🏄 Rob Machado's GROOVE: The Performance Thruster That Does It All

Looking for that perfect board that balances high-performance with everyday versatility?

Rob Machado's latest creation, the Firewire GROOVE, might just be the answer. This innovative performance thruster combines Machado's legendary design expertise with Firewire's cutting-edge Helium technology to deliver exceptional speed, control, and responsiveness in a wide range of conditions.

What makes the GROOVE stand out is its remarkable versatility. Featuring a pulled-in tail, medium-to-low rails, and a carefully crafted outline, this board excels in everything from waist-high mushburgers to overhead waves.

The lightweight EPS core paired with Paulownia and Balsa wood rails creates the perfect balance of stability and maneuverability, giving you confidence to push your surfing in any conditions.

 

Beyond performance, the GROOVE represents Firewire's commitment to sustainability, incorporating eco-friendly materials like bio-resin and responsibly sourced wood. Available in multiple dimensions to suit different riders, this board is equally appropriate for intermediate surfers looking to progress and advanced wave riders seeking a reliable everyday thruster. Stop by Hawaiian South Shore to feel the GROOVE for yourself and discover why it's quickly becoming the go-to board for surfers who want it all.

Learn More Here...

 

🌊 How Your Fin Setup Shape Your Surfing Style

As the owner of a surf shop, I get the chance to check out a lot of different boards—longboards, shortboards, and alternative designs from a wide range of shapers, in all types of different sizes and construction processes. Some of these boards end up as part of our selection at Hawaiian South Shore, while others are demo boards that we don’t end up stocking, but that are super interesting to me anyway. 

Fin configurations don't just affect how your board performs—they fundamentally shape your entire approach to surfing, potentially influencing your style for years to come.

From the classic up-and-down flow of single fins to the skatey, down-the-line feel of twins, each fin setup creates distinct sensations that train our bodies to move in specific ways. Thrusters blend control with performance for those vertical maneuvers, while quads offer speed with just enough hold for powerful turns. As Hawaiian South Shore's surf media expert Matt Rode explains, "I've spent a lot of time thinking about and experimenting with different fin configurations... I'm intrigued with this concept of the fin setups we ride in our formative years influencing how we ride waves for the rest of our lives."

 

Understanding how fins affect your surfing can open new dimensions in your wave riding. Whether you're looking to sharpen your high-performance game or add some classic flow to your approach, experimenting with different fin configurations might be the key to unlocking your surfing potential. Stop by Hawaiian South Shore to explore our extensive fin selection and discover how a simple change underneath your board could transform your entire experience on the wave. Learn More Tips Here...

👥 Member of the Month: Tiffany Brook Langley

Tell us your surf story - from your first wave to where you are now.

"I began surfing in 2019 at the age of 39 years old. I had gone to Siargao Island, Philippines on a trip to practice Ashtanga yoga. My friend invited me on a boat trip, and this particular day as I got on the boat there were only surfboards. I was told I could grab a board and surf, I explained I don't surf, and then was offered I could go with one of the instructors on board. My instructor Mogli pushed me onto the waves that day! And all he said was when he yelled 'stand up' I just stand up on the board. The feeling I experienced was pure fun! I instantly fell in love with this feeling. And it is this feeling that I continue to chase... It's pure fun, pure presence, pure aliveness."

How has your surfing evolved over time?

Tiffany's journey took her to Bali, Indonesia, where she pursued both surfing and entrepreneurship. Currently on her second seasonal trip to the North Shore of Oahu, she's focusing on challenging herself in bigger waves. Since moving to Bali in 2021, she's maintained remarkable consistency in her surfing practice.

What's your current go-to setup?

"In Bali, at Uluwatu I like to ride really short boards, until it gets bigger. My quiver starts at 4'11" in Bali and ranges up to my biggest gun at 8'6". Here on Oahu the waves are way more intense, and when it's really small at Rockies or Yards I will use a 5'8". But the go-to daily driver is a 6'3". I then have 6'8", 8'2", 9'4" & 9'8"."

What's next in your surfing journey?

