The Firewire Machadocado is Rob Machado's most versatile small-wave shape — an avocado-inspired hybrid that blends the paddle power of a fish with the performance range of a shortboard. It's built to make every wave feel worth taking and every section worth hitting.
The Machadocado is slightly wider and thicker than your standard shortboard, providing excellent stability and grovel-ability. The volume distribution favors fast wraps and quick speed generation in waves knee-high to overhead. The board's width and thickness also make it an ideal choice for surfers who want to catch waves with ease and confidence.
The Machadocado features a double concave crafted to suit ease of maneuverability, and a vee through the fin cluster that allows for uncommon ease of transition from rail to rail. This makes the board highly responsive and easy to turn, even for intermediate surfers.
The Machadocado loves to be in waves knee-high to overhead, making it an excellent choice for surfers who want to generate speed and control in smaller waves. The thruster fin configuration allows for versatility, enabling riders to experiment with different fin setups, including twin fin and twin fin with a trailer. The recommended Machado 2 + 1 Fin Set provides tight turns and extreme control.
Rob Machado was meticulous in refining the thickness distribution from nose to tail, ensuring the shape holds well in the pocket without sacrificing the ability to create speed in flat sections. The board is built in Helium Technology, which provides parabolic flex control provided by wooden rails for drive and control.
The Machadocado is constructed using Firewire's proprietary Helium Technology, which combines a lightweight, high-density EPS core with a durable, high-performance epoxy glassing system. The board also features:
The Machadocado was designed for surfers who want more out of weak surf without giving up the ability to actually surf the board.
At its core, this is a board for surfers who refuse to let bad conditions dictate how much fun they have.
The Machadocado is built for the kind of surf that would bench most shortboards — small, soft, and slow-rolling. Its wide outline and generous volume get it moving early and keep it moving through sections where other boards stall. When the surf picks up toward overhead, the thinned-out tail and turned-down rails give it enough bite and hold to keep up. Most surfers find it at its best in waist-to-shoulder-high surf, though it has real range on both ends of that window. In Hawaii's consistent smaller surf, it's a board that stays in rotation year-round.
The Machadocado's outline was drawn from the proportions of an avocado — wide in the middle, with a nose and tail that taper just enough to keep the board maneuverable. That extra width is distributed through the midsection and into a squash tail, which gives the board a lot of forward float and early paddle-in without making it feel like a groveler raft. Rob was precise about the thickness distribution from nose to tail — the board holds volume where you want it and thins out where you don't, so it has the paddle of a bigger board and the tail response of something closer to a shortboard. The bottom features a double concave running into a vee through the fin cluster, which makes rail-to-rail transitions feel smooth and intuitive for a shape this wide.
In Helium construction, the Machadocado is noticeably livelier than you'd expect for its width. The stringerless EPS core paired with Paulownia and Balsa wood rails delivers flex that's light and responsive without feeling loose or unpredictable. Rob has described the parabolic flex from the wooden rails as providing drive on rail and control in critical sections — and that's exactly what it delivers underfoot.
Helium: Firewire's lightest EPS core construction, featuring a stringerless foam core with Paulownia and Balsa wood parabolic rails and a proprietary aerospace composite deck skin for flex control and durability.
5-Fin. Rides as thruster, twin, or twin with trailer. Fins not included.
We can only ship boards purchased from the shop at this time due to Cargo policy.
Due to handling requirements, surfboards are shipped with specific protocols and fees.
(All Size Boards) - ETA Usually in two days (Boards can be picked up from the Alaska Air Cargo Airport from 7AM in the morning, a day after the board has been sent out.)
Please ensure we have your correct email address on file. Alaska Air Cargo sends pickup notifications exclusively via email; they do not provide phone alerts
NOTE ON STORAGE CHARGES
➤ Door to Door
2-day delivery to major airports
Overall rating: 5.0 / 5 from 15 reviews.
I'm 5'4" and 145 lbs, and I got the 7'6" Xtra Cado. I love it so much—it's been so fun! The glide on this board is amazing. I'm using it as a quad setup with the bamboo fins. Even without being an overly aggressive surfer, it turns really well—it bites down and just turns. Everyone in the water and walking by always compliments the board, too. I love that glide!"
Firewire Rob Machado MACHADOCADO Helium 2 - 5'5 V30.5 - Futures 2026 Look
Love the board! It's fast and loose like a skateboard. Like a groveler with performance built in. The service at Hawaiian South Shore is the best I've experienced!
Firewire Rob Machado MACHADOCADO (5'5-6'1) Helium 2 Futures
Store owner replied: So glad you’re stoked on the new board! 🤙 We really appreciate the kind words, see you in the water!
Got it! LOVE IT! Thank you for the amazing service! My friend was here and I was telling him about the great service. He said he's probably getting his next board from you guys as well
The Machadocado is a fun board, easy to paddle and very forgiving to ride. Don't be mistaken though, it can rip too! I found it works better with larger, more upright fins and a smaller nub trailer. Thanks HSS, for the help and patience! Appreciate it!
Firewire Rob Machado MACHADOCADO (5'5-6'1) Helium 2 Futures
Store owner replied: Hi Lance, Super big mahalo for the review! I totally agree, I really like the Cado. It's super easy and fun to surf on most days, and it even goes on super small days! Thanks, David
I've had the Machadocado for about nine months now. I'm 5'10" and 170 pounds, and this is a 5'10" with 37 liters. Today, the waves were about two feet overhead, and the board handled it well. It handles the fast, steep drops really well. I've used it with the Glenn Pang 2+1 fins, which were a little stiff. With these fins, there's more drive and a more fluid, nice pivot. The stringer makes the board sit really well, and you can really feel the rail. I'm really happy with the board.
