Firewire Tomo Neutrino: Tomo's latest Modern Planing Hull and performance hybrid

Firewire has introduce the newly released Firewire Tomo Neutrino, a revolutionary surfboard design from master shaper Daniel "Tomo" Thomson. In this exclusive interview, Tomo breaks down the unique features of this innovative board that's creating a buzz in the surfing community.

• Perfect for: Everyday, less-than-perfect wave conditions
• Standout feature: Wide square tail for speed and projection
• Best in: Soft, mushy, or weak wave conditions
• Suitable for: All skill levels from beginners to advanced
• Available at: Hawaiian South Shore in multiple sizes from 5'3 to 6'2

The Unique Design Philosophy Behind the Neutrino

At first glance, the Neutrino's distinctive wide square tail might raise eyebrows, but there's sophisticated hydrodynamic science behind this unconventional shape.

• Inspired by historical Simmons boards from early 2000s
• Draws from the Hydrodynamic Project with Richard Kenvin
• Connects to traditional Hawaiian board designs including Duke Kahanamoku's shapes
• Features traditional wide tail block design updated with modern technology

"I study a lot of historical design, in particular planing hull design," Tomo explains. "That shape really came about by studying and testing the Simmons boards back in the early 2000s."

This approach isn't actually new to surfing—it's a return to traditional roots. "If you look back to some of the earlier Hawaiian shapes, even go back to some of Duke Kahanamoku's shapes, they were really planky, kind of wide tail block shapes. That's a real traditional shape over all of modern surfing and even further into the past," Tomo points out.

Modern Innovation Meets Traditional Flow

What makes the Neutrino special is how it combines these traditional concepts with modern refinements.

• Takes traditional wide-tail design and shrinks it to its "smallest possible package"
• Incorporates modern rockers and rails for performance-oriented feel
• Based on Tomo's Nano design from around 2008
• Maintains "speed and glide and that traditional kind of flow"

Tomo describes it as taking "a functional design that I've kind of shrunken down into its smallest possible package and applied some modern rockers and modern rails to give it a performancy feeling, but still give you a really cool feeling of speed and glide and that traditional kind of flow."

Tomo offers an interesting perspective on the design approach: "You can look at it like an old design that's been modernized, or you can also look at it like a high-performance shortboard that you just chop a few inches off the nose and a few inches off the tail, and you keep that functional part in the center of the board that's really working for you."

Revolutionary Bottom Contours for Enhanced Performance

The Neutrino features sophisticated bottom contours that contribute significantly to its performance. Macy from Firewire noticed the board's ability to slingshot through turns, Tomo elaborated on the bottom design.

• Features "quad inside single concave" design
• Bottom contours start forward and deepen toward the tail
• Creates additional lift and speed in weak wave conditions
• Incorporates aerodynamic principles for reduced drag

"It's a four concave contour within a single concave—I call it quad inside single concave," he explains. This specialized contour gives the board extra lift and speed, particularly when wave energy is weak. The design creates more lift with the wind that travels under the board as you're going across the wave, incorporating elements of aerodynamic lift that most shapers don't consider.

Perfect for Everyday Wave Conditions

Perhaps the most compelling aspect of the Neutrino is its optimal performance in average, everyday conditions—which is what most surfers encounter most of the time.

• Optimized for when "wave energy is lacking"
• Perfect for high tide, mushy conditions
• Allows you to "blast through flat sections"
• Helps connect sections when wave shape is lacking
• Ideal for the "80% of the time" when conditions aren't perfect

"This design is optimized when the wave energy is lacking and you need your board to maximize that little energy that's in the wave. That's when this board really is optimal and has its sweet spot," Tomo emphasizes.

"There's a lot of shapes out there that are great designs for good waves, which we all hope to get all the time. But the reality is like 80% of the time we go to the beach and we've missed the magic window, or the tide's a bit higher, or whatever the situation might be."

The Neutrino shines in these less-than-perfect conditions: "It's great to have a board like that in the back of your car that you can just be like, 'I'm going to be going fast, I'm going to be having fun, and I'm still going to be ripping.'"

