Fancy some NASA style technology in your board? This month I’ve been riding a Firewire, a surfboard that has the pros acting like its feeding time at the zoo. Firewire surfboards are one of the most successful concept companies to emerge in the wake of Clark Foam’s closure; boasting parabolic rails, and the use of advanced composites. The technology is actually spawned from collaboration between Nev Hyman and Dan Mann, two individuals renown for their craftsmanship. Essentially the boards have flex memory much like a snowboard, providing far more speed than traditional surfboards. At the start of the turn the balsa rails accommodate you, then rebound to the rocker line releasing the stored energy through the turn. Myles Hutchins from Firewire described it as a ‘twang like’ sensation, plus I’ll assure you I noticed a marked difference in speed above my standard 6’2”.
Whilst the boards are new to Europe they’ve been going for 18 months in the states, and have none other than Taj Burrows as their principal rider. I’m told Taj’s board that he won the 2007 Jeffery’s Pro upon was in fact the same Firewire he came second on the previous year – an impressive advert for composite durability.
In the water a few people have commented that my board is nothing more than a gimmick, but those who tried it ate their words. The technology is different, but firmly proven. The boards are constructed in two phases, firstly a blank is built, and then its hand finished. The boards don’t have the traditional wooden stringers down the centre, but instead have two balsa rails embracing the solid eps foam core. High density foam is then placed on the top and bottom in a sandwich construction, before the board is placed in a vacuum driven rocker bed. This process creates a board that is highly flexible with an impressive rate of return. Scientifically speaking the kinetic energy Firewires release puts them far ahead of other epoxy boards. Longboard models are available, although I’ve not yet tried one. However it’ll be intriguing to see how progressively Dan Mann has shaped them and how flexible they can go.
On the environment front, Firewires release 50 times less volatile organic compounds during their construction and lifecycle compared to standard Polyurethane boards. In light of this Firewire received the EuroSIMA environmental product of the year award when they launched.
Slats, Shane Dorian, Rob Machado, and Jordy Smith have all been pictured free surfing on Firewires, accordingly it seems that they really are the epoxy boards with a difference. For me Tuflites are too buoyant and put me on edge, Firewire however seem to blend the pros of technology with the familiarity of your favourite stick. Fast and furious a Firewire demo tour is heading to a beach near you in 2008, check http://www.firewiresurfboards.com/.
Whilst the boards are new to Europe they’ve been going for 18 months in the states, and have none other than Taj Burrows as their principal rider. I’m told Taj’s board that he won the 2007 Jeffery’s Pro upon was in fact the same Firewire he came second on the previous year – an impressive advert for composite durability.
In the water a few people have commented that my board is nothing more than a gimmick, but those who tried it ate their words. The technology is different, but firmly proven. The boards are constructed in two phases, firstly a blank is built, and then its hand finished. The boards don’t have the traditional wooden stringers down the centre, but instead have two balsa rails embracing the solid eps foam core. High density foam is then placed on the top and bottom in a sandwich construction, before the board is placed in a vacuum driven rocker bed. This process creates a board that is highly flexible with an impressive rate of return. Scientifically speaking the kinetic energy Firewires release puts them far ahead of other epoxy boards. Longboard models are available, although I’ve not yet tried one. However it’ll be intriguing to see how progressively Dan Mann has shaped them and how flexible they can go.
On the environment front, Firewires release 50 times less volatile organic compounds during their construction and lifecycle compared to standard Polyurethane boards. In light of this Firewire received the EuroSIMA environmental product of the year award when they launched.
Slats, Shane Dorian, Rob Machado, and Jordy Smith have all been pictured free surfing on Firewires, accordingly it seems that they really are the epoxy boards with a difference. For me Tuflites are too buoyant and put me on edge, Firewire however seem to blend the pros of technology with the familiarity of your favourite stick. Fast and furious a Firewire demo tour is heading to a beach near you in 2008, check http://www.firewiresurfboards.com/.
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