Firewire Addvance

[bigstevie]

Any of you guys got one of these boards, if so I'd be interested in any opinions on them.
I'm a big fella, 6'3 100kg and mostly ride longboards, like the look of these tho. Thanks in 'addvance' for any help
(see what I did there ?)

[dtc]

The general consensus is that they are good boards for the 'advanced' rider ie they are high volume but arent beginners boards, they are for people who can already surf but need the bigger volume for whatever reason

if you are comfortable on your longboarder (bottom, top turns, catch 9/10 waves etc), then at 100kg the Addvance is probably a good board to be looking at. But if you are more of a beginner level, then dont be seduced by the high volume into thinking its the best option.

As an aside, if you want a cheaper option the Torq 'big boy 23' also looks reasonable, although slightly lower volume. And the Walden mini-mega magic offers an easier board to surf/suitable for a lower skill level.

Of course, there are many other options around, the ones named are just ones easy to find and off the top of my head.

[ConcreteVitamin]

As an aside, if you want a cheaper option the Torq 'big boy 23' also looks reasonable, although slightly lower volume. And the Walden mini-mega magic offers an easier board to surf/suitable for a lower skill level.

Torq also released a new model for 2019, seemingly a Channel Islands shape: https://www.torq-surfboards.com/chancho.html

What do you think of this vs. the Big Boy?

[Tudeo]

Any of you guys got one of these boards, if so I'd be interested in any opinions on them.

Hi there, I've got the 6'6 @48L, I'm 76kg 182cm, 55yo.
For me it's a magic board from the very first time I test rode it. After the testride i went to the shop and bought it, and it's still a favorite board in my quiver.
It only doesn't like hollow waves by it's lack of rocker. Don't be fooled by the nose flip, it's a low rockered board.
It makes surfing shortboards easy and the 6'6 has great performance potential. I never tried the bigger Addvance boards, but heard it's very different experience.
Best would if u could try out one first.

[Oldie]

I am a 52 yo beginner at ~90kgs. I found the 7.6 Addvance much harder to ride than a longboard or minimalibu with similar volume. During summer 2016 I could freely switch between the Addvance and a Bic Magnum 8.4. I did not like the Bic as an object, but always chose it for its ease of use.

[dtc]

Torq also released a new model for 2019, seemingly a Channel Islands shape: https://www.torq-surfboards.com/chancho.html

What do you think of this vs. the Big Boy?

Haven’t seen the chancho before but it looks very very similar to my minimal (7’4). In which case the website description is very accurate. Stable cruiser, super easy to catch waves - almost feels like cheating. But...not super fast or high performance in terms of turning

Whereas the big boy looks a lot like my 6’10. A more rounded outline, narrower nose. Will be less stable but easier to go rail to rail (turn). Still catches waves but needs a bit more work. Easier to paddle through choppy water due to narrower nose.

I find my 6’10 (ie the big boy style) more fun generally, but my mini mal is super easy to surf and is always my go to board after I have had a break or want a cruisey time

[bigstevie]

woah didn't expect so many replies, thanks guys, yea I'm happy out on the longboard, surfing ten years or so.
I've got a supersize westbay slayer (fish shape with swallow tail) 8'4 and 2 longboards.

Well happy its just that I'm taking the odd nose dive at lower tides and dumpier breaks and don't really wanna sacrifice the amount of waves caught if possible. The best of both worlds is very rare tho and I see Tudeo has posted about the rocker not being as pronounced as it looks, that sorta answeres my question. cheers dude.

[dtc]

Dont forget going to a local shaper. You might feel hesitant but most of them are nice guys who just want to build something that works for you; and in most places a shaper will be no more expensive/very similar in price to a Firewire board.

Just ask for something like the Addvance, but with a touch more rocker (nose and tail) and perhaps slightly straigher outline. Or an egg shape perhaps.

[ConcreteVitamin]

Haven’t seen the chancho before but it looks very very similar to my minimal (7’4). In which case the website description is very accurate. Stable cruiser, super easy to catch waves - almost feels like cheating. But...not super fast or high performance in terms of turning

Whereas the big boy looks a lot like my 6’10. A more rounded outline, narrower nose. Will be less stable but easier to go rail to rail (turn). Still catches waves but needs a bit more work. Easier to paddle through choppy water due to narrower nose.

I find my 6’10 (ie the big boy style) more fun generally, but my mini mal is super easy to surf and is always my go to board after I have had a break or want a cruisey time

Having the most fun is what counts Now the technical question:

Chancho: 7’6 x 22” x 2 7/8” 56.0 ltr
Big Boy: 7’6 x 23” x 3” 57.5 ltr

So even though the latter is wider, thicker, and has more volume, you think it'll be (1) less stable, (2) easier to go rail to rail, and (3) faster? Is the narrower nose that significant?

