FireWire Evo KiteSurfBoard

[effisk]

Yes, I do. With the modified deck, I have only buckled one board. It cracked just beyond the 3/4 layer of cloth. My front slipped too far forward and I came down too hard. It just buckled the top of the board, so I put a big strip of gorilla tape on it. I still ride that board today with the tape on it. My buddy has his FST boards modified the same way and I don't believe he's buckled one yet. I just got a FST Nano on craigs and had it modified as described. I have a vanguard in kite construction with the same volume. The vanguard feels twice as heavy.

thanks. Do you do the work yourself? I've had a couple of firewire boards reinforced (fst and timbertek) that way and always had delamination issues.

[Al_Kiter]

I have completely destroyed two Firewire FST boards kiting in waves without ever doing a single jump. Their decks just completely delaminated under the front foot and both boards buckled. The second board had 2 4oz patches under both feet and the only difference is it took a few more sessions to delam. The blanks used for FST surfboards are only 1lb while the Kite FST boards use 1.5lb blanks. I believe this makes a huge difference since the boards delam because the 1lb blank compresses too easily and the pvc sheet detaches from the blank.

I still surf with FST boards and find them great (never tried Helium). I just don't kite with them anymore reinforced or no. I sometimes Kite with my Timbertek baked potato in very light winds, but I'm extremely careful with my feet (especially the front) and I suspect I'm gonna ruin it eventually.

I never heard any rumors about Firewire discontinuing FST and would be extremely disapointed if they did. The FST construction with the parabolic rails makes for great surfboards if you know what you're looking for. The Helium construction is lighter but much weaker. I Wouldn't advise anyone to use them to Kitesurf and neither does Firewire.

[TommyDuotone]

I have a local shop do it for $80. They are the best surfboard repair shop in San Diego (at least IMO). They've been modifying our boards for the last 6 years or so. I still get the big foot wells in the front, but that's it. I have only had 1 Sweet Potato delam in the front foot area(after modified). I noticed it when I took it out of my board bag on a really hot day. I also had a Dominator in FST that was only surfed a dozen times before I found a some delam on the deck. Now, I try not to expose those boards to too much heat. I face my board down when it's on the beach, leave the zipper open when it's in the bag, and never leave it in a hot car. I think Firewire FST's are more prone to delaminate than other boards(or maybe just epoxy in general). My buddy's Firewire completely delaminated on top when he left his board in his car on a hot day. I have never seen a PU board do that. Bummed about the FST's. Have to say bye-bye to my $250 FST's on Craiglists.

[TommyDuotone]

In the meantime, I'm going to pick up a few FST's for cheap since there yesterdays news. That Nano was only $220. Has anyone ridden that shape or one like it? I'm dying to take it out. Trying to decide thruster or quad, leaning towards thruster.

[TommyDuotone]

@ Topmick,
I might have been mistaken. A friend of mine who owns a surfshop told me Firewire was discontinuing the FST for Helium Tech only. In hindsight, I'm wondering if he just meant the Sweet Potato(now Chum Lee). Do you know if they are discontinuing the FST construction?

The Sweet Potato and Chum Lee are different boards

The Chum Lee is a thinned/stretched out version. We were talking over a line of people(he was having a big sale). I could have misunderstood, but I thought he said they were not going to be making the Sweet Potato any longer. That's my favorite board for light wind.

[tao189]

.

[martino86]

I think the Chumlee could be really nice for lightwind. So anyone kiting on standard Helium construction?

[topmick]

I just picked up a 5'7 Chumlee in Hteck for a groveller to go with a 5'3 Hteck Evo.
It's much lighter than my 5'3 Hevo, don't think I'll kite it as the Evo goes great in light wind.

[effisk]

I eventually sold my Evo, did not like it much. i'll try to find a vader in Helium tech.

[balboa]

See if you guys that tried different Tomo models can help me with Evo sizing.

With 78kg (5'10''), the VG 502 has been working fantastically well for me in the last year, either in 12kn as in +30kn. I use my VG mostly in chopy, weak mushy waves no higher than 3'.

Now I want to try more cleaner, powerful +5' waves. I want to actually surf them, w/ the less anount of help of the kite, using it just to upwind me back to the spot. I'm looking for a more snappier board than the VG. Don't get me wrong, the VG is super fun and versatile. But given all comments I read so far, the Evo seems to have what I want.

However, my 502 23l VG falls just in between the 2 closest Evo alternatives : 19l and 24.5l.

Which size to go? The 410 or the 501 Evo?