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Thread: Hellfire reviews

  1. 12-23-2011, 12:06 AM #11
    Nige
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    Hellfire Review 2 weeks in...

    "Quiver killer" - a phrase I was given for the Hellfire. I'd have to agree.

    Have surfed 6'2" HP shortboards since God knows when. Last board was a magic which I've had for a few years, finally wanted to try something new. After much deliberation and research, reading reviews etc, I was seduced by the Firewire hype and ordered a 5'8" Hellfire. Demo'd the 5'10" while waiting for the order to arrive. Went ok, was small crap surf, was hard to tell if I'd made the right decision. Was definitely too much volume for my 72kg's.

    Got the 5'8" and lucky enough to have some good surf over the last 2 weeks. Volume felt perfect straight away. First 2 waves felt really good, surf was pumping. Then my middle fin dropped out and was lost. Discovered the pin on the rear Future fin box screwed in too low on a wrong angle and wasn't locking in to the slot so fin slid out with a bit of pressure. Had to go buy some more fins. Nevermind, more of a Futures manufacturing issue than Firewire's, had to file down the new rear fin's slot so the pin would lock in to the fin somewhat. Luckily the surf was still pumping when I got back.

    The board did so many things so well. Was struggling to get the same speed and drive as my magic HP shortboard though until I gave up trying to surf the Hellfire the same way. Mind you have only used it as a thruster with one set of fins so far. But once I started to surf and push off my back foot the board came alive. Thanks to Chito and others for the advice there. You've really got to surf it off the back foot. Was so used to putting the front foot down for the gas but once adjusting I gotta say OMG...

    My summary having surfed exclusively as a thruster for 2 weeks using one set of Shapers fins (Stealth S5's which is probably equivalent to PC5's, an all round medium fin) in waist to nearly double overhead:

    - The Hellfire paddles better than my HP shortboard
    - it gets in to waves earlier, can't believe how much easier
    - handles late drops better even when solid bumpy overhead and a half to double with a mean rip running in to it. A little skatey on the bottom turn but easily manageable, perhaps bigger fins might help.
    - turns better, so responsive, getting more turns in on a wave, surfs like a HP shortboard but better
    - equivalent speed once I got dialed in to it
    - all round easier and more forgiving to surf
    - No problems in waist high surf, as long as there's a little push to it.

    Can't wait to experiment with quad fins and other thruster setup. Don't think I'll be riding anything else for a while.

    Nev, you're a genius, to get all this into such a short board, it really does replace the traditional shortboard and make you feel like you can do anything. Magic engineering.

    Go get one...you won't be disappointed. Except I don't want my mates to 'cause it feels like I'm getting an edge over them at the 'mo.
    5' 7", 70-72kg, 43yrs old
    Hellfire 5'8" FST
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  2. 12-23-2011, 01:39 AM #12
    core personal training
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    good stuff nige....keep up the "back foot boogie" mate...thats the way to ride it...!!!...tweaked the 510 through really really weak 1-2 foot today...still wound it up for a big cutty...yeeeeewww...and my youngest drove a man sized bottom turn in a super rippy bowl after a push in.....yeeeeeewwwww again..!!
    INSTAGRAM .... corepersonaltraining

    6ft..90ish kg..35+ years surfing

    WHERE'S MY VANGUARD, WHERE'S MY VANGUARD, WHERE'S MY VANGUARD, WHERE'S MY VANGUARD,*WHERE'S MY VANGUARD.... ETC
    IT'S GETTING SPRAYED, IT'S GETTING SPRAYED, IT'S GETTING SPRAYED, IT'S GETTING SPRAYED, IT'S GETTING SPRAYED, IT'S GETTING SPRAYED,
    IT'S BEEN SPRAYED, IT'S BEEN SPRAYED, IT'S BEEN SPRAYED, IT'S BEEN SPRAYED, IT'S BEEN SPRAYED, IT'S BEEN SPRAYED, IT'S BEEN SPRAYED,
    IT'S IN TRANSIT, IT'S IN TRANSIT, IT'S IN TRANSIT, IT'S IN TRANSIT, IT'S IN TRANSIT, IT'S IN TRANSIT, IT'S IN TRANSIT, IT'S IN TRANSIT,
    IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE,
    IT'S HAD A BAPTISM OF FIRE, IT'S HAD A BAPTISM OF FIRE, IT'S HAD A BAPTISM OF FIRE, IT'S HAD A BAPTISM OF FIRE, IT'S HAD A BAPTISM OF FIRE

