Firewire cancels FCS

ciscojaws

Michael Peterson status
Jul 28, 2008
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This article from Swellnet states that firewire are going to be Futures-exclusive from now on. While I prefer futures myself, the reasons Mark Price gives are laughable and Stu from Swellnet sees right through that.

I wonder if this will have any effect on the market?
Price says the company ran through a list of options for the dilemma, including a failed attempt to create a universal fin system, then when supply chain shortages hit during COVID they started surveying customers about design priorities finding that “fins were way down the list of considerations.”

So people that ride Firewires don't really take their fins into consideration? Color me surprised :rolleyes:
 

20W-50 and blood

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Feb 4, 2004
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Price says the company ran through a list of options for the dilemma, including a failed attempt to create a universal fin system, then when supply chain shortages hit during COVID they started surveying customers about design priorities finding that “fins were way down the list of considerations.”

So people that ride Firewires don't really take their fins into consideration? Color me surprised :rolleyes:
teh ghost of you know who....
 

estreet

Miki Dora status
Feb 19, 2021
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Price says the company ran through a list of options for the dilemma, including a failed attempt to create a universal fin system, then when supply chain shortages hit during COVID they started surveying customers about design priorities finding that “fins were way down the list of considerations.”

So people that ride Firewires don't really take their fins into consideration? Color me surprised :rolleyes:
I’m pretty sure they mean the consideration between FCS an futures. Color me pedantic.
 

ReForest

Michael Peterson status
Oct 7, 2020
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I'm an FCS man too, through and through, but this does make a lot of sense. From a consumer standpoint it would make ordering a board a little easier. Not having to decide between fin systems or figure out which fins would feel like its opposite.

Firewire is big enough to take this step out into the darkness with confidence and see where it leads. It will be interesting to see if any other brands follow. If the majority of FCS fans are in AUS I could see Hayden doing the same thing, but for FCS.

Also, one would think Slater would have a hard time with this... but most of his boards (if not all of them) are customs anyways (and he is a majority owner) so I doubt this change will have any effect on him whatsoever. It is very interesting though.
 

ReForest

Michael Peterson status
Oct 7, 2020
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The original article from Shop Eat Surf & Price is much better and elaborates much more on the findings of their customer surveys. https://shop-eat-surf.com/2022/09/firewire-to-move-exclusively-to-futures-fin-boxes/

The Swell net article picks and chooses points of topics. For example, this is pretty interesting.

“We started doing customer surveys and we found that there’s definitely people at the margins who are committed to one system over the other, but the vast majority of surfers are wedded to the board model and their shaper of choice,” Mark stated. “Fins were way down the list of considerations.”

“So, we thought: Let’s just pick a fin box system and only run with one,” he said. “When you look at the streamlining of our entire supply chain, our go-to-market, our inventory management, everything that comes around managing two different fin plugs systems, we decided to go through with it.” - Mark Price


Which is true... If i couldnt get a board in FCS I would definitely go Futures unless i had some specific fins in mind for that specific board. But even then, I would probably reach a point where I would say "okay" and just get the futures board.
 

ReForest

Michael Peterson status
Oct 7, 2020
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Pretty funny what FCS had to say. They sound salty over this. haha.

“It is disappointing that Firewire has chosen to remove ‘choice’ for their customers. This commercial decision will result in denying Firewire’s customers access to the FCSII system along with our exclusive range of high performance fins from world champion athletes to the best shapers globally, and revolutionary Swiss engineered H4 fins which we believe are the best fins in the world.”

“FCS high performance fins are the evolutionary result of long term partnerships with the best surfers and shapers in the world. Fin technology is as crucial as the surfboard itself and cannot be easily replicated. Even the decision not to use the FCS fin plug is a backwards step with Firewire customers now having the hassle of carrying tools every time they go for a surf.”

“It’s hard to believe that a premium board maker like Firewire doesn’t value the importance of premium fin technology and customer choice.”

“Looking forward, FCS has some exciting fin tech coming, which sadly Firewire customers will not have access to.” - Garth Grundy