"We believe that refinements to the shape of today's modern surfboard can only produce incremental performance benefits. Exponential improvements in performance can only be achieved through new materials and construction methods which in turn will open up new design opportunities"

In a little under 4 years, Firewire has had a significant impact on surfboard design, materials and the overall conversations surrounding performance. With various innovative flex technologies at its core, and with Taj Burrow proving the validity at the highest levels of competition, Firewire enjoys the support of a broad cross section of surfers around the world today and we are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of surfboard construction and performance as far as possible.

Our boards are designed by Nev Hyman and Dan Mann. Nev has a successful 35+ year history in the surf industry and is recognized as one of the best shapers in the world. Working closely with Taj over the past 4+ years, Nev has been instrumental in developing Future Shapes Technology and designing equipment perfectly suited to Taj's needs. Taj's results on the 2007 WCT were his best in years and speak volumes about Nev's understanding of surfboard design and the pure performance potential of Firewire Surfboards.

Dan is a respected Dan Diego shaper who, like Nev, recognized the benefits of CAD design and new methods of construction early on. An ex Pro longboarder and accomplished short boarder, Dan has been instrumental in the design of a number of our most popular Series. The Dominator comes immediately to mind.

While both Nev and Dan have considerable shaping expertise, due to the sophistication of our computerized design programs and shaping equipment, we prefer to call them Designers. Drawing on their actual shaping expertise and combining it with the unlimited design capabilities of Firewire’s CAD/CAM platform,

They have the tools to take surfboard design into the next frontier, a place where materials have as important an influence on performance as proven design principles. In fact, we believe that just like the influence that Future Shapes Technology has already had on surfboard performance, the next quantum leaps forward will be centered around completely new materials and how those materials allow us to re-tweak longstanding beliefs surrounding shape. To that end, Direct Drive and more recently RapidFIRE reflect those beliefs.

There is also a positive environmental story behind FIREWIRE Surfboards, although we’d be the first to admit that when it comes to our surfboards, we put performance first above all else. Firewire Surfboards use epoxy resin and EPS foam, materials that are exponentially less harmful than traditional surfboard materials.

Over a 5–year lifespan, including the construction process, a traditional PU surfboard releases 50 times more Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) than a Firewire surfboard. In recognition of this, Firewire Surfboards won the coveted EuroSIMA Environmental Product of the Year Award in 2005. And we’re not resting there.

Ultimately our goal is to constantly improve the sustainable manufacture of our surfboards. The end point being the design and production of a surfboard that can be recycled indefinitely by reusing old boards to make future Firewire Surfboards. Granted, we are a long way from that lofty goal, but it is a standard we have set for ourselves.

www.firewiresurfboards.com

Design - Surfmovies.org