Firewire Surfboards
A few years ago Firewire Surfboards emerged as one of the leading surfboard construction methods and technologies. In a world of Tuflite and Carbon Fiber surfboards, firewire surfboards is completing to create the best and most durable surfboard in the market. But there unique board technology and love for the sport of surfing has lead them to build a competitive business. With a business that was only started in 2006 many are skeptical that this is just another quick trend for the every changing surfboard shaping industry. None the less, with top ASP surfers, such as Taj Burrow, riding their boards many believe they are here to stay. I was able to recently talk to Mark Price and do a little interview which you will see below.
Name: Mark Price (co founder along with Nev Hyman and some mutual friends. Nev has over 35 years shaping experience)
Brand: Firewire
Started in: March 2006
Employees: 95, including our own factory which builds our boards exclusively.
Price Range: USD$595 – $665.00
Shaping Process: CAD designs by Nev Hyman and Dan Mann and then shaped by CNC machine.
Interesting Fact: Firewire only uses epoxy resins and EPS foam. There is no acetone in our factory, we use citrus cleaners to maintain equipment.
Firewire Surfboards…. believes there are no longer exponential performance benefits to be gained from changes in shape. The basic design dynamics of today’s high performance surfboard have been refined to the point where only incremental improvements can be made.
The quantum leaps forward in performance have to come from new materials and methods of construction, which in turn will allow for further changes in shape, and thereby push performance boundaries forward. (see attached cross sections depicting Firewire’s unique materials and construction)
Ironically many of the worlds top surfers already benefit from some of Firewire’s technological accomplishments, although only by default. For example, the average top 10 WCT surfer rides boards which are built so light that they do have a small amount of flex. But that flex comes at the price of durability – with many of those guys actually saving their best boards just for heats.
Not only does Taj enjoy controlled flex that does not fatigue over time, but he’s free riding his same competition boards. I’m not suggesting our boards are indestructible, but in the whole PU versus FW technology debate, when people take a superficial look at the equipment endorsements of pro surfers and draw conclusions about what their own experience will be, this is overlooked.
In the final analysis, its not so much that Firewire has developed a COMPLETELY new performance characteristic foreign to surfboard design, but rather that we have refined an aspect of surfboard performance that was previously only available, and to a very slight degree, in the lightest surfboards built for the worlds best surfers.
Its a very subtle distinction, but the enhanced performance of controlled, sustainable flex, with the correct rate of rebound, built into a lightweight and durable surfboard cannot be overestimated. that refinements to the shape of today’s modern surfboard can only produce incremental performance benefits. Exponential improvements in performance can only be achieved through new materials and construction methods which in turn will open up new design opportunities”
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