Firewire TJ Hull Rider: Taylor Jensen and Dan Mann Reveal the Secrets Behind Their Game-Changing Longboard

Imagine stepping onto a surfboard that instantly connects you to the wave in a way you've never experienced before. A board where every turn feels effortless, where you don't have to force anything to happen, and where the sensation of riding is pure joy. That's exactly what happened when Taylor Jensen first tried the TJ Hull Rider three years ago at Bell's Beach. His reaction? "Dude, this thing's insane."

In our recent exclusive interview videos with both Taylor Jensen and legendary shaper Dan Mann, we dove deep into what makes the TJ Hull Rider such a game-changing surfboard. This isn't just another longboard—it's a complete reimagining of traditional surfing that's bringing riders back to the roots of wave riding while delivering unmatched performance and control.

Complete Hull Rider Guide

1. What Makes the TJ Hull Rider Different
2. Understanding Hull Design vs Traditional Planing Hulls
3. The Revolutionary Bottom Contours
4. Performance Characteristics That Set It Apart
5. Construction and Technical Specifications
6. Fin Setup and Recommendations
7. Who Should Ride the TJ Hull Rider
8. Sizing Guide and Availability
9. The Development Story Behind the Board
10. FAQ About the TJ Hull Rider

What Makes the TJ Hull Rider Different

The TJ Hull Rider represents a fundamental shift in longboard design philosophy. As Taylor Jensen explained in our interview, this is a "super user friendly board" that offers something completely different from traditional performance longboards. "Compared to the other boards in my range, it has more volume," Jensen noted, emphasizing the board's accessibility.

What caught Jensen's attention immediately was the board's unique character. "It has this gentle, Hull bottom to it just allows the user to feel super connected and in control," he shared. "Like I felt like no matter what I was doing, I had complete control over this board. There was no variables."

This isn't just marketing speak—it's the result of Dan Mann's innovative approach to hull design. As Mann explained during our conversation, "A regular surfboard would be considered a planing hull, and this is more of a displacement hull, the exact opposite." This fundamental difference in approach creates an entirely new surfing experience.

Understanding Hull Design vs Traditional Planing Hulls

To truly appreciate the TJ Hull Rider, you need to understand what makes hull design special. Dan Mann broke this down perfectly in our interview: "It has a belly down, down underneath the water." This is the complete opposite of modern concave designs that lift the board above the water.

Mann explained the historical context: "Old school boards back in the day" used this approach, and "they started doing more concaves, I don't know, probably eighties and nineties." The Hull Rider brings back this traditional approach but with modern refinements.

The hull bottom creates what Mann describes as "just all that belly. Belly, like kind of ...it's not a V but it's the same idea as V, but just real rounded instead of a sharp v." This design philosophy serves a specific purpose: "The stringer is lower in the water than the rail is so opposite a concave, which is the stringer's up outta the water."

The result? You're "getting this crazy lift effect" but the board is designed "to hold you into the curve of the wave" rather than launching you ahead of it. As Mann puts it, the goal is to "keep you at the speed of the wave instead of outpacing the wave."

The Revolutionary Bottom Contours

The TJ Hull Rider's bottom contours are where science meets art. Taylor Jensen described the unique nose design: "This one also has a teardrop concave cut out of that convex in the nose." This isn't just for show—it serves multiple functions.

According to Jensen, this teardrop concave "decreases a little bit of nose weight up there" and "helps get a little bit of lift under the nose." The practical benefit? The board "doesn't want to nose dive" and instead "wants to pop up like a little ball."

Dan Mann provided the technical reasoning behind this design choice. The nose features a "big accentuated, teardrop, concave in the nose" designed to "suck the nose onto the wave ...when you're up on the tip, just sucks you into the face of the wave."

Mann explained that "that big teardrop is back and down" and serves as the speed generation zone. "When you generate speed...that's when you start really gunning and linking connections," he noted, emphasizing that "you don't have to be on the tip for that."

The tail design is equally thoughtful. Jensen described it as having "little bit of v like flatter, but I wouldn't say flat flat" with a "rounded pintail"—Dan Mann's signature tail shape that Jensen is "an addict for."

Performance Characteristics That Set It Apart

The Hull Rider's performance characteristics are unlike anything else in the longboard world. Taylor Jensen's first impression tells the story: "As soon as I leaned on my toe edge, it would grab and start to gravitate that way as soon as I leaned on my heels, it would transfer really easy to that edge."

Rail-to-Rail Performance

Jensen emphasized the effortless rail transitions: "You can turn it from pretty much anywhere" because of "that light little bit of pressure change from toe to heel, it just, the board just floats from one side to the other so easily and so effortlessly."

Dan Mann explained the technical aspects of this performance: "Have that sweet spot be pretty wide" so "you can tip the board and drive your turn from that position as much as you can from the tail driving it like you would with a regular high performance board."

Speed and Wave Compatibility

The Hull Rider excels in specific conditions. Jensen noted it works best for "small to a little bit overhead size waves" because "that Hull bottom doesn't like big, big waves." The sweet spot is "chest high zone" where "the board just clicks into gear."

Mann provided insight into when the hull design becomes most effective: "Bottom contours doesn't really kick in until about six miles an hour." For paddling, Mann explained, "Don't think the paddling speed will be much of a difference," but "when you're up and on the wave, that's when you're gonna feel the difference. Really radically different."

