I know the Firewire marketing hype but what do people who have tried Slater's new Sci Fi think about it? I've seen people riding it and no one has gone GAGA over it. Any feedback on length you like compared to other boards or about on how it rides, catches waves or maneuvers?

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Replace turf grass with native plants that don't need irrigation and synthetic fertilizers or chemicals that can go into our waterways and ocean

I was thinking about that board or the pizalien and eneded up buying the pizalien.  It's pretty awesome, turns on a dime and is real fast. Only complaint I have is that it's too skinny.  Thickness is good, just the width is too narrow.  But I normally ride a fish so it probably seems a lot skinnier to me.

Was thinking about getting the new machado fish.  Anyone get to ride one of those yet?

 

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Stu Sharpe has the "UFO" model that per-dates the Sci-Fi by a couple years and is a very similar shape. Short, wide tail , channels with a lot of concave and it rides great...it's the best small wave board I've ever had. And as a added bonus it's made right here in Brevard County by guys you surf next to on a day to day basis.

Machado fish - has a pinline made out of plastic!  Also, the channels point in the wrong direction.  Firewire's quality is very poor overall.  Their fin installations vary to unacceptable degrees.

Don't support Thai imported surfboards made by non surfers.

Support local shapers who surf and design and make boards for the waves we ride.

 

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"Man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is" a.camus

Here's some facts about the Sci Fi #1 Slater / Tomo Any questions? #2 I've been surfing 5 decades By far Best SURFBOARD I've ever ridden in Mel Bch, PR, and Typhoon Lagoon. #3 Have sold this board to 6 yrs old to 66 yrs old and they are telling us exactly that Best wave catcher, best for 3 foot to overhead. And this is after selling 200 Sci Fi boards. #4 See #1 When you don't try something new in your surfing you have stopped growing. Ask Simon Anderson, Steve Lis, George Geenough, Steve Walden etc. And I will even throw this out there call me and you can ride my Sci Fi and then you will know too. Sincerely Bill B Boardroom Manager Longboard House 800.844.6211

Daner,  I own a Sci-Fi:  5’11” with stock dims and Futures AM2s. I am 175lb and I think the size is about right for me. 

Now before I get taken down too hard by the “buy local” crew, keep in mind that over the past 35 years I have bought dozens of locally shaped boards. Most Munson, Sharpe and Nielson and I will continue to support and buy mostly local. However, with the emergence/prevalence of these mass produced shapes, like many others, I tend to be curious about the hype and will pick one up every now and then so I can judge for myself quality, performance and value relative to my normal local shaper products. 

What I like:  This board paddles and catches waves real well.  It does seem to have a good deal of springy flex to it and it’s capable of some pretty explosive turns.  I can tell you the whole planning hull thing is for real as this boa rdcan be a real rocket when foot placement/weight distribution is just right (more on that later).  I’ve ridden it as both a thruster and quad and while the quad stabilizes things for me a bit I like the thruster better in this board, as long as there is enough juice to make it go.  For me its got to be at least waist high to ride this board.  I’ve heard others say they can ride it in smaller surf but I just cannot make that happen, perhaps due to being 50. 

What I do not like as much:  While the planning hull can be an absolute speed demon, this board is very sensitive to foot placement and weight distribution.  For context, I have ridden mostly “floaty” boards in the past 10 years such as various sizes of the Nielson Floaty Fish and they seem to be way more forgiving and tolerant of my sometimes imperfect foot positioning on popups.  The boards I’ve become accustomed to, and maybe developed bad habits from, have much more foam in the forward section of the board which usually allows me to generate very good down the line speed using front foot technique.  This is also I survival skill in CFL waves since so often I’m trying to get through fat/flat sections.  I like to think I’ve adapted my surfing well to my equipment and prevalent conditions.  With the Sci-Fi it seems that the engine generating all of its killer speed is in the back with the wide tail and channels/planning hull bottom.  I have my moments where I get it dialed in and it goes like hell, but there have been too many times when I’ve instinctively applied my decades-in-the-making front foot technique to generate speed in less than stepp sections, only to completely bog down.  So while I totally “get” the design motivation for this board and it can work well in our CFL conditions, I am still adapting to it.  I also switch back and forth between a variety of boards and this one seems to take the longest to adapt to , though when I do get it dialed in it can be pretty sweet.  

