@@ThomyeSurfs I don't think so. Both at the same time (and in sync) are useful to study manoeuvre timing. I reckon the PIP size is fine when you use Theater Mode on UA-cam.
I’ve had one of these in PU for a couple years in 5’8”. I’ve pushed it in bigger stuff and have ridden it as a 2+1. Didn’t like as a quad as much but liked it the most as a thruster with some futures legacy pivots. Really fun board for east coast. It’s basically a fish with a diamond tail and some flyers. It also has a really nice channel that runs down the center which starts behind the mid point. It really helps it squirt and gives it some lift.
that's interesting about the Channel, the ecoskin version didn't seem to have that but I can see how it could help. might have to find and try out a PU version instead.
Love the video! If you have a splash at the end you could use that to sync them up, and maybe increase saturation on the shore angle so they look more similar! In videography we usually use a clap, but it would be very annoying to clap before or after every wave lol. Or you can use the gopro audio of each paddle stroke to visually get a rough idea of each. Great board review man keep it up!
bro, great idea. totally makes sense. I was trying to use an off the lip to sync it but it looks so different on pov than shore. I'll try it for sure. thanks.
Ohh, wow, cool you looked into this board! Saw a second hand in perfect condition for almost no money in my volyme, I was really thinking of that one actually!
Great review Thomye! I surf the twice baked (but still have the old baked potato- about 15 yrs old 🤦🏽♂️) and love it. Needs the right fins and waves but it still turns on. You got me thinking about this one though. We will see. Keep Surfin UA-cam brother
Funny you should mention the Baked Potato. I wrote an email to Firewire and asked if they would bring it back or let me order a custom helium. I think they blocked me, LOL.
Great review, and I agree that the double camera view is really helpful. The waves look way softer in the POV view than I expected from the regular camera angle. That being said I had a previous generation Aloha Ecoskin board and the durability was not great, it picked up a lot of pressure dents around the stringer and eventually developed fiberglass cracks along the stringer where the dents got deep enough. Then when water got into the cracks the wood essentially permanently discolored and it was also a pain to get repaired.
One thing I noticed in the past is that my beached views made all waves look more steep and often bigger than it was, then I realized it was likely cuz my camera is usually situated about 10 or 15 feet above sea level. The higher I set up the camera, the bigger teh waves looked. LOL. Also, thanks for the feedback. I've only had mine about 3 months so it was hard to say. I did mention that I have a slight pressure dent, very shallow, where my back foot is placed. I also didn't put a traction pad on either. Anyways, appreciate the comment.
great review, always love watching you surf small waves. gopro view shows great colors but the shore view i can understand better what youre doing on the wave - not that you asked or anything hah. i liked how you did the picture in picture though. look forward to the next one
Aloha seem to be a targeting the non core market with lower priced boards - but they use legit shapers to design their models. I have an EPS Twin D which is a performance small wave board design for a twin plus trailer set up by James Wood who is a shaper from Lennox head and it is awesome.
Agreed, definitely targeting the non core market but it makes sense. Any shaper that gets to a certain point in their career has to start using Ghost Shapers and alternative construction so they can keep up with demand. I personally like options. The more the better.
Great board. It surfs way better than any of the potato boards. I had one (5'6) a couple years ago and it exceeded my expectations. It's like an average Joe with more rocker. I road it in some a chest plus in February (east coast here) in a hooded 5/4, 7mm boots, and 5mm claws and had the best time. No learning curve, lots of perfjoamcne and it goes great as a quad and a thruster.
Hi Thomye!! Thanks for adding some good price/value unknown boards. I thought of you lately as I found a cheap 5.7 LFT baked potato and remembered you said it was your favorite groveler. Im 180lb intermediate weekend warrior working on my turns. My current boards are Rnf96 33l, Dominator2 31l and Sunday 6.4. Do you think this baked is too big for me? I think the perfect size for me would be 5.5 but since it is LFT I thought it could be interesting. I don't think I have a strict groveler in my quiver and some mushy days when traveling I wished I had one. Maybe this Aloha board could be an option too. Thank you for your help boss!!