The Science of Speed and Control

The Neutrino's exceptional speed and control come from its unique rail design. Unlike typical groveler boards that might be very wide in the center (around 20 inches) with pulled-in tails, Tomo takes a different approach:

• Parallel rails maintained throughout the board
• Central wide point similar to high-performance shortboard width
• Straightened rail lines and rocker lines for enhanced drive
• Provides drive and projection even in small waves
• Maintains control despite the wide tail (no sliding out)

"I'm kind of keeping the rails real parallel all the way through and then bringing that central wide point into more similar to a high-performance shortboard width," he explains. "You get the width in the tail that you need to get all the speed and flow through a small gutless wave, but you're gaining drive through straightening your rail lines and your rocker lines."

The result is impressive: "You're getting drive and projection, whereas a normal groveler might be really wide and have efficient surface area, but they just really lack drive. They're real squiggly, wiggly kind of little boards. This thing will drive even in a two-foot wave. You'll be able to project your turn."

Easy Paddling and Wave Entry

The Neutrino's design also makes wave entry exceptionally easy.

• Maximizes functional surface area in a smaller package
• More foam throughout the entire board
• Width in tail picks up wave energy efficiently
• Width in nose allows forward paddling position
• Creates a stable, balanced platform for easy entry

Tomo explains: "It's all about just maximizing your functional surface area into a smaller package. So you've got more foam from the tip of the tail to the tip of the nose, you've got the width in both areas. So that balances out to be quite a stable little rectangular shape."

This design creates stability for paddling, with the width in the tail picking up the wave's energy and the width in the nose allowing you to paddle quite forward on the board.

Fin Setup Recommendations

The Neutrino comes as a thruster design, a deliberate choice by Tomo:

• Standard: Thruster setup (Firewire Velox Fin set recommended)
• For mushy conditions: Kelly Slater's Endorfins 2+1 setup with larger center fin
• Quad setup was tested but found to "outrun sections" in many conditions
• Thruster provides better control for backhand surfing

"I kind of kept the tri-fin on this one just to give it a nice sense of control due to the board speed that thing carries in a lot of conditions," Tomo explains. He found that a quad setup could sometimes "outrun the sections" and was trickier for backhand surfing.

For extremely weak and mushy conditions, he suggests trying Kelly Slater's Endorphin 2+1 setup with the larger center fin: "When it's super weak and mushy, you throw a two plus one in there and you'll be just flying."

Who Is the Neutrino For?

One of the most appealing aspects of the Neutrino is its versatility across skill levels.

• Beginners to Intermediates: Size up for stability and easy wave catching
• Performance Surfers: Size down to nose height for maximum responsiveness
• Anyone: Works for all surfers looking for a reliable board in average conditions

Tomo confirms it's suitable for nearly anyone: "I'd say just about anyone. The width of the tail and the rectangular shape will suit a beginner to intermediate very, very well."

For beginners transitioning to intermediate level, he suggests sizing up a bit to match fitness and wave-reading ability. The board's stability makes it suitable even for children.

For experienced surfers, Tomo recommends riding the Neutrino as small as possible: "For a good performance surfer, you can size it to about the tip of your nose or the bridge of your nose. You could stand up tall and just rest your nose on the tip of the board's nose. That's how short you want it."

Available Sizes at Hawaiian South Shore

We currently have the Firewire Tomo Neutrino available in multiple sizes to suit riders of all levels:

Note: The 5'8" size is currently out of stock but will be available soon.

Experience the Neutrino Difference

The Firewire Tomo Neutrino represents a perfect blend of historical design principles and modern performance features. Its unique bottom contours, parallel rail design, and distinctive tail shape come together to create a board that excels in everyday wave conditions—making it an essential addition to any surfer's quiver.

• Performs in the conditions you surf most often
• Combines speed of a groveler with the drive of a performance board
• Works for all skill levels with appropriate sizing
• Features innovative design based on proven hydrodynamic principles
• Creates a fun, fast ride even when conditions aren't ideal

Frequently Asked Questions About the Neutrino

Hawaiian South Shore is located at 320 Ward Avenue in Honolulu. Call us at (808) 597-9055 or check our website for more information.