Mark- i've made a page for this in the quiver section, per your request ... the chart is a little larger and easier to read than the above jpg ... if anyone is interested in a guide to board lengths by weight and ability, just go here:

http://www.firewiresurfboards.com/quiver_buyersguide.php?boardid=buyersguide

Justin

hey i am 16 and i am 5,5 and weigh 60kg i had a go on the taj 5,11 demo board at my local surf shop i really like it but what would be the difference between that and the flex fire fst 5,10.

I liked how the taj burrow 5,11 model was really responsive and just wanted to fly and got through smaller sections better then i thought it would i loved how it responded when i was pumping it. i was just wondering would it be better to go down a inch or two for more performance ?? or stick with the taj 5,11 i would be surfing in waves from 1 to 6foot i would surf a easy reef break that ranges from 4 to 1 foot and clean some times bigger and would surf a beach break that ranges from 3 to 6foot powerfull beach break with a lot of push? thanks!!!

Raven,

At 5'5" and 60Kg you could easily ride an FE510, but if the Taj is working for you, stick with it - plus seems like you could grow a bit and it would still be okay. The FE510 has about 10% less flotation than the TJ511, so if the Taj paddled well and you liked the flotation, I'd stick with it. If it felt a little buoyant, the FE510 would probably suit you better.

The Taj has slightly more tail rocker than the FE, so its going to go better in hollower waves (sounds like there are reef breaks near by) or if you're a really good surfer and can go rail-to-rail to generate speed. Sounds like you were pumping it and getting that result.

I don't think you can go wrong with either choice, hope this helps you decide.

so would the FE 5,10 go better in smaller waves and get through those flatter sections better then the taj 5,11?
does it have the same feel to the taj board??
thanks

the slightly flatter rocker should help in smaller, flatter waves.

Need some help, I'm big...6'2" about 250lbs and been surfing for 40 years. Ride surftech 9'4" longboard, 7'6" quad fish and 8'0" Rusty surftech DI in big stuff. I'm not crazy about the quad and seem to like the tri's better

My buddy is a Firewire dealer and just loves your boards, he is riding a 6'6" dominator and is very happy. He is giving me a 9'0" longboard to test and is expecting a shipment of about 25 new boards to the shop in the future.

My question: I'm looking to just use 2 boards, a long board for average stuff, full winter wetsuit stuff and a high performance board like the 7'6" Alternator. I surf well for my size, and mainly ride my longboard from the tail and try and throw it all over the place. What do you think I should be riding?

Mike 1955,

For bigger, faster waves, the AR706 has a higher performance outline, especially in the rocker and the tail width. Our Sales manager is 6'3" around 240 and rides that board when the waves get good. If most of the waves you're looking to ride outside of your longboard are 4' and above, that's a really good option.

If you're looking for an alternative to your longboard for smaller surf (perhaps given you already have some bigger wave boards), the DM would be a great compliment and the thruster fin option is a plus. You would also be able to go shorter due to its flotation and not lose paddling power. But that will leave you with a 3 board quiver if it gets over 6 feet. The DM can certainly hold in that size (it won't spin out), but its not ideal.

hope that helps.


http://www.firewiresurfboards.com/quiver_buyersguide.php?boardid=buyersguide

Mark,

Thanks for the feed back, I will be trying a 6'6" DM as well as a 9'0" longboard this weekend probably in some pretty good surf. I'm thinking that the 6'10" DM may be the everyday option that I'm looking for...your thoughts?

Mike1955

Definitely - that's what our Sales manager rides when he's not riding his AR706, but he's found that the DM performs so well in such a wide variety of conditions, he seldom rides his 706 unless its really good and down the line.

The DM has certainly exceeded our expectations with its versatility - I think every surfer should have one in their quiver, or at least something very similar to it. Our Marketing Manager who is an ex-pro normally rides the AR600 but finds that he now rides the DM508 most of the time. I struggle to get off my DM510 and only break out the FE602 when is really firing.

OK - just got off the phone with my FW dealer pal and he will have both boards for me to ride tomorrow (6'6" DM & 9'0" longboard). He confirmed that your sales manager is around my size and that you guys were extremly good dudes. A big plus in my book.

