Hellrazor

[Chris]

The HELL RAZOR is the ultimate high performance Hybrid replacing your normal short board (ride it approx. 1” shorter). The HELL RAZOR is morphed up from the HELLFIRE which in turn came from the SPIT- FIRE, so it retains the high performance characteristics of those models. We flattened the double concaves slightly versus the HELLFIRE, and the overall foil is even more refined, with a slightly narrower nose and tail, but with plenty of width to make sure you don’t get hung up on those flat sections. While it’s virtually impossible to design a single board that will handle every type of wave between 3’ and 6’, the HELL RAZOR comes ‘razor’ close. Put it through its paces and raise hell!

http://www.firewiresurfboards.com/quiver_boards.php?boardid=hellrazor

AVAIL NOW

[Chris]

http://vimeo.com/35967242

[C0111N5]

Yes! Thanks for the video Chris and Nev. I think I will be ordering a 5'11" very soon.

[surferireland]

Want one

[surferireland]

New quiver - 6-3 Hell Razor and 5-8 Potatonator

[kdropin]

i think the 6'1 might make it to my short list

[iggy]

Well birthday coming in a few months soI'll start to give my girlfriend some pointers...;)

[Fritzkat]

Hi chris, the board in the video and in his lap has a diamond tail. still a coffin tail or is diamond tail?

[prjwebb]

diamond tail was a prototype. the final versions are the square/coffin tail.

[Chris]

yeah....guys, we didn't' set out to create a mind bending new tail because it started as a step-down diamond (which is seen in the Hellfire and Spitfire), but HOLY CRAP!!! the coffin tail is ridiculous!!

So good!! so much sensitivity and control!

[prjwebb]

At least someone didn't saw the end off the prototype!

[Magnet]

Chris would you say it has a more pulled in tail than the alternator?

[saxman1]

How much different would that ride than a quadraflex?

[Chris]

Hey Magnet,
its not so much that its a more pulled in tail than the alternator, its more that the Hellrazor has a continuous curve to its outline rather than bump squash like the Alternator. The Hellrazor also has a touch more exit rocker so, or at least rides like it and is sensitized by the step rail. Those things together make the board highly responsive and really good in decent surf.

[Fazza]

I'm excited..........the 6'1 Hellrazor arrive today along with my 5'8 Potatonator.........they both came already with the NanoTune treatment.

Definitely going for a surf tomorrow and trying out the Hellrazor...........will post some pictures of the board later on today and hopefully a review of how it surfs tomorrow.

[prjwebb]

You've got to be happy!!

[kdropin]

I'm excited..........the 6'1 Hellrazor arrive today along with my 5'8 Potatonator.........they both came already with the NanoTune treatment.

Definitely going for a surf tomorrow and trying out the Hellrazor...........will post some pictures of the board later on today and hopefully a review of how it surfs tomorrow.
nice... been waiting on reviews from the razors.. that 6'1 is what i'm looking at

[prjwebb]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiCbT5mbXD4

[Chris]

Lam-basted! Although the Hellrazor does come with a cutoff square...

[prjwebb]

Yeah, he mentions that at the end and pulls out a scalpel haha.
Another great looking board though! Would I be right in thinking that's a SR at the back right?

[Chris]

looks like a sub....

[prjwebb]

Yeah, that's what I figured. I don't know why boardshop don't get him to do videos for the Mayhem FSTs also. I guess it's a FW/...Lost sponsor issue situation?

[Chris]

yeah not entirely sure.

[Fazza]

442443441440

Took the HellRazor out for its maiden surf this morning. Swell has dropped off a bit today but managed to get a nice right hander off a reef break to myself this morning. It was low tide and the sets were 4-6ft on the face, nice fun waves.

I tried the board with some Blackstix V2 F4 which are quite a small fin, they felt ok but i think i require a fin with a little more drive and will try my Techflex WCT's in it next surf and also look at getting a set of YU's Techflex. I rode a 6'2 Hellfire for about a month which was too big for me and sold it to a mate so i could get the Hellrazor. The Hellrazor paddles really well....better than my 6'4 Taj Pro.....you can actually feel the DNA of the Hellfire in the way it paddles and catches the wave and the way it can glide over the fat sections. This board is fast, faster than i though it would be and i managed to make sections that i thought i would not. The board is really easy to turn and i love the way it feels on the wave, there was a little bit of southerly chop on the face as the easterly was quite strong and I have surf my Taj Pro in similar conditions and didn't like it.....the slight chop on the face didn't worry the Hellrazor at all.

Hope to get some better surf on the weekend and try some different fins but so far I love this board and on a bigger wave its gonna be awesome.

[boardshop]

Yeah I think this was a Sub.

We have normally stuck to Sam doing the videos for the pure Firewire models. Don’t know any sponsorship details but these are the boards I have seen him with up until now.

Good point about the Lost Models though. May well try and hook the vids up for these.

Thanks for posting the vids PRJ. Think the Activator clip is going up as we speak.

Thought we were going to loose the tail from the demo Hellrazor for second! Board looks even better in the flesh.

Cheers,

[kdropin]

nice keep em coming... board looks knifey in those pics

[iggy]

Looking goooood!!

[prjwebb]

Yeah I think this was a Sub.

We have normally stuck to Sam doing the videos for the pure Firewire models. Don’t know any sponsorship details but these are the boards I have seen him with up until now.

Good point about the Lost Models though. May well try and hook the vids up for these.

Thanks for posting the vids PRJ. Think the Activator clip is going up as we speak.

Thought we were going to loose the tail from the demo Hellrazor for second! Board looks even better in the flesh.

Cheers,

That'd be cool if he can review the Mayhem FSTs too.
Just posted the Activator video too.

HR does look very knifey in those pics. Even more refined than I expected.

[Fazza]

The HellRazor was a lot more refined that i thought it was going to be, but it still has an ever so slight Hellfire feel to it.

The best test is always when you first pick up a board and put it under your arms........the HR felt really good and i knew straight away that this was gong to be an awesome board.

It definitely does not feel chunky and paddles way better than you think it is going to.

[kdropin]

yeah that board does not look 19 and a half wide.. looks narrower then the alternator.. maybe bc it doesn't have the bump?

[Fazza]

I picked up a 6'3 in a surf shop yesturday and it felt really good under my arms as well, it was not chunky feeling and the 6'1 and 6'3 felt very similar. They also had a 6'5 HR and compared to the 6'1 and 6'3 that felt and looked a lot more of a chunkier board.