Depends on how much grovel you really need. The 5'7 is 39L. At your weight, it should be fine. My Baked Potato was 5'1" and 29L. I weigh 145. Mathematically, if you did the relative volume, it would put you on 36L. But given where you are in your progression, it is better to have something that can catch more waves. I've surfed the 5'5 Baked (ua-cam.com/video/ozI8FHrBM6s/v-deo.htmlsi=joKbMy2xpFVl1gC6) and that board worked really well in really soft small stuff. How tall are you BTW, you definitely want to surf the BP shorter than your height. Aloha is a great option too, if you want to buy new. The only way you can get other boards at the same price is to buy used. Aloha is a Great value.
@@ThomyeSurfs yes I saw your videos on the 5.5 and 5.7 but your style and turns are very mastered and not as hindered by the volume or its what I perceive from the videos. Im 5.11. I want a groveler but still want to work on my turns. The eternal discusion I guess. I'll take it that you think I'll still enjoy the board in 5.7 thanks boss!!!
Hi Thomye!! I would like to ask you one last question. Have you ever tried the CI Fishcuit? Its a groveler with a slightly different approach compared to firewire in terms of width. The times I tried the potatoes found them a bit too wide. Still the fishcuit manages to get the same volume through thickness. What difference in ride and paddle do you think this will provide? Fishcuit 5.6 20 2 3/4 36l. Thanks boss!
Great review thanks! I bought one of these on recent sale and so far super happy with it in small crappy waves. I actually find I prefer thruster setup on it to quad…even in tiny waves. But I’m an old guy at 65 and not a great surfer so fin setup doesn’t make a big difference 🤣🤣
I agree with it working as a Thruster better. I started out with it has a quad but ended it as a thruster. I forgot to note that in the video. Anyways, it definitely had better hold and drive throughout the turn with that center fin. Thanks for mentioning that.
Thank you very much Thomye, nice surfing is these miniwaves as usual, and the board goes great. Would you say the ecoskin is lighter than timbertek, or about the same?
A couple months ago I bought a used Baked Potato in timbertek 5'3 x 21 1/4 x 2 3/8 32L and have tried it in small stuff and up to chest/shoulder. I find it so hard to set the rail and get vertical and do a roundhouse cutback without falling off but I can do that easily with the 5'4 mashup.. do you thnk fins make a huge difference? I currently have future flow split keel quads. I also wonder if its the weight making it hard to turn, the board is so heavy! On slightly steeper days, especially on backside I noticed my nose with catch on the flats after doing a turn at the top and I would go flying forward. I wonder if I need to move my backfoot to the tail and then slight laterally to whichever rail is being engaged...
On my baked, I used the stretch quads. Or stretch frontfins with a raked rear fin. As for your nose catching it could be that the board is flatter than the mashup. Also I ride a fight for mashup but served a 5-1 baked potato. Which went really well. A 5'3 might be just too big.
@@ThomyeSurfs thanks! Well I sold the 5'3 baked potato this morning so that's that... I haven't been able to find any 5'1s at all! I imagine the ones that still exist are in use and no one is giving them up! I bet that would work way better than the 5'3 for my weight/height.
@@madscientistdan yeah for sure. my 5'1 was one of the most fun boards i've owned. I asked Firewire if there was a plan to bring it back at some point and they ghosted me. haha
@@ThomyeSurfs haha... yea the baked potato in 5'1 helium would be really fun! Wonder if maybe they are releasing something similar and don't want to ruin the surprise...
I used to have this board but found somewhat unstable. I can see this happening to you also that you fail to make final section either falling or leaving you behind the wave. I liked the design but sold it and bought Twicebaked. Twicebaked was a totally different board and I rode it for 2 years. I now ride Sweetpotato2.