Another question...my 7'6"/22" wide quad rocket fish is a wave magnet, thick, flat, full rails, infact a bit too floaty. My issue is that I surf off the tail, hard off the bottom, hard off the top. The quad set up was very stiff, had to keep my back foot right over the fin cluster. It has plenty of drive off turns but could not get very vertical. Since I bought it stock we were talking about going shorter epoxy on my next order.I want my new 6'10" DM to replace this board for all around conditions...will it be stiff and I have not ridden a 6'10" in over 10 years?

Thanks again for your feed back and I mainly surf long island mush... but the hurrican season has been good to us recently.

mike1955

I prefer my dominator as a quad, but some people swear by it as a thruster. That's part of the versatility. In addition, the fuller outline is going to give you a longer rail line than a traditional board of the same length, but its still going to be infinitely looser than your 706 with either the quad or thruster set up.

I realize we don't have every length of our boards for demos, but keep in mind the DM606 is considerably shorter and will ride looser than the DM610 - so I'd be careful not to draw too many conclusions, good or bad. You'll get the basic feel for how the DM works, but there's still a 4" difference in length and a big difference in flotation.

Mark-

I tested the FFF 900R over the weekend and really liked it, but my friend got a shipment of 30 plus new FW boards and the 901S quad looks great. I'm leaning that way, but as I said in an earlier post I'm not sure if I love the quad set up...I ride the tail, throw long boards around like short boards, but have always been on tri's. Will this board be as loose, and how about fin set up?

Thanks - Mike

Mike,

Quads do generally draw slightly longer arcs than thrusters. From the description of how you like to surf, I think you'll prefer the 900R - it is our most hi performance longboard. If you do buy the Quad, the FCS stretch fin set up works well, but its going to work with any FCS compatible quad fin set up.

OK - help me out one more time...I rode the 900R in head high chunky surf, was fun but not clean. I really liked it and surprised how well it floated me at 250lbs. But, if I was to go with the 900Q would I be losing all of the high performance aspects of the 900R? Also...loved the outline of the 901S but not happy with the quad set up. Most of my surfing is on my back hand and quads seem stiff that way. How would the 901S go with a tri fin set up?

Look forward to hearing your feedback and thanks

Mike

H,

I tested a flexfire yesterday in 2-3ft surf and loved it! I am quite tall (6' 3" 80kg, 178lb) so find the bouyancy great, but the responsiveness even better. I tried out a 6'3" 18 3/4" 2 3/8" Squash. It was awesome compared to my current board which is quite sluggish. Due to my height, Just thinking when I purchase one should I go 6'4" which I am used to riding? Usually ride 2-5' surf.

Thanks,
Hayden

Mike 1955,
Mike (Sales Manager) from Firewire here, Sorry so late on the discussion as I've been trapped in Melonesia for last two weeks with no intenet or toliet paper for that matter. Not sure what board you ended up with but if you didn't get something alreaady i'll be glad to put my two cents in. Thanks for interest in the boards. Also who's your buddy?

Haydes1,
Mike from Firewire. First off thanks for demoing the boards which is the best way to figure out what you need. I would definitley stick to your current dimensions and go with whatever Flexfire is closer. This seems to be the best call since the boyancy level is very close to PU. Let me know if you have any more questions

Best regards,

Thanks Mike. I will stick to the dimensions of my current board and order one in. Cheers for your input.

Hayden

Hey Mike,

My buddy is Luke from Long Beach Surf Shop in LB Long Island, we go way back.

I'm still on the fence on the longboards but really like the 901S outline. I have been riding a 7'6" kane garden quad fish, I just feel that it's stiff, big and thick and not as responsive as a tri. I'm also looking at the 6"10" dominator and will test out Luke's 6'6"...he thinks that I may like something around 6'8"? I want this board to replace the big quad fish that I'm currently riding. I also ride a Rusty surftech in big clean stuff, light and responsive.

let me know your thoughts as I know Luke is really sold on your boards and I can see it by all of the water time he gets.

Thanks.

Guys...your thoughts on the transition from a 7'6" big quad fish to a 6'10' DOM?

Mike 1955,
Sorry I missed your reply last week. I surf a lot of our bigger boards and the Dominator 6'10 is a paddle machine. Lots of volume in the right places allows this board to paddle better than some of our bigger boards in our line. Definitley think this is the perfect board to step down from your 7'6. You get all the good aspects of the 7'6 but you actually be able to throw the board into some serious turns not to mention the fact that board will be at least 2 pounds lighter than the 7'6 your working with.