Nose Riding Capabilities

The Hull Rider excels at nose riding. Jensen confirmed it's "super easy to nose ride" due to the "fuller nose outline" and overall stability. The board's design philosophy supports extended nose rides, with Mann explaining that the hull "hold you into the curve of the wave so that when you're on the tip" you can maintain position longer.

Construction and Technical Specifications

The TJ Hull Rider comes in Firewire's advanced Helium construction. As Jensen explained, it features "firewire Longboard, helium Construction, with that variable stringer." The construction includes "Paulownia wood, nose capped, wood rails" for durability and performance.

Variable Stringer Technology

The variable stringer is a key innovation. Jensen described it as a "variable high density foam stringer" where "in the tail, it's got sort of a wider stringer. And then as it comes up to the nose that Stringer narrows."

This design "controls the flex in your nose and your tail" providing "a little bit of a stiffer flex in the tail where you're gonna be applying more pressure into your turns" while giving "a little bit more play" in the nose area.

Dimensions

Jensen noted the significant volume increase compared to his other boards: "You compare like the 71 to a TJ Pro, TJ Pro's at 60, you got an extra 10 liters of volume there."

Rocker Profile

The board features a relatively flat rocker profile. Jensen described it as "pretty flat" with a "little light flip in the nose just to kind of keep you from nose diving." This flat rocker works in harmony with the hull design to create the board's unique feel.

Fin Setup and Recommendations

The TJ Hull Rider uses a versatile fin setup. "I ride the 9'6 as a single fin, and then the 9'3 and the 9'0. I'd ride as a two plus one," Taylor Jensen explained.

Fin Specifications

For his standard 2+1 setup, Jensen uses "7" center and 4.25 sides." When riding as a single fin, he opts for larger fins: " 10", just to sort of have that feel and that flow to it."

Jensen prefers his signature rake fin design: "normal rake fin with the fatter tip." He explained the benefits: "Having that fuller tip at the end of the rake is gonna give you more surface area there. So it's gonna give you more hold on the nose and more hold through your turn. So less drift and less slide and more stability."

Dan Mann's Fin Recommendations

Dan Mann offered practical advice: "I like the raked out ones myself because that goes with what you're trying to achieve with all the other features of the design." However, he recommends starting with familiar equipment: "Start with what you...if you have a favorite fin and the board's similar to what you are used to, start with your favorite fin and then go from there."

Mann emphasized experimentation: "Tune it in the box on forward or back for what you like" and "don't be afraid to mess around with it, especially the first week or two weeks, three weeks that you have it."

Who Should Ride the TJ Hull Rider

Beginner to Intermediate Surfers

Taylor Jensen was clear about the target market: "Beginner going into a little bit more of an intermediate, this would be perfect." The board offers "added volume, easy paddle power, the stability, and just that connected feel."

Jensen noted that many surfers "have a tendency to get on boards that are maybe a little bit too advanced for them at that stage, and this board just allows you to really like, feel it out, feel the board, and feel what that board wants to do and just let it happen."

Performance Surfers Seeking Something Different

For advanced surfers, the Hull Rider offers a different experience. Mann explained: "If you're a high performance guy coming into this...you can't do your hopping, you can't do your pumping. You have to work on your technique. It's more of a technical."

The board forces a different approach: "You gotta chill and really feel what's going on underneath your feet on the wave and on the board with the way they're going together."

Surfers with Physical Limitations

The Hull Rider's easier paddling characteristics offer real benefits for surfers with physical limitations. During our interview, we shared how one customer noticed significant improvements: "There's a guy that came into our shop...he said that he noticed that he can surf longer hours 'cause he had shoulder problems. And he says it's a lot easier to paddle this board so he can surf longer even though he has a little bit of a shoulder issue."

This real-world feedback aligns perfectly with what Taylor Jensen described about the board's paddling characteristics - the added volume and hull design make it "less effort to paddle and catch a wave," allowing surfers to stay in the water longer even when dealing with physical challenges.

Sizing Guide and Availability

Choosing the right size TJ Hull Rider is crucial for optimal performance. The volume differences between sizes significantly affect the board's characteristics and who should ride each size.

The Development Story Behind the Board

The Hull Rider's development story is fascinating. Dan Mann revealed that "10 years ago. He and I weren't even thinking about these kinds of boards" when referring to hull design concepts. The project forced him to learn: "It was a whole nother bag of tricks...that I had to go learn and pull from."

Mann drew inspiration from traditional shapers, particularly noting "his Nuuiwa's one of my inspirations" when referring to David's Nuuiwa's designs.

For Mann, the project was educational: "It was really fun for me...designing it with Taylor because it's, it was outside" his usual design approach. He had to develop new skills, having "been familiar with it, watching guys shape traditional boards like Mike Eaton and those kinds of guys shaping beings" but hadn't "really developed it until this board with Taylor."

The collaboration between Mann and Taylor was key to the construction details. As Mann noted, the stringer design work was done "mostly with Taylor on that because he's gonna ride the nose a lot more than me."

The TJ Hull Rider represents a return to surfing's roots while embracing modern construction techniques. Whether you're a beginner looking for an easier entry into longboarding or an experienced surfer seeking a new challenge, this board offers something truly special. As Taylor Jensen put it, "It just allows you to surf how you wanna surf" without having to "force things to happen."

Ready to experience the revolution in traditional longboarding? SHOP TJ HULL RIDER