Kelly Slater's first-ever performance midlength.
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The Boss up is the bigger brother of the S Boss, Kelly's first-ever midlength.
Designed by Dan Mann in partnership with Kelly Slater and Kevin Schulz, this utility midlength is the most well-rounded and versatile shape in the Slater Designs range, crafted to cruise across weak wave faces and grind through cavernous overhead tubes.
The Boss Up is the board you would travel with if you could only bring one board with you. Your one board quiver with maximum performance in a purely versatile package.
Recommended to ride roughly +13 liters more volume than your standard shortboard, paired with the KS1 5 Fin Template configured as a Quad.
Overall rating: 4.9333334 / 5 from 15 reviews.
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"Got it in 6’6” & I’m 5ft 8 tall, weighing 85 kgs & keep pretty fit at 52 yrs old: Epic responsiveness , mega-drivey, can shove it around almost like my 5’10 Dahlberg go-to shortboard that I’ve til now used when waves are quality. It’s a game changer & I’m stoked. Picked it up last week, surfed in 4-6ft sandbottom grunty point waves yesterday & couldn’t be more happy , & re-invigorated for surfing again. Flat out stoked on it. 🍒🍒🍒"
"From the basque country/landes to Morocco point breaks. . . . in small to double overhead surf, just perfect. I'm 54 (30 years of surfing). I'm 80 kg, and short boards around 33L. I've got a 7'2 Boss Up (I wanted a 6'10 but found a second hand 7'2), and use it in quatro all the time to be honest. So much waves, so much fun, turn like a shortboard. I just use this board all the time, and remove the others my garage. . . . Cymatic 5'8, Ghost 6'3, Cristanson fish 5'7, 6'0 groveler, Al M. twin pin 6'3. . . Probably one of the best surfboard for me at the moment for maximum fun"
"11. 06. 25 - Coming out of a 12+ year stretch of mostly custom mid-lengths, this was a meaningful departure for me. I wanted to scale my whole quiver down to maybe 3 boards that I surf on day to day and also travel with. The new mid-lengths from Firewire really fit that profile and I decided to start with a 7-4 Boss Up. I watched a lot of reviews and pulled the trigger. Right from the 1st wave, I knew I had the right volume. I'm 6'-0"" x 180ish, older, but pretty fit. This board catches waves as easy as my longer Poly's and the lighter weight makes it way easier to manage all around; from duck-diving, sprinting for a take-off and getting caught inside. The board is not a groveler, but it's very rangy. . . . goes well from waist high to well OH. It really shines in head-high+ and up runners. It doesn't need a lot to find the gas pedal and get moving. Using the ""Endorfin"" fin set. Riding it mostly as a Quad and changing to a 3-finner in larger waves. The Boss Up really put the stoke back in my surfing . . . . I have no regrets. The best board purchase I've made in years."
"This is my second boss up, great mid length, versatile in all conditions. I've been using mine in hurricane swells in the Caribbean. I love it!"
"I don't know why more people aren't talking about this board !!! I ride the 7' 6"" in north country San Diego as a long board, so as to compete with da 9' 0"" warriors ! I weigh 150 lbs , so the 52 liters gets me into steeper faces way quicker than a 9'0"". It is so turn ee and fast ! I have no idea what they did with the bottom and rails , cause this board is a stand out !!! It even grovels like crazy … so fast , like an aircraft !!!$"
"On good days, the Boss Up is a solid board. For a New England surfer, I would classify it more as a bigger shortboard (that's not bulky) than a mid length. If you are looking for a weaker wave board, I would look at some other options. Definitely not a quiver killer in New England. I have a 6'8. Maybe a bigger version would cover more ground. It feels solid under foot on good days and is duck-divable no problem. For aging surfers, this is a nice way to compete in crowded lineups on good days- but as far as classifying it as a mid-length for weaker surf of the east coast nature, probably not. Maybe it is a sizing issue @ 6'8, but it is fun to ride as an old school shortboard."
"Paddles like a dream but still turns on a dime. Catch more waves without giving up performance. I am loving it!"
"Paired with KS1 Endorfins as a quad setup the board is super fast and maneuverable. I'd recommend this board for the int-adv surfer looking for a new surfing experience."
"Recently purchased the 6'8"" boss up. I've always surfed on short boards and hybrid short boards, and this is my first mid length. The boss up is a great board. Super easy to paddle into waves, glides down the line with speed, and it's easy to turn. Pretty much a short board feel with more paddle power. This board can surf in a variety of conditions and wave sizes which makes it a versatile board. I'm very happy with this board. I'm 5'8"" 166."
"Best performance mid-length I've ridden so far. Gets into the smallest waves, and catches larger waves early. Surfs somewhat like a short board while giving you more paddle power. I find that this board also draws out my lines a bit adding a different style to my surfing. You can really feel the active V line/contour down the length of the board making it easier to go from rail to rail. Bottom line, this board is just fun to ride!"