(This is purely for me to learn more about boards. I'd love to get on a faster & more fun board.)

[dtc]

Now the technical question:

Chancho: 7’6 x 22” x 2 7/8” 56.0 ltr
Big Boy: 7’6 x 23” x 3” 57.5 ltr

So even though the latter is wider, thicker, and has more volume, you think it'll be (1) less stable, (2) easier to go rail to rail, and (3) faster? Is the narrower nose that significant?

(This is purely for me to learn more about boards. I'd love to get on a faster & more fun board.)

So remember that these measurements are the maximum points of the board. So while length, of course, is directly comparable, width and thickness are not, because of the outline (shape of the board) and foil (how the foam/thickness is distributed on the surfboard)

If you look at the two boards, the Chancho has much straighter rails. If you took a point, say, 18 inches from the nose and tail, its probably still 19 inches wide. Whereas the Bigboy, it may only be 15 inches wide at that point. Those figures might be wrong, but in any case there is a significant difference, keeping in mind that 1 inch is a lot on a surfboard. So while the Chancho at its maximum width is narrower, its overall surface area is a lot greater because it stays wide for most of the board. Whereas the BigBoy has a curved outline and narrows fairly quickly from its wide point

Similarly the thickness will differ - in this case the boards arent too different ie they are thick in the middle and hold their thickness for a lot of the board, narrowing at the nose and tail. But it does look like the Big Boy has slightly narrower rails (edges) ie the difference in thickness from the middle (thickest point) to the edge is more than the difference for the Chancho.

The bigBoy also has quite a bit more rocker than the Chancho.

More curved outlines, thinner nose and rails/increased foil rate and (to some extent) more nose rocker all work to provide easier turning (as in, a tighter turning radius); but turning is the converse of stability ie more stable, harder to turn. Straight rails, wider nose and tail all increase stability.

http://www.surfscience.com/topics/surfb ... /rail-line

As to speed - its possible that both boards have a similar speed down the line (the Chancho might even be faster, although wider noses can slow the board a bit), but because the Chancho needs a bigger turning radius then it will usually lose speed in turns. Why longboards can shoot down the line, but need a lot of space and time to do big turns

Of course there are many other elements involved - bottom contours, rail design etc etc. For example, the Chancho's wide point is further forward than the BigBoys, which improves paddling (and probably stability for most surfers) but again increases the turning arc.

hope that helps. Boards are a never ending complexity of interrelationships, all of which trade off something good for something less good

[steveylang]

Any of you guys got one of these boards, if so I'd be interested in any opinions on them.

Hi there, I've got the 6'6 @48L, I'm 76kg 182cm, 55yo.
For me it's a magic board from the very first time I test rode it. After the testride i went to the shop and bought it, and it's still a favorite board in my quiver.
It only doesn't like hollow waves by it's lack of rocker. Don't be fooled by the nose flip, it's a low rockered board.
It makes surfing shortboards easy and the 6'6 has great performance potential. I never tried the bigger Addvance boards, but heard it's very different experience.
Best would if u could try out one first.

Hey DTC, I'm an older surfer with similar height/weight as you and am interested in the Addvance at around 6'6", and wanted to get your feedback.

After messing around with undersized boards, I've been surfing a 7'6" 50L Rusty Desert Island and having a lot of fun with it. I can surf everything from clean points to windy beach break, from 1' to 4' and everything in between, no problem, and am getting better riding this than any other board. I don't have a problem making steeper waves on it, as I've gotten a lot better at taking off later and getting back on my board just a nudge when I paddle in. I don't pearl much, when I do I generally recognize I could have adjusted better to the wave.

I am relatively spry for my age but my lower back is just not what it used to be, and on smaller boards my pop-up isn't smooth enough to preserve my momentum and beat sections at my local beach break. It might get better with practice and back stretches/exercise, but on the 50L Rusty it's no problem and I think the volume gives me the required stable base to pop up on.

Like I said I'm having a blast and improving, so have no immediate plans to switch up boards. But do you think the 6'6" (6'8" tops) Addvance would work for me? I'm thinking the Addvance would be a nimbler board but still have good volume for me. Another option would be something like a Lost Crowd Killer at around 7' (46L), but my Rusty is Tuflite and I like the idea of a Timbertek Addvance (seems to be a pretty strong construction.)

