey everybody, tomorrow i’m going to one of my local shops and i’m going to demo a 6′ firewire. I normally ride a 5′ 10″ so I won’t get the best feel but I’ll still be able to see what it feels like. jay k, on January 4, 2008 @ 5:48 pm |Anyone want a $700.flex fire thats busted completely in half?Ya well me neither but I got one now.Does any one know if they will replace it? Neal, on January 5, 2008 @ 1:46 am |Email them or contact your local rep. It really depends on how it broke…most times they won’t replace a board like that… lance, on February 17, 2008 @ 5:27 pm |do you guys think a 5 10 quadraflex is a good board for a scrawny 14 year old east coast kid such as myself naten808, on February 19, 2008 @ 3:01 pm |I have had my Alternator for over a year now. Since before TB started ridding these boards. People though i was a kook riding some funky ass board, always the questions about the hardware above my wax line. Seriously though my board has been ridden every other day for over a year now, yes it will ding and I do have 2 small cracks and in this one spot that i consistently land on it is starting to delam! but I LOVE THE SHIT Outa it. It is the most consistent board i have ever had and durable. I find myself surfing stupidly strong shore breaks like Makapu (after the life guards leave) and there have been too many times to count that i should have broken my board. But no the damn thing is still there. I am happy to say that i will be retiring my old alternator and getting 2 new Firewire boards. a 6′6 flexfire and a fish! I cant wait to ride them. I can honestly say that this board (minus the week it tryed to kill me) has been my best board i have ever owned. Growing up in Hawaii on glass boards was amazing and i only wished that the surf tech was pushed into these creative ideas earlyer. I hate to say it but for being surfers we are very closed minded. Every improvement was well fought and every improvement will continue to be a fight. honestly if you say its not the board its the surfer then well your wrong. It is as much the board as the surfer. Not to say that anyone who goes and dishes out 700+ bucks is going to be a great surfer, but if you put a good surfer on a good board you have an even better surfer with more possibilities. scott, on February 19, 2008 @ 4:13 pm |The futura seems really stiff to me on the wave. is the board required to have a thruster fin setup? can anyone comment on this? phil, on February 20, 2008 @ 6:33 am |I bought a alternator two years ago and love it. I store it down at my place in Costa ans it can handle most any condition. They key for me is I am a bigger guy and this allows me to have a shortboard with less weight. It floats as well if not better than a longer, heavier foam board. They might not be for everyone, but if you are a bigger guy looking for a nice shortboard check out the Alternator. bruce, on February 21, 2008 @ 4:18 pm |OK…I’m ready to take the plunge for an FW. Just need some advice. I’m 6′2″, 175 lbs, 58 yrs old…currently ride a Surftech (epoxy) Knotfish (6′2″, 20″, 2.5″). I’m in fairly good shape for an old geezer. Like to surf in 4 to 6 ft stuff. Do you think the 6′2″ Alternator is a good choice? Thanks!! Neal, on February 21, 2008 @ 5:15 pm |Bruce, is that 4-6 ft face value? Also, what types of waves do you surf in? bruce, on February 21, 2008 @ 8:11 pm |Neal, Neal, on February 22, 2008 @ 12:19 am |Bruce, I’ve yet to try these boards but reading the descriptions on the Firewire website it seems like the Alternator gives you shortboard performance and a bit more volume for paddling. Considering you surf the Lane that may be a good board for you…or if you want a bit more wave catching ability you can opt for one of their fishes e.g. Futura or Quadraflex…not sure if guys ride fishes at Steamer Lane though. I’ve surfed Pleasure Point a few times and it seems like a fish would be insane there! bruce, on February 22, 2008 @ 6:03 am |Thanks Neal…Actually I have only rarely seen anyone ride a fish at the Lane, but it’s not too uncommon to see them now and again at the Point…mainly during mid-tide or higher periods…when the waves can be a bit softer at times. However, there are lots of good spots for fishes along the beach breaks that run along the coast from San Francisco down to Santa Cruz…not for Ocean Beach though…that place is an all together different place (a little on the spookey side at times–broke my let there a few years ago)…when it’s on at OB, a narrow pintail is the only board that’ll work. Because of my age, I am beginning to feel a bit of a transition taking place…I am just not like I used to be in paddling into waves…that’s why I was asking the question about length and buoyancy to the FWs. I have two fish already…I am just contemplating as to whether to get the 6′2″ or 6′4″ Alternator. Neal, on February 22, 2008 @ 10:07 am |Hey Bruce, sorry I mis-understood your question. I hear those boards are more buoyant than tradition PU…an extra 2″ can only help w/ the padding though…I’m sure the 6′4 will turn unreal. Let us know how it works! bruce, on February 22, 2008 @ 3:17 pm |Neal, Joe, on February 25, 