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Firewire: The Durability Test
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 Your author testing his Firewire on sheet glass perfection. Board tests are a regular inclusion in many Australian surf mags but one thing that's never tested is durability. Three years ago I took it upon myself to rectify this situation. People have since told me that I've come up with a clever way of getting free boards. It's a criticism I'm willing to shoulder in the name of research. Is durability all that important? Of course it is. Surfboards are made from toxic petro chemicals and so the less we chew through the better. More immediately and less abstractly - think of your wallet. If you're snapping boards every few months you are raping and pillaging your endangered finances. In the past durability has come at the expense of performance. But three or four years ago a rash of new technology epoxy boards hit the market accompanied by some bold claims. Firewire's Nev Hyman was so excited by the strength of his companies parabolic balsa railed, high density aerospace composite epoxy creations he was jumping on them from great heights and calling them virtually indestructible. Are they? I rode one for three years and this what I found... 1. Indestructible? I snapped my Firewire this morning, right through the fins while doing a cutback on a three foot wave. The board broke because it had a crack in the deck which I had neglected to repair because I treat boards appallingly. But I rode this super thin, super light craft recklessly in some pretty juicy waves in Indo, WA, Vico and around home. Generally, I destroy a board every 8-12 months. I would say they are definitely stronger than the average PU board. 2. Longer lasting Flex? I think so, sure. I've been surfing for thirty years and the springy flex on this board was immediately noticeably. I was zinging out of my turns right up until the day I busted it to pieces. 3. High performance? Yes. (See: Mr Taj Burrow). 4. Hard to repair? I had a few little cracks fixed by my local ding doctor. He added a small surcharge for the extra fussing around. Not sure if you could fix a crease or a snap. 5. Better for the environment? Probably. Most Firewires are made in Asia and transported around the world burning unnecessary emissions (though lots of surfboard manufacturers also transport globally). But Firewire have won an environmental award and they use materials that are less toxic than those used in PU construction. Plus, if they last up to three times longer, then less boards are going to landfill and you can use the money you save on solar panels!  It had a good life, but all good things come to an end. |