I have noticed that some sizes of Firewire models seem to have a couple of sizes that dont feel too different from each other and then the next size up just feels massive. The Domainator the 5'6 and 5'8 feel very similar but the 5'10 feels and looks a lot chunkier, picking up a 6'4 Domainato and comparing it to a 6'6 you can physically see the different in volume through the rails and the tail between those boards.

[Wandi]

I picked up a 6'3 in a surf shop yesturday and it felt really good under my arms as well, it was not chunky feeling and the 6'1 and 6'3 felt very similar. They also had a 6'5 HR and compared to the 6'1 and 6'3 that felt and looked a lot more of a chunkier board.

I have noticed that some sizes of Firewire models seem to have a couple of sizes that dont feel too different from each other and then the next size up just feels massive. The Domainator the 5'6 and 5'8 feel very similar but the 5'10 feels and looks a lot chunkier, picking up a 6'4 Domainato and comparing it to a 6'6 you can physically see the different in volume through the rails and the tail between those boards.

Hey Fazza
How does your Hellrazor surf compared to your 6'4 Taj
Can you see the razor being your go to short board from now on
Good reviews

[Fazza]

Hi Wandi,

Considering the size of the waves the board paddled so well and was so nice to manoeuvre on the wave. This is definately replacing my Taj as my everyday goto board for good or messy conditions. The Taj Pro is a nice board but really only excels in nice clean punchy waves and from what is have found so far the Hellrazor is going to be great in 2ft plus waves in pretty well most conditions. I think that because of is slight Hybrid DNA it will perform across a wider range of waves similar to the Alternator but handle bigger waves better. Yesterday the wave face was slightly messy due to the strong offshore wind and normally my Taj would not like those conditions, i could still surf it but found i got hung up on the take off or in turns but not the Hellrazor.

6'1 Hellrazor at 29.1ltrs is at the uppermost range for my weight at an intermediate surfer according to the Board Calculator and having that little bit extra float is not a bad thing as you can use the board in a wider range of conditions and the waves here in South West WA can be quite punchy compared to other parts of Australia and you need to paddle your ass off when the swells up to get onto them so having a tad extra volume will help........can't have all the young blokes getting my waves :)

Tomorrow i am going to try the Hellrazor again but with a set of WCT Techflex Future Fins........will let you know how it goes and hopefully waves slightly bigger than yesturday.

[Fazza]

Took the Hellrazor out for another surf today, bit more west in the swell and the waves were bigger than the other day with a bit more punch in them. Used the Techflex WCT fins and was way better than the small blacktix, nice and drivey off the bottom, really smooth and loose.

Still getting used to the board and with a few more surf over the weekend i will hopefully have it wired. Just love the way it feels on the wave face in the turns and the speed you can get for fast sections down the line.

[kdropin]

good stuff.. i want to hear how this one goes in waist/stomach and punchy

[Chito]

Have you tried the board as a quad yet? would be interesting to see how it goes with a 4 fin setup. Can't wait until mine arrives!

[Wandi]

Is the Hellrazor available in fcs as well
The only pictures I have seen are with futures
I'd probably like the fcs setup so I can use my knubster

[Chito]

5'11 Hellrazor with Machado fins is going to be mental. I always like FCS fins more than Futures but that was because I had never used futures hahah!
After having made the transition I now want all my boards to be Futures, I feel that the fins themselves are more solid and their work with foils is really impressive. Apart from the fact that they have alot of different types of fins going on where as FCS seems to be more of the same with slight alterations.
I would say that my only complaint is that down here people tend to go more towards FCS than futures so I have a harder time finding the fins I want, but that is a location specific issue.

[Fazza]

Wandi,

The first surf i had on it last Wednesday there were a few smaller ones that were around wait to shoulder high and i had no problem paddling into them or getting the board going.....it was over a shallow reef break and the waves had a bit of punch so that should give you some indication. Keep in mind that i am only 68kgs and surfing a 6'1 HR which is 29.1ltrs.....i prefer to surf a board with a little bit more volume in SW OZ you need a little bit extra float to get you onto the waves as most of the wave power is in the bottom of the wave not the top of the wave.....if that makes sense.....the waves tend to be a little fat on the takeoff and then stand up and go. I think also having that little extra bit of volume helps it perform for me in smaller punchy waves. I don't have any trouble turning the board at all and yesterday i surfed it with a set of Simon Anderson SA4's as a thruster and really liked it with those fins, nice and drivey and easy to turn. The waves where a lot bigger, had a reasonable amount of punch and on a wave like that man that board was really good fun.......easy to turn and manoeuvre on the wave........my mate in the water with me commented on how fast the board just took off down the wave face.

Chitto,

Your going to love this board. I haven't tried it as a quad yet and think that i will probably not like it as much as a thruster.....won't know until i try it of course........ I think this board is primarily designed to be a thruster. The tail is not as wide as a Hellfire and from my own personnel perspective i find that wide tailed boards like Dominators, SP, P'Nator's enjoy being quads.

[Chris]

i agree. the people who have gotten on the board are loving it!!

[kdropin]

chris get your hands on that 6'1 yet? have you surfed the hr since your last time you chimed in about it?

[Chris]

have one, haven't ridden it yet. I know on the east coast i would own that one before the 511 though...its a little wider but I really think its a shape that would give me the opportunity to ride an HP board in a lot of EC conditions...

[kdropin]

cool thats what i'm thinking as well

[C0111N5]

Anyone out there around 75kg/165lb, intermediate/advanced who has ridden or is riding a 5'9" HellRazor? Would really like to try a low volume board for performance but maybe going too low might be a bad idea. Maybe a 5'11" is a safer bet.

[prjwebb]

I'm close to your weight and I think 511 is as low as I'd want to go.
Powerful waves just in boardies and it could work though..,

[iggy]

6'1" will be paying safe

[C0111N5]

Cheers prjwebb and iggy, I'm in boardies 70% of the year but we lack consistent, powerful surf where I am so I'll stick with my initial 27 litre min eg 5'11" HellRazor or 5'8" Hellfire.

Would love to try a 5'9" in good surf though one day, I reckon it would fly!

[Chris]

good stuff C0, keep us posted

[Fazza]

Surfed the Hellrazor this morning in 5-6ft sets with Futures Techflex Clay Marzo CM2 fins. These fins rock....love them.........they have good hold and drive and yet are lose and have nice tail release......found them nice and fast.

[Fritzkat]

Fazza, how much overlap do you have on the Potatonator over the Dominator, and why are you selling the Sweet Pot? How much a gap are you finding the Dominator to the Hell Razor?