[dtc]

What are you after ie just a shorter board or do you need the volume? With a slightly dodgy back/slower pop up, a shorter board could create issues - you often have to do a later take off and a faster pop up. You want to keep it wide as well

In any case, I think for someone your weight the 6’6 might actually be slightly too high volume for the size - that’s a lot of volume (48l) packed into a pretty small board. You need a bit of weight to bury the rail and not just skate around on the surface. It won’t be terrible by any means though and there aren’t really any other off the shelf boards that are any better that I know of (at least which keep a bit of width) , although some of the fish boards might be ok (even the Torq mod fish or mod fun ) and the Torq ‘big boy’ could be worth a look, although it’s 6’10. Or a FireWire Greedy Beaver perhaps - will be easier to surf; or other egg shapes

Or you could try a local shaper - chances are they will be cheaper than a new FireWire. Something like 21 1/2 to 22 wide and 2 3/4 thick and whatever length you want.

Nothing against the Addvance but don’t get side tracked by the volume - there are lots of other elements to consider before volume is relevant

[steveylang]

Hey DTC, thanks for the very detailed reply!
(I actually made a mistake and meant to ask Tudeo since he is the one actually surfing an Addvance , but your reply is very helpful and appreciated.)

I previously never considered the Addvance due to its thickness, but was interested in hearing more from Tudeo since he loves it so much and we are not far off in age/height/weight (he is more experienced than me though.)

I am pretty happy with the Rusty 7'6" board I am riding now, but was just speculating about the next board down the line (whether it be 3 months, 6 months, or a year from now.) Also my board had some repair work done by previous owner, so it's not quite as hardy as an unblemished Tuflite board. I also have a 6'8" Tufflite CI OG Flyer that at certain breaks I get along with pretty well, but I surfed it the other day at Zuma in not ideal conditions, and it was a much tougher go for me than my 7'6". Part of the difference is the boards, but I think a big part was just that I had been surfing a bigger board for over a month. But it got me wondering if an in-between board would be better for me to eventually transition to. The Desert Island can glide past sections at Zuma and really only requires me to set a good line early. That's why it's fun for me now, but I don't mind eventually having to work a bit harder for my waves. It feels a bit big to comfortably pump on smaller waves.

My back isn't so much dodgy, as just not as loose and limber as it used to be. Yesterday I did try being more mindful of my pop-up, and realized that I leave my back leg too straight, leading to a jumpier pop-up. If I keep my back leg tucked, I realized I can get my legs under me with hands still on the board (instead of having to sort of leap to my feet.)

So the short answer to it all is you may very well be right that a different board might be better suited to me if/when I get a new one. The Rusty Desert Island is a shortboard shape (just way bigger), so I think I am good in staying with that type of outline. A similar shaped board at 7' would be the most obvious choice I think (which is what I like about the Lost Crowd Killer.) Like you said, around 21" wide and 2 3/4" thick.

But I would still love to hear more about Tudeo's experience with his Addvance. I typically buy and sell my boards on CL, and occasionally an Addvance will turn up.

Cheers!

What are you after ie just a shorter board or do you need the volume? With a slightly dodgy back/slower pop up, a shorter board could create issues - you often have to do a later take off and a faster pop up. You want to keep it wide as well

In any case, I think for someone your weight the 6’6 might actually be slightly too high volume for the size - that’s a lot of volume (48l) packed into a pretty small board. You need a bit of weight to bury the rail and not just skate around on the surface. It won’t be terrible by any means though and there aren’t really any other off the shelf boards that are any better that I know of (at least which keep a bit of width) , although some of the fish boards might be ok (even the Torq mod fish or mod fun ) and the Torq ‘big boy’ could be worth a look, although it’s 6’10. Or a FireWire Greedy Beaver perhaps - will be easier to surf; or other egg shapes

Or you could try a local shaper - chances are they will be cheaper than a new FireWire. Something like 21 1/2 to 22 wide and 2 3/4 thick and whatever length you want.

Nothing against the Addvance but don’t get side tracked by the volume - there are lots of other elements to consider before volume is relevant

[Tudeo]

But I would still love to hear more about Tudeo's experience with his Addvance. I typically buy and sell my boards on CL, and occasionally an Addvance will turn up.

Hi Stevey,

I still like my Advance 6'6 a lot, I got it new 4.5 years ago. Only I got the LFT build, with the bamboo deck, I would not recommend that, it's nice light but it dings too easy for my liking. Luckily in Bali board repairs are dirt cheap..

