Totally agree with buzzy. If you are an intermediate surfer then 6'6" or 6'8". If you go too small at that weight and unfit, you will hate surfing. Get a smaller one later. I ride a 6'8" HF at an intermediate level, 90-95kg and really enjoy it when the waves are good. It doesn't feel too big at all to me.

Hey LateBloomer, that is a huge drop indeed in volume. I ride the 6'5 FST swallow tail Elf at 90kg and love it. The board will still turn just fine if you oversize a bit. Remember Goanna RIIIIIIIIIPS!!!

Very nice STC, I love that place. Did you get to surf Long Long Pt? It hasn't been working when I've been there but looks like fun when it's on. What about a big Alternator for the larger waves??

I could be misinformed but I believe the newer FST boards without vents are also a little heavier. I think its a good thing.

Hey hwork50,

I almost always surf mine as a quad with Shapers Quad-E's carbon fibre fins (link below). I mucked around a bit with PC7's and SF4's but found the board really came to life with the Shapers fins. I have just put the MR fins in for my next session, but yet to get a surf in on them. Are you riding your MRTFX with a small trailer as a thruster or two small trailers as a quad or just as a twinnie??

http://www.shapersfins.com/archives/...stealth-quad-e

I think the Addvance all the way, prob the 7'2. Even at 7'0 the Hellfire will feel like a Formula 1 car compared to the logs you are used to.

Hope this helps.

Hey Erling,

First let me say that I am not a ripper, but I have the Elf and Hellfire combo and they have me covered for everything from waist high up to solid surf. I surf my Elf in just about everything and roll out the Hellfire when the waves get over 4-5 feet and good. Never surfed a Spitfire, so can't comment on that but from what I've read your current quiver looks a pretty good one. FYI my Elf does not have the vent in it. I got it earlier this year on Gold Coast in Australia. I could probably ride the next size down in both my boards but I like a bit of volume and have not regretted my decision to go a bit bigger.

If you were keen for a change I think you could swap out the Spitfire for an Elf and be very happy. It is a shape that can work in a huge variety of conditions and the flat rocker makes it very easy to paddle and catch waves. It is fast and fun. I reckon that in combo with the Hellfire they are a pretty great 2 board quiver.

Hope this helps.

Sounds great STC. Ease of use makes surfing so much fun. Both your Firewires are going to eat up PNG. Perfect quiver for there. Enjoy.

Hey Barney, if you like the fishy feel and front foot bias, you really should check out an El Fuego. Only prob is that it may overlap with your Spitfire, but I've never surfed one of those.

I think they are a bit bigger than those mate. I tried the SF4's and didn't like them. Couldn't get the board going. I've found the bigger the fins, the better it goes for me. Going to try MR-TFX with small trailers next to see if that's better again. But I'm really happy with the Shapers. Here is a link.

http://www.shapersfins.com/archives/...stealth-quad-e

Hey Brent, I'm running Shapers Quad E fins in the Elf. Love em.

Yep took my elf and a hellfire to southern atolls. We didn't score great waves but I rode the elf all trip. Handled it with ease. Great board.

Since you haven't surfed for 12 years and you are a pretty big unit I would say 6'6" all the way, but I like a bit of volume. There is nothing worse than trying to get back into surfing on a board that is too small IMO. From your description I would also consider the 6'6" Addvance. Only heard good things about that model. Good luck.

Hey Oscar,

Don't stress mate. I too got a 6'8" Dominator a while back which was probably one size too large for me. I have since moved it on but it was still a great board. The extra volume makes catching waves a breeze and it was still very manouverable so I think you'll be fine. It's a great shape with plenty of forgiveness built in so for a beginner/intermediate having one a bit big won't hurt you for a while. You may want to move it on for something smaller in a while, but you also may find you like the ease of use of the extra volume. The only problem I had was that duck diving can get a bit hectic when the swell is big, otherwise it went really well for me. When I sold mine, I got good money for it too. Relax, you will love the board. As for fins, I ran the PC7's as a thruster, didn't like it as much as a quad. I'm 196cm and 90kg intermediate. Hope this helps.

I agree buzzy. 6'6 minimum I would have thought. But each to their own.

Hey STC nothing turned up yet mate. Hope you are surfing on the new PN today.

Pagey, thanks for all your help.

No good STC it seems I'm not worthy of PM privleges yet??

