Hellrazor test drive

[Wandi]

I was lucky enough to borrow a friends 5'11 Hellrazor for the last couple of days and I thought I'd share my experience
In the hands if felt perfect
My first impressions was that it looked like a simplified version of the Hellfire
I have previously owned the Hellfire and was very impressed how it performed in the right conditions but disappointed that the right conditions hardly ever happened
The Hellrazor felt like it would cover more bases especially with the flatter concave
The surf was a local beachie around the head high mark with the tide dropping. Semi clean conditions were on offer. Caught a lot of fat ones and sucky ones
I threw in my Slater quads with the knubster
I was a bit worried that the 27.2 liters wouldn't be enough to paddle my 80 kg frame but I needn't have worried Paddling was a breeze
I prefer boards on the low end of the volume range as I can push turns a lot easier
The first few waves I was thinking that I can feel the extra width during the glide but it was a bonus as it zipped through the flatter sections
After that my later impressions was that I felt like I'd been riding this board for ever
Coming off the top was never a problem and you never feel like nosediving. It seems like this board is just so damn easy to surf
Late drops weren't a drama and the hold inside a few little close out barrels was a surprise as well
I guess that's due to the step rail setup
This board has definitely left me wanting more
I know that since its not mine I will have to return it to its rightful owner and I'm not overly happy about that
I guess that's a sign that it's a damn good board

Highs
Fast in slower sections of the wave
Good hold in waves that barrel
Nice whippy feeling off the top
Surfs unreal In marginal conditions
A good groveller

Lows
Maybe feels a touch too wide
Not as smooth on my backhand

Sorry no photos
The locals where I live don't take too kindly to surf pics posted online
Regardless of what I think the older local boys wishes deserve to be respected

[prjwebb]

I hate reading posts like this, I've been battling the temptation for a HZ since they came out. It does look like a great board!

[silentp]

Yeh I would have to agree with you on many points you've made

I've only surfed mine twice in below head high conditions, again semi clean beachies
plenty of speed thru flat sections and very easy to throw around, reckon this board will
blow up ( grommet speak) on some nice point waves, good having the 5 fin option though haven't tried as quad yet

Im with the old local boys, why attract attention to your local, more crowds mean less waves surfed

[silentp]

oops forgot to add, like wandi said paddles and catches waves with ease

[Gnubee]

slientp - how does the HZ go with the El Fuego? I'm looking for a more HPSB to tackle winter waves and I'm wondering if the HZ is the right one for me. I reckon the ElF has me covered from thigh high to basically overhead, and I'd be wanting a board for shoulder high and up days.

[kdropin]

5-8 ft hurricane swell....epic board

[kdropin]

more this weekend... :)

[Wandi]

more this weekend... :)

Hey what fins you using
You riding as a thruster or quad

[silentp]

Gnubee I think what im finding with riding these boards (MB + HZ) the Elfuego has taken a back seat because of the ability of these boards to grovel ok,
for me I enjoy surfing top to bottom(on a good day) and jamming a good cutback when I surf and the Elfuego can certainly do that but it feels a whole lot better on the hellrazor as it is a much "freer" board. Hey if your intermediate now you may well jump up to the advanced bracket after riding the hellrazor! hope this helps

[aurfalien]

Luvin this thread, nyCe!

[kdropin]

Hey what fins you using
You riding as a thruster or quad
k2.1s thruster in pc

after riding a quad for so long i am really liking the thruster again.. like how they pivot

[Wandi]

I forgot to mention my last surf on the Hellrazor before I had to give it back
I surfed some punchy waves that we're running nice
I have to say that I came out of the water a little frustrated
After the previous surfs I was sold but I was still struggling a little on my backhand
It still did all he right things but I really love the feeling of drifting the tail around from a backhand top turn
I felt that razor perhaps had too much bite
I know I surf more off my back foot on my backhand and that's probably contributed as well
I wish I had more time to experiment with fins but my friend had just finished work and was frothing for a wave
Its still a sick board but for now the Mini Driver might get the nod

[Chris]

Hey Gnubee,
In my opinion the EF and the HZ would be a great pair. the hellrazor has the high end capacity of any surfboard and the EF is one of the most fun rides in smaller waves!! a good pairing!! Wine and cheese!

[Gnubee]

Cool.
I know that with the flatter waves here, there is no way I'll be giving up my ElF any time soon. It is just that when winter hits, the swell gets bigger, although not really steeper. I reckon it is down to either the HZ (6'7") or an Alt (6'6"). I like the 5 fin setup and stepped rail of the HZ for sure. Now I just need to figure out how to test drive one - or both.

[delmarsurfer]

Wandi, Great review on the Hellrazor. I was hoping you (or anyone else) could weigh in a bit more.

I am currently riding a 5'6 Hellfire, the volume feels good @ 24.5L and has plenty of float for me. Currently this is my only board but I am excited to see the Unibrow after Chris's comments.
Can you shed a little more light on the performance differences between your Hellfire (and what size it was) and what you experienced with the 5'11 Hellrazor. Was the Hellrazor as easy to get into waist high waves as the HF?
What are the differences one will notice with a flatter concave (HR) vs. a double concave (HF)?
Overall I like my Hellfire but sometimes consider going with something with slightly thinner rails and maybe a tad less volume but I want to make sure I am not struggling to catch waves.
My break is primarily thigh to head high. Last weekend I demo'd a 5'9 Hellrazor in some pretty weak waves and it caught waves about as well as my Hellfire but the 5'9 seemed too long for me.
If I went with a 5'7 Hellrazor the volume difference would be -1.8L from my HF. Certainly that is a difference I will notice and I am hoping that will be a good thing and like you said I can "push turns a lot easier" with a little less volume.

[Wandi]

One of the things i remember most about riding the 5'10 Hellfire and the 5'11 Hellrazor is the grovel ability
In smaller waves i had trouble getting the Hellfire up to speed whereas the Razor seemed a lot quicker off the mark and a lot snappier off the top
Performance wise the Razors tail/rail seemed to offer some good bite on sucky take offs and good hold in the barrel whereas the bigger rail on the Hellfire seemed a bit boxy
Yeah as you mentioned thinner tail means you can bury it easier (unless your Tom Carroll)
Mind you when the waves had some power the speed the Hellfire offered was awesome to say the least
The Razor i tried out had also less volume but with the wider surface area 19 1/4 i had no problem with paddling
The 5'7 shouldnt be a problem at all

[delmarsurfer]

Wandi, thanks for the quick reply.
I can relate to what you say about getting the Hellfire up to speed in smaller waves. Do you think the Razor getting up to speed quicker had to do with the flatter concave?
I am still trying to understand the performance effects of a double concave vs a flatter concave.
You're right that when the waves have some power the Hellfire gets up and goes...I am assuming you felt the same or more with the Razor?
I am most concerned about making sure I don't bite off too much with volume and the thickness of the Razor is 2-1/16 vs 2-3/8 of the Hellfire. Do you think 2-1/16 thick will be too little for someone of my weight?
I want to push my surfing yet still be able to catch waves when its waist high and generate speed.

[core personal training]

dont ride the hf too big....if a 5'11 razor works, then a 510 hf is too big..........unless your talking about longboards, more volume can just hold you back....you have to keep your boards light and nimble underfoot....

[delmarsurfer]

Hey Core, thanks for the input.
I don't think my 5'6 HF is necessarily too big as it's in my range on the Volume Calculator. However, I have been working down in volume as my surfing has progressed and I believe I am very close to the proper volume for my weight and what I want my surfing to progress to. Unfortunately, it seems like at some point you just have to thrown $700 on a new board to figure it out especially in the smaller sizes to see what it feels like.
My biggest concern is that going down another 1.8L may be too much and I will struggle on weaker waves...just not sure??? The 5'9 Razor I rode floated me killer and I got into plenty of smaller gutless waves but the board just felt too long.
Also, 2-1/16 thick seems mighty thin on paper but when I put the 5'7 Razor under my arm it feels good.
I like what you said..."light and nimble underfoot"....and don't know if I have truly felt that yet. My 5'6 HF has got me close but something is telling me to try slightly less volume...it's just an expensive way to find out.
Can you shed any light on double concave (HF) vs flatter concave (HR)?

