Cheers for the offer PRJ..... went and checked a few boards out on the weekend and came mighty close to ignoring all the advice/my plan and going in a totally different direction with a 5'10' sub scorcher...... went home and ordered a 5'10" chubby chedda instead :b
Arrived today and looks super sexy! Should get plenty of chances to get wet over the next week.
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Thanks for the replies, guys.
fokaiHI - both those boards are so far off different ends of the scale I never even considered them. I suppose it's a always good to mix things up, though! Would definitely wanna demo a VG before taking the plunge as it looks soooo radically different to how my mind thinks a surfboards should look!
iggy - yeah, part of me wants to ride a traditional style thruster again, but being slightly shorter, this one appeals. Guess I need to find somewhere to feel one up as not seen this model in the flesh.
PRJ - Think you pointed me at the 5'8" Spitfire and were a similar weight and height? How often do you use your MD? Happy with the 5'10" sizing having had a 5'8" SF + how's the nose rocker in comparison? Think I read you got a VG as well - how you finding it in English waves?Leave a comment:
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Spitfire + ......?
Hi
Bought my first Firewire last year, and after some helpful pointers from this forum, ended up with a 5'8" FST Spitfire. Really love the board and am sold on the technology (after initially swearing i'd never touch another epoxy after owning a Resin8); however, initial concerns over riding such a short board have now lead to another problem... in fact the total opposite problem: my regular 6'2" PU thruster feels clown shoes ridiculously long unless the waves are totally firing (which they have done a few times lately :b). Although the Spitfire goes great on the average day here, especially with summer hopefully just around the corner (please let there be a summer this year!), I find when the waves do get a bit better/steeper/suckier that I have to nurse it through drops a bit and the wide tail doesn't feel great. I've got a second hand 6' shaped by one of the local guys which i've been using as a stop gap, but the thing is on it's last legs and not really doing my surfing any favours.
Soooooo purchase number 2 is on the cards, but again, the multitude of options and choices is hurting my tiny brain! I basically want something short/hybridy (6'0" max) for the slightly better than average days and which I can use up to a decent size, but won't be a total disaster area should the swell fail to deliver as expected and I find myself at some far flung corner/too lazy to go get a different board. Initial thoughts were to stick with the Spitfire DNA and go for a 5'10" Hellfire for it's slightly more refined but still hybrid features; however, i've read that some people struggle with them in less than good (read: UK most of the time) conditions? I still like the look of this board, but inevitably other models are fluttering their eyelashes at me, too: Chubby, Mini Driver (or Unibrow), Hell Razor.... maybe even a 6'0" MB thick???
Anyway, i'm a weak minded, indecisive fool, so someone tell me what to buy (please)! :b
Cheers
My vitals: Early (well maybe technically mid) 30s, 6ft tall, 75-80kg living in N.Cornwall, UK and getting wet whenever it's 'worth it'. -
So, i've only managed to use the board a couple of times so far due to my usual trick of turning conditions to absolute junk for at least a month every time I buy a new board haha. Either that or i've been stuck in work, dragged to a wedding, had it locked in a mates house etc whenever conditions looked marginally OK. It is August - can we please see some sun and perhaps a couple of foot of non-wind obliterated junk with a slightly OK period once a fortnight or so? ...... and rubbish summer rant over!
I knew the 5'8" was going to have enough volume from the website spec and from holding it in the shop, but there was a moment of doubt that a board the same thickness as my 6" longer thruster and which barely came up to my nose, would float me. Absolutely no problems on that score and it paddles really well. First couple of waves I caught were lefts (backside) and I got in nice and early, zipped down the line and tagged a few turns. My first wave going frontside, however, was a different story: I completely bogged and the section went past me as I failed to get any speed at all. A bit of foot placement/paddle position adjustment was required, as it to be expected with a new board, particularly one significantly shorter than anything i'd ridden before, and things started to feel a bit more natural. Although I could use a few more sessions before making a final judgement, initial thoughts are that the board is gonna be a good un' and ideal for the conditions I want it for. Excited to bust out a quad set up for my next surf to see how that goes.
Overall i'm really glad I opted for the 5'8 over the 5'10 as I think it would've been a bit too big. Multiple other threads have already validated this, but for what it's worth, anyone my sort of size (6ft-ish & 75kg-ish) who is reasonably competent should have no worries whatsoever on this board.
Cheers for all your useful comments, guys.Leave a comment:
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Cheers, buddy. Gonna feel it out as a thruster since that's what i'm used to - have always got on with M3s (much to everyone's horror), PG5s & 2.1s. Think I read you were using the k3s? Been using 2.1 sides and m3 rear with the Blakbox so think i'll give that a go first. Think I also have some PC3s & 7s kicking around somewhere as well. Fins are so damn expensive, though, I tend not to experiment that much - just buy whatever looks cheap on ebay!
After that I guess I'll see how I like the included quad set up.... haven't previously preferred them over thrusters, though.
Any recommendations?Leave a comment:
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Took a trip today to check the boards out first hand: 5'10" felt like it had a little too much foam for my liking, but the 5'8" felt kind of scarily short! However, I figured you guys hopefully know what you are talking about haha (and I have read the entire Spitfire forum pretty much and heard the same advise over and over) and as per normal my scouting mission turned into an impulse buy and I've taken the plunge and bought an FST 5'8". Just need to hopefully score some waves this week and baptise her!
Cheers for your guidance, guys!Leave a comment:
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Yeah, my initial thought was to give the Spitfire a go, but then my eye got caught by all the other models and confusion set in...... haha
What are your thoughts on the different construction types (i.e FST & Rapidfire)? 5'8" sounds about right for volume, but i've never ridden under a 5'10" & being fairly tall-ish 5'8" just sounds ridiculously short! How have you found late drops on these? The 5'10" sounds like a brute, though: 20.5" wide & 2.5" thick!!!
Guess i need to get on those demos.Leave a comment:
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Cheers for the input, guys. Yeah, i'll take a trip down to DTL to see how the various models feel + see if i can successfully line up a day off with some swell to try the demos (proving difficult this "summer" haha)
prj - I did also see the hellrazor & see you are quite active on these boards; have you ridden this model? That step nearer to a standard shortboard, but with some of the benefits of a hybrid for getting over flat spots etc definitely appeals. 5'11" does sound a bit thin, though, and 19.5" sounds quite wide for the 6'1".... decisions, decisions!Leave a comment:
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Spitfire or Hellfire? HELP!
Hi all
I'm keen to give a Firewire board a go and have spent 3 days reading the heck out of these forums (having my opinion on which board I want to buy change every 10 minutes haha); think i've finally narrowed it down to either the Spitfire or Hellfire models.
I'm after something for the average 1-4ft day at my local beachie. Currently I mostly ride a JS Blak Box 5'11" x 19 3/4" x 2 3/8" which goes like a rocket, but is getting a bit battered + due to the low rocker isn't quite as responsive & sharp to turn as i'd like. Initially I was thinking the Spitfire sounded perfect, but the Hellfire also appeals due to being slightly closer again in feel to a normal shortboard.
Was thinking of going with either the 5'10" Spitfire or 6'0" Hellfire. How have you guys experienced these boards going in average beachies? Any recommendations?
I already have a couple of really good boards for once the surf gets over 4ft, so that's not really a consideration (other than convenience for travelling etc).
Vital statistics: I'm 32; 6' 1" and around 75-80kg; live in North Cornwall (UK); pretty fit & surf most days it's worth it to an intermediate level.
Any and all guidance gratefully received!
Cheers
Leave a comment: