Someone once asked me what the best board was after the WaveStorm. Although there isn’t a right answer to this, there is a better or best answer to this. The Firewire Harley Ingleby HI MOE mid length is a great option.
With three great options (7’2, 7’4, 8’0) it is big enough to float a beginner and get you into waves, stable and maneuverable enough for an intermediate learning technique, and has a really great ceiling and upper limit for advanced surfers as demonstrated by Harley himself. It is a great all around groveler and will put a smile on your face not matter what level you are at.
Surfer: 5’8″ 145lbs
Surfboard: 7’2″ x 22″ x 2 13/16″ @ 49.4L
Fins: NVS Rusty Quads (M)
Traction: FCS T3 in white
Leash: FCS 7′
Wetsuit: Volcom 4/3 Modulator
@firewiresurfboards @firewirejapan @firewirenetwork4054 @surfnvs @harleyingleby @rustyintl
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44 Comments
Great video as always! Since you’ve been testing a few MLs, in your opinion so far, what are the ones that help refine technique when doing cutbacks and other not so critical maneuvers? It sounds like you were more excited about the ability to push more the Seaside and Beyond than this one (it’s completely sold out in my area though)
Also, any chance you drive a white rav4? I saw someone that looks just like you in the La Jolla area last week
I have the 7’0 mid6, I’m 6’2” 190lbs. I consider myself intermediate to advanced. My go to short board is a 6’2” hypto. I ride my mid6 typically when the waves are good. I would myself probably go with a 7’2 moe. I definitely think for you smaller guys a 6’6” or 6’8” would go good. Chili makes a nice ML in that range. Great video
So fun we chat about this board when I was considering to scale down from my old foamie. Unironically, the reason why at the end I opted out for a Sweet Potato instead was the dimentions of the HI Moe.
I'm a small guy myself (5'7@68kg) and although this board is a piece of art, I didn't like the idea of transitioning from 8'0 to 7'2. So I agree that having something in the 6 feet + range would be great for small people. Please Harley, if you're reading this comment, show us some love and think about a 6'6 version of the MOE.
Great video as always,
Best!
Impressive to see how much float, projection and speed you get on the board. And still with a reasonable amount of manoeuvrability. I love the thunderbolt construction, too – currently spending a bit of time on the 7'0 Ova
I have the 8'0" it's my long board for knee high it's a fun board.
I have 7’0 Moe ride as a quad. FUN board and fast and turns hard easily… Wave count winner!!! My short boards consists of 5’10 Cymatic & Rnf96..
Bro after watching you on the FRK 2.0 ……. There's no going back! Lol
I don't like flat spots in rocker. And that's especially true for a mid length or longer. You may get that squirt of acceleration, but you loose the forgiveness to save yourself on late drops and closeouts, just as demonstrated. Best board after a WaveStorm? I'll say a Takayama Egg.
Great review – thanks!
I have the 8’ MOE and it’s easily top 5 as catches everything and offers decent maneuverability.
If you look very closely at the Thunderbolt red sticker on the bottom of the tail you'll see in very, very fine print that the board is manufactured in China. If you are like me I assumed since they were made under the banner of Firewire they would be made in their Thai factory. For a board made in China the thunderbolt red boards (don't know about the other colours) they are grossly over priced despite their level of tech.
Harley is a big man hence he probably didn't think to make it shorter. Good general rule for a more performance midlength is 1ft longer than your height.
Mid 6 review will be nice
Some facts guys. The 7' HI Mid 6 (40 litres) is shorter than the 7'2" Moe but is tighter. To surf these boards radically you need your back foot way back right near the end of the tail, over the back fin/s. A skinny tail pad helps. Look where Harley's back foot is all the time. But, you can also ride these boards further up and get them speeding and turning nicely. They are fast. The Moe is a plank, not a mid. The Mid 6 is a mid, but is often too stiff unless you really throw yourself into it (and I'm saying that when I weigh 100kg). Note that as this vlogger stated, Harley is a big guy – that's why he can throw these boards around. The Thunderbolt tech is the best EPS and epoxy tech there is. It is very strong, but not completely unbreakable. Firewire needs to make shorter boards with this tech. These boards cost a mint, but you won't be damaging them very much (unless your leash breaks on a gnarly point). It's important to note that this vlogger Thomye is very small and light. If you are a normal sized bigger guy you won't be catching waves as easily as him. Not by a mile. Warning! Don't think you can buy these boards and start surfing them like Harley. They take a while to get used to.
