Firewire Surfboard Tech - In Real Terms

The tech heads at Firewire surfboards are constantly evolving the tech they use in their boards to make them better. This is serious stuff and we’re the beneficiaries!

Firewire Construction 

It all started with FST, that’s Future Shapes technology to you (and us). FST is an eps foam with epoxy glassing and a 12mm balsa rail. The deck skin is a space age composite. The ingredients of which are top secret! This epoxy construction was a great big step forward for everyone because the boards were genuinely lighter and most importantly tougher. EPS epoxy boards had promised this for years but up until the Firewire boards it was pretty hit and miss on what you got.

I have loads of Firewire boards but my two favourites are pressure ding free. A 6-year-old FST Dominator and an LFT Evo, probably 2 years old (I lose count). Every time I take the wax off it has me a bit worried but so far so good, barely a mark on them.    

LFT Technology  

So, the Firewire team moved forward with their tech and next came LFT (linear flex technology) in both bamboo and white finish. A denser EPS foam blank and a thinner top skin. In theory, designed to compress a bit more than FST but give a better more standard surf, ie flexing like a PU board would do, due to the central stringer as opposed to FST with its stringer less blank and balsa rails replacing this more traditional setup. LFT has really found its home in the Tomo colab boards, the Firewire Evo and Vader and the Slater Designs Sci-Phi and Omni. These boards are probably the most popular boards right now and the more traditional flex pattern suits them down to the ground. 

Timbertek Technology 

Timbertek came next, and wow, is there better looking board out there? Yes. Alright, a high gloss polish Takayama or something like that does look good but even so, the Timbertek boards look amazing. We’ve sold a good number to decorate offices and hallways around the world but more importantly to be surfed!

Timbertek is the same eps epoxy core as FST with a proper Paulownia wood top and bottom skin and rails of course! The Timbertek board is the only construction which is classified as a gold level eco product.
 

So what do we think works best, well all of us here have slightly differing opinions but there are a few things we can all agree on! Timbertek is stiffer and so is suited to more grovel type boards because it adds projection and responsiveness to which are often wider higher volume boards. This why you see a board like the Baked Potato in Timbertek, this isn’t a hard and fast rule but it is relevant we think. 

FST Technology 

Here’s a bit more info that you might find useful – FST is the springiest, LFT the most neutral and TT the stiffest. TT is the heaviest, LFT is in the middle, FST is the lightest.

Whatever tech or board you choose, you know for sure that you’re riding a board that is as eco-friendly as possible and right now, at the cutting edge of board tech. The boards are the most heavily R and D’d out there but most importantly they work and the range covers pretty much every surfer's requirement. Can’t decide which board or which size? Feel free to give us a ring and more than likely, you’ll get to speak to someone who has actually surfed the board you're looking for!  

Don’t forget you can trade in an old board against a new one or use our 0% finance facility. Thanks for reading (if you’ve managed to get this far).