"I just want to continue to evolve my own ability in surfing, and in big wave surfing. I have a desire to surf Punta Lobos in Chile and Cloudbreak in Fiji. This year I would like to develop my barrel riding skill—I have gone into the barrel but not yet made it out. And I would like to try again tow surfing."

Every surfer has their favorite post-surf routine. What's yours?

"My favorite post-surf routine is EAT! I am also 8 years fully plant-based! I love vegan food and desserts/chocolate. And in Bali I get a massage at least once a week!"

What's your favorite thing about surfing in Hawaii?

"I come here to surf the big waves—Sunset, Waimea and the outer reefs. I also love the winter because there are the best of the best surfers here from all over the world, and the lineups are very inspiring for me to be in, as I watch and visually learn from the pros & other surfers who are just incredible! I love the raw, pure, brutal yet magnificent energy of the waves. There is a spirit here, and you can feel it in and out of the water."
When she's not catching waves, Tiffany focuses on building her high-ticket affiliate marketing business, managing her luxury villa rental business in Bali, and developing her YouTube channel. She practices yoga daily, meditates, and recently became certified in level 1 freediving.

Follow Tiffany's adventures on Instagram: @tiffanybrooklangley

🌊 The Rise of Women in Big Wave Surfing: Breaking Barriers at Waimea and Beyond

The landscape of big wave surfing has transformed dramatically over the past decade, with women charging massive swells alongside men at spots once considered exclusively male domains. This season on Oahu's North Shore has been particularly groundbreaking, with female surfers making headlines for their performances at iconic breaks like Waimea Bay, Sunset Beach, and the outer reefs.

It is clear that women in big wave surfing is not a passing trend but a permanent evolution of the sport. As Hawaiian South Shore's own female customers increasingly ask about step-up boards and gun designs, we're proud to be part of this historic shift in surfing culture.

 

💪 Can Pull-Ups Transform Your Paddle Power?

I am always looking for ways to improve my performance in the water, and the other day I stumbled across this Instagram video discussing the value of pull-ups for improving paddle power and efficiency. As always, I reached out to Matt Rott, Hawaiian South Shore’s resident fitness expert and big wave consultant (and the host of Surfline’s Maps to Nowhere film series), to get his thoughts on the matter.

First of all, I think it’s great that Dave is always looking for new ways to improve his surfing and his paddling, just as I think it’s great that the surf community in general has begun to embrace cross-training, rather than simply treating surfing as their only form of exercise. Surfers have always been far behind virtually all other athletes in their understanding that cross-training can benefit their performance, so it’s nice to see the mentality toward training for surfing finally changing.

As I’ve said before, whenever I see videos about exercises that can help us paddle better, my initial reaction is to remind people that the single best form of training to improve paddling is paddling. Nothing is going to make a person paddle better than paddling consistently—but I’m not just talking about paddling lazily out to the lineup on a 10'0" longboard and then sitting there for a couple hours, while slowly paddling for a couple of waves. Regardless of the sport or type of training, if you aren’t putting your body under strain, you likely aren’t making gains. Just as shuffling around the block won’t turn you into a champion marathon runner, one-arm paddling out to Bowls on a longboard while chatting with a friend won’t turn you into the strongest paddler in the lineup. However, targeted paddle workouts (including tempo paddles, long base-pace paddles, and HIIT paddle workouts) are the single best thing you can do to become a better paddler.

That being said, there is definitely benefit from doing cross-training to increase upper body strength, and I don’t see why pull-ups wouldn’t help a person get stronger and paddle better—assuming they are already paddling regularly as their primary form of training for paddling, and the pull-ups are looked at as a supplementary workout. In other words, a person who paddles every day but never does pull-ups is going to be a stronger paddler than a person who does pull-ups every day but never paddles—but a person who does both will likely become a stronger paddler than they would have if they only did one or the other. (This is similar to the approach taken in the rock climbing community, where people add pull-ups to their training regimen in addition to actual climbing and hangboarding, rather than replacing one with the other.