[core personal training]

hey Del...yeah your hf is fine....i meant that wandi's is possibly too big and that may cause his trouble getting going.... i've lost a few kilos and now have issues getting my MB going.. (not light and nimble now so cant do quick lightfooted articulations to build speed for more deliberate turns)...

the razor feeling "long" is probably from riding your nice little hf... i feel this when jumping back to normal lengths too...and now i'm old and decrepit, am kooking a bit (or lot) while tuning back in to the rail length... but there should be a few inches between the hf and razor (which should be closer to your "normal" shorty)... it's going to depend on how "perfect" your hellfire sizing is...

to over-generalize, the concaves provide lift and get the water around/through a curve (your center line rocker) and the splitting into doubles among other things gets you rail to rail (twitchy)... you back it off as you ride waves that provide their own speed and power... there's other factors that dictate whats needed under there but thats for Nev... i'm outta my depth at that point... i just nod with my eyes glazed over and say "whatever you think is best sir"...

[Wandi]

Yeah the Hellfire probably was a bit too big
I remember the salesman wanted to put me on a 6'0
Another trial and error board
I guess thats why the Demo boards are so beneficial
Really glad i had a chance to demo the Hellrazor
i think i might bite the bullet and grab one

[delmarsurfer]

hey core - great response! Thanks.
wandi rode a 5'10 HF and demo'd a 5'11 Razor...this would be the exact same in proportion to me riding my 5'6 HF and contemplating a 5'7 Razor. Again, I have been working my way down in size and volume as my skills have progressed and maybe my 5'6 HF is slightly on the high end of volume especially if I go with a 5'7 Razor. Like you said there should be a couple of inches between my HF and HR.
This is all new to me so I am trying to get my brain around it and what it feels like to have the best volumed board for me and be "light and nimble under foot."
What does that feel/surf like?

I feel like I have progressed very well on my Hellfire, which I have only had for about 2 months, and maybe it's time to push my surfing a little more with less volume and a bit more performance oriented board.
My previous board was a 5'6 Spitfire (28.3L) and obviously had too much volume but going down to the 5'6 HF (24.5L) was a relatively easy transition.
I am wondering if the transition down to a 5'7 Razor (22.7L) will be as easy while still catching plenty of waves in the thigh to head high range? My goal is to progress my surfing and given my height and weight it seems like the 5'7 Razor could be a very good option. Thoughts?

[Wandi]

I think my fitness levels also had a great deal with me growing out of the Hellfire 5'10 as well
At the time of purchase it actually felt like a perfect and comfortable fit but during the last year or so i have stepped up my fitness levels
Spurred from a conversation with a portugese friend
He asked me what i did to prepare for surf if i was going to be out of the water for a week or so
I think my reply was watching surf vids ha ha
As expected levels of expertise rise when fitness levels increase as well as dropping board volumes
So i think to answer your question you have to ask yourself if your going to be comfortable and are your fitness levels up to riding a low volume board
If yes then there is no reason why not. Its good to push your surfing every now and then

[core personal training]

"light and nimble under foot."
What does that feel/surf like?.......


by light and nimble i mean you can articulate your board and also set rails without having to get your whole weight over the part of board your pushing...that would take too long on every movement if your trying to surf fast and loose like sl8ter......you should be able to move around with your feet/ankles/toes, not need whole body weight and thigh strength for even small corrections.....an example of me at the moment on the MB is with the weight drop i'm not able to take off deep and steep on my forehand very well.... my rear toes dont seem to have the strength to immediately dig my rail in and drive...i have to get up, stick my toes over the rail and lean into it....by this time i should already be over on my heels into the next pump...this usually means missing the section, getting through too late to belt it or just wiping out like a kook....i even had trouble doing this on my HF yesterday..(went out light, empty stomach and only wearing budgie smugglers for further lightness..!!)... also noticed too much resistance pushing back under my front foot/nose of board...thats like having the hand-brake on..!!....now, it's not just a weight issue....a trim guy with huge low slung calves and feet like a hobbit wont have as much trouble...myself on the other hand, have puny little high calves like a Kenyan marathon runner... without the weight assistance to overpower the board, i'm finding out just how weak my lower legs are....(off for a soft sand run followed by calf raises with the wife on my shoulders..!)..

