Revo Quick Facts
Firewire Revo quick facts
| Brand / shaper | Firewire Surfboards, Carlsbad, California; designed by Daniel “Tomo” Thomson (Tomo Designs) |
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| Board type | Modern Planing Hull performance hybrid – the update to Tomo’s famous EVO, with his Vee Quad Concave bottom |
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| Best waves | Everyday waves from small and weak through good surf; the higher lift-to-drag of the vee quad concave makes wave catching easy |
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| Skill level | All levels |
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| Tail | Wide, straight “chop” tail, the signature of Tomo’s rectangular Modern Planing Hull template |
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| Design | Vee Quad Concave (VQC) – the maneuverability and rail-to-rail transitions of a vee hull combined with the lift and response of quad concave; a more refined outline curve and higher rocker than the EVO for more radical lines closer to the pocket |
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| Fins | Five boxes. Tomo calls it a fantastic quad – the deep central spine of the vee provides directional control. It can be ridden as a thruster with a smaller rear fin, or as a 2+1. Best template: a raked quad – Firewire’s Velox set or Kelly’s Endorfins KSR; on FCS II boards, the FCS II Carver quad. Firewire boards built from 2023 on come with Futures boxes; earlier boards came with either FCS II or Futures boxes, so check the fin system listed on each board. |
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| Stock sizes | 5’1 to 6’2 (22.9 L to 44.2 L) |
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| Sizing | A wide-tailed hybrid: ride your regular shortboard volume or a touch more, which lands 4–6 inches shorter than your everyday shortboard |
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| Constructions we stock | Firewire built the Revo in I-Bolic, which is what we have stocked. The Revo has been succeeded in Firewire’s range by the Revo Max, so stock is limited to what is listed here |
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Revo Q&A
What size Revo should I get?
Ride your regular shortboard volume or a touch more; the wide chop tail and parallel outline mean that lands 4–6 inches shorter than your everyday shortboard. A surfer on a 6’0 shortboard around 30 liters would look at the 5’6 (19 1/4” x 2 11/16”, 29.8 L) or 5’7 (31.4 L). Firewire’s chart runs 5’4 (26.8 L), 5’5 (28.5 L), 5’8 (33.0 L), 5’9 (34.7 L), 5’10 (36.5 L), 5’11 (38.3 L), 6’0 (40.2 L) and 6’2 (44.2 L), and we have also carried 5’1 to 5’3 sizes.
What fins does the Revo use?
Five boxes. Tomo describes the Revo as a fantastic quad fin design, because the deep central spine of the vee provides plenty of directional control; it can still be ridden as a thruster, though he recommends a smaller rear fin or a 2+1 setup in that case. A raked quad set suits the vee bottom – Firewire’s Velox set or Kelly Slater’s Endorfins KSR on Futures boards, or the FCS II Carver quad on FCS II boards. Revos came through with both FCS II and Futures boxes, so check each board.
What waves is the Revo for?
Everyday waves. The Vee Quad Concave’s higher lift-to-drag ratio makes wave catching easy and transitions speedy while keeping a controlled feel, and the refined outline and higher rocker let the Revo draw more radical lines closer to the pocket than the EVO did – so it covers small, weak days through good surf.
How is the Revo different from the EVO and the Revo Max?
The Revo is the latest update to Tomo’s famous EVO: same rectangular Modern Planing Hull idea, but with the Vee Quad Concave bottom, a more refined outline curve and higher rocker. The Revo Max takes the same Vee Quad Concave into a 6’0–7’0 step-up twin and performance mid-length.
Who is the Revo for?
Surfers of all levels who want Tomo’s skatey, easy-planing feel in an everyday shortboard. It is a retired model, so it suits surfers hunting remaining stock or a used board – the Revo Max is the current version.
What construction does the Revo come in?
Firewire built the Revo in I-Bolic – a fiber-reinforced I-beam down the center with parabolic rail springers nose to tail, giving three independent points of flex control and break resistance without external carbon layups. That is the construction we have stocked. The Revo has been succeeded by the Revo Max in Firewire’s range, so what is on this page is what remains. Each board lists its construction and fin boxes.
Can I custom order a Revo?
No – Firewire builds its models in set stock sizes rather than customs, and the Revo is no longer in Firewire’s current line, so it cannot be special ordered. The boards on this page are what is available; the Revo Max is the current Tomo design built around the same Vee Quad Concave, and we can special order it from Firewire’s range.