[Fazza]

Fritzkat

The Potatonator has 1-4ft weak to slightly punchy waves handled as long as they have any easyish take off. The Dominator is a great board and even though I don't think I will surf it as much now having the PNator and the Hellrazor i will keep it and take it out every now and then if the waves are head high, i don't enjoy it in smaller weak surf. If the waves are punchy, got a bit more of a sucky or quick take off i will surf the Hellrazor in 2ft and up to what ever i can paddle it into.

I think that depending on the waves you are surfing you could get away with a 2 board quiver of a PNator and a Hellrazor. I have gone slightly bigger in the board sizes as the waves in WA have a lot of power in them and you need to be up and going early, if you are under gunned you don't catch waves or you go over the falls.....just the way it works for me :)

I have had some funs waves on the Sweet Spud but also had some sessions were i didn't enjoy it......probably more me than the board. I think that there is a point in when you go to small and wide you lose that plaining/glide ability of a board slightly longer even if that longer board has less volume. Having the Potatonator now i don't think i will surf the Sweet Spud as i have surfed the Potatonator the same places as the Sweet Spud and had a blast on it.

I have surfed the Hellrazor a few times on waves similar to the Dominator i.e. head high, nice and punchy, and not thought that i had wished i had taken out the dominator.

[Chris]

yeah fair assessment there fazza.

i do think the wide point helps a lot!!

[Will.]

Sick little vid of Noah Erickson riding the hellrazor -


http://vimeo.com/40059489

[Chris]

its definitely not all hellrazor though just as a heads up....

[Fritzkat]

I like the late take off dissapearing act... where'd he pop back up?

[Will.]

I like the late take off dissapearing act... where'd he pop back up?

Yeah i never saw him pop back up either, looks like he took a beating into the rock or maybe popped back up behind the rock where we cant see. ouch.

[iggy]

You can see him getting washed between the two rocks at 00:58

[Fritzkat]

ouch, he had to have done some scrape by the rocks... good thing he has rubber on. wonder how the board faired.

[Chris]

yeah he is still down there. Noah is Kevin Costner's kid. He has ear gills.

[kdropin]

got mine today.. seems like a really good shape.. nice narrow tail and has plenty of width for glide.. plenty of rocker

[prjwebb]

Pics!!!! You know the drill haha

[kdropin]

i didn't see a nanotune sticker on it? is there supposed to be?

[prjwebb]

Should be if it was tuned. May have shipped before they started 'tuning them all.

[kdropin]

thats crap if it wasn't.. it was just shipped in last week.. i'll ck again.. i thought chris had said all the new models will be tuned as well

[prjwebb]

Not sure. Pour some water on it and see if the world ends!
I guess beads will run off clean if it's nano'd.

[kdropin]

No sticker

[prjwebb]

any different reaction to water on the bottom? my CBD missed out on it, maybe your hellrazor was shipped just before they started applying it to all boards also.

[kdropin]

yeah its normal no tune.. i'm a bit annoyed to be honest because one of the reasons i waited a lil bit longer to order the board is that i wanted it with the treatment.. it just came in last week i don't know how long shipping takes

[prjwebb]

Shipping would be a month or so I guess...

How's the board looking besides that though? Does it seem wide for a 6'1" or does it hide it well? I'm very intrigued by the HR.

[kdropin]

at first look it def. has some width to it but its right under the chest.. and comes in to a nice tight tail.. i really like the shape. looks to be really hp with some good paddability

[Fazza]

KDropin,

I have had my 6'1 HellRazor for about a month now and it came with NanoTune applied and the sticker on top, bummer yours did not come already tuned. You should be able to buy the re-tune kits......hey if we have them in Oz you should have them in the US as we are always the last to get stuff :)

It is a wicked board, paddles really well and flies its a good combo of Hybrid DNA and a short board.

I really love the new Techflex Clay Marzo CM-2 fins in that board.....did you get Futures or FCS?

You'll be stoked when you get that thing out in the ocean and drop into your first wave.

Regards
Fazza

[kdropin]

yeah thanks... i really assumed it'd be tuned! considering i ordered it after the boards supposedly were getting the treatment which like i said is why i waited another month or two to order it.. i have fcs.. i will probably run k2.1 pc's in it at first and want to try the jw-1s or even the new jeremy flores fins..

[Fritzkat]

Anyone have a 6-7 or a 6-9 Hell Razor? Would like to ask you a couple of Questions...

[Fazza]

KDropin

I have tried Future Techflex WCT's which are pretty well exactly the same as FCS K2.1's. It was on a smaller punchy wave and they felt ok but they were the first fins i tried in my HR and trying to get used to a new board at the same time was not a good test. I want to try them again on a bigger wave with a bit more face and see how they go.

[kdropin]

i liked how the k2.1s went in my alternator.. i like fins that pivot real quick.. i only surf beachbreaks so i'm hoping they go well on the razor as well

[Chito]

Just picked up my 5'11 Razor tonight. Thing looks like such a weapon, no doubt in my mind as to how its going to perform, will be ideal for the waves I get out front. It says 19 1/4 wide and I believe it but you wouldn't guess, obviously more on the shortboard side of things, really like the overall outline of the board, good clean shape that just feels nice under your arm. Got the F4 Techflex fins in it now, so will be on those first, than the machados and also got some AM-2 Techflex and Controller quads. could get interesting. May even have to pull out the deviant at some point and see how that goes in the HR.
Recently coming off an Injury, tore my MCL about 9 days ago, its minor and already have it out of the way but have not surfed in over a week and have to go at about 75% tomorrow so It might be a bit before Im back to form but when it happens I cant wait to be on this thing.
So pumped!!!

[Fritzkat]

Chito, 6 weeks for an MCL, dont reinjure that or it gets worse.

[Chito]

Yea thanks. You as well as the rest of the universe keep reminding me of that! The injury itself was very very minor. When it actually happened it hurt but I was on the edge of paddling back out, was by no means severe. I knew that something wasn't right though just by the way it felt, there was no inflammation, no redness or any indication that anything had happened. I came in from the surf that day, instantly put it on ice for the first 48 hours and alternated heat. After that I kept it wrapped in an ace bandage and elevated for 9 days, didn't shed a drop of sweat and remained bound to my computer chair doing nothing while all my buddies got pitted like crazy and told me about it. Had 4 rounds of acupuncture done to it as well as 1 session of Cupping with regular Chinese, herbal healing patches that I left on for 12 hours each time.
SO I would say I have done a good job thus far of keeping off it and taking care of it. I did surf this morning though, felt absolutely fine, not doing ANY turns right now though unfortunately. I Just want to be in the water so all Im doing is floating around and when I do get a wave I take off and pump, get pitted if possible and than kick out.

