Firewire Surfboards

Start with the Machado Seaside and Machado Mashup. In our Seaside review, we found it fast and lively, with the speed to carry across flat sections. The Mashup combines elements of the Seaside and Spitfire, bringing small-wave speed together with a more vertical approach in better waves. Choose around the waves you ride and the way you want to surf, rather than picking on volume alone.

The Seaside is a dedicated quad with a refined fish outline for tighter turns and carves. The Too Fish is Machado’s updated Go Fish concept: a traditional fish outline with revised bottom contours, lift and glide, and a twin-fin feel. Both are built around speed and fun, but the fin setup and outline give you different options. Read our Seaside review and compare the Too Fish’s model details before choosing.

The Dominator Pro refines the Dominator 2.0 with more rocker, a narrower nose and tail, and less foam in the rails. It’s aimed at surfers wanting tighter pocket surfing and more performance in good waves while retaining some of the Dominator’s accessibility. In our review with Trip and Dawson, Dawson found it especially good in chest- to head-high surf and suited to intermediate and advanced surfers.

There isn’t one volume adjustment for every Firewire. In our Dominator Pro review, Dawson stayed close to his normal shortboard volume. The Boss Up has different guidance: its published model description recommends roughly 13 liters more than your standard shortboard. Start with design, then volume and dimensions—the order we use in our surfboard buying guide. Size for the model and what you want it to do.

Compare the Slater Designs Boss Up and Machado Seaside & Beyond. The Boss Up extends the S Boss concept with a longer rail line and is designed for carving across a broad range of conditions. The Seaside & Beyond stretches Machado’s fish concept into a longer board for glide and turns. Look at each model’s dimensions and intended feel rather than treating all midlengths as the same board.

Start with the fin boxes and setup on the actual board you’re buying. The Seaside is designed specifically as a quad; in our review we rode it with Machado quad fins. On the Dominator Pro, Dawson used a large Firewire V3 rake template for drawn-out turns and release. Those are examples from our testing, rather than one fin recommendation for every surfer. Browse surfboard fins and ask us for help matching your board, size and surfing style.

No. Our selection includes Firewire HE, Ibolic, Ibolic 2.0, Volcanic and Full Carbon options, depending on the model and board. Check the construction listed on the actual board you’re considering. For the Helium Seaside, the model description highlights a light, responsive and softer-flexing feel for smaller, weaker waves. That description shouldn’t be applied to every Firewire construction. Compare the Seaside options or ask us about the specific board you have in mind.