Xtra-Cado Quick Facts
Firewire Xtra-Cado quick facts
| Brand / shaper | Firewire Surfboards, Carlsbad, California; designed by Rob Machado (Firewire spells it Xtra Cado) |
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| Board type | Mid-length evolution of the Machadocado – a glidey, floaty board for days when you do not feel like trying as hard |
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| Best waves | Smaller, gutless waves where glide and float matter, though the performance rails, five boxes and double-concave-with-vee bottom let it work in larger surf too; Firewire charts it for 1–4 ft, best in weak conditions |
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| Skill level | Beginner to advanced |
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| Tail | Wide squash tail, foiled very thin through the tail like the Machadocado |
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| Design | Machadocado outline stretched to mid-length so it is straighter and glidier; semi-rounded nose; domed deck hiding generous volume with pulled-down, thin rails; deep single concave running into a double concave with vee down the middle and panels down the rails for easy transitions |
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| Fins | Five boxes – quad in bigger surf, twin in small surf, thruster when you want to rip. Rob rides his stock 6’8 with the Machado Seaside Quad fin set; team riders use the Machado 2 + 1 fin set. Futures boxes on every board. |
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| Stock sizes | 6’6 to 7’6 (38.7 L to 50.6 L) |
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| Sizing | A mid-length: 6–12 inches longer than your shortboard with noticeably more volume; the 6’6 and 6’8 suit shortboarders stepping up, the 7’2 and 7’6 suit bigger surfers and longboarders stepping down |
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| Constructions we stock | Firewire builds the Xtra Cado in Helium, which is what we stock |
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Xtra-Cado Q&A
What size Xtra-Cado should I get?
Size it like a mid-length: 6–12 inches longer than your shortboard with more volume. The stock range is 6’6 (20 3/4” x 2 9/16”, 38.7 L), 6’8 (39.3 L), 7’0 (44.4 L), 7’2 (47.1 L) and 7’6 (50.6 L). Rob Machado rides the stock 6’8. A surfer on a 6’0 shortboard typically lands on the 6’6 to 7’0; bigger surfers and longboarders stepping down will be happier on the 7’2 or 7’6.
What fins does the Xtra-Cado use?
It has five Futures boxes, so you can set it up for the day: Rob suggests a quad in bigger surf, a twin in small surf, or a thruster when you want to rip. Rob rides his own 6’8 with the Machado Seaside Quad fin set (a drivey, keel-style quad), while other Firewire team riders prefer his Machado 2 + 1 set – an upright twin with a small trailer for tight turns and control. Either is a Firewire template designed around Rob’s shapes; both come in Futures-compatible single-tab versions.
What waves is the Xtra-Cado for?
Rob designed it for smaller, gutless waves with lots of glide and float – the days when the waves do not give you the green light to try and rip. Because he kept performance elements in the shape (pulled-down thin rails, a five-box cluster and a double concave with vee), it also works quite well in larger surf.
How is the Xtra-Cado different from the Machado Cado?
It is the Machadocado stretched into a mid-length. Rob took his best-selling short, wide hybrid and lengthened the outline, which straightened it out for glide and float, then kept the domed deck, pulled-down rails and thin squash tail. The Cado runs 5’2–6’2 with thruster boxes; the Xtra Cado runs 6’6–7’6 with five boxes for twin, thruster or quad.
Who is the Xtra-Cado for?
Beginner to advanced surfers who are drawn to the mid-length realm – not a longboard, not a shortboard. It paddles and glides easily thanks to the hidden volume, yet it is responsive rail to rail, great for long drawn-out turns and still able to whip tight in the pocket.
What construction does the Xtra-Cado come in?
Firewire builds the Xtra Cado in Helium – a stringerless EPS core with flex controlled by paulownia and balsa wood rails and a composite deck skin, light and lively with speed in everyday waves. That is the construction we stock. Each board on this page lists its construction and fin boxes.
Can I custom order an Xtra-Cado?
Firewire builds the Xtra-Cado in set stock sizes rather than true one-off customs, so there is no custom board builder for it. If the size or construction you want is not on this page, we can usually special order it for you from Firewire’s current range – contact the shop and we will check availability and lead time.