Thanks!

Hello there, I am 16, 5'10 ft and 135 pounds from the west coast of Florida. I surf pretty well and was looking into the either a 6'4 or a 6'2 alternator (either model). I am looking for a short board I can use on this coast, and the other coast of Florida. think that is a good fit?

I think that the 6'4 is too big. If you are only at 135 pounds, you should be considering the Alternator 600 and the Alternator 602.
Also, if you can locate one, the Futura is a great board for those of you surfing waves like the west coast of Florida, lots of "outline" and surface area really make knee to waist high waves a lot more fun, without riding a "fish".

I was just about to respond and say exactly what Rod has just said. I'm 6' 175 and love riding my 5'10 Futura. Definitely most underrated board in the line. As far as the Alternator, agree with RT 100% on that as well - you should be on a 6'0 or 6'2.

Thanks guys, all I need is the money now to buy one of the boards haha

Hi there,
I am 5'11''-6' and usually weigh 165 lbs (145'ish currently because of Beach Service job). I would consider myself an intermediate surfer and currently ride a 5'6'' Quadfish (Performance model-the thin one) (which I love). However, I am looking for a board that will be a little more reliable in the larger surf, plus I want a fun thruster. Also, once I put on the winter weight, I fear the Quadfish won't have enough flotation. I live on the Gulf Coast (Panhandle) in Florida so the waves are typically knee-waist-chest high range with occasional larger surf (When we are lucky), but I travel to Costa and the east coast. I've been looking at the 6'0 FlexFire (round-tail). I checked out a 6'0'' Alternator at my local surf shop but it just seems very thick. I am not sure if I have just gotten use to the thin Quadfish model and its short size, but I definitely need help selecting which board and length. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Tubbz,

At 600 x 165, I think the FE600 might be a touch under buoyant for you? If you are sold on a 600, then I think the Alternator would be a better choice - its got slightly more flotation than the FE which is going to help in softer waves, but still a refined enough foil to handle head high. It also has almost the identical volume as your QQ506, whereas the FE600 has quite a lot less - almost 15%.

Markp,

Thank you for your input, it really helps. I did not realize the FE600's volume was less than the Quadfish Performance Model I own (It's just so thin and short). However, I am not necessarily sold on a 6'00''. I just assumed that would be a reasonable size board for my skill/height/weight in winter. Would a FE602 be more performance oriented compared to the Alternator 600?? Or even the 6'02 Taj Model (Even though I believe that's thinner than the FE602)? I just got done surfing in chest-head high waves today (clean in the morning and a little choppy after winds shifted), and plan to do the same all day tomorrow (hopefully clean again). I want to try surfing a board other than a swallow or fish tail though. My first board was a 6'02 weber fish (Afterburner), I wasn't skilled enough at the time to ride it and it was stolen before I was capable. I practiced with my friend's NSP fish then a twin fin fish for a long time, and now own the Performance Quad from your line. So I do not know too much about thrusters and other tail designs other than what i have read online. But I love the quality of your boards and would like to get a good board to add to my quiver. With all that said, would you still recommend the 600 Alternator? If it helps to know...I am able to effectively ride down the line, do bottom turns, pump, cut backs, snaps and floaters (Wave permitting of course) on the Performance Quadfish. However sometimes it seems small and I need to get in a wide stance (I'm almost 6'00 and board is 5'6 even though I ride it well) and I would like to have a board that can turn tighter. Other than that I'm just trying to do my first aerial... =). Help is always greatly appreciated.

Both the FE and AR are hi performance boards. Its difficult to compare the AR600 to the FE602 purely in terms of which would perform better. If you are unsure, what about the FE601Q? seems like a good blend of the AR600 and the FE602 dimensions, and will give you that extra length over your Quad.

My personal feeling is that your hi performance* THRUSTER short board should be an 1 or 2 longer than your height - that seems to hold true for most surfers

* i'm only referring to thin foil high performance boards, not hybrids etc.