BUT what I can tell you all from this morning session IS THAT:
if you are around 160-170 pounds than the 5'11 floats just fine. I am in board shorts surfing central american beach break though, may play a bit of a factor.
The board is fast, cant tell you how fast yet as I can't really drive it to hard but just off the drop it generates a good amount of speed. I can imagine that once I can push hard and weave the thing it will fly.
The board holds great in the barrel. Managed to get 2 nice shacks this morning and was amazed at how easily the board handled it. Was in a totally verticle part of the wave and the board didn't even seem to notice. I on the other hand was freaking out since Im used to my spitfire and it would never of held in that section.

[C0111N5]

Hey Chito!
You sound about the same size as me and surfing in a similar climate (warm water and boardies) so hopefully you can help me out.
I'm riding a 5'6" Spitfire also and would like to know your feedback comparing your previous 5'8" Hellfire and your current 5'11" Hellrazor to the Spit.
I'm still trying to decide if to go a 5'8" Hellfire or 5'11" Hellrazor as my go to board.
Which do you think better compliments the Spit and progresses your surfing? What's your pro's and con's eg. paddle, performance, grovel factor, carve factor etc.
Cheers!

[Chito]

Ok well I have not really ridden the Hellrazor yet so I cant tell you how it rides. Although, just based on the fact that you already have the spit, I would say go with the Hellrazor, It's not that the Hellfire isn't good its just that the Razor gives you the ability to surf more variety of waves. The hellfire is an amazing board and I recommend it to everyone but that doesn't necessarily make it the best board, surfing is a very subjective sport due to the fact that everyone surf's differently, weighs different amount, rides different waves, wear's different suits so when all these things comes into play its hard to say that a particular board will preform for someone else the same way it would for you. The Hellfire for me was amazing, but I was in the same boat as you, had the HF and the Spit and the truth was that after I got the spit I rode the Hellfire less. The Spit handled the lower end waves better and still went great in head high waves with some punch and was great for the flat sections inbetween, so I would save the HF for bigger days but than when I was surfing those waves on it I almost felt like I needed more board, even though the HF handled the bigger waves fine, something a bit more traditional would of been better.
It was with that thought process that I went and got the Razor, I have it now and am super pumped. Just from looking at the outline and the rails and everything I can tell that the board is a lot more of a short board than a hybrid, even though from paddaling it and everything I can tell that it has not lost the Hybrid fully. The board flies over flat sections like you were being pulled, as long as you hit them with some speed you just glide, its really cool.
But back to your board choice! Hellrazor for sure, will give you a better time in waves of consequence and allow you to progress your surfing more. The Hellrazor and the spit really will have you covered from about knee to wasit up until whatever you feel comfortable paddling the HR into.
Get a Potato next and you will always be out there!
After my MCL heals up fully and I can surf at full strength again I will write a review on the Hell Razor. Will be about a month or so so I can heal up, get some good sessions in and experiment with different fins and fin setups but in a months time look for a review if you want to see how the razor goes.
Yewwww

[C0111N5]

Awesome! Thanks Chito, that helps a lot, definitely looking forward to your full HR review.

I have a Potato in the quiver already, Spit for the middle and just need a HR or HF for the top end of the quiver, looks like the Razor might be the winner.

Cheers!

[prjwebb]

Yeah I think you need that board with a bit of a longer rail line in your quiver, that and a narrower nose and tail really give you a lot more versatility in your boards.

[Chito]

I didn't buy a surfboard, I bought a spaceship. Holy F**K this board goes fast. Sheet glass all day today with the waves in the 4-5 ft range with an occasional overhead set, got some of the best barrels I've had this year and I can hardly surf right now with my knee in the state it is! thank god you only have to go straight to get piped.
So beyond stoked right now, can't even begin to describe the sensation you get on this board when in the barrel, its like someone is at the end of every tube with a rope just pulling you out as hard as he can.
can't wait to fully heal up and be able to do some turns on it!!

[Chris]

great stuff chito. Appreciate the feedback! Glad you were able to rip on your board!

Cheers

[prjwebb]

Any more HellRazor feedback? How does it grovel. I'm thinking too steep and punchy for the Potato, but not really good enough to take out a proper shortboard. Waist to chest high, steep stuff, or chest to headhigh slacker stuff.

[Fazza]

Prjwebb

I have had my board for a few months now and pretty well surf it in everything.

Surfed it in hip to shoulder high punchy waves a few times now........the Razor handled it no problems. Definitely likes waves with a bit of juice but having said that i have surf it in a few gutless shoulder high waves and it was fine.

It really handles sucky waves well and i feel that in bigger waves with a bit of chop it is stable under my feet...........really loving this board......i actually prefer it to the Bourez which i am struggling with.

[Chito]

Razor blows up way to hard.

[Jase]

Razor blows up way to hard.

what do you mean there Chito?

[Danga]

I think he means it goes very good.

[C0111N5]

I've got a 5'11" HR demo and 3-4 foot of clean swell for the weekend, will report back after my test drive, super excited!

[prjwebb]

You're similar size to me and ride very similar boards. Please try the HZ in some 2-3ft average waves and let me know it goes! Thanks.

[Chito]

I will fully elaborate whenever it stops pumping, After paddling and surfing all day I barley have it in me to carry my sorry ass to bed, and than I wake up and have to do it all over again, its really quite terrible. Whenever I take a day off I will write a full review.
PRJ are you speaking 2-3ft normal sizes? or 2-3ft where 3ft actually means 6? I can tell you after my session tonight that if you have the hellrazor in a waist to chest high wave that is bowling and has some punch to it than you can go bezerk, never felt a board feel so at home in such a variety of conditions. Will give more up later, must go stuff my face to regain energy to do it all again tomorrow.
cheers

[prjwebb]

I'm thinking stomach to shoulder high really, and not so much bowly. Maybe bowly stomach high, but any bigger with any punch and my CBD goes mental. I'm looking for something for days where it doesn't all line up and you need something to connect sections and deal with bumps and fat sections a bit easier but that is still going to surf like a shortboard. The quad option would be helpful too. My Sub Scorcher is up for sale, and the Spitfire might end up that way too.

I'm thinking Sweet Potato for thigh to stomach high, the CBD for anything chesthigh with good shape, or overhead regardless of shape, and then I need something to fill the gap between the two. As I said I want to stay as close to a shortboard as possible. The HellRazor looks the part, but I'm not sure if it's going to be too thin and rockered and struggle in the same ways as my CBD.