Yeah, I found that the board went well as a quad but had too mush looseness cuz of the wide tail. I liked it much better as a thruster. As a thruster, to me it feels like a bigger version of my old baked potato. I wish they would bring that back.
New soloshot, LOL. I sent the old one in for upgrade but then it was taking so long that I decided to buy a new one. It was that period of time where I didn't post for like 5 months. The issue now though is that sometimes, and only sometimes, it doesn't zoom in so I look like I'm a mile away. But it's in focus. A lot of these videos are cropped. if at one point you see the quality go down, it's cuz I had to crop in too much. All in all, happy about not having that focus issue.
I talked a little bit about it in the video. I think it isn't as strong as the Firewire Timberteks but it feels more dampened, flexible. My Twice Baked Timbertek felt rigid at times. Both are good, the biggest difference will be price. Construction look great but can't really comment on durability since I have only had it a short time. I'd imagine it is more durable than PU, likely the same or a tad better than an epoxy board.
You must have super strong legs. I weigh just a couple pounds lighter than you but find that fins that are similar sized to those nvs rustys are too big for me.
Ironically, I have really weak legs. Not even sure I can do a one legged squat anymore, mostly cuz my knees suck so bad. :( I do use my body a lot though, I try and hinge at the hips and extend out from that compress with legs, hips, and calves.
Thanks! The double-angle shot is quite useful; it makes it much easier to understand the wave shape.
I did it once before, you think I should so a pov and then a replay with a beach view? My concern was I thought the PIP might be too small.
@@ThomyeSurfs I don't think so. Both at the same time (and in sync) are useful to study manoeuvre timing. I reckon the PIP size is fine when you use Theater Mode on UA-cam.
@@ThomyeSurfs yes ,need it !
Great review as always, keep them coming
I’ve had one of these in PU for a couple years in 5’8”. I’ve pushed it in bigger stuff and have ridden it as a 2+1. Didn’t like as a quad as much but liked it the most as a thruster with some futures legacy pivots. Really fun board for east coast. It’s basically a fish with a diamond tail and some flyers. It also has a really nice channel that runs down the center which starts behind the mid point. It really helps it squirt and gives it some lift.
that's interesting about the Channel, the ecoskin version didn't seem to have that but I can see how it could help. might have to find and try out a PU version instead.
Love the video! If you have a splash at the end you could use that to sync them up, and maybe increase saturation on the shore angle so they look more similar! In videography we usually use a clap, but it would be very annoying to clap before or after every wave lol. Or you can use the gopro audio of each paddle stroke to visually get a rough idea of each. Great board review man keep it up!
bro, great idea. totally makes sense. I was trying to use an off the lip to sync it but it looks so different on pov than shore. I'll try it for sure. thanks.
Ohh, wow, cool you looked into this board! Saw a second hand in perfect condition for almost no money in my volyme, I was really thinking of that one actually!
Great review Thomye! I surf the twice baked (but still have the old baked potato- about 15 yrs old 🤦🏽♂️) and love it. Needs the right fins and waves but it still turns on. You got me thinking about this one though. We will see. Keep Surfin UA-cam brother
Funny you should mention the Baked Potato. I wrote an email to Firewire and asked if they would bring it back or let me order a custom helium. I think they blocked me, LOL.
Jajajaja 😂 no respect
@@ThomyeSurfsI just checked out FireWire website. Did they stop making the twice baked?
Great review, and I agree that the double camera view is really helpful. The waves look way softer in the POV view than I expected from the regular camera angle.
That being said I had a previous generation Aloha Ecoskin board and the durability was not great, it picked up a lot of pressure dents around the stringer and eventually developed fiberglass cracks along the stringer where the dents got deep enough. Then when water got into the cracks the wood essentially permanently discolored and it was also a pain to get repaired.
One thing I noticed in the past is that my beached views made all waves look more steep and often bigger than it was, then I realized it was likely cuz my camera is usually situated about 10 or 15 feet above sea level. The higher I set up the camera, the bigger teh waves looked. LOL.