waffled a lot there trying to illustrate the "feel", and the causes.....hope it came accross okay....

hard to pinpoint the volume you need in different boards at your weight...not much experience down that end of the scales..!!.. also your height/leverage and as we now understand, your leg strength..... maybe the bantam weights on the forum can "weigh" in here........see what i did there.... "weigh" in... i made a funny...!!!!

[aurfalien]

Wow, I just learned a lot from this one single post.

Nice one Core, thanks man.

[Piha Local]

I thought it was actually called 'Carving' a turn but now Core has enlightened us, I think maybe it should be called 'Calving' a turn! Nice explanation Core, made sense of stuff that happens without having to think about it now after 46 years of repetition. My calves have fallen with age and are now actually under the soles of my feet. 1242 'Calving' a top turn, Central Atolls Maldives, May 2012, Hellfire 6/4. Shapers Quad E fronts, FCS carbon M7 rear, Thruster config.

[aurfalien]

Well, not to give weird advice or anything, but due to the nature of my very high arches and having had flip flops at work every day on concrete floors, I had to break down and get shoes with arch support.

I chose MBTs which are known to give ladies that nicely shaped toush. However what they have given me were calves.

So we are around the same age group-ish, give or take a decade :)

I would suggest MBTs as your daily work shoe, benefits will be reaped.

[core personal training]

aurf....my toush could do with reshaping....its down the same place as piha's calves....

piha....good to see you on the red wine again mate....!!!!..... oh, and nice backhand spray....yeeeewwwwwww

i only thought about what normally happens automatically because it wasnt happening automatically anymore...thought losing weight would be a help....turns out, without the weight, i dont have the power i thought i did..... oh well, back on the pies..!!

[Piha Local]

1245
Meat Pie and Red Wine assisted bottom turn. Inside Mikados, Central Atolls, Maldives. [61 year old calves in going condition[just!]

"[i only thought about what normally happens automatically because it wasnt happening automatically anymore..[/QUOTE]" Core.

Yep Core, that is the way of all flesh, and eventually I guess it will lead us all down that soggy well worn path to Viagra!

And yes again, Shot In The Dark Shiraz/Petite Sirah 2008, very nice drop from your very own NSW area.

Aurf-- that is weird advice indeed buddy--- I've heard it starts first with wearing women's shoes, then next comes the dresses and then the under---- think I'd better stop now.

[aurfalien]

Thanks for the introspective Piha.

I was just about to put on my wifes mini.

[Piha Local]

Whew, that was close! Mini mals are OK at a push, but not the dresses--- ever.

[Slowman]

....a trim guy with huge low slung calves and feet like a hobbit wont have as much trouble...myself on the other hand, have puny little high calves like a Kenyan marathon runner... without the weight assistance to overpower the board, i'm finding out just how weak my lower legs are....(off for a soft sand run followed by calf raises with the wife on my shoulders..!)..

While calf raises will work it might seem like hard work. In my first year of cycling and triathlon I gained 5kg or so...all on the legs. Thighs pumped up as well as calves, also never used to have an arse either. Now in my first year off I've gained a further 5kg but all on the gut! Anyway, a mountain bike can be a lot of fun on those crap surf days and will strengthen the legs. Road cycling is probably going to be even more effective but nowhere near as much fun (unless you are good enough to inflict pain on others)...just a thought.

For taller surfers building stronger and heavier legs will lower your centre of gravity and help a bit with stability. Not something everyone needs to do but it won't hurt if you are that way inclined. Leg strength helps me surf better...well when my legs are fatigued it makes a lot of difference to how hard I can turn.