Does anybody out there own one? What are your thoughts?

I've hear all the marketing and sales pitches for it being the funnest 1 board quiver you can get, but is it true? Could you go to Indo with just a HK?

For most guys they are pretty sick to ride up to head and a half. After that they not as good Ican surf but im definatly not a pro good they are pretty good but. Me mate has one and swears by it Ive ridden it a couple times and I rate it pretty hexxy price but

Worst board Eva in my opinion. One word; corked!

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Ctngoodvibes said...
Worst board Eva in my opinion. One word; corked!

Wow I would not be that harsh. I rode one and really had some fun on it. Imo it is very limited to what you can surf it in,well for me being a average punter. It is another fat nosed board with a pin tail. Once again go see your local shaper and have a chat. Or if the marketing hype gets you so pumped you want to drop a bundle,well get in the Que and join the other brainwashed sheep

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Ctngoodvibes said..

Worst board Eva in my opinion. One word; corked!

What size did you have and what weight are you?

They are a good board but if I had to buy a HS, I'd get a Shred Sled.

BUT make no mistake, a mate purchased in WA a Shred Sled in Future Flex, and it clearly says on the bottom "Global Surf Industries - Made In Thailand"

Harsh maybe but that's how it rode. I wanted it to be a groveller but it clearly wasn't. That said it may go well in good waves....I didn't hang on to it long enough to find out.

^^ C'mon Ctn tell us what size it was!

Hypto is an allrounder and if you found it too corky obviously you had the wrong size. Any board will be rubbish if it's too big or small.

It was a 6'0. I normally ride around 35 litres and this was around that figure I think. I put my dislike of it down to 2 things;
It's had a gun style pin tail (never good in small waves)
It is epoxy and every epoxy board I have owned has been ****e.
Each to their own though others like it but I didn't
(Edit I am 90 kg and 6'2" tall)
I wonder sometimes if these heavily marketed boards will be looked back on like 90s rake thin super rockered boards. A fad that didnt work for most.

I've previously owned a few HS boards. (hypto, s/sled, merlot)

Prior to that i had a few Firewires but had a bad run with construction issues.

I recently demoed and then bought a Firewire tomo vanguard.
Was willing to give the construction the benefit of the doubt in exchange for the shape.

in my opinion this is the best 1 board quiver.

i've ridden it in 1ft > 5ft and its a blast in everything.

Have firewire sorted their construction issues yet? They certainly have some nice shapes. The chubby chedda looks sweet. Would be nice to demo one coz its a big $ outlay to find out you don't like it.

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JBFletch said..

I've previously owned a few HS boards. (hypto, s/sled, merlot)

Prior to that i had a few Firewires but had a bad run with construction issues.

I recently demoed and then bought a Firewire tomo vanguard.
Was willing to give the construction the benefit of the doubt in exchange for the shape.

in my opinion this is the best 1 board quiver.

i've ridden it in 1ft > 5ft and its a blast in everything.

A few retailers that i spoke with (of Firewire boards) really didn't talk to kindly of the Vanguard I am keen to try one still as everyone who has tried one loved it. Not everyone was happy with the construction though.

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Ctngoodvibes said..

It was a 6'0. I normally ride around 35 litres and this was around that figure I think. I put my dislike of it down to 2 things;
It's had a gun style pin tail (never good in small waves)
It is epoxy and every epoxy board I have owned has been ****e.
Each to their own though others like it but I didn't
(Edit I am 90 kg and 6'2" tall)
I wonder sometimes if these heavily marketed boards will be looked back on like 90s rake thin super rockered boards. A fad that didnt work for most.

Heavy marketing - they should certainly have enough in the kitty for that.

$1,000 for a board made in Thailand. Enough said!

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jbshack said..

JBFletch said..

I've previously owned a few HS boards. (hypto, s/sled, merlot)

Prior to that i had a few Firewires but had a bad run with construction issues.

I recently demoed and then bought a Firewire tomo vanguard.
Was willing to give the construction the benefit of the doubt in exchange for the shape.

in my opinion this is the best 1 board quiver.

i've ridden it in 1ft > 5ft and its a blast in everything.

as previously mentioned, i have in the past had issues with FireWires construction.

A few retailers that i spoke with (of Firewire boards) really didn't talk to kindly of the Vanguard I am keen to try one still as everyone who has tried one loved it. Not everyone was happy with the construction though.

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jbshack said..

JBFletch said..

I've previously owned a few HS boards. (hypto, s/sled, merlot)

Prior to that i had a few Firewires but had a bad run with construction issues.

I recently demoed and then bought a Firewire tomo vanguard.
Was willing to give the construction the benefit of the doubt in exchange for the shape.

in my opinion this is the best 1 board quiver.

i've ridden it in 1ft > 5ft and its a blast in everything.

