Tomo Kitesurf Vader Firewire FST 5'3"

The Tomo Vader was designed by surfboard shaper Daniel “Tomo” Thomson. Firewire took his shape and, by using their Futures Shapes Technology construction, made this board durable enough for kitesurfing. The Vader is a versatile kitesurf board that has proven performance in waist high to double overhead surf. We were able to test the Vader and Vanguard at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in chest to head high surf and get a feel for the differences between the two.

Tech Specs:
• Durable Firewire FST construction
• 5-fin convertible
• single concave
• diamond tail
• nose and tail rocker

What We Like:
We found unique differences between Tomo’s Vader and Vanguard shapes. The Vader has more rocker than the Vanguard, allowing it to be surfed in steeper, more hollow waves. We tested this board as a tri fin, which helped with upwind performance and provided more pivot when turning on steeper waves. We enjoyed this board for riding in the bigger surf and making critical turns in the pocket. The outline of this board worked awesome for going rail-to-rail.

Insider Info:
Get yourself a 5-fin set for this board. It was helpful to feel how both the tri and quad setups feel to dial in what works best in the given conditions. The Vader has four channels out the back giving this board extra lift and hold for riding and controlling speed. The parallel rail outline along with the shorter length felt great for quick directional changes and adjustments in some of the steeper surf. This is a great board for most kite surfers especially intermediates and for those more dedicated kite surfers looking to take their riding to the next level.

Why You Want This Board:
You want a single kite surfboard that you are going to be able to use in most surf conditions. You want a travel friendly board that is both compact and durable. You want a fast, quick turning board for dominating the surf.

The Vader represents the current pinnacle of Daniel "Tomo" Thomson's Modern Planing Hull (MPH) Vision.

5'3" x 17.75" x 2.3125" Vol:25.7L

Firewire's Description:


The Vader represents the current pinnacle of Daniel "Tomo" Thomson's Modern Planing Hull (MPH) Vision.

Dan describes the Vader as a Mind Surfing Machine, which reacts instantaneously to desired directional changes with incredible bursts of speed. Controlled, drawn out carves and radical tight angle snaps are achievable with an effortless and intuitive shift in a surfer’s weight. In addition, paddle power and generally usability have been increased with a larger volume distribution throughout comparative to the Vanguard, which encourages surfers to ride the Vader even shorter than previously considered functional.

Versatility …. The Vader ticks all the boxes and is a stand out performer from waist high to double overhead, offering a natural Quad-fin option which creates significantly increased speed in weaker conditions, or switch to a Tri-Fin for a high-speed surgical attack when the waves demand additional control.

Experience the Future of High Performance Surfing!

Firewire Future Shapes Technology (FST):
FST relies primarily on the PARABOLIC Balsa Rail to control flex while the high density aerospace composite vacuumed to both top and bottom decks provides significant impact strength, far greater than traditional surfboard construction methods.

The Parabolic Balsa Rail features 12mm balsa built from 3 x 4mm strips, which as mentioned not only control flex and add strength, but also act as a buffer against rail dings. Furthermore, the long-term flex memory supplied by the balsa rails ensures FST boards maintain their lively feel for longer.