Would I buy it again?  Probably not because its not as well suited to my individual style/technique as perhaps others but I still think it’s a pretty lethal speed demon with incredible turning capability and all in a package that paddles and catches waves very well.  That’s quite a lot to say for a surfboard. I’ve probably got about 8 sessions on mine.  Its very possible that as I ride it more I will get it dialed in a bit better, though I have honestly thought about selling it at times.  If someone were to walk up and offer me five bills for it, that would be tough to refuse.  Anyway, good luck in your quest for your next magic board.  For now my go-to in most all of our local conditions is still my locally shaped Nielson Floaty Fish.

They are all just lame, China made, lil plastic dildos!!! Noone in this town, including some of our best young surfers, has done anything but REGRESS since getting on those lame lil things!!! Im sure Im fixin to get called a "Slater" basher, but, Ive been surfing here longer than he has, know just as much about boards, and I surf here everday when he's barely surfed here in 25 years!!! They are crap; Firewires are crap, and KS11'S "supposed" technology is a farse, a marketing ploy, and if it works at all; It only works for the world's best surfers in the world's best surf!!! Dont pay $800 for that plastic, China crap when Bruce, Stu, Allen, or Bagel can shape you a better board for half the price, and you'll actually be saving some lil sweatshop Chinaman from bleeding fingers!!! Just Saying cause I know!!!-

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Tubes, Boobs, & Doobs!!!

Bagel shapes a fun Sci Fi board.

LOL... looks like the Cat just sprayed all over this thread    *

Speaking of "Local shapers", what's Joe Johnson up to these days?  While the term "magic board" gets thrown around too loosely, I'll say I've only had a handful in close to 30 yrs of surfing and he shaped two of them..

 

* I generally agree with the Catsprays premise but I've heard good things about that board from friends for surf in the chest high+ zone (just being honest)

Thanks for the feedback folks.

Especially SpeedyForFin for the thorough review pro and con.

and thanks Bill- you can't take the sell out of a salesman.

Never been a fan of Firewire but as Bill said you have to keep an open mind.



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Replace turf grass with native plants that don't need irrigation and synthetic fertilizers or chemicals that can go into our waterways and ocean

Sci Fi, Evo and Machado Go Fish all work good, so stoke to be riding them, Thank you Longboard House.. I supported local shapers for almost 50 years!!!

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The Wavecaster

What length Sci Fi do you ride Tip? Is there something you particularly like about it compared to other shortboards?

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Replace turf grass with native plants that don't need irrigation and synthetic fertilizers or chemicals that can go into our waterways and ocean

Daner--5'10, in rib/chest ++ & 6'1" for groveling.

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The Wavecaster

edit

Edited: 09/22/2017 at 01:10 PM by IMAKEWK

I saw him at surfing santa, didn't ask about if he is still shaping or lived in the area but he was ripping as always!

I will never forget when I saw him at second light with a prototype he shaped two hours prior and glassed with suncure.....guy is definition of stoke!

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I troll 2L.com to be a better person in real life

IMAKEWK---we live in florida. so these 8 s period waves which have no juice are not good waves to push the limits of these sci fis and tomos. HAVE TO DISAGREE, these Tomo boards generate more speed than any boards I've ever ridden on these mushy Florida waves. As for the Rob Machado Go Fish, I was told by a couple local CFL shapers the board won't work because the channels are wrong? oh well the board is fast as shit, no gimmick

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The Wavecaster

Joe is still shaping and surfing and kite surfing.

He hasn't ridden a board with a nose in years.

The Tomo I tried was very fast and that was at 4th Street in CCB. It was a little to corky for my tastes, but speed was no problem.

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I was right.

I appreciate all the comments. Thanks Cole. I really dislike a corky board so that is very relevant for me.

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Replace turf grass with native plants that don't need irrigation and synthetic fertilizers or chemicals that can go into our waterways and ocean

Edited: 08/16/2017 at 09:03 AM by daner

+1000000

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Surf, Music, Good Times. Ride Surftoyz!!

well Mole knows best

 

all im saying is bring it next time you go to PR