To Markp:

Thank you very much for all the help and I apologize for the delay in my response. I ended up purchasing the AR600 Round tail at my local surf shop based on your recommendations. Needless to say, I love it. I was lucky enough to find some good breaks during Hurricane (Tropical storm?) Ida when we had larger surf to compare it to my 506Quadfish and truly get a feel for it soon after the purchase. It really seems to hold the face of the wave much better and is more stable in the larger waves (Thank you). I'd also like to add, I finally can boost a little bit of air (still unsuccessful with any landings on either board ha) and the AR seems to have a little more "pop" which I TRULY love (not sure if it's the board or just how I was riding at the time).

The only thing I can't seem to wrap my mind around is why the AR seems so much thicker than my Quad. According to what has been printed on the board, the Quad is 2 and 1/4 thick and the AR is 2 and 3/8 (Which matches with your online specs). However, when holding them (or even just looking at them) the AR seems to be (overall) MUCH thicker than just a 1/8th difference. Is there a reason why it would seem like that? Is it perhaps because the AR is more narrow and retains its thickness throughout the width of the board? (Either way it still works well for me, I am just curious, and the knowledge may help with future board decisions).

Thank you once again,
Firewire Enthusiast

Tubbz,

Couple reasons: The AR has a fuller rail volume than the Quadfish. Keep in mind thickness is the measurement at center. Depending on the rail volume, even boards with the same thickness can feel different. The Quadfish is wider (in the same length), so on the high performance Quadfishes* we made them thinner to increase performance.

* we did recently add thicker versions of the Quadfish to the line up for guys looking for a more retro feel in that design. Check out http://www.firewiresurfboards.com/quiver_boards.php?boardid=quadfish for a complete list of DIMS

Markp,

Thank you for the information. I was unaware that thickness did not directly translate into the rail volume. However, it should have seemed blatantly obvious while comparing the boards hah. Once again, I want to thank you for being so informative and quick in response. You have been very helpful.

I need some help here... I am 16 years old and am 5'6" and weigh 160 (I am not fat at all... very fit) I am a good surfer and compete in NSSA etc... I currently ride a 5'10x18x2 1/8 EPS Shortboard and am planning on going to a Firewire. My current board feels like it has a lack of drive due to lack of buoyancy. What Firewire shape would you recommend for me? I live in Huntington Beach, so it is pretty gutless most of the time and usually around 1-4 foot.

Wes,

its difficult for one board to meet all of your needs - there are going to be compromises either way. Here are two options I think would work based on what you describe:

Your current board lacks some flotation, but at the same time, at 5'6", you don't want to go longer to get more float. If you're looking for a purely hi-performance solution, then the AR510 might work. Its the same length as your current board, but at 18.5 x 2.25 its going to give you more float.

Another way to go for a blend of fun and performance would be to get a 506 Dominator. Its going to float you (it has 10% more volume than the AR510) and still give you great performance. Its not going to handle 4-6' HB as well as the AR, but in 0-3' it will blow it away.

Hey there,

Just stopping by hoping to get a quick answer. On the "Guide to Board Lengths by Weight and Ability", it says those numbers are based on approximately "2-5 foot 'average' surf". Those are back of the wave measurements, correct? Just curious, thank you.

Yes. 2-3 would be waist to chest and 4-5 would be just overhead on the drop.

Hello,

I am 5'10'' and 145-155 pounds (66-70kg) depending on the week/diet. I would consider myself in the intermediate to advanced range of surfers. Able to punt some airs and rarely land them. My most recent board buckled under me. I wanted to try a Firewire because I know they are lighter and more durable than epoxy. I've read through the forums and your "Buyer's Guide" and I THINK I've narrowed it down to selecting a 6'1'' Flexfire (I've always been a squash fan but recently read round tails release off the lip of the wave easier). I'm really looking for a board to work on my aerials as much as possible. I like the Alternator too, don't get me wrong, it seems like the overall better board for the waves here, I'm just not sure if it will satisfy my need to fly when the waves are perfect for it. Of course, I'm another Florida surfer (Seems like you have a lot of us roaming through these forums) so the waves are not always ideal, I should say, for what I want. Would this board still perform alright in less than great conditions? And do you think I've made a proper selection based on wants/needs?

what were you riding before?

Lets see...

I've had a 6'3'' Anacapa (Don't remember model, some fish); a 5'9'' Webber Mini Fish (Thick Twin Fin); and most recently a 6'0'' Webber (Perfomance Short Board) which is the one that buckled from poor landing. I've also used my friend's Byrne which is a 6'1'' (But, not being mine, I don't try anything crazy on it) and it felt pretty good under the feet.