How's the volume for you also? Baring in mind I'm around 170lbs, plus wetsuit...

[Chito]

Volume floats me perfectly. Granted I am 160 and in boardies 365 days of the year so you will no doubt have some weight on me. Also I dont know what the waves you are surfing are like, and everyone judges waves differently so that comes into play as well.
From what you said your plan is to have the SP for ankle to stomach and the CBD for shoulder and above than I would say just keep the spit and there you go. If you want something more on the shortboard side of things than maybe go with a Hellfire. Its not that the HZ wouldn't work in those conditions, as long as there is some push and you hit the flat section with speed most of the time the HZ will go right over it, and this is as a thruster, Im sure with a quad it would go even better in fat waves. But for what you are looking for I feel like you would get more out of the HF than the HZ. If you would only be using the board up to shoulder high than the HZ would never get a chance to really shine since I feel like as much as the board is at home in chest to shoulder it really comes into its own when its head high +. The amount of speed you get off the drop alone on a head high wave on the HZ is mental, can project right off the bottom and into the lip.
So if you want something to just fill the gap than sell the Sub and keep the spit, if you are looking for something to fill the gap but retain shortboard aspects about it than go with the Hellfire. and If you want a board that will work for the somewhat average days and really blow you mind when its good than go for the HZ. sure it might cut into time spent on the CBD but hey mixing it up is good, riding different shapes makes you a more versatile surfer so why not.
I have had my HZ for about a month now and I have surfed it everyday, even at max high tide when the waves were hardly even breaking and I still had fun, sure the Spitfire might have gone better but brand new boards always get priority. I surfed a long right point yesterday that has been deemed as a "longboard wave" by the majority of the town and on the inside once the wave got a bit smaller I was still doing full on wrapping roundhouses in the pocket on waist to chest high "longboard waves".
So yea, food for thought. Hope this helps a bit.

[prjwebb]

I did think about the HF but it's basically the same dims as my SR and I don't really want to be on anything so short else I'd just ride the SR or SF. If I went up to the 510 HF it's going to be a lot of board for me and I wanted to stay in the 19.25" max range for width.
I think you're right about the HZ potentially being limited in the conditions I'm looking to use it in.
My CBD flies through flats if it has speed coming into them, but I'm looking for something that's relaxed enough in the rocker with enough volume to get up and go on a flatter section and then still surf like a shortboard when a good section lines up. The HZ is very close I reckon, but I'd probably be looking at a slight bit more thickness through the middle, a little wider in the tail block and a tiny reduction in the entry rocker to get it to what I'm after. As has been mentioned, the HZ can basically replace your shortboard, maybe replacing your groveller is a lot to ask.

If you get to try it as a quad in higher tide, chest high, afternoon Santa Teresa as the onshore dies down I reckon that's going to get as close to home as possible there.

[C0111N5]

We got a dodgy surf report so the predicted 3-4 foot ended up more like 1.5 to 2.5 foot so my demo day/s didn’t work out to plan. In saying that though I can say the HZ still goes pretty well in the smaller stuff, keep in mind this was a clean, little hollow beach break with medium punch.

The board felt great, loved the width for stability and speed, loved the sensitivity of the tail, take off’s were super smooth with heaps of rocker, which is what I am chasing from riding a 5’6” Spitfire BUT (sorry for the but) I think for me the board is probably a bit too refined for the regular conditions we get here on the Sunshine Coast, Qld). Plus when it is good, it can deteriorate half way through the session more often than not pretty quick. I don’t think it would be a daily driver for me but that’s what I am chasing at the moment. If I lived on the Gold Coast, Qld and surfed Duranbah or TOS often, this would be the board for me.

So for me I’m going to invest some more time in a 5’8” Hellfire, I just think I will get more bang for my buck. I like my Spitfire and works well in most conditions here but I just want that little bit more when the surf pumps and is 4-6 foot and hollow but still be able to fill the shoes of the Spitfire when it’s not so pumping (especially if it is half way through a session).

Also, size wise I felt like the 5’11” was a bit big for me (I'm 5'9", 165, warm water, 2mm wettie), not sure if it was the dims or the FST, which I haven’t used before, it is definitely heavier than the RapidFire construction. If I get a chance I think I will try a 5’9” HZ just to make sure, will make an update if I do.

Hey Chito, thanks for your great reviews so far, do you think I can grab your email to get your feedback on your 5’6” Spitfire vs 5’8” Hellfire? Or have you posted something like that somewhere else?

[C0111N5]

Sorry, prjwebb, the HZ handles the chop well, we had some strong wind roughing up the wave face and it didn't seem to phase the board, maybe the weight of the FST helps for that.

From what you are looking for I'd say the Hellfire might be what you are after to fill your quiver gap. I think I will sell my Spitfire and just go the Potato and Hellfire as my quiver, too many boards seem to mess with my head and feet : )

[Chito]

Never expected today to take the horrible turn that it did. First wave and I ended up with a snapped Hellrazor, literally happened like 20 minutes ago. Its high tide and 3 foot, really have no explanation for how or what happened, and no this is not going to turn into a campaign to ruin FW and their name. I still trust in their product and know that it surpasses the industry standard, however, this break I really have no explanation for. I repair surfboard every day so I know the in's and outs of the tech used in these boards, I know what methods to take to avoid serious damage to the surfboard. And when it comes to surfboard maintenance I am about as anal as it gets. Every month I strip the wax off my board, rub it down with a cloth and than go over it with some rubbing alcohol on a rag to get it spotless, when its in that stage I look it over thoroughly for any dings or compression marks where dings may form later to take care of them before they become a bigger issue. Today is the 27th of may, I got my board on the 25th of april, exactly a month and 2 days ago. Literally 2 days ago I took all the wax off and did the procedure mentioned above, there was not a single crack or ding on the board, just the usual pressure marks here and there from my feet and other things, nothing really worth worrying about. Since than I have surfed it at a long mushy right hand point for the last 2 days, it never got over head high and the wave is of 0 consequence ( think Lowers). I took it out today at 8 am, 1 hour after high tide in waves that were waist to shoulder, First wave I took off pumped down the line and it closed out, jumped off the back and when I went to collect my board what I got at the end of my leash was only half of it. Im not going to lie about how I feel, Im F**king pissed off to have worked all summer saving money and coordinating the purchase and shipping of the board to get it here to have it last me a month and 2 days. also the fact that I live in the middle of nowhere really does not help when it comes to customer service so I have no clue if I will be able to get anything done about it, for now Im back to just having my Spitfire which hopefully does not follow suit and well high season is over so no chance of buying another board until at least this time next year.
I would fix it if it were not for the fact that the break is directly in the middle of the board, not even where my front foot goes or anything and it would totally ruin the feel of it, also the break is really violent with a large section where the glass detached from the foam and there are multiple buckles around the actual break so it would be a lot of work and in the end would not be anything close to what the board was before.
I don't really know if there is anything that can be done in the situation that I am in due to my location but if there is I would be very grateful, with no buckles, cracks or soft spots on the board prior to the actual break I really have no explanation for it. I want to say it was faulty but that takes the whole thing into a grey area that I would rather avoid. I do not intend to point fingers and make accusations here so if that is how some may read this I urge you to view this in a different light, the shape itself was magic. All my friends as well as myself can attest to how much better the board was making me surf in just the short period of time I had it and hopefully someday sooner rather than later I can have another 5'11 FST HZ under my arm. I recommend the board to everyone and I hope my personal experience in this case does not makes others view of the product falter, I have been riding FW for the last 5 years and this is the first time I have ever broken one, sure it was the last thing I ever expected to happen to this particular board but shit happens. Just have to deal with it.

