Firewire makes the most innovative surfboards in the industry. This winter, I tried the Neutrino, Machado, and Revo Max to see if they're worth the hype.

For decades, the process of making a surfboard has more or less been the same: Cut a piece of foam. Put a wooden stringer down the middle to provide structure and strength. Shape it, then wrap it in fiberglass, sand it, and leave holes for the leash and fins. That was until Firewire Surfboards came along. Now the company uses a 21-step construction process and a dizzying assortment of aerospace-grade foams, carbon fiber, and bio-resins to produce a board that looks straight out of science fiction.

The surf world tends to favor the tried and true, but in Firewire's case, every new material and design serves a purpose. Much to every Luddite wave-rider’s chagrin, the boards work really damn well. I spent most of the fall and winter testing out three new boards from Firewire—the Neutrino, the Machado, and the Revo Max. Each uses different materials and ...