Hi Thomye!! Your recent reviews have developed my curiosity on how a midlenght can improve my surf. Have you ever tested the Firewire Addvance? It has some years but can be found at very cheap prices now. The 6.8/22/3 53l. for me as intermediate 165lb sounds to much? Thanks boss!!
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Awesome maneuvers on this big board. I believe mid lengths are necessary for summer waves but I’m still trying to hold off as long as I can before I hop on mine 😂
I've had the 7'4 Moe for two years now and love it. I tried the Hi fins bit found them way to big Medium Proformer FCS quad setup is great! I'm 50years old 6"3 92kgs and back issues. When I surf I feel like a froother
Great review. I’m 6’1 158lb intermediate
What size moe you recommend?
Thanks
Excellent video as always! Throwing that 7’2” around high performance! Much appreciated. Would love to see you try Ben Skinner’s Skindog OVA and see what you think. Been intrigued in this board recently and also seems to be the same Thunderbolt Red construction.
Nice. Great wave at around Min 6:45.. the question I always make for smaller waves is: is it better a smaller, kind of egg, style board with volume (I use a CI Rocket Wide), or this new style mid lengths. I am still on option 1 😉
Looks great! I'm working on a 6'11" pre-shaped, mid-length blank that I'm hoping will be something like this😬
From now on, you will quit whatever other jobs you have and only surf and provide surfboard reviews until the day you die. This is non negotiable. Great content, keep pumping it out.
Great review Tom!!!! What tower at Bolsa are you surfing now?
Nice refined board 7’2 with the right volume I’m going 2 order one I watched Harley when I was in Coffs world class surfer.
Thanks Thomye. Really appreciate your reviews. So relatable. Thank u
Yeeeew 🤙
did you try mid6 tommy~!
I have a 7'4 Moe, a 7'2 Moe and a 7'0 Mid6 and I love all three! I bought two Moes so my daughter and I can both use one when we go out together.
Are you a tech bro?
Hey i just bought the Gerry Lopez Squirty Fusion 6'6 (20.1 2.6 38l). Havent tried it yet but it sounds exactly like what you are looking for. I think that it would be a perfect mid lenght for a lightweight intermediate.
Has anyone tried to steal your solo cam? Seems risky.
I appreciate real experimentation and analysis.
Too many board reviews are based on reading a glossy brochure or spending 2 hours in the water in 1-2ft slop that is little more than a pop up and a bit of trim
Nice review. I have never considered a proper mid-length until now.
Hi Thomye, another great video and review. Thanks. Seeing a few comments about wanting shorter versions of these types of boards. Have you tried a Greedy Beaver and what are your thoughts? They have shorter variants in the sub 7' range.
Excellent! Thaks for the video!
Can u get a non fireturd version?
I had a 7’2 moe. Pretty cool board. Think I sold it for a Crowd Killer.
Hey ThomYe, I surf 6’2 Stamps to a 6’6 EC TwinPin. You’ve seen me surf with my son lately. I’m 5’9 180, I was thinking I wanted the Moe in 7’4 but came across 8’0. I don’t want the 8’0 to be too much board to move around. What do you think?
Thomye if you were stepping down from a board like this to a shortboard, what kinds of boards and dims would you go down to?
Totally agree on options to downsize as I'd have bought one 6 months ago at 6'8….
awesome. I bought a outlier 7' 2+1 as a long board alternative
I am an advanced surfer coming from 40 years of high performance short boards. And this board compared to all other mid lengths I have tried is the most high performance board out there (you have to surf it off the back foot on the tail and surf it like a short board). You do have to move your feet like if you are trying to get thru flat section , but this board will throw spray off the top and do round house cut backs better than any mid length. I feel like beginner surfers will tend to surf it standing too far forward and in that positions its the WORST turning board out there. Most mid lengths has a sweet spot in the middle , but this one is farther back.
How would you compare this to the Sunday? Great review!