The important thing to remember is that pull-ups can be hard on the shoulders, particularly when they are done with poor form—and shoulders are an area of weakness for most surfers, when it comes to repetitive motion injuries. Hence, you want to be careful when you start your pull-up training routine, because it could aggravate existing shoulder injuries, and it could also cause acute injuries that interfere with your ability to paddle and surf—and neither of these results is going to help you surf better, longer, or more.

What I liked best about this Instagram video is the fact that it acknowledges the fact that many people won’t have the strength to start a comprehensive pull-up routine from nothing, and suggests starting with mellower exercises (such as the band exercises) to help develop the small muscles needed to support the larger movements involved in pull-ups. I believe that slowly integrating these stabilizing and strengthening exercises into a supplementary cross-training program that eventually involves pull-ups can indeed help a person get stronger and paddle better, assuming that the cross-training is used in addition to an active paddle training regimen (or, alternatively, a consistent surf habit that involves rigorous, high-volume paddling).

📅 March 2025 Surfing Events Calendar

Here's your guide to all the exciting surf competitions and events happening this March around the world. Whether you're planning to watch in person or catch the action online, mark these dates on your calendar!

Professional Competitions

WSL Championship Tour: Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach
March 8-18, 2025 | Victoria, Australia
The world's best surfers return to the iconic Bells Beach for this historic competition, celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2025. Watch top competitors battle to ring the famous bell trophy.

WSL Challenger Series: Sydney Surf Pro
March 24-30, 2025 | Sydney, Australia
The qualification pathway heats up as surfers compete for crucial points toward Championship Tour qualification. Expect high performance surfing at one of Australia's dynamic beach breaks.

Local Hawaii Events

Menehune Surf Contest
March 15, 2025 | Waikiki Beach, Oahu
Support the next generation of Hawaiian surfers at this youth-focused competition celebrating surfing's future stars.

Queens of the Bay Women's Contest
March 22-23, 2025 | Waimea Bay, North Shore, Oahu
This groundbreaking women's big wave event returns, featuring the world's most fearless female surfers taking on the legendary Waimea Bay.

Surf Cultural Events

Hawaiian Surf Film Festival - Spring Edition
March 28-30, 2025 | Hawaii Theatre Center, Honolulu
A curated selection of the year's best surf cinematography, featuring both local and international filmmakers.

Viewing Tips

For WSL events, catch live streams on WorldSurfLeague.com or the WSL app. Local events are often streamed on Hawaiian surf media channels and social media. For the best in-person viewing experience at North Shore events, arrive early for parking and bring binoculars, water, and sun protection.

Check our social media for any schedule updates as event dates may change depending on surf conditions!

 

Surfboard Reviews

1. Harley Ingleby Mid 6 Surfboard Review by John Kim

2. Firewire Great White Surfboard Review by Rob

3. Firewire Boss Up Surfboard Review by Dustin

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more Raw Surfboard Reviews. Mahalos!

✈️ Master the Art of Surf Trip Packing: Protect Your Boards and Your Budget

Planning a surf adventure to reward yourself for all your hard work in the water? Proper packing isn't just about throwing boards in a travel bag—it's a strategic process that can make or break your trip. From protecting your precious quiver to navigating airline fees, thoughtful preparation ensures you'll arrive ready to enjoy those dream waves rather than dealing with busted equipment.

Experienced travelers know that successful surf trips start with an organized approach. Begin with a comprehensive checklist covering everything from appropriate boards for your destination to extra leashes, proper clothing for the local climate, and even digital essentials like travel documents backed up to your email. When it comes to your board bag, choose one that's sturdy and properly sized—overstuffing increases the risk of damage, while using oversized bags can trigger higher airline fees.

Speaking of fees, research airline policies before booking. Some carriers offer free board transport while others charge hefty fees, and many have specific size and weight restrictions that can lead to unexpected costs at check-in.

Protect your boards by using individual board socks, strategically placing towels and soft clothing around rails and fins, and considering foam rail guards for extra protection. With these preparations complete, you'll be ready to focus on what matters most—enjoying those perfect waves waiting for you at your destination. Where's your next destination? If you are visiting Hawaii, we hope to see you at the shop! 📍320 Ward Avenue #112 Honolulu, HI 96814