    SWEET POTATO--- R/F -- 5'4 -------------------------- fins controllers
    VANGUARD -------- WRF -- 5'6 ------------------------- fins futures ea blackstix..may test something a little bigger and stiffer
    HELLFIRE ----------- R/F -- 5'10 ------------------------ fins futures SA3,SA4 honeycomb
    FLEXFIRE ----------- R/F -- 6'2 x 18 3/4 x 2 1/2 ------ fins futures JC honeycomb
    MICHEL BOUREZ------------6'2 --thick then thin ------- fins futures JC honeycomb, AM2 techflex heavy chop, ea b/stix at 84kg, now testing AM2 hex
    ALTERNATOR ------ R/F -- 6'4--for bad back days---- fins futures JC honeycomb

    and countless others (mostly nev's)

    youngest grommet 45kgs throws my hellfire around with SA3's or in mush uses EA (techflex "cuz they look da bomb") and deviant
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  3. 12-23-2011, 07:46 AM #13
    hanaleisurfer
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    ALoha Fritzkat, I am 5 10 and currently hovering around 215 (a victim of beer and good food) Been using the newer Futures Pancho signature fins. Riding the Hellfire as a Thruster. Used to ride my 6 4 Dom as a quad, but prefer the more solid feel of a thruster. Dont feel like I am sacrificing any speed with the thruster set up. I am kind of in that weight where I could have gone with the 6 6 or the 6 4, but choose the longer board to get more paddling power. So far,it seems like a good decision, but wondering if I should downsize a couple inches.That being said, I love the 6 6 Hellfire!!
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  4. 12-23-2011, 12:56 PM #14
    hwork50
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    Just got a 6'2" Hellfire for Christmas and am stoked! Was going back and forth between the Spitfire and the Hellfire so I checked Craigslist on the 17th and made the call based on what was available. I have a Futura and a Dominator that I surfed all summer long. The Dominator (6'2") is the best board I have ever surfed and absolutely love it. The Futura (6'2") has fallen out of favor based on the fact that I just love the Dominator so much. I surf it as a quad primarily and it is fast and turns on a dime.

    Have not surfed the Hellfire as we have not had any waves yet, but I will get to take it out next week as we got some waves coming.

    Brent
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  5. 12-24-2011, 04:54 PM #15
    Fritzkat
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    Any body with any videos of the Hellfire going off? I am stuck here waiting for my Flu/cold to blow over to surf mine, just drooling over the reviews....
    6'-6" (198cm) tall Giraffe, 197 pounds (89kg) Heavy, 50 years young, 37 years surfing 3 days a week avg
    Quiver::: 6-3 Activator RF / 6-4 Dominator RF / 6-4 Hellfire FST / 6-6 Quadra Five FST / 6-8 Rawson Hyperskate II / 6-9 Northern Alliance pintail / 37" Great Wave C-7 Carver
    Fins::: Futures AM-2 fronts (4.79"), V2F4 quad rears (3.75") Rusty quad rears (3.85") Stamps quad rears (4.0")
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  6. 12-24-2011, 10:47 PM #16
    Nige
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    No videos Fritzkat but just had nice Christmas Day head high waves and Hellfire definitely went off. Can't believe how this thing goes, gets better and better the more I surf it. Sorry for gushing like a teenager but so enjoying my surfing more since I got it. Nice when your mates comment that you're surfing better than ever too!
    5' 7", 70-72kg, 43yrs old
    Hellfire 5'8" FST
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  7. 12-25-2011, 07:45 AM #17
    hwork50
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    I can't wait to go surf mine, as it is just staring at me in the garage. Practically brand new 6'2" Hellfire! We just got some waves so we shall see.
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  8. 12-25-2011, 04:00 PM #18
    iggy
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    Stoked!!! keep enjoying it and throw us some pics!!!
    165cms 89Kgs dry...working on that at the moment...but not working!!! :)
    Potato 5'2" /Vanguard 5'6"/Potatonator 5'8"/ Spitfire 5'8" / Quadraflex 6'0" / Flexflight 9'0"
    Fins: Elevons, Solus, Controlllers, Jordy,AM2,
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  9. 12-25-2011, 04:53 PM #19
    hanaleisurfer
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    I totally agree with Nige, the more you surf the Hellfire, the better it feels. Had an great Christmas day session at Kbay. The board was working so good. The best its felt yet since I bought it a few months ago. The Hellfire really likes good waves, not a grovel board!! The board is super fast and feels great when you put it on rail. Its the best of both worlds (the paddling power of a hybrid with the performance of a shortboard) A definite must have in your Firewire quiver!!! Have a Merry Christmas everyone and I hope you get good waves like I did this morning!! ALOHA!!!
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  10. 12-27-2011, 06:43 AM #20
    Chris
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    great stuff all!!!

    Happy holidays!
    6'0 - 175lbs - 29yrs - SoCal -
    503 TG Baked Potato - 506 RF Potatonator - 506 WRF Vanguard - 510 FST Unibrow - 600 FST Michel Bourez - 600 FST Alternator - 602 FST Alternator Round - 603 FST Artillery
    Firewire Social: Facebook - Twitter - Vimeo - Youtube

    Hey All, use my Firewire email, [email protected] for emergency issues, not my forum inbox. However, please avoid contacting me directly with questions on choosing a board, just use the glorious forum. Cheers!
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