48 liters is a lot of volume for a 6'6, some guys give u the stink eye for sitting so high in the water.., but the beauty of the shape is it doesn't feel bulky or skatey riding it. I use it with a medium center and small FCS G-XQ sidebites/quad rears. Using these small fins improved the upper range (head high+ waves) a lot, bigger fins made the board feel too hard on backhand.

In bigger waves (1.5oh) the volume starts working against you, the takeoff becomes too fast and slippery and holding on to such a thick board in whitewater becomes hard.

Duckdiving is possible, but in slow motion, and not very deep. Doable in crumbly head high.

I have a quiver of 10 boards from 5'6 until 9'4, and I like to vary a lot. But this board hits the sweet spot: it paddles very good compared to my shorter boards, and it's spectaculair loose compared to my bigger boards.

I value dtc's knowledge a lot, but I don't agree with his comment that it's hard to bury the rail at our weight. Sure many beefed up shortboards suffer that when oversized, someone on the old Firewire forum said it like this: the addvance is specifically designed for handling bigger volume.

I don't know if it's the bevelled rails in front or the outline and foil, but I think Nev Hyman, it's shaper is a genius. I've also got a Submoon 8'2 and a Hashtag 6'2, both designed by him.

But the ADD 6'6 (Don't go bigger!) is for sure my magic board, well, competing for that award with the Timbertek SM..

[dtc]

I am more than willing to bow to tudeos much much greater experience with the addvance. My main concern is around people buying big shortboards when they really need smaller longboards (eg funboards or egg) - because they look at the volume and nothing else

But if the addvance overcomes the issues with the ‘big short board syndrome’, then by all means go for it (so long as you understand what that choice will mean vs a shorter longboard choice)

[steveylang]

Thanks for the reply Tudeo, that's exactly the feedback I was looking for!

My understanding is that their Timbertek and FST constructions are very durable, moreso than standard PU or epoxy boards, but the LFT not so much. The LFT boards typically seem to have a bamboo deck, which at first glance looks very similar to a Timbertek board. I went through a period where I was dinging boards a lot, so try to stick to tougher constructions for now.

I am in SoCal so rarely surf even head high waves, so OH+ is not a worry for me.

Your comment about oversized boards is spot on- I think you can upsize a board maybe 6 inches or so to adjust for skill level and it will probably work fine, but anything bigger and its basically a totally different board than the designer intended. The smallest Addvance is what I would be considering, anything bigger than that and I should be on a different board appropriate for that length.

Cheers!

Hi Stevey,

I still like my Advance 6'6 a lot, I got it new 4.5 years ago. Only I got the LFT build, with the bamboo deck, I would not recommend that, it's nice light but it dings too easy for my liking. Luckily in Bali board repairs are dirt cheap..

48 liters is a lot of volume for a 6'6, some guys give u the stink eye for sitting so high in the water.., but the beauty of the shape is it doesn't feel bulky or skatey riding it. I use it with a medium center and small FCS G-XQ sidebites/quad rears. Using these small fins improved the upper range (head high+ waves) a lot, bigger fins made the board feel too hard on backhand.

In bigger waves (1.5oh) the volume starts working against you, the takeoff becomes too fast and slippery and holding on to such a thick board in whitewater becomes hard.

Duckdiving is possible, but in slow motion, and not very deep. Doable in crumbly head high.

I have a quiver of 10 boards from 5'6 until 9'4, and I like to vary a lot. But this board hits the sweet spot: it paddles very good compared to my shorter boards, and it's spectaculair loose compared to my bigger boards.

I value dtc's knowledge a lot, but I don't agree with his comment that it's hard to bury the rail at our weight. Sure many beefed up shortboards suffer that when oversized, someone on the old Firewire forum said it like this: the addvance is specifically designed for handling bigger volume.

I don't know if it's the bevelled rails in front or the outline and foil, but I think Nev Hyman, it's shaper is a genius. I've also got a Submoon 8'2 and a Hashtag 6'2, both designed by him.

But the ADD 6'6 (Don't go bigger!) is for sure my magic board, well, competing for that award with the Timbertek SM..

[mysilversurfer]

Ahoy, recently I picked up a second hand Addvance, 7.6 and it is a magic board. Ive been surfing for most of my life in Capetown and having turned 60 ( I surf most days, winter and summer for 2-3 hours) thought something different was needed...This work of art seems to slow down the whole process of catching and surfing a wave. My home break is a fast, hollow point break running along a nasty series of rock shelves and this board simply flies there. It is snappy, intuitive and has no problems when it starts getting overhead... If you like the look of it and want an easy take off combined with huge performance potential (turns, cut-backs etc...) then look no further. Its wicked fast and if I could only choose 1 board from my quiver...it would be the Addvance.