Happy to give you some $$ for em, let me know by email (if you can).

Thanks mate.

Awesome STC thanks for the generous offer. Can't find where I PM? Sent you a friend request. Maybe I can after that.

Hey pagey did you use the MR TFX or the MR 78? Thanks.

Thanks Cuttle and pagey. Think I'll start down the MR path.

Cheers Slowman, thanks for the info mate. Taiwan is definitely on my radar.

Sorry big leigh, quick question for Slowman. Had my eye on Taiwan for a holiday. When and where would you advise? Internet paints a fine picture of that place, but what's the reality? Thanks mate.

Great stuff STC. I'm envious about the pnator mate, they look real nice. How were the deals in the sale? I've scored a couple of bargains thru Chris up there at the factory. Good bloke.

Hey prj, I'm heading there in 3 weeks with Liquid Destination (Australian). Check out their website and Facebook page. They have an awesome reputation and are not afraid to travel to get away from any crowd probs. We are going Central Atolls and will go south if the weather suits. Reading this thread has me PUMPED for our trip. Thanks for your help on the fish page too mate, I ended up tracking down a 6'2 retro. Firewire quiver complete.

Ok I've investigated the sweet potato option and don't think its for me. Back to the quadfish. Can I get away with the 6'0 retro quad or should I hunt down a 6'2? I'm 6'4 and 90kg.

Hey pismo, what are your dimensions and how do you find the 6'2??

Thanks for all your advice fellas. I'll let you know how the boards go after my trip. 37 days 37 days....so excited.

I got the 6'8...................................he says wandering off with tail between legs. I know this will cause some head shaking but I held the 6'6 and it just didn't feel like enough volume under the arm. Had a quick surf on it today and the volume feels good to me. Waves were shite so couldn't really comment on performance yet, other than it's quick!

STC it's always worth an email to Chris at Currumbin to suss any deals on boards you are after before pulling the trigger. Especially when looking for the bigger models as they aint that popular.

Hey STC,

Sorry to hear about your Mum being crook mate, that's no good at all, but the Euro holiday sounds pretty great!

Yeah I have agonised over volumes for a second board for my trip to the Maldives for a lot longer than I probably should have. Everyone was telling me to go smaller (6'6) on the Hellfire, but when I got my hands on one from the shop I just couldn't convince myself it was big enough, especially seeings I wanted it for bigger and better waves. I really need to get in early to give me a bit of extra time to get the big rig to it's feet and once I'm up, I'm no performance surfer. So, this is a long winded way to say I went with a 6'8 Hellfire which arrived yesterday and looks like the business. I still think I'll spend the majority of time on the Elf as it has become my go to board for sure. Give yours some time mate, as it's a very versatile shape.

I'm asking about the 6'2 SP as I have an opportunity to get one cheap. I love surfing short fat fishes in high tide small stuff, so was thinking a slightly over sized potato might go well for that. Still thinking on this one as not many people seem to have had a go on one this big.

I'll let you know how the 6'8 HF paddles, I think a 7'0 may be going a bit big, but try and hold one and go from your gut instinct.

Where are you going for the surf holiday? I think your Addvance will serve you well as a second board wherever you go.

All the best mate.

Hey STC, how's your ELF treating you?

Just wondering how the 6'2 Sweet Potato went for you? I see it's now retired, did you two not get along?

Thanks mate.

Can you go big with the SP and still get the joy? I ride a really fat and wide 6'2 retro fish now and am wondering if a SP at a similar length would give the same sort of ride. Anyone out there had a go on the big ones??

Thanks fellas. I'm up Newcastle way so I'll try and suss a demo. I may just have to have a hold of them both off the new rack and make the call from there. Thanks again.

Yeah thanks everyone, but 6'6??.............................geez I don't know. Would it really make much difference if I went 6'8??

Thanks fellas, the volume calculator has me between 41 and 51 litres. Think that puts me on the 6'8 Hellfire (43.1 l) as the 6'6 is 39.7 l. I know it's close but I do like a little bit of volume in my boards. I would hate to end up with a board I struggle on. I like to get planing early to give me a little extra time to get my big frame to it's feet. How do you find paddling your 6'6 surfgumby??

Thanks buzzy I'm amply stoked on your ample feedback mate.