I’ve had the Mashup for about two months now, and it’s slowly becoming my go-to board. I got it specifically for smaller days because I didn't want to ride a longboard. I went a little bigger in volume than recommended—at 5'9" and 36L—and it has been great. It’s incredibly easy to catch waves, but it still turns well and performs when the surf gets a little bigger.
I've had the 5'6 for 2 months now the board paddles great and performance is awesome. It can handle from waist high to slightly head high waves.
Firewire Rob Machado MACHADOCADO (5'5-6'1) Helium 2 Futures
Store owner replied: Stoked you're enjoying it. Looking good out there! Thanks Man!
I've been riding the Machadocado for the past six months, and I love it! I was riding the Sweet Potato before (which I also like) but the Machadocado is faster, easier to paddle into waves, and still easy to maneuver and turn. Highly recommend this board. Makes surfing easy.
Firewire Rob Machado MACHADOCADO (5'5-6'1) Helium 2 Futures
Store owner replied: Thanks for the solid review! Stoked the Machadocado’s working well for you! Glad it’s been a good upgrade from the Sweet Potato! Also did you get the free T-Shirt included with your board?
I’ve been riding the Machado Cado for about two months now—pretty much every day. I’m 5'9", around 158–160 lbs, and it paddles great and feels super loose and easy to turn. I’ve mainly surfed it at White Plains in head-high and smaller waves, and it handles well. I’m using the Machado fins, which suit the board perfectly. It’s been a solid everyday board for me.
I'm an older woman and need the volume to paddle with the younger surfers so went with the 5'10" model. I probably could have gone one size down, but realistically I just wanted to surf it in small junky waves. The board goes! I really like it and had so much fun on it on my first day riding it with the Machado tri-fin set-up. I've since tried it with the Endorfins twin and trailer, as a twin (Taylor Knox) and recently with a smaller modern keel shape with a thumb (smaller Endorfin thumb) (NVS Ono keel - I really like the FCS Modern Keels so found this as the closest in shape and size in Futures). I enjoyed the keels the best so far. The board had speed and I could easily turn it with this set-up. I guess being smaller (110 lbs) and the board up-sized- having less keel size allowed me to maneuver the board better. (I think everyone might have a different set-up that will work for them.) Enjoying the Cado and want to surf it 9 xs out of 10. Try the demo!
Works great in waist to head high waves! Great speed and drive on smaller waves. A great groveler board!
Firewire Rob Machado MACHADOCADO (5'5-6'1) Helium 2 Futures
Store owner replied: Stoked to hear that Greg! Mahalos for the feedback, we really appreciate it
I'm Shane. I demoed your board yesterday, which was a 34-liter volume. I'm 5'7" and about 140 pounds, depending on what I eat. My weight can fluctuate pretty drastically. I then got the next smaller size, which was the 5'6" at about 32 liters. It's still kind of a lot of volume; I probably could have gone with a 5'4", but I'm going to use it for small days anyway. The biggest thing I noticed about the board compared to other grovelers I've ridden in the past is that it's really loose, especially off the tail. I had it with the KS fins, but I'm going to try it with the two plus ones next. When I tried your fin setup, it felt a little tighter, but that was with the Rob Machado fin. The board might have been too big for me then, which could explain why it felt different. But even when I was standing more on the tail part, it was still loose. I'm stoked and psyched about the board. It doesn't track like I expected with the KS fins, which I've heard usually track well. I'm looking forward to trying it with different fin setups. Thanks!"
I'm Jim. I picked up a Machadocado last Saturday and I've taken it out three times so far. The verdict is that it's as advertised - a perfect groveler. I'm about 5'6" and 145 pounds. I got the 6'0" Machadocado. I've been taking it out at Bowls a couple of times and then somewhere on the east side that I won't name. I've used it on days that were really small and during super high tide, and it worked really good. Before this, I was riding three other boards, just a variety of things. But normally on days like that, I would ride a longboard. Now I'm going out on knee-high to waist-high days with the Machadocado, which is good. I can turn and speed through sections with it. Today, I'm picking up the two plus one setup to get the right fins and see how it goes.
I'm Shane. I got hooked up with the Machadocado. I got the 5'6", not the 5'8". I'm 5'7" and about 145 pounds. I first demoed your board with the Machado two plus one setup. Then I got the 5'6", which is one size smaller than you ride. I rode it with the Machado Keel fins (KS) first day, and it was super loose. Today, I rode it with the guitar pick with the Machado Keel, and it was super fun. It's interesting because with the Keels, you can come off the bottom more, and if you want to slide out, it kind of lets it go. The board doesn't really track with the Keels, which surprised me because I've never tried Keel fins before. It's super fun and super loose. You can pretty much put it where you want it to go. One of the guys who usually surfs out there and doesn't usually comment said that I looked good on it, which is cool.
Works great in waist to head high waves. Great drive in weaker waves! Holds great on turns!
Firewire Rob Machado MACHADOCADO (5'5-6'1) Helium 2 Futures
Store owner replied: Stoked to hear your loving your Machadocado! Thank you very much for the review...
Aloha, Daniel here. Ive been riding the Sweet Potato for about a year, but after seeing Macy Mullen with the Machadocado, I had to try it. Im blown away; this thing is better than my Sweet Potato. It feels way more drivey, top to bottom, and down the line through the flats. It has so much speed, like cheating. I took it out to Tongs and Suicides, and even in 3-4 foot sets, it was super fast. The deep concaves make it turn unreal, and the wide tail block helps it flow to the flats and drive through small waves. This is definitely the board to gravel, and Im sold on getting one
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