Also, thanks for the feedback. I've only had mine about 3 months so it was hard to say. I did mention that I have a slight pressure dent, very shallow, where my back foot is placed. I also didn't put a traction pad on either. Anyways, appreciate the comment.
great review, always love watching you surf small waves. gopro view shows great colors but the shore view i can understand better what youre doing on the wave - not that you asked or anything hah. i liked how you did the picture in picture though. look forward to the next one
YEWWW another fire review brah
Such a great video.
Aloha seem to be a targeting the non core market with lower priced boards - but they use legit shapers to design their models. I have an EPS Twin D which is a performance small wave board design for a twin plus trailer set up by James Wood who is a shaper from Lennox head and it is awesome.
Agreed, definitely targeting the non core market but it makes sense. Any shaper that gets to a certain point in their career has to start using Ghost Shapers and alternative construction so they can keep up with demand. I personally like options. The more the better.
Great board. It surfs way better than any of the potato boards. I had one (5'6) a couple years ago and it exceeded my expectations. It's like an average Joe with more rocker. I road it in some a chest plus in February (east coast here) in a hooded 5/4, 7mm boots, and 5mm claws and had the best time. No learning curve, lots of perfjoamcne and it goes great as a quad and a thruster.
Hi Thomye!! Thanks for adding some good price/value unknown boards. I thought of you lately as I found a cheap 5.7 LFT baked potato and remembered you said it was your favorite groveler. Im 180lb intermediate weekend warrior working on my turns. My current boards are Rnf96 33l, Dominator2 31l and Sunday 6.4. Do you think this baked is too big for me? I think the perfect size for me would be 5.5 but since it is LFT I thought it could be interesting. I don't think I have a strict groveler in my quiver and some mushy days when traveling I wished I had one. Maybe this Aloha board could be an option too. Thank you for your help boss!!
Depends on how much grovel you really need. The 5'7 is 39L. At your weight, it should be fine. My Baked Potato was 5'1" and 29L. I weigh 145. Mathematically, if you did the relative volume, it would put you on 36L. But given where you are in your progression, it is better to have something that can catch more waves. I've surfed the 5'5 Baked (ua-cam.com/video/ozI8FHrBM6s/v-deo.htmlsi=joKbMy2xpFVl1gC6) and that board worked really well in really soft small stuff. How tall are you BTW, you definitely want to surf the BP shorter than your height.
Aloha is a great option too, if you want to buy new. The only way you can get other boards at the same price is to buy used. Aloha is a Great value.
@@ThomyeSurfs yes I saw your videos on the 5.5 and 5.7 but your style and turns are very mastered and not as hindered by the volume or its what I perceive from the videos. Im 5.11. I want a groveler but still want to work on my turns. The eternal discusion I guess. I'll take it that you think I'll still enjoy the board in 5.7 thanks boss!!!
@@bernatANDORRA I fell the Seaside works optimally with turns at about 3 to 4 inches shorter than your height so 5'7 still seems like a good fit.
Hi Thomye!! I would like to ask you one last question. Have you ever tried the CI Fishcuit? Its a groveler with a slightly different approach compared to firewire in terms of width. The times I tried the potatoes found them a bit too wide. Still the fishcuit manages to get the same volume through thickness. What difference in ride and paddle do you think this will provide? Fishcuit 5.6 20 2 3/4 36l. Thanks boss!
Great review thanks! I bought one of these on recent sale and so far super happy with it in small crappy waves.
I actually find I prefer thruster setup on it to quad…even in tiny waves. But I’m an old guy at 65 and not a great surfer so fin setup doesn’t make a big difference 🤣🤣
I agree with it working as a Thruster better. I started out with it has a quad but ended it as a thruster. I forgot to note that in the video. Anyways, it definitely had better hold and drive throughout the turn with that center fin. Thanks for mentioning that.
Great video great grovler board!