OK so I've cleaned out the quiver and have the funds to redistribute. Still have the 6'5 Elf so looking for the second board for the Maldives. Was pretty well set on the 6'8 Hellfire, then started reading about the Spitfire and thought maybe the 6'6 would be the one.
How performance driven is the Hellfire? Is it enough of a hybrid to have a bit of forgiveness or is it just a full on speed machine? Is the Spitfire too close to the Elf to consider having both?
Sorry for all the questions and thanks.

Thanks prj, my Elf is 44.7 litres and floats me fine. The 6'0 is 44.6 litres so pretty well identical while the 6'2 has a bit more at 46.4 litres. The reason I'm hesitating a little is that my understanding is that fishes go best at high volume and also I'm pretty tall, at almost 6'5. I think that the 6'2 is probably ideal, but wondering if the 6'0 would be fine as well. Love the look of these boards. Anyone out there with similar dimensions to me that has one?

Thanks everyone. Chris, the Dom at 608 has loads of float and is certainly a handful to duckdive at times, but catches waves like a champion and rides great too, as I posted in the Dom thread. Guess I was just thinking Elf plus Hellfire may be a better quiver to cover all conditions. I don't have any trouble catching waves on the Elf and can ride it in most conditions. But I really think when the waves get bigger and steeper I would prefer to be on a longer board than 6'6 and a board with enough volume to paddle in early, rather than trying to make late drops. The Dom does all this, but I'm wondering if the Hellfire would actually be better suited once up and riding.

I've got a traditional fish that covers tiny, the Elf covers chest high to 1.5x overhead, I ride the Dom in anything bigger. The Hellfire would replace the Dom. Still leaning towards 6'8 if I make the leap.

Loving the sound of your quiver surfgumby, Potatonator looks sensational.

Yep, totally agree Captain. Cracking idea.

Hey luismx, I think that the 6'4 will be great mate. I predict all that will happen is that you will get a heap more waves and hence enjoy your surfing even more. The Dom is a great shape, very versatile, you will be stoked with it. I have a 6'8 which is prob way too big for me (I'm a very similar size to you) but I got it cheap and I find it HEAPS of fun to ride in all kinds of waves. I would def go smaller if I got a new one but prob only to a 6'6. Enjoy it mate.

I think the 6'8" Hellfire is your board mate. Would compliment the Spitfire perfectly.

Oh man, I can feel that "I need another board" feeling coming over me. I reckon a 6'8 Hellfire might be just the ticket for my upcoming Maldives trip. You got yours yet buzzy?

Hi Gnubee, yeah I haven't tried PC7 quads, but as a thruster it worked for me. I haven't tried Controllers either, but my Shapers Quad E's are great in the Elf.

Hey STC, I've found the bigger the fins the better my 6'5 Elf goes. I didn't like the SF4s at all, just felt like you really had to work the board to get it going. I'm now running Shapers Quad-E's and the board just came to life. I reckon Controllers would be good too if you have Futures or you can get copies from Indo Fins for FCS. The Elf also goes well with PC7's in the thruster setup.

HAHAHAHAHA, Awesome STC67. You will love the El Fuego mate, I've been surfing mine for the past week or so in that great east swell we've been getting and it is sensational. Can't recommend it enough. I haven't struggled on it at all and I'm not a great surfer. Did you get the 6'5?? I reckon it will sit nicely between your Addvance and your potato. Good one mate, enjoy.

Yeah STC definitely feels a bit smaller to paddle than the Dom, but I don't struggle at all to catch waves on it. Probably the flatter rocker helps and the 6'5 still packs plenty of volume. Gets you in nice and early too, so the flat rocker doesn't cause too many heart aches (meaning nose dives!!). Great board mate, demo one if you can.

Hey STC67, the Elf has been going sensationally well mate. To be honest I haven't been back on the Dominator since getting it! It really is a very versatile board. I could try and explain how it goes, but if you read through Nev's old posts on the Dominator Forum, he describes it perfectly. If you like surfing with your weight more on the front foot, then you will love it. Very fast, very responsive and heaps of fun to ride. I'm certainly glad I got one and can't wait to get it to the Maldives in a few months.

