Hey guys,

Im looking into buying a couple of boards and im decided on one which is the 6'0 firewire spitfire which seems ideal for the less than perfect/small days. I thought I was also decided on the Firewire Hellfire 6'2, but after taking a look at it next to the Channel Island Fred Rubble 6'2 it just didnt seem as good as I thought it would.

The FR and HF have the double concave but its very evident on the HF from mid way back and the spine was really pronounced. The FR was a lot more subtle with the concave from about 2/3 back to the tail and not as full on.
Also, there was more volume further forward on the FR than the HF which would make a better paddler, easier wave catcher but a little more tail rocker giving it a bit more performance on the turns (right?) The FR was also slighty narrower.

Now Im not an expert in board shapes, but wouldnt the shape of the FR be a better paddler, smoother rail to rail due to less concave and a bit sharper on the top turns with more tail rocker (slightly). Generally more fun to surf which is what I want. A good performance hybrid if you like.
To me it may actually seemed like a better board.

I was wondering if anybody has surfed/owned either of these or has an opinion of them? Im looking for a board for around 3'-8' surf but does not require an expert to surf it. These seem pretty decent choices I think.
Im 6'1 and 85kg if that makes any difference.
Cheers.

Hey Phil27, I own both the 6'2" Fred Rubble and a FireWire 5'10" Spitfire. The SF I have only used to muck around in small beachies, i am riding it as a quad and it has plenty of speed. The FR surprised me how hard it was to get any drive from it in waves less than head high but works great as a step up board when I used it down south, will be good up to 8 foot I reckon.

You could try talking to a local shaper, be honest about your ability and where and what you surf and end up with a board that will really suit you.
Try Oceanline, Katana, Colin Earl and I'm sure there will be other suggestions for you. Sounds like you like compsand construction, Katana does them too.

I want to use the SF for smaller days, say to just overhead an then have the stepup for when the surf picks up so it's a good step up board that I'm looking at. How do you find the FR when it's in the conditions it's meant for?
I spoke to a shaper yesterday, the dude in cordingleys at scarbs and he edged me towards the FR rather than the HF. He obviously knows what he's talking about and was pretty honest.
It's just good to get feedback from people who actually have one or both of the boards...
Would you say it's a good 2 board combination, or do they overlap a little and should I consider a different board to the FR? I'm already set on the SF.

Cordingley's dont shape anymore, not for a hell of a long time. You can order a custom through them which is shaped by Dave Lewis, dunno what brand it would come out as or how much it would set you back.

The bloke you spoke to is not a shaper, he's a retailer who makes 3-400 bucks off selling other peoples boards or pop outs from asia. The board he's going to recommend to you is the one he makes most margin off. That's his job.
If as you say he is a shaper then he is a failed shaper that couldn't make a living shaping and selling his craft.Sounds like just the sort of bloke I'd want to sell me a board.

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Phil27 said...

I want to use the SF for smaller days, say to just overhead an then have the stepup for when the surf picks up so it's a good step up board that I'm looking at. How do you find the FR when it's in the conditions it's meant for?
I spoke to a shaper yesterday, the dude in cordingleys at scarbs and he edged me towards the FR rather than the HF. He obviously knows what he's talking about and was pretty honest.
It's just good to get feedback from people who actually have one or both of the boards...
Would you say it's a good 2 board combination, or do they overlap a little and should I consider a different board to the FR? I'm already set on the SF.

In my opinion the 2 boards are very dissimilar so you wont need to worry about overlap. I am a good 10kg lighter than you, same height but on the wrong side of 40 so the 6'2" FR should suit you better for the conditions it's meant for, just chuck a bigger set of fins in when you want to use it as a step up. Unfortunately you never know if a new board is going to be the best board ever or a dog? A good reason to go by another one!

i would forget about a Hellfire, it would have a higher range than the SF but not by that much and certainly not 8ft ( nearly triple overhead).
The FR would be a better choice but it's still primarily a small wave board. If you got one as a step up i would recommend going a little narrower and longer with a rounded pin.

Fred rubble is great board. I've got a 5'10" round tail. Rides like a normal hp short board but the flat entry rocker means you glide though fat section rather than bog down. Great for beaches or fatter waves. Seem to prefer it as a thruster than a quad though.

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dan berry said...

Fred rubble is great board. I've got a 5'10" round tail. Rides like a normal hp short board but the flat entry rocker means you glide though fat section rather than bog down. Great for beaches or fatter waves. Seem to prefer it as a thruster than a quad though.

Spot on I have the 5.11 and love it on the fatter days
Works well at yalls up to about head and 1/2

The F/wire Spitfire and Hellfire are very different boards.

The spitfire is basically a F/wire dominator with a thinner tail.

Its a great board if you live in a place with fat full waves.

The hellfire on the other hand is a bit more like a AL merrick Flyer2.

Its still a hybrid but will surf in cleaner and bigger surf much better.

due to the fin con caves it rides a little different at first but is a great board.

I'd say go the F/wire over the rubble. It will be far more versatile and has a 5 fin config to make it even more.

go for the FST construct and you'll be on a winner.

Yeah I have ordered the 6' Spitfire, the other board is as a step up for when conditions are on...
Ive gone off the rubble at the moment, to be honest I think the guy was trying to make a sale the more I think about it. The Flyer is an option but for the durability the Firewires seem the go. Im actually edging towards the Alternator but the Hellfire is still a very good alternative...

the alternator is pretty standard short board.

if your wanting something more hybrid, go for the hellfire or even the futura.. (older model but a goodie)

if your looking at the C.I's try the dagger or even the gravy