Firewire Surfboards Boss Up
Pickup currently unavailable at BSS
The Firewire Boss Up is the board Slater Designs built for surfers who refuse to choose. Designed by shaper Dan Mann in close partnership with Kelly Slater and Kevin Schulz, the Boss Up is the bigger sibling of the S Boss, Kelly's first-ever midlength shape, scaled up and refined into the most versatile board in the Slater Designs catalog.
Built to Travel, Built to Handle Everything
If you could only bring one board on a surf trip, this is the one. The Boss Up earns its reputation as a true one-board quiver by performing across a range of conditions most boards would simply refuse. Its round, full outline carries volume through the mid-section, making it remarkably easy to paddle into mushy, weak-faced waves without sacrificing the rail control needed when the surf gets serious. When the ocean delivers overhead tubes, the Boss Up is still there with you, holding line and generating speed where narrower performance shapes would stall out.
Shape Details and Design Intent
The outline flows from a slightly wider nose into a full, buoyant mid-section before narrowing into a rounded pin tail that keeps the back end engaged and drivey through turns. The rocker is a studied middle ground: enough low-entry curve in the nose to lock into and paddle onto waves with ease, transitioning into a flatter section through the belly that keeps speed high on flatter wave faces, then kicking slightly through the tail to allow pivot and release when you need to redirect.
The bottom contour runs a single-to-double concave, channeling water flow under the board and into the fin cluster for drive and lift. The wide-point sits slightly forward of center, a deliberate design choice that keeps the board planing early and paddling efficiently without making the tail feel stuck. Paired with the KS1 five-fin template and ridden as a quad, the Boss Up locks into a high-drive, projection-forward trim feel that rewards surfers who like to draw long, committed lines across the face.
Wave Range and Who It Suits
The Boss Up is shaped for intermediate to advanced surfers who want a single shape that covers the widest possible range of South Florida surf, from knee-high summer windswells to solid winter days. It rewards surfers who are comfortable stepping up in volume from their regular shortboard, and Firewire recommends going roughly thirteen liters higher than your standard shortboard volume when sizing into the Boss Up. The board reads a quicker and more confident from the paddle-in forward, letting surfers spend less time fighting for position and more time making sections.
The quad configuration delivers a fast, channeled feel with plenty of down-the-line speed, and the five-fin boxes give you the option to switch to a thruster when conditions call for a more vertical, pivot-driven approach. Whether you are trimming across a long, lined-up wall or threading a punchy, fast hollow section, the Boss Up has a gear for it.
Firewire and Slater Designs Construction
Like all Firewire Slater Designs boards, the Boss Up is built with Firewire's advanced composite construction methods. The result is a board that is noticeably lighter than a traditional poly build, more responsive underfoot, and built to hold up to heavy use and travel. The clean white deck with its dark Firewire pin stripe and minimal Slater Designs branding keeps the aesthetic sharp and focused. "MANN KINE" is printed on the bottom, Dan Mann's signature mark on a shape that carries his fingerprints throughout.
The Boss Up at Island Water Sports
Island Water Sports has carried Firewire Surfboards since their early days, and the Slater Designs line represents some of the most thoughtfully engineered shapes we put on the floor. The Boss Up is the board our team recommends when a customer wants to cover every surf they'll see in South Florida and beyond, without filling a quiver bag. Use the variant selector on this page to choose your length, and call us at 954-427-4929 if you want to talk through the right size for your surfing.
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Specifications
- Brand
- Firewire Surfboards
- Model
- Boss Up
- Design Line
- Slater Designs
- Shaper
- Dan Mann (with Kelly Slater and Kevin Schulz)
- Board Type
- Midlength
- Fin Configuration
- Five-fin (quad or thruster setup)
- Bottom Contour
- Single to double concave
- Tail Shape
- Rounded pin
- Recommended Riding Style
- Intermediate to advanced
- Wave Range
- Knee-high to overhead-plus
- Gender
- Unisex
Size & Dimensions
| Length | Width | Thickness | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6'6" | 20 1/8" | 2 7/8" | 39.5L |
| 6'8" | 20 1/4" | 2 7/8" | 40.8L |
| 6'10" | 20 3/8" | 2 15/16" | 43.0L |
| 7'0" | 20 7/16" | 2 15/16" | 44.3L |
| 7'2" | 20 1/2" | 3" | 46.4L |
| 7'4" | 20 7/16" | 3 1/16" | 48.4L |
| 7'6" | 20 5/8" | 3 1/8" | 51.1L |
Full manufacturer size chart. Sizes available to order are shown in the selector above.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Firewire Boss Up?
- The Boss Up is a midlength surfboard in the Slater Designs range, shaped by Dan Mann in partnership with Kelly Slater and Kevin Schulz. It is the bigger sibling of the S Boss and is designed to be the most well-rounded, versatile shape in the lineup, handling everything from weak, small surf to overhead-plus conditions.
- Is the Boss Up good for small waves?
- Yes. The Boss Up was specifically designed to cruise across weak wave faces that would frustrate a regular shortboard. Its fuller outline, higher volume, and paddle-efficient rocker let it glide into waves that a performance shortboard would miss entirely. It is one of the standout strengths of this shape.
- Can the Boss Up handle big or hollow waves?
- Absolutely. The Rithum data direct from Firewire describes the Boss Up as shaped to "grind through cavernous overhead tubes." The rounded pin tail and concave bottom contour keep it locked in on more powerful surf. Kelly Slater, Kevin Schulz, and Shane Dorian have all surfed the Boss Up in solid conditions.
- What fin setup does the Boss Up use?
- The Boss Up is fitted with five fin boxes and is recommended to be ridden as a quad using the KS1 five-fin template. The quad setup delivers high drive and projection-forward speed. You can also configure it as a thruster when conditions call for more pivot and vertical response. Do not name specific fin brand systems; any compatible fins in the correct box format will work.
- How do I size the Boss Up compared to my regular shortboard?
- Firewire recommends stepping up roughly thirteen liters in volume compared to your standard shortboard when choosing a Boss Up. The board is designed to be ridden with more float than your everyday performance shape. Use the size chart on this page to find the length with the volume that hits that target, and the variant selector shows what is available to order.
- What is the difference between the Boss Up and the S Boss?
- The S Boss was Kelly Slater's first-ever midlength shape. The Boss Up is the larger, more volume-forward evolution of that shape. Where the S Boss targets surfers looking for a compact midlength alternative to a shortboard, the Boss Up is designed as a true one-board travel quiver, covering a wider range of conditions and suited to surfers who want more paddle power and wave-catching ease without giving up performance when surf gets serious.
- Is the Firewire Boss Up good for intermediate surfers?
- Yes, with some nuance. The Boss Up rewards surfers who are comfortable on a shortboard and want to add range and paddle ease without reverting to a longboard. Its extra volume makes wave-catching more forgiving, but the quad setup and performance tail mean it responds well to intentional footwork and rail pressure. It is not a beginner board, but a confident intermediate surfer will find it genuinely fun and easier to ride than a standard shortboard in most conditions.
- What kind of waves is the Boss Up designed for?
- The Boss Up is a utility midlength built for the full range, from soft, slow point breaks and summer beach break to punchy overhead beach break and hollow reef surf. It was designed explicitly to perform across that entire spectrum, which is the core promise of the one-board quiver concept. For South Florida's variable surf, it is an excellent everyday option.