Firewire Too Fish Helium Volcanic Surfboard

Rob says that the Too Fish is, "My favorite in small and weak waves because of how thick and floaty it is in the forward two thirds of the board, but this shape is also thinned out aggressively in the tail to enable hold in powerful waves. I've ridden the Too Fish in everything from overhead waves on the North Shore to perfect days on the reef at home, and also the weakest most disorganized junk surf at the beach break in front of my house. This is my favorite board for all conditions."

Wave Type
Rob Machado's update on the popular Go Fish model from 2017, this is your fish shape for speed. Cruisey and fun in small and weak waves. Recommended in 1-5' surf, skewing towards poor/flat to average conditions.

Board Features
A best-selling outline, Rob's take on the classic fish shape is timeless with built-in modern performance. A single concave runs from the swallow tail through the chest, with the wide point just above center. The shape is floaty in the chest but thinned out aggressively in the tail to enable hold in more powerful waves.

Performance Advantages
It is extremely fast and is very trustworthy in steep surf. It likes the pocket a lot more and has much more bite in it than a Seaside. Works great at your true shortboard liters, largely due the wider tail. It also paddles a little better than the Seaside.

In sizing up (2-4L above your ‘normal’), it may be the best board in Firewire's offering. The sweet spot is bigger and less critical, you can surf forward on it easily, it generates great speed down the line, but with great control and the rail still engages well. It was found to be more trustworthy in steeper sections that the Seaside and is an ideal board (rivaling/ even beating out the Sweet Potato, Sun and SAB) for a board with glide that has more performance.

In Comparison To
Go Fish - It’s a lot quicker in the pocket compared to the Go Fish. Doesn’t hold a rail quite as well as the Go Fish, but definitely much more maneuverable in the pocket.

Seaside – Rides very different to the Seaside. The rails bury into the water further and allow a tighter turn. It’s also easier to change direction back to the open face after a little down carve or cut back. The Too Fish pivots more like a shortboard. The seaside pivots more like an 80’s shortboard. A little more above the water and you need to wash the speed a bit for it to roll to the rail. Especially in the pocket.

Machado's Tips
The sweet spot is very small (more so on smaller sizes) and you need to be as far back as possible over the fins or else it won’t perform to its maximum abilities. If you’re too far forward it will still be fast and skatey, but it’ll just wash out or not come around when trying to put it on rail. That being said, if you’re in the sweet spot, it holds unreal.

A beginner to intermediate surfer could probably buy it a bit bigger to make the sweet spot a little bigger.

Accessorizing
The RM Keels are ideal for the board and work well in all sizes. In the Too Fish, they have a ton of drive, but you can still get it to go straight up and down really easily.

The Kelly Twin+2 also works well and didn’t slide out at all on the smaller sized boards. A 5’0-5’4 Too Fish surfer might want an upright fin. This board will crack the lip and they may like that set up.

Make sure to get the pad back far enough to accommodate that sweet spot of having your feet far back over the fins. Go Pad is perfect with some small adjustments.

Helium Core Technology

This is your ideal technology choice for generating speed in weak, everyday waves. The Firewire Helium technology is a stringerless 1.0 lb EPS foam core with flex controlled with rails made from Paulownia and Balsa wood, running the complete length from nose to tail, combined with a 3mm proprietary aerospace composite deck skin.

The wood rails enable a lively flex in the rail that gives a loaded-up, spring-back feeling, and the deck skins make your board feel this way for a long time.

Helium deck skins are beneficial for both durability and performance - and have a memory that will rebound back to form after being compressed, making it very responsive in addition to keeping your deck surface pristine for many years.

Helium Performance
Ideal for generating speed in weak, everyday waves - this is your choice if you want unmatched response, lightweight and durability. Helium has a lively, responsive flex underfoot, and surfs quickly and explosively when creating tight angles.

Helium Construction
The Firewire Helium technology is a stringerless 1.0 lb EPS foam core with flex controlled with rails made from Paulownia and Balsa wood, running the complete length from nose to tail, combined with a 3mm proprietary aerospace composite deck skin.

Helium Lamination Compatibility
Helium cores are paired with fiberglass lamination, Volcanic lamination, Timbertek lamination, or Artificial Wave Technology fiberglass lamination.

Volcanic Lamination Technology

Volcanic lamination technology is made from basalt, a natural element that comes from volcanic rocks. These volcanic rocks are crushed, melted down and then extruded into woven fibers that make up the basalt cloth Firewire uses in this lamination technology. This process requires the basalt rock to get to about 1,500 degrees Celsius (2,730 degrees Fahrenheit.)

The cloth has the same functional characteristics to carbon, making it a sustainable alternative to carbon, which is very bad for the environment. While basalt fiber has been around for decades, it's relatively new to fiber reinforced polymers (FRPs) and structural composites used for surfboard manufacturing. It has a similar chemical composition to glass fiber, but better strength characteristics.

Volcanic Performance
Firewire's most durable construction with elevated response. This sustainable alternative to carbon is stronger than carbon and can also withstand higher temperatures than carbon, making it a top choice for the aerospace industry in the manufacturing of rockets and jet engines. It also has higher elasticity than traditional carbon, allowing the board to have more flex for a natural feel underfoot.

Volcanic Construction
The Firewire Volcanic lamination schedule is double 4 oz basalt cloth on the deck, and single 4 oz basalt cloth on the bottom.

Volcanic Core Compatibility
Volcanic lamination is paired with either I-Bolic cores or Helium cores.