R.I.P Hellrazor

[prjwebb]

That's a crap situation Chito. I'd shoot Chris a mail if I were you. Fingers crossed you can get it looked at or something.

[Chito]

What usually happens after the board is looked at? I know sometimes a free repair will be done but I really could care less about getting it fixed since the location of the break is directly in the middle of the board and it would throw the whole thing off balance and ruin the flex. Might as well be surfing a piece of drywall.

[prjwebb]

I think it's usually done on a case by case basis. I doubt a complete snap would be repaired, I think that's something that would happen with a minor buckle or small delam etc.

See what Chris says, he's been back East lately I think and out of office so hang tight if you don't get a reply right off the bat.

[Chito]

Here are some pics because I know those are usually always asked for. I figured I would be a step ahead. Think I covered every angle 697698699700701

Let me know what you think. The waxless area around the break is from me stripping it off to see the full extent of the damage as well as trying to find some reason for the break.

[prjwebb]

Nasty break that's for sure. Forward them on to Chris along with the serial number and see what he gets back to you with.

[Magnet]

In sandwich construction the damage will often happen several surfs prior in harsher conditions, causing one of the inner layers or laminates to fail but still goes unseen, then in a later surf, the angles line up and it goes ping.
Feel for you mate, it's a bugger with you being so isolated. Likewise I've had about 10 fire wires over 10 years and no issues, in fact some boards still look like new after 3 years use. Every now and then though the forces of nature conspire...

[Fritzkat]

Chito, Thats why I order mine in Rapid fire now. maybe less ding and dent proof, but tensil strength is better in my opinion. I have two in Rapid fire and two in FST. my daily boards Dominator and Activator are rapid fire. I have not broken a Firewire yet, only PU's on small days in a weird close-out spot on the wave . All it takes is the right board snapping energy condition at the right moment on the wrong day. The board may have already had a stress in the sandwich layer a few sessions back and finally let go. See if you cannot repair that board. Its a challenge, but you may surprize yourself.

Hey Chito, who is the guy on the blue board boosting airs in the Mambosurf video? Note if you are doing airs and landing hard, or going for close out waves you may want to reinforce the deck with a patch. I tend to not compromise my boards, I may be the least likely to win a contest with that in mind, but am happy to surf the board another day. I have seen plenty friends snap PU and EPS boards, 2 to 4 a year snapped. they do airs and go for close out barrels. no pain no gain?:

[Chito]

I was looking more at the board last night trying to figure out what might have happened. And I know before I said that I did not want to say the board was defective due to uncertainty, I am fully aware of how boards can break in the most unpredictable situations, but I saw something that caught my attention and now has me a bit flustered. In the break, the section of fiberglass laminate that is sticking out is completely dry. Dry in the sense that it has no resin on it, I can pull out individual strands of cloth and bend them over completely on themselves without any breaking, they have no resin on them which is making me suspect perhaps a fluke in the lamination process. In normal circumstances a single strand of fiberglass when thoroughly coated in resin and allowed to dry will have some flexibility but will be unable to completely fold over on itself and than return to its original form with no signs of stressing. In this case however I am finding just that.
I don't want to jump the gun and start crying wolf but the concept of a defective board is starting to dawn on me. Going to take a video and post it so you can see what I mean.

[Chito]

Fritzkat, Thats my freind Elijah Guy. Local surfer down here that does the national circuit and competes on the Costa Rican national surf team. He was at the ISA world games in panama this year representing. Rips and is great to surf with as well.

[Chito]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYS_P6OdgwQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The link to the video where you can see me pulling some fiberglass strands out of the break and rolling them around in my fingers while doubled over on itself.
The strands I pull out after are in the same state, absolutely dry and fully maleable. Sorry for the somewhat sluggish movement and bad camera work, I had to hold the camera in the other hand while balancing on my knee's on the matress.

[Chris]

Hey Chito,

FYI what you are doing there does not indicate lack of resin. In fact just the opposite. If cloth had no resin, it wouldn't have had stiff sections to it, it would have looked nice and silky as fresh glass does. I understand you want to examine your board to try to provide yourself with answers, but fishing for ultra technical reasons that you can't really substantiate one way or another really doesn't help your case at all and your statements will forever misinform people on the forum. Please know that the fact that you can bend the fibers is a testament to the precision to which our vacuum bag process works and the quality of the epoxy that use. Yes, more resin would have been more brittle, but this is on the inside of the board where extra resin is not the goal.


TECH TALK: The layer of cloth used in the sandwich construction is not the same "weight" as what you see on the deck, bottom and rails of the board and therefore it holds less resin. Over the length of that board, that layer of glass helps with flex and durability, but the primary structural integrity comes from the external glass job, the multiple layers of foam and the balsa rails. We include internal layers of glass to add some durability, but also to help create the positive flex characteristics of the FST tech.

I appreciate your candid approach, but Chito, please ask rather than insinuate defective build. Its better for everyone if we talk through before jumping the gun!

Thanks!