Hey mate, I've got both these boards in plus sizes. I tend to surf my 608 Dominator when the swell is up and ride the 605 El Fuego the rest of the time. The Elf is a great board but definitely a bit sportier than my Dom. It doesn't have the boxy rails and huge tail which makes it a bit more twitchy but in a good way. I think the Dom is probably a bit more forgiving esp at 608 so it's your call. I'm much biggger than you so you would be looking at a lot smaller boards than mine. Demo them if you can, both great boards. Good luck.

Terry, I've never surfed an Addvance, although I would like to. My take is that the 6'6 Addvance would surf pretty similar to my 6'6 Nugget, maybe even a bit more versatile. I really only think this because of the volume (Nuggets are chubby). Everyone who has owned an Addvance on here seems to love them so if you are looking for a cruiser that can step up a notch when you want it then you can't go too far wrong with one IMO. If I had the bucks, I would definitely like one in my quiver. I went with an oversized 6'8 Dominator cause I could get it cheap and I don't regret it. It's a board that does all my limited talent ask of it. I then got a 6'5 El Fuego (cheap as well) as a second board and it too has been a great board so far. I'm taking them both to the Maldives this year where they will be put through their paces in good waves so we'll see.

I can't really say more than that on the Addvance, but from reading through this post, I think it may be what you're after. Track down Nev's Youtube clip on the Addvance for some more info. Good luck with your decision, with so many good models in the lineup it aint an easy one.

Hey Terry, if you haven't already looked, Natural Necessity have demos of the 600 and 608 Dominator and also the 605 El Fuego. Unfortunately , no Addvance models. Although the 600 maybe too small and the 608 too big, it would be worth having a chat to them and maybe trying a couple to suss out volumes before you pull the trigger. Good luck mate.

Hi Terry, I, like buzzy, have also ridden McCoy Nuggets before getting on the Firewires. I have a 6'6 All Round and a 6'4 Potbelly, both fibreglass boards. I agree with everything buzzy has to say, especially on the surftech nuggets. The weight of a poly Nugget is what makes them in my opinion. They definitely gather a bit of momentum which helps propel you into your next turn, manouver etc. I think you would find the lighter tufflite construction doesn't lend itself to that sort of feel as much. I really love the volume and ease of paddling the nuggets offer, and your wave count definitely goes up. Having said all that, I'm loving riding my Fireiwres now (6'8 Dom and a 6'5 El Fuego). Both these boards are a size larger than recommended from the volume calculator, but I'm not having any trouble riding them. I think the Dominator is a sporty nugget that is more than capable in a bit of size so you can't go too far wrong with one.

I've ridden tufflite boards before and IMO Firewire have progressed beyond that construction. Tufflites tend to skip around and be tough to get the rail in the water in my experience whereas Firewires have the same lightness about them, but surf a little heavier (similar to traditional surfboards) if that makes sense. Anyway, I'm rambling but the Dominator is a great shape and I would highly recommend.

Thanks for the info fellas. I ended up going with Shapers Quad E fins (Carbon Stealth). The board goes really well but feels like it needs more fin in the water for me. I have tried SF4 quad fins but they felt too small. It goes pretty well with PC7 thruster set up but I tried a mates Shapers Quads and the board just flies.

Hey buzzy, what's the build quality like on the Indofins? Thinking about some controllers or H3 Nexus copies for my new El Fuego. Thanks mate.

Hey everyone, I got a 6'5 El Fuego!! It arrives tomorrow. Got it from the Firewire Factory in Currumbin on the sale rack for a sensational price. Really stoked and a big shout out to Chris up there in the warehouse who helped me out big time. Absolute bargain. Can't wait to get it in the water.

Fark 33 lts sounds tiny iggy!! I was thinking maybe 10 more than that, might be my ballpark. Seems most ride Firewires as small as they can. I've gone that way with my boards before and ended up struggling, so I'm a bit hesitant to go small. Thanks all for your input, keep the suggestions coming.

From your description, I would suggest 6'6 or 6'10 ADDVANCE. The Dom is still a pretty sporty package, so you may struggle on it early especially in the 6'2 - 6'4 range. On a bucket list trip, you want to be catching heaps of waves and having fun, not struggling IMO.

Thanks Buzzy I saw that and I'm watching with interest. Disclosure duly noted.

Yeah Gnubee the 6'8 Dom is a lot of board, but it goes really well for me. I've ridden high volume McCoy's for a few years now so I'm used to the float. But, if I got a new one I'd go for the 6'6.

Thanks everyone, sounds like the EF could be the one. I think I'll stick with the 6'5 though cause I like the volume. Now, to find one..........