2008 @ 8:59 pm |I’m 5′10, 175 lbs, intermediate surfer (5 years). I’m considering a Flexfire or Alternator in 6′4. I think a 6′2 or 6′3 could be good for me but I live in San Francisco and need a little more board around here. Anyone have any advice on which model, which size? The Alternator would seem to get me more waves but at 19 1/2 wide I’m afraid it will hamper my ability to throw hard turns, especially when I travel to better waves. Any thoughts from those familiar with the designs would be appreciated. Neal, on February 26, 2008 @ 9:04 am |Joe, you should ask Bruce, I think he ended up getting a new Firewire Alternator just recently. Waiting for him to post how it went… phil, on February 27, 2008 @ 10:38 am |neal and joe - I am a big guy and a intermediate to good surfer - I would go for the 6′6 alternator. I ride a 6′8 but that is just a preference for better float. even with the width, you can still carve some nice turns and it will work in the mush as well. bruce, on March 6, 2008 @ 4:15 pm |Hello Joe and Neal, It’s been a week since I bought the 6′4″ Alternator. I took it out last week on a head high day at Pleasure Point, Santa Cruz. It’s the fastest thruster I’ve ever ridden. I made waves that I felt I would normally never made on my other boards. Unfortunately, I got injured and haven’t had to experiment more. Will let you know when I can get back in the water. I’m 6′2″ and 175…and 59 years old…I think Joe, you’d find the 6′4″ a good all around board for anywhere else other than Ocean Beach. I agree with you, I think a narrower, pintail type board is more conducive to that crazy place. But, anywhere south of OB…like Montara…or Pescadero…Waddell, that Alternator is perfect. Neal, on March 6, 2008 @ 4:37 pm |Hey Bruce, thanks for the feedback. Do you think the Alternator is faster because of the materials and flex? Or is it because it has more volume, wider, thicker, and or less nose rocker than your older boards? The company seems to insist it’s the flex and materials of the board that make it work insane firewire Mike, on March 8, 2008 @ 9:10 pm |Got a Futura, my skill level is about Mid-Intermediate. And I must say… this board is built to fly. I love the perfect shape, and it turns on a dime. My previous board was a Merrick Flyer 2, and it took me a long time to get good on that board, this one was a lot easier. It feels good like it was connected to your mind. bruce, on March 20, 2008 @ 3:03 pm |Hi Guys, Kelly, on March 27, 2008 @ 1:06 am |Hey guys, I had arguably the first FW quadraflex in florida and it took four months to get. It was definitely worth the wait! The fastest, most responsive and easiest to paddle board I have ever surfed. However, I had a kook drop in on me and cut through the rail about eight inches above the front fins. I had it professionally repaired only to have it break in two three weeks later. I did happen to pull the biggest air of my entire life and landed in the flat section in front of the wave. I got out of the water and went to the nearest surf shop and could not believe my luck that they had a 5′10″ Quadraflex, which they said had just arrived the day before. I immediately bought it and surfed 6′ to 8′ Hermosa,CR for ten days. I have had the board for five months since then and have no dings at all. The morals of this story are: Sometimes you get more than what you pay for and whatever you do protect those rails even if you have to sacrifice your body. I am planning on buying one for my girlfriend and will be buying the new direct drive 2.0 as soon as it is available. Yea, they are expensive but they are better for the environment, last longer and are just plain better than anything out there. Anyone thinking about getting a Firewire, stop thinking, save up and buy it! mike, on April 2, 2008 @ 10:50 am |I have a 6′0 alternator. its pretty tight. have gotten some unreal waves on it at jalama and SC points but for my surfing I think for a 6′0 it is way to wide throughout the whole board and its thickness. the 6 would be better in like a 5′10 because of how much volume. the only reason I got it though was to try it out and sell it for more than I bought it for but I ended kind of liking it. ive had it for like 6 months and its already delaming where my front foot goes. anyone want to buy it Dan, on April 5, 2008 @ 6:05 pm |Firewires work well in average surf. In really good, pumping surf or large waves I’ve found at times there is too much flex. I’ve had the board bog out on me on really hard bottom turns because it just flexed too much. And It has been too springy in big stuff feeling like it would flex on one rail, bounce back and flex the other rail, hence the spring effect. But, that said, I liked a lot on your everyday socal surf. As long as the board doesn’t flex too much I think you can learn to surf them and they may work really well. I’d day 80% of us have only surfed on PU boards our entire life so that is the feel we muscles are used to subconciously. I really felt like I was starting to “get” the board’s performance before it snapped on me. Read below for that story if you want to. One other thing to know is that the do break easier than a PU board. They are brittle which is why the stand up so well to standard abuse so well. No heal dings, no spider cracks from bonking it on the door jamb on the way out of the house or pulling out of the back of the car. But, it’s going to snap like a carrot or celery stick when bent too far. Mine snapped on a bottom turn I did on a very shallow section at a beachie. My rear fin caught the sand at the bottom of the turn and the tail snapped exactly like a fresh carrot. A standard pu would not have snapped, I might have ripped the rear fin plugs out and possibly buckled the tail but that’s it. Anyway, if you can manage not to snap one it’s probably going to last a while and you may end up getting your $700 worth. I did not, I only had it for a few months. No, they are not going to replace it for you if it happens to you. Joel, on April 15, 2008 @ 1:08 pm |I have surfed PU boards my whole life and switched to surftech only to find that any sort of chop or wind ruined a session. Went back to riding merricks cause i loved the shapes but once i tried a firewire i will never buy any other board again. the sheer durability is worth it with the best warranty of any manufacturer. it is by far the fastest board i have and handles like a dream. because it is so light and strong you can even ride down a few inches and once you get used to the difference in material it will definately improve your surfing noticably. Craig, on April 16, 2008 @ 9:54 am |I have been riding a 6′ 4″ Alternator for over one year. It’s an original Nev, so I have no comment on the the more recent Dan Mann (California) boards. Just got back from Centro America, board worked very well on 5-8 foot (face) point waves. Ran really well down the line, super drivey. It does feel like it flexes, especially on tight pocket snaps. Best of all, it doesn’t seem to be breaking down with repeated use. Still feels as lively as when it was new. Can’t say that about my year old p/u’s. Adam, on April 30, 2008 @ 4:57 am |I get my 6′4″ firewire this weekend! I am living in Japan over here they only sell 6′ - 6′2″ models and are charging $1600 for one so buying one from the states for $700 is a steal! As soon as i get it out in at least head high surf i will write a review on it, my buddy Dan also is getting one in the same shipment, he has been surfing for 30 years in just about every kind of wave, so I will add his review there also. Firewire Futura, on May 4, 2008 @ 10:09 pm |[…] After writing a post on Firewire Surfboards back in March of 2007, I finally got a chance to try one of these hyped up boards. Luckily for me, Kumau at Tropical Blends was cool enough to let me his personal board. For some reason, the Firewire people have been uninterested in letting me demo a board…who knows, perhaps they’re not into free publicity? Anyway, I recently got a chance to try a 5′10 Futura on a dying south swell which would be a good test to see how this board worked in less than perfect surf. The Futura is available in 3 models: […] monk, on May 14, 2008 @ 10:46 pm |I have had a firewire (first series) for a year now and it goes like a rocket and turns really well, has markedly improved my surfing. HOWEVER, I am having a pretty major problem with it and was wondering if anyone else was having the same prob - I have crushed or cracked the rails along the balsa wood 4 times now, 3 times with my body falling onto it from close-outs(i am not a heavy guy)and once hitting my mates glass surfboard - never on reef. Last week i landed on it in a closing out 2 - 3 foot wave and my shin hit it (not very hard) and completely caved in about 10cm of the rail like an eggshell. I have noticed that the new series have a lot less wood showing and was under the impression that this must happen a lot but reading this blog not a lot of people have complained. I am thinking about buying a new series firewire because of the shear performance, but dont want to fork out the cash if it breaks on the soft wood easier than a glass board. Is anyone else having this problem? craig, on May 15, 2008 @ 6:46 am |Monk: I have heard that there were some production problems at the North County (San Diego) factory. Possibly the rails on your board were sanded a wee bit too much. I’ve had no problems with mine. In fact, the edge of the squash tail got hit by (the fin) of a guy high lining at full speed on a good sized wave (guess I didn’t paddle over it fast enough). I reckon the impact would have torn the tail completely off a standard p/u. Possibly you could sand the rails, tape off along the pin line and run a layer of 2 0z. cloth around the balsa rails to increase impact strength. noah, on May 22, 2008 @ 2:45 pm |I want to buy a 6,2 fireflex probably, but the one i’m looking at has a rounded tail when i am only used to surfing 6,2 squash tails, does anyone know how these fireflex round tails perform? as i live in england the waves aren’t barreling everyday but i heard round tails perform in mushy too?? also how do you know how new the board is, im buying second hand and not sure if it has the rod things in the board or not? cheers. Kenhaole, on