[Chito]

If you note in some of my previous posts I do leave room for doubt, I was not making statements but more observations which I was providing and asking what others thought of. I asked originally what people though of the break and in the post where I mentioned the dry cloth for the first time you can read in the last sentence where I said "I don't want to jump the gun and start crying wolf but the concept of a defective board is starting to dawn on me. Going to take a video and post it so you can see what I mean." note that I said it was starting to dawn on me, meaning that I was not fully convinced that it was defective but more that the concept was crossing my mind, by no means was I dead set on that being the cause for the break.
When it comes to something like this where I have had the board for a month and was unable to surf for the first 2 weeks really due to a torn MCL and than surfed it for about 2 weeks and have it snap straight in half with no previous damage to it you have to understand my frustration. There is no insinuation intended I just find that in situations where the answer is not definitive it is a good practice to go about exhausting every possible circumstance, and than through the process of elimination eventually arrive at a conclusion.
Please get back to me privately or publicly so I can get an idea of what is going to happen and where we can go from here.

[Chris]

Hey Chito,
That's all fine, and I am not trying to come down on you, however, I would say that posting a video calling out the build and questioning whether it was done so defectively without truly knowing how the board is built is perfect evidence of jumping the gun. You are totally entitled to do whatever you want on this forum as its totally free and public, but as moderator, I also think it wasn't entirely fair to Firewire and I wanted to explain it in a manner that caught people's attention. Ultimately I want people to think about your post objectively with the proper information.

Regarding your case, I am happy to follow through everything with you. I am back in CA now and have your previous emails saved so I will be getting to it this week.

Thanks again for your support and understanding.

Cheers

[David_KJeep]

Hey guys!

On Saturday I had one of the best waves I've ever had on my Hellrazor! About 8ft waves on the main break in Yallingup, WA. Not a big day, it was gentle and clean and the HZ with the Machados was a perfect setup for those waves! Good hold (although not much required because gentle waves), good speed and more importantly, perfect turning abilities! I went up and down the wave with ease, superb bottom turns and nice sharp top turns, I loved it!

[kdropin]

surfed 4 hours today in some waist to chest punchy beachbreak.. board is awesome! have to get used to having all that nose in front of me. just seems so weird after riding really short boards for so long. i can't believe how well the board turns and wraps.. ran with k2.1s and they were so good.. nose rocker def. helped make some super late drops and the board is just so fast.. stoked

[Fazza]

Its a great board for sure.

I recently tried mine with Futures WCT fins similar to the K2.1 and i really liked the feel of the board with those fins in.

I find it interesting when swapping from my 506 PNator back to the 601 Hellrazor takes a few waves to get used to it and seeing all this white foam in front of you.

[kdropin]

yeah i almost went back the truck to get my dom bc it was really bothering me at first with all the length.. glad i didn't though.. absolutely love the board..

[Fazza]

947

6'1 HellRazor next to a 6'0 JacKnife for those who are interested.

[prjwebb]

Nice! I think I'll get a HZ as soon as they are in the CBD.

[kdropin]

yeah i wonder if u added a sixteenth to the thickness how much could u bring down the length to still get the same volume.. i like the volume on the 6'1 esp with the shorter period i was riding it in and what we get often... i was just lucky the break is just a very good sandbar with some pop.. barrels at chest high

as for the razor.. the tail is whats money about it imo.. like nevs description its so sensitive and response is immediate.. the end of the waves i was riding were knee high way out on the shoulder and was able to still wrap and chuck a fan

[prjwebb]

Yeah I'd want to go 510, a little fuller in the nose and either 2.38: or 2.31". Whichever I needed to get it up to 28.5l +.

[kdropin]

i like the narrow refined nose and tail.. makes it more performance oriented.. even if it made it a 6'0 with a touch more thickness.. although it might change the magic of the board

[prjwebb]

Yeah would overlap with my CBD too much like that for me. I'm on the hunt for a magic smaller wave shortboard. Hopefully the Mini Driver will fit the bill but if not the search will continue!

[Baker]

Yeah would overlap with my CBD too much like that for me. I'm on the hunt for a magic smaller wave shortboard. Hopefully the Mini Driver will fit the bill but if not the search will continue!

Hey Prj, think you'd be surprised with the float that the 5'11 RZ has, too much for me at 68kg. Like you i'm looking for a perfect small wave board that will work in waist to overhead. I'm still keen on the 5'8 Sub but having too much fun on the spitfire to risk it. Don't think i will ever go bigger than 5'9 from now on.

[prjwebb]

You'll love the Sub. Great little board and handles size well IMO.

[Chris]

yeah i had my alternator in for repairs and I took the Sub out in head high oceanside beach break, pretty hollow too and it did great in the tube. Just a little flat and wider in the tail when it came to maneuvers at the lip with some steam.

Cheers

[prjwebb]

Yeah agree with that. Not such an issue backhand with the way I do my turns, but frontside it can get a bit out of control if you try and jam it into the lip.

[Baker]

I purchased a new 5'7 sub scorcher - its a poly but i can't fork out £600 on a Firewire one till i know if its for me.
Did you see all those lost boards come up on ebay this week PRJ, i got two new 5'7 subs for £550. one is 19 1/4 wide and the other 19 3/4, can't argue at that price. My mate is having the thinner one as he couldn't wait for the 5'8 minidriver. If i get on with mine this winter then i'll probably get the FW 5'8 for spring as that will have the added durability that polyester boards don't have.

Sorry to talk about this on the Razor page but the razor didn't work for me so looking for alternatives in a round about way...and i'm still keeping my trusty spitfire whatever!

[prjwebb]

I've been trying to avoid looking at boards on eBay to be honest :D sounds like a good buy. Are they made at Laminations? Beware that the first batch were snapping like twigs. A mate snapped 2 in weak 2 foot waves in the same week and 2 other guys I know snapped 1 each around the same time.
Haven't seen any with the same problems since though.

[Baker]

I've been trying to avoid looking at boards on eBay to be honest :D sounds like a good buy. Are they made at Laminations? Beware that the first batch were snapping like twigs. A mate snapped 2 in weak 2 foot waves in the same week and 2 other guys I know snapped 1 each around the same time.
Haven't seen any with the same problems since though.

They're shaped buy Brian Bulkley so imagine like most of the lost boards in the UK they were done in spring this year while he was in Cornwall. I've had one of his team boards before and it held up fine. As long as it last till April i'll be happy.

If it works out then i'll get the firewire model, just a bit dubious of its capabilities as most vids on youtube don't show guys in anything bigger than chest high. If i don't like it, it goes back on ebay at no loss. (as long as you don't tell all your mates what you think about them)

[prjwebb]

Ha I think it must have been a bad batch of blanks and glass jobs on the first run last year.
I've got mates who ride Beach Beats all the time which are glassed in Laminations too and while they aren't as durable as the Aussie imported boards they don't snap like twigs.
I've seen a couple of this years too holding up fine.

