7S Superfish XL vs Firewire ADDVANCE or other options?

[badfish628]

I live and surf in Washington state and Oregon here in the states. The waves can get pretty heavy and big during the winter, and I'm looking for something a bit shorter than my 9'4" longboard to take out in the shoulder-above head high range (4-8 feet). These are not the well formed glassy bombs of hawaii, more like crappy mushy heavy big waves. Fun though!

I was looking at a 7'3" 7S Superfish XL, or a FireWire ADDvance 7'6". I'm average build, 6'2" 190 lbs. Beginner level, i'd say, about a year of surfing. I like the step-deck idea on the 7S. I'm open to other options. Which would be better for these types of waves?
here's a good idea of what it looks like when its good around here:
http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/North_Ame ... how&page=2

http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/North_Ame ... na-content

http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/North_Ame ... na-content

[jaffa1949]

I know the 7s SuperfishXL the shape came from the guy who shaped my boards when I lived on the central coast of NSW. Good shaper and I like how his board performed. In fairness I don't know the firewire boards at all.
Can you do a comparison surf? Bless your frozen cahones

Edited this in: Just went to the Firewire web site the foil lines of the Addvance look OK the performance you get out of either will be surprising, guess it's down to your choice

[ameart]

I live in the UK. Been surfing 8 years, spent the last few years on a longboard but felt like getting back to a shorter board in the past year.

After lots of forum browsing I picked up a 6'10" Addvance (I'm 5'11'' and weigh 150lbs.). The Addvance is insanely good for those smaller/messier days. At my local (south coast) beach break I can be comfortably sitting alongside the longboarders and catching almost as much.
If I head over to Devon or Cornwall on a bigger (head high) day, I find the Addvance still a great, great board. The ONLY downside is (and it is a biggie) I can't duckdive the damn thing so if the swell period is pretty close, it'll narrow my chances of getting out back.

I hit Watergate Bay recently and it was HUGE out back, I knew I wouldn't be able to get out there on my Addvance so I shamefully hit the slightly more sheltered Tolcarne area. After grabbing some lunch I had a quick browse around 2nd hand boards and managed to snap up a 6ft 7s Superfish for a bargain (it was a little tatty).
Went back to Watergate and hit those big sets out back with ease, duck diving was a doddle yet the board felt very buoyant. Naturally, the paddle was tougher but I didn't have to turtle roll the sets so I saved energy duck diving.

In short, both are really good boards (yes, they may be made in China etc etc so consider that when buying) I probably should have gone a bit shorter on the Addvance but now that's my longboard and the 7's is a great backup if the sets pick up!