May 22, 2008 @ 2:45 pm |YEARS OF R&D SOLOMON S-CORE I bought a Solomon S core 6′1″(no longer made) I really like the performance and the spring. I could get alot of drive out of it. I didn’t realize that this was even more brittle than a standard PU board. I generally crush the toe side rail between the fins on all my PU boards. I crushed the Solomon in the same place twice as quick. Not to mention the glass could not handle the flex. It began to crack on the bottom in the center towards the nose and tail. I would fix it only to have it continue to crack. I finally gave up and figured I would ride it until it disinigrated. The airline took care of that for me. Back to my trusty 6′0″ PU. FIREWIRE I still was looking for durability with perfomance. I found it with Firewire. I demoed a 6′2″ flexfire Nev shaped for Gerr. The paddle was unreal. I initially found myself paddling to far out in front of the wave because of the paddle speed. The wave would end up breaking on my back. Although it took 4 sessions to figure out the sweet spot, I knew that I was hooked after 2 good waves. I ended up buying the Demo. It had a little bit of delam on the deck. Firewire took it back and fixed it before they would sell it to me. I have ridden it for a year solid with only one quarter size bubble on the bottom. (Probably from the summer day I left it in my car while getting a hair cut)dumb Otherwise, no other problems. I have ridden this board in all types of surf. Knee high to couple feet overhead, smooth to bumpy, bowling to mushy, I like the way it rides. 5′10″ QUADFLEX I had a chance to swap boards on a small 1′ day. I loved the speed and feel of this 5′10″ quadflex. It paddled with little effort and got into waves with ease. I felt like I was getting some good hits with it. When I got back on my board I wondered about buying a quad for those tiny days. It would be nice but I am not made of money. Hope this answers any questions that people may have. thomye, on May 30, 2008 @ 6:02 am |interesting thread. i’m actually considering the 5′11″ Taj model. i’ve been surfing 20 years (i’m 38), 16 of which were on PU’s. 4 years ago, i bought 6′1″ m10 ratboy surftech and rode it for about 3 years. Wanted a board that would last. That thing held up good. Although stiff, it improved my surfing mostly cuz i was able to paddle better and get into more waves. Because of the stiffness, I spent a lot of time surfing on my back leg which I needed to. It seemed faster at first but on my last year, my brother told me i wasn’t coming off the bottom turn as quick as i used to on my PU’s or as quick as the next guy. Although I didn’t believe flex was a necessity, I wanted to try more flex but didn’t want to buy a PU board as mine only last about 6 months. I put massive heel pressures on the deck and usually, the flex dies out rather quickly. So, I opted for a 6′1″ T. Patterson TL2. Right away, my surfing got 10% faster. Although at times i fell like its 20%. Making sections, more speed, harder turns. In fact, I found myself unprepared giong into an off the lip cuz my bottom turn wasn’t as drawn out. They were really quick and vertical. I’ve now been on the TL2 for about 9 months and it’s holding up like a surftech. no dings, no pressures. The one thing I have noticed is at times under socal conditions (mostly 2 to 3 with occasional 4’s), it feels a tad big to me. So, i’m considering a 5′11″. As is, i’m sold on flex. I know i’m getting either another shorter tl2 or trying the firewire. I’ll post my review of my experience in about two weeks. As for those who comment on price, I bought 2 PU boards a year and the last 2 cost me $450 out the door each so one TL2 that might last me 2 years or one firewire even if it only lasted 1, would be a better deal. crob, on June 13, 2008 @ 2:52 am |thomye, Thanks! carl, on June 14, 2008 @ 8:48 am |how do u repair dings on a firewire? just epoxy? and what happens to the vacuum once air of water gets in? craig, on June 16, 2008 @ 1:53 pm |Carl: The vacuum (bag) is part of the manufacturing process, ther is no vacuum in the finished board. You MUST use epoxy resin if the puncture extends into the soft core foam. Polyester resin eats styrofoam. You CAN actually use standard polyester resin for minor damage on the rails, it won’t hurt the balsa. Be sure to prep sand with rough grit paper if you use polyester, it doenn’t like to bond with a smooth epoxy surface. David, on June 26, 2008 @ 7:14 pm |I’ve been surfing for 32 years 5.8 165 lbs. I grew up in HI surfing spots like V-Land and Kaisers. I’m thinking about picking up the 6.0 alternator. I usually ride 5.10 to 6.0 18 3/4 X 2 3/8, and am concerned that the 2 1/4 thickness of the 6.0 Alternator wont give me enough buoyancy, especially with a full suit on. I could step up to the 6.2 Alternator, but the 19′ width is kind of wide. Leave a commentRSS feed for these comments. | TrackBack URI |
Roy Stewart, on March 22, 2007 @ 1:19 am |
Firewire are indulging in misleading advertidsing, thee is no parabola in any of their stringers.. . it is pure bullshit (although the flex thing, which we promoted back in 1996, does work)