Looks sweet! How does it compare with the Sweet Potato? Similar rocker?
similar but likely closer to the Baked Potato or Twice Baked. The different is very marginal at best.
@ thanks!!
Thank you very much Thomye, nice surfing is these miniwaves as usual, and the board goes great. Would you say the ecoskin is lighter than timbertek, or about the same?
about the same. any difference between two boards of the same size in those two techs would be very marginal. nothing worth noting.
@@ThomyeSurfs got it, thanks a lot man, best
Now I’m wondering how the 5’4” Machadocado would’ve gone for you.
I know, I thought the same thing. I hope to get my hands on one but unlikely. I do have the 6' revo max to test soon.
Try out the black bean or the habenero 2
hopefully I will get the chance. I really like the Black dot as well.
A couple months ago I bought a used Baked Potato in timbertek 5'3 x 21 1/4 x 2 3/8 32L and have tried it in small stuff and up to chest/shoulder. I find it so hard to set the rail and get vertical and do a roundhouse cutback without falling off but I can do that easily with the 5'4 mashup.. do you thnk fins make a huge difference? I currently have future flow split keel quads. I also wonder if its the weight making it hard to turn, the board is so heavy! On slightly steeper days, especially on backside I noticed my nose with catch on the flats after doing a turn at the top and I would go flying forward. I wonder if I need to move my backfoot to the tail and then slight laterally to whichever rail is being engaged...
On my baked, I used the stretch quads. Or stretch frontfins with a raked rear fin. As for your nose catching it could be that the board is flatter than the mashup. Also I ride a fight for mashup but served a 5-1 baked potato. Which went really well. A 5'3 might be just too big.
@@ThomyeSurfs thanks! Well I sold the 5'3 baked potato this morning so that's that... I haven't been able to find any 5'1s at all! I imagine the ones that still exist are in use and no one is giving them up! I bet that would work way better than the 5'3 for my weight/height.
@@madscientistdan yeah for sure. my 5'1 was one of the most fun boards i've owned. I asked Firewire if there was a plan to bring it back at some point and they ghosted me. haha
@@ThomyeSurfs haha... yea the baked potato in 5'1 helium would be really fun! Wonder if maybe they are releasing something similar and don't want to ruin the surprise...
I used to have this board but found somewhat unstable. I can see this happening to you also that you fail to make final section either falling or leaving you behind the wave. I liked the design but sold it and bought Twicebaked. Twicebaked was a totally different board and I rode it for 2 years. I now ride Sweetpotato2.
Yeah, I found that the board went well as a quad but had too mush looseness cuz of the wide tail. I liked it much better as a thruster. As a thruster, to me it feels like a bigger version of my old baked potato. I wish they would bring that back.
I noticed that your Soloshot doesn't have the focusing problem any longer.👍
New soloshot, LOL. I sent the old one in for upgrade but then it was taking so long that I decided to buy a new one. It was that period of time where I didn't post for like 5 months. The issue now though is that sometimes, and only sometimes, it doesn't zoom in so I look like I'm a mile away. But it's in focus. A lot of these videos are cropped. if at one point you see the quality go down, it's cuz I had to crop in too much. All in all, happy about not having that focus issue.
I have seen these boards around for a while. Would like to hear what you think about construction quality / durability
I talked a little bit about it in the video. I think it isn't as strong as the Firewire Timberteks but it feels more dampened, flexible. My Twice Baked Timbertek felt rigid at times. Both are good, the biggest difference will be price. Construction look great but can't really comment on durability since I have only had it a short time. I'd imagine it is more durable than PU, likely the same or a tad better than an epoxy board.
Thanks!
You must have super strong legs. I weigh just a couple pounds lighter than you but find that fins that are similar sized to those nvs rustys are too big for me.
Ironically, I have really weak legs. Not even sure I can do a one legged squat anymore, mostly cuz my knees suck so bad. :( I do use my body a lot though, I try and hinge at the hips and extend out from that compress with legs, hips, and calves.