A few retailers that i spoke with (of Firewire boards) really didn't talk to kindly of the Vanguard I am keen to try one still as everyone who has tried one loved it. Not everyone was happy with the construction though.

as mentioned previously, i have in the past had issues with FireWires construction.
I'm also quite sceptical about new "flashy" technologies and shapes.

Not to long ago i thought HS shapes where the next best thing since 3 fins but after riding the VANGUARD i've since changed.

I up until now rode a 5"4 X 20 1/2, 5"8 X 19 and 5"11 X 19.

I now believe i have as good a small wave performer as my 5"4 X 20 1/2, as good a beach bomber as my 5"8 and as good a point charger as my 5"11 (yet to prove the latter tho)

The vanguard i bought was 5"4 X 18.
It paddles great, floats well, catches waves with ease and does some of the tightest most aggressive cutties i've done in years.

Sure it's a weird looking thing, but try one and you'll be pleasantly surprised.
I also believe the new "white" Rapid Fire construction has a tougher deck, which my previous firewire boards demise.

Get on it.

Been a big fan of HS, had the Hypto, Germ, Shred Sled, Fat Cat and Blakcat x 2

The Hypto was a bit of a miss for me, some rave about it but it didn't really suit my style of surfing. Paddles well, is loose but I didn't like the lines it drew

If you get a custom it is made here, if you buy off the rack you get a GSI Thailand board. I always pay the extra $50 or so and get a custom, to me its way worth it

The quality and durability of these boards is great and to me worth the coin

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JBFletch said..

jbshack said..

JBFletch said..

I've previously owned a few HS boards. (hypto, s/sled, merlot)

Prior to that i had a few Firewires but had a bad run with construction issues.

I recently demoed and then bought a Firewire tomo vanguard.
Was willing to give the construction the benefit of the doubt in exchange for the shape.

in my opinion this is the best 1 board quiver.

i've ridden it in 1ft > 5ft and its a blast in everything.

as previously mentioned, i have in the past had issues with FireWires construction.

A few retailers that i spoke with (of Firewire boards) really didn't talk to kindly of the Vanguard I am keen to try one still as everyone who has tried one loved it. Not everyone was happy with the construction though.

jbshack said..

JBFletch said..

I've previously owned a few HS boards. (hypto, s/sled, merlot)

Prior to that i had a few Firewires but had a bad run with construction issues.

I recently demoed and then bought a Firewire tomo vanguard.
Was willing to give the construction the benefit of the doubt in exchange for the shape.

in my opinion this is the best 1 board quiver.

i've ridden it in 1ft > 5ft and its a blast in everything.

A few retailers that i spoke with (of Firewire boards) really didn't talk to kindly of the Vanguard I am keen to try one still as everyone who has tried one loved it. Not everyone was happy with the construction though.

as mentioned previously, i have in the past had issues with FireWires construction.
I'm also quite sceptical about new "flashy" technologies and shapes.

Not to long ago i thought HS shapes where the next best thing since 3 fins but after riding the VANGUARD i've since changed.

I up until now rode a 5"4 X 20 1/2, 5"8 X 19 and 5"11 X 19.

I now believe i have as good a small wave performer as my 5"4 X 20 1/2, as good a beach bomber as my 5"8 and as good a point charger as my 5"11 (yet to prove the latter tho)

The vanguard i bought was 5"4 X 18.
It paddles great, floats well, catches waves with ease and does some of the tightest most aggressive cutties i've done in years.

Sure it's a weird looking thing, but try one and you'll be pleasantly surprised.
I also believe the new "white" Rapid Fire construction has a tougher deck, which my previous firewire boards demise.

Get on it.

JBFlectch how tall are you and what's your weight?

here was my story about white rapid fire construction

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Surfing/Shortboards/snapping-firewire/?SearchTerms=snapping,firewire

Im 6"0 and weigh 75kg (78kg after a big night of beers).

im pretty bloody lazy and in no way consider myself a elite surfer, however this thing is making me slightly closer to reaching it.

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dmitri said..

here was my story about white rapid fire construction

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Surfing/Shortboards/snapping-firewire/?SearchTerms=snapping,firewire

Did you end up getting it inspected by FW?

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dmitri said..

here was my story about white rapid fire construction

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Surfing/Shortboards/snapping-firewire/?SearchTerms=snapping,firewire

Dmitri did you ever take it back

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jbshack said..

dmitri said..

here was my story about white rapid fire construction

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Surfing/Shortboards/snapping-firewire/?SearchTerms=snapping,firewire

Dmitri did you ever take it back

yeah, i followed advises and took it back to a dealer where fw rep looked at her and found nothing wrong.

but, to fw credit, they decided supply me a new stick for $350 as a goodwill.
took 'em 6 months to deliver though.

the new board got a bamboo deck, but i didn't use it yet, thinking selling her for profit