Righto, a couple of months in on the big ole Dominator so time for one last update. I've had it out in everything from small mush to clean overhead swell and I'm still stoked with how the board goes. I've got it set up as a thruster with PC7's and it just flies. The bigger it gets the better it goes for me. I'm used to massive volume from riding the McCoy's, so I'm not finding the volume much of an issue except for a poorly timed duckdive or two. Bottom line is, even at 608, the Dominator is fast and loose and heaps of fun. Huge wave count and lots of fun equals satifying surfing in my books, so I'm loving it. Awesome shape. Off to the Maldives in August and it will be the first board packed.

At the lower end of intermediate, I wouldn't go too small mate. I'm 6'5 and 90kg and ride a 6'8 Dominator which is above my volume recomendation and I still love it. I could be on a 6'6 easily which puts me on a 6'4 potatonator at similar dimensions and I would guess ability to you. The Dominator is a cracking all round shape and well worth a look.

Hey nfs80, I have the 6'8 Dominator and I'm just under 6'5 and 200lb. It floats me EASILY and I could definitely have gone smaller. That being said, I'm loving the board as it catches anything and is very capable in any of the conditions I have attempted. I'm not a ripper, I like to cruise, so take this advice on board or not. I'm guessing you would be OK on the 6'8 after a little adjustment time. Hope this helps.

OK I've had the 608 FST Dominator for a couple of weeks now and had the chance over the last couple of days to try it out in reasonable conditions. I have surfed it in just overhead wave faces and can report that I had a lot of fun. It catches waves with very little effort and I had no problem with decent bottom turns and cutbacks. It seems fast and very loose for it's size and I think it will serve me well in most of the conditions I encounter. I have surfed it as a thruster and a quad, with the thruster setup working best for me so far (I've never surfed a quad before, hence my preference I suspect). Anyway I'm happy, but you were all correct, I could easily handle the 606 and it will be on my hitlist next time I'm due for a new board. The 608 was cheap and it's heaps of fun so I'm stoked. Thanks to all for their comments and help.

Hey krum, I've recently got the 608 Dominator and can tell you it's really easy to paddle. I'm 6'5" but a bit lighter than you at 198lb but could easily get away with a 606 or maybe even 604 (as buzzy has) for paddling. My ability would be very similar to you and so far I have found that although the 608 is a lot of board, it has not been lacking in performance. I think you would find the 608 to your liking without any worries. Hope this helps.

OK so had the first surf on the 608 Dominator this morning. Waves were tiny and closing out so not the best testing ground.

As everyone has been saying, it's a lot of board, however the volume felt very familiar after surfing the McCoys. Super easy to paddle and catch waves on and for the limited rides I was getting it felt very agile. Looking forward to getting it out in some better waves to put it through it's paces. So far, it is promising but the jury is still out.

Will report back for those interested after a few more surfs this week. Cheers.

My thoughts exactly buzzy. 604 Alternator sounds way too small for me and my abilities. My McCoys are 606 and 604 but have huge volume at 3 inches thick.

Don't get the 608 Dom for a few days yet but will report back when I've had a couple of surfs on it. Cheers.

Was that directed at me Chris?? 604 Alternator sounds way too small for me and my abilities. I like the idea of a hybrid rather than shortboard shape. All the hype about the Hellfire has me interested. I reckon the volume calculator has me at about 45 litres (considering I like volume), which is why I'm not too concerned about a 608 Dom.

Thanks mate, yeah everyone keeps telling me the 6'8" is way too big, but the deal is done. I get it in a few days and we have an east swell on the way, so I'll report back. Like I said, I'll move it on for a smaller one if it does not suit my needs..........and a 6'6" Addvance and a 6'6" spitfire and a 6'0 potato and a 6'8" Hellfire..................

Thanks everyone, appreciate the advice. Think I'll go for it with the 6'8" and move it on if it's not suitable. I'm used to a lot of volume (ride a couple of McCoy Nuggets at the moment) and just cruise rather than ripping it apart so I think it will be a fun to try it out. Cheers.

Thanks for the input everyone. Just wondering what the drawbacks would be with going a bit big in this shape? Is it just that I wouldn't be getting the best out of the design or would it actually be harder to surf? The 6' 8" on offer is so cheap I don't think I can resist!