Firewire Surfboard Groove 5'10" Futures Helium 34L

When everything is going your way. Find your Groove. Meet the high-performance board developed by Rob Machado.

• 5'10" X 20 1/8" X 2 1/2" X 34.0L

This shape still carries the hybrid DNA typical of Rob, but at the same time, it is the closest thing to a classic high-performance shortboard from him. The rocker and tail template of the Groove bring the board back into a world where you can come out of a bottom turn powerfully and hit the lip just as hard – exactly what is generally referred to as “high-performance surfing.”

Rob has incorporated more rocker than in his typical shapes. The tail rocker puts you tight in the pocket, while the more pronounced nose rocker helps you get back down after a maneuver on the lip without the nose catching.

As Rob explains:

“All surfboards are a balancing act between speed and control – and the Groove is about controlling the speed a good wave gives you. It’s the most responsive and performance-oriented board I’ve ever developed.”

Rob continues:

“I feel like my designs have been slowly moving more and more toward performance. After I finished the tour, I wanted to get as far away from high-performance surfing as possible. I wanted to find out what all the different designs out there in the world had to offer. Twin fins, single fins, Bonzers… and much more.

The Groove is an exploration back into the world of the high-performance thruster – but with a special twist in the outline. In the front section, it offers a bit more width and volume, which makes paddling easier. At the same time, the nicely pulled-in squash tail provides the necessary agility and performance for powerful maneuvers.

I developed it for waves with a bit of push and power – probably from about waist-high to overhead. But it also works excellently in weaker waves. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a groveler, though.

To get back to my old high-performance days, my Machado Groove Fin Set is a must. If you want some variety in smaller waves, you can also ride it with my Machado 2 + 1 template.”

For the best performance, you should combine the Groove with Rob’s brand-new Machado Groove Fin Set. Make sure to experiment with both the thruster and quad configurations.