AirFl,

Tough call - you might want to consider the AR600 - slightly wider than the FE601 which could be good for softer waves, but still has plenty of curve in the outline for hi performance.

If you're looking for a board to ride primarily when its good, then the FE is a good choice, but from what I know about Florida, its soft most of the time. Just a thought - but hard to give definitive advice from here.

Thanks for input,

I guess I should have stated that I was looking for a board to use, primarily, when the surf is pushing and looks clean (I can get another board for the weaker days, just was curious if I could ride the FE if I wanted to, so I could let a friend use the "easier" board). I'm trying to get the most performance out of my board - concerning aerials - when I see those "ramps" in the water or those close outs. Looks like you answered my question (Thank you). I just wanted to double check with you all, since you seem to be very informative and customer friendly, that I was selecting a proper board to make flying easier (Probably going to go with the FE) or if I should look into something like the Taj instead (Or any other board). Main reason I looked at the FE over the Taj was because of the round tail option. I've never ridden a round tail and read that it releases off the lip of the wave easier (not sure if thats true), which to me translates into easier aerials, and that strikes my curiosity. I know it all boils down to speed, skill, personal preference, speed, and conditions (did I mention speed ha)... but the board helps too ;).

I just want to say, thank you for helping, I understand it must be very hard to help customers without actually seeing us perform or the wave conditions we primarily ride. But you do a heck of a job.

AirFL,

I have not heard about the release of round tails versus Squashes, I would think that a squash would be looser than a round tail in any situation, maybe someone else can comment?

If you want to concentrate on airs in good surf, then go with the FE or the Taj. They are the most hi performance boards in our line up.

MarkP,

-Thanks for all the help and input. I'm glad you admins check up on these forums regularly.

Looking for advice on my next board. I'm 180lbs, am an intermediate but progressing, and live in LA. I usually ride either a 6'8" CI Flyer 2 or a 5'11" Zippifish. I'm looking for something between and was thinking about a 6'2" quadraflex but am now wondering if it's too small. Also reading about the Alternator and Dominator and wondering if those might be better options for me and the mediocre LA surf.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Michael

mkantor- I also ride mostly No. LA County mush. I'm older than you, 5'11, 185 lbs. My go-to boards are a 6' Zippi, and 6'8" Anderson tri. Just purchased a 6'2 Dominator and it surfs, paddles and floats UNREAL. I recommend that for you as well.

I have to agree with dume local. The Dominatro is going to give you all the help you need in the water. You don't want to go to big on this one since the board has some chunk in it!!!!. I just got myself a 5'10" this weekend and I surfed it on chest high waves and the board really performs incredible. I'm 80 kgs intermidiate+ surfer
Go try the dominator, you'll love it.

Thanks for the advice. My local shop has a 6'0" for demo which I'll take out once we get some surf. i've been reading about the Firefly which sounds like it might be a great option. Do you know anything more about it than what's posted in the forums?

mkantor,

all the existing Firefly info is posted. I'm sure once the board gets into the market there will be a lot more posts. Have you red Nev's quiver post, he talks about the FF a lot.

Interested in your new 7'2' Addvance as my main all around board...how should it perform in bigger head to over head clean conditions? Currently riding a KG 7'6" quad fish, plus carry a big wave board and 9'4" surftech. The fish is very stiff, tracks, not my favorite. Also, was looking at the 6'10" Dom but am a pretty big guy at 6-2, 240lbs...would this be a good trade off from the Dom?

Rode 7'4"/22/3 high performance HIC rocket fish for years, loved them but due to lack of water time, hitting 50 just started to migrate to riding other boards.

Thanks-

Sounds like the AV702 is a good choice. Its going to ride well in bigger surf as the outline is still contemporary, although there is too much float for really hollow waves. The weight saving alone over your KG is going to make a huge difference on the tracking problem, plus its not a lot of curve through the tail which will tighten up your arcs.

I'd also look at the AV610 if you were considering a DM610. Both of which will easily float you at 240. Our Sales Manager is 603 x 240 and sometimes rides the DM608 (mostly the DM610 and AV610) - so there is no issue with float. But given most of your boards are over 706 right now, you might struggle with the shorter rail line. In that case the AV702 might be the right choice.

Sorry I don't have a definitive answer, without surfing with you this is about as specific as I can get.