Slater Designs S Boss I-Bolic Volcanic Surfboard

The Slater Designs S Boss I-Bolic Surfboard is performance board with more range in small to big surf than any other high-performance board. It has been the go to board every time there are good waves. The key design elements a surfer will notice on this board that stand out from other boards is the outline with the blunt nose, the familiar FRK round tail, the S deck/foot wells on the deck, and the double barrel set into a V bottom contour. Surfers will want to ride their S Boss shorter than their regular shortboard and an inch or two longer than their groveller. Pay close attention to the volume on this board and error on the side of more volume (foam is your friend). The turning radius is super tight because of the volume, bottom contour and narrowness packed into a shorter board.

Kelly came with the idea of making a blunt nose performance board with parallel rails with this crazy double barrel V bottom. Mannkine liked all his ideas except for the double barrel set into a V (instead of a concave), but he could not talk him out of it and realized as soon as he surfed his first S Boss (5'11") that he was totally wrong about the V. Right away Kelly saw a lot of promise with the shape, as did Kevin Schulz and a friend he left the third one with in Bali. A second round with a rocker that is tried and true in boards like the Dominator 2. That is when the shape was essentially set and since then they've refined the dimensions, the rail tuck and volume distribution.

Wave Type
When it highs chest high, the S Boss is an easy choice. From punchy beachies to reeling point breaks, Kelly, Dan and Kevin have all had memorable sessions. Recommended in 2-6' surf, in average to good conditions.

"I’ve ridden it at Lowers, Surf Ranch, a really good day in Ventura, a point in Hawai’i, and it felt good on my backhand at Uluwatu. Most excited I’ve been riding this board was in poor quality waves in Florida beach breaks." - Kelly Slater

"The peakier the better — it’s short enough that it pivots incredibly while still holding speed, like no other board." - Dan Mann

"Best in chest to head-high beachies. Point breaks too, but it excels most at beach breaks when the waves hit that chest to head-high size." - Kevin Schulz

Board Features
Tested over many years, Kelly's refined the S Boss in Hawai'i, Bali, Lowers, Surf Ranch and beyond. It's got a uniquely full outline with volume hidden throughout, a relaxed rocker, and forgiving fin cluster. A double concave runs throughout the back half of the board, funneling water off the round tail.

I-Bolic Core Technology

The Firewire patent pending I-Bolic core technology is an engineering feat developed for performance, without the need for external carbon layups or heavy laminations. These models offer the stiffness of Linear Flex Technology (LFT) with the flex and spring-back of their best-selling Helium technology. This is Kelly Slater's favorite technology to ride, offering speed, control, strength and response.

I-Bolic Performance
I-Bolic cores have the stiffness of the Firewire old Linear Flex Technology (LFT) with the flex and spring-back of their best-selling Helium technology. The I-beam ensures firmness underfoot and unparalleled break strength, while the high density foam parabolic rails enable flex and recoil through turns.

I-Bolic Construction
The Firewire I-Bolic technology is a 1.5 lb EPS foam core with a 18mm high density foam stringer in the core, 16mm high density foam parabolic rails to control flex, and a 5mm high density foam springer on the bottom. Paired with their standard fiberglass lamination, on the deck it has a 3mm high density composite deck skin on the deck sandwiched between the double 4 oz E fiberglass cloth layers, and also has double 4 oz E fiberglass capping the bottom.

Volcanic Lamination Technology

Volcanic lamination technology is made from basalt, a natural element that comes from volcanic rocks. These volcanic rocks are crushed, melted down and then extruded into woven fibers that make up the basalt cloth Firewire uses in this lamination technology. This process requires the basalt rock to get to about 1,500 degrees Celsius (2,730 degrees Fahrenheit.)

The cloth has the same functional characteristics to carbon, making it a sustainable alternative to carbon, which is very bad for the environment. While basalt fiber has been around for decades, it's relatively new to fiber reinforced polymers (FRPs) and structural composites used for surfboard manufacturing. It has a similar chemical composition to glass fiber, but better strength characteristics.

Volcanic Performance
Firewire's most durable construction with elevated response. This sustainable alternative to carbon is stronger than carbon and can also withstand higher temperatures than carbon, making it a top choice for the aerospace industry in the manufacturing of rockets and jet engines. It also has higher elasticity than traditional carbon, allowing the board to have more flex for a natural feel underfoot.

Volcanic Construction
The Firewire Volcanic lamination schedule is double 4 oz basalt cloth on the deck, and single 4 oz basalt cloth on the bottom.

Volcanic Core Compatibility
Volcanic lamination is paired with either I-Bolic cores or Helium cores.