The Sub goes well in size. I surfed head and half to double overhead mid tide Godrevy on mine and loved it. Wouldn't try Lev at that size on it though... Standard beachy stuff it works great. I'd love one in the 5'10 x 19" range.

[Baker]

Ha I think it must have been a bad batch of blanks and glass jobs on the first run last year.
I've got mates who ride Beach Beats all the time which are glassed in Laminations too and while they aren't as durable as the Aussie imported boards they don't snap like twigs.
I've seen a couple of this years too holding up fine.

The Sub goes well in size. I surfed head and half to double overhead mid tide Godrevy on mine and loved it. Wouldn't try Lev at that size on it though... Standard beachy stuff it works great. I'd love one in the 5'10 x 19" range.

Yeah the FW 5'10 Sub has a lot of foam in it, can see why you went for the 5'8.
How long you gotta wait till the Drivers come in, Autumn?

[prjwebb]

Shouldn't be long. September mine should be in as I pre ordered early on.

[delmarsurfer]

kdropin - I see you went with the 6'1 Razor...do you think you could have gone with the 5'11? Given your height the 6'1 probably feels better but I was curious in regards to the volume of the 5'11.
I have been using prj's volume formula, which seems pretty accurate, and it seems like you went on the high end. Just wondering what your impressions are after riding the 6'1.

[kdropin]

i find its pretty good.. i always wonder how the 5'11 would ride but i'm on the east coast which means inconsistent weak swells for the most part.. we're pumped for a 9sec period swell over here

prj's formula?

[kdropin]

i am also always in a wetsuit from a 2mm shortsleeve full to a 5/4 boots/gloves so i do add some weight during certain seasons..

i kinda just followed what nev said with explaining the board he created.. i ride a 5'8 dom which would put me on a 5'10 hellfire.. and nev said to ride the razor 3in up from the hellfire so there u go.. 6'1

[delmarsurfer]

prj's formula for volume is .36 - .37L per kg of weight.
It was on one of the previous Hellrazor posts. Seems like a pretty solid formula.

[kdropin]

yeah i saw that on the surfer forum a long while ago

[hullhb]

ordered mine, new to the forum. Ordered a 6'1 hellrazor not sure if it is the right size for me...

[prjwebb]

what's your height and weight hullhb?

[Chito]

Im giving up on firewire, we had a violent break up and in the end ive decided that they are dead to me. Snapping Hellrazor in April of 2012 after having had it for a month put a dent in my belief behind the product. Firewire was gracious enough to give me a new board at a very low cost and I do not fault their customer service, but after having had that board sit in canada for 8 months before being able to surf it and than have it ALSO snap on me after a month and a half is beyond me. Not including the fact that of the 4 boards I had in my quiver it was being surfed the least.
Took off on a 2 foot wave yesterday and surfed it through, when it closed out I turned towards the beach and held on for a second or so after the closeout before being knocked off my board, coming up only to discover it floating there in two pieces....
Today I was riding my 5'6 spitfire that I bought in october of 2011 which had held up like a champ with no serious dings other than rail cracks and the such. Once again on about a 2 foot wave I went up to do a floater at the end and when I came off the lip and landed I heard a super loud "CRAACK!" and felt the board shudder underneath me. I fell off laughing to myself in disbelief thinking I had seriously just snapped another one. This time the case was a bit minor but still a buckle all the way across the deck and around the rails with some good chunks of glass and foam that I am going to have to cut away.
Ill also note that the snap on my second hellrazor is of EXACTLY the same degree as on my first one. It happend literally in the same spot and the same way, could stick the nose of the first one and the tail of the second one together and you would never know the difference. Also finding fiberglass strands that are lacking resin within the break and whole sections where the resin never bonded to the foam. I suggest some revision of the quality control is implemented.
I love the shapes and the feel, but until I find that the 750 bucks that Im spending on these boards is equivalent to the longevity im getting from them, my money is going elsewhere.
Thank you and goodbye.

[FW - Fan]

Im giving up on firewire, we had a violent break up and in the end ive decided that they are dead to me. Snapping Hellrazor in April of 2012 after having had it for a month put a dent in my belief behind the product. Firewire was gracious enough to give me a new board at a very low cost and I do not fault their customer service, but after having had that board sit in canada for 8 months before being able to surf it and than have it ALSO snap on me after a month and a half is beyond me. Not including the fact that of the 4 boards I had in my quiver it was being surfed the least.
Took off on a 2 foot wave yesterday and surfed it through, when it closed out I turned towards the beach and held on for a second or so after the closeout before being knocked off my board, coming up only to discover it floating there in two pieces....
Today I was riding my 5'6 spitfire that I bought in october of 2011 which had held up like a champ with no serious dings other than rail cracks and the such. Once again on about a 2 foot wave I went up to do a floater at the end and when I came off the lip and landed I heard a super loud "CRAACK!" and felt the board shudder underneath me. I fell off laughing to myself in disbelief thinking I had seriously just snapped another one. This time the case was a bit minor but still a buckle all the way across the deck and around the rails with some good chunks of glass and foam that I am going to have to cut away.
Ill also note that the snap on my second hellrazor is of EXACTLY the same degree as on my first one. It happend literally in the same spot and the same way, could stick the nose of the first one and the tail of the second one together and you would never know the difference. Also finding fiberglass strands that are lacking resin within the break and whole sections where the resin never bonded to the foam. I suggest some revision of the quality control is implemented.
I love the shapes and the feel, but until I find that the 750 bucks that Im spending on these boards is equivalent to the longevity im getting from them, my money is going elsewhere.
Thank you and goodbye.

Chito..were the boards FST or Rapid Fire??

[Chito]

FST, both of them.

[FW - Fan]

FST, both of them.

Wow, thats unlucky...not saying I havent had the occasional issue but nothing like that in over 20 Firewire boards bought and some sold...I guess I would feel the same if I had your experience...

[Chris]

Sorry to hear Chito.

I will say to everyone else that while Chito's boards may have broken, there is more to it than he is letting on. Our boards simply don't break in 2 foot waves unless they are surfed improperly or sustain some kind of damage, take on water from an old ding, etc. Like any surfboard made, Firewires can break, especially if not taken care of. I am not sure what happened in Chito's case, but I can say with 100% certainly it wasn't the result of anything being wrong with his board. If Firewire boards broke for no reason in 2 ft slop because of the way we build them, we would be out of business.

I mean no disrespect Chito, but I am just calling it as i see it.

Thanks