FRK Quick Facts
Slater Designs FRK quick facts
| Brand / shaper | Slater Designs – Kelly Slater’s label, built by Firewire Surfboards in Carlsbad, California; designed by Dan Mann for Kelly Slater |
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| Board type | High-performance shortboard – the first board Dan Mann shaped for Kelly Slater, and the board Kelly rode for years before the DRK |
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| Best waves | Good waves, waist high and up; it was Kelly’s board at J-Bay, the Founders Cup, the Surf Ranch Pro and around the North Shore |
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| Skill level | Intermediate to pro |
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| Tail | Round tail |
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| Design | Made to make you forget it is there: a refined performance outline with a medium-to-high but smooth rocker, foam placed forward enough for paddling, a straight rail line through the middle for drive and a single concave into a subtle double that goes flat out the tail |
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| Fins | Five boxes – thruster or quad. Best template: Kelly’s Endorfins KS1, an upright pivot template (small, medium or large; Futures single-tab or FCS II dual-tab). Firewire’s Velox set is the raked alternative. Firewire boards built from 2023 on come with Futures boxes; earlier boards came with either FCS II or Futures boxes, so check the fin system listed on each board. |
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| Stock sizes | 5’8 to 6’6 (24.3 L to 36.4 L), plus smaller grom sizes we have carried |
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| Sizing | A performance shortboard: ride your regular shortboard volume at your usual shortboard length |
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| Constructions we stock | Firewire built the FRK in LFT (Linear Flex Technology) and later in I-Bolic. We have stocked both. The original FRK has been succeeded in Firewire’s current range by the FRK+ and the DRK, so stock is limited to what is listed here |
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FRK Q&A
What size FRK should I get?
Ride your regular shortboard volume at your normal shortboard length – the FRK is a pure performance board, not a hybrid. A surfer on a 6’0 shortboard around 30 liters would ride the 6’0 FRK (19 1/16” x 2 5/8”, 30.6 L). The chart runs 5’8 (18 5/16” x 2 5/16”, 24.3 L), 5’9 (25.6 L), 5’10 (27.0 L), 5’11 (29.1 L), 6’1 (32.3 L), 6’2 (33.2 L), 6’4 (35.2 L) and 6’6 (36.4 L), and we have also carried smaller grom sizes.
What fins does the FRK use?
Five boxes, so it rides as a thruster or a quad – Dan Mann makes all of Kelly’s fin clusters work both ways. The template built around these boards is Kelly Slater’s Endorfins KS1, an upright fin set with incredible pivot, which Firewire pairs with the FRK family. It comes in small, medium and large, in Futures-compatible single-tab and FCS II-compatible dual-tab versions. If you want more drive and drawn-out turns, Kelly’s raked KSR template or Firewire’s Velox set are the alternatives. Boards from 2023 on have Futures boxes; earlier FRKs came with either FCS II or Futures.
What waves is the FRK for?
Good waves. Kelly took the FRK to J-Bay two weeks after first riding it and did what many called his best surfing of 2017, then rode it at the Founders Cup, J-Bay again in 2018, the Surf Ranch Pro and all around the North Shore. Firewire charts the FRK family from waist high up to well overhead, best in average to epic conditions.
How is the FRK different from the FRK+ and the DRK?
The FRK is the original round-tail version Dan Mann shaped for Kelly in 2015. The FRK+ is the squash-tail version for everyday waves, meant to be ridden slightly shorter, with a touch more release. The DRK is the refined 2023 evolution Kelly rode to win Stab In The Dark X: same bottom contours, rocker and fin cluster, but a rail and foil balanced more under the chest and the wide point pushed forward for a narrower, more sensitive tail.
Who is the FRK for?
Intermediate to advanced surfers who want a high-performance shortboard that gets out of the way. Dan Mann’s goal was to remove as many variables as possible so the board levels up your surfing without ever feeling like it is in your way.
What construction does the FRK come in?
Firewire built the FRK in LFT (Linear Flex Technology – an EPS core with Firewire’s Springer HD, an aerospace composite running the full length of the centerline to tune flex) and later in I-Bolic (an I-beam core with flex controlled at the rails by high-density foam). We have stocked both. The original FRK has been succeeded in Firewire’s current range by the FRK+ and DRK, so what is on this page is what remains. Each board lists its construction and fin boxes.
Can I custom order an FRK?
No – Firewire builds its models in set stock sizes rather than customs, and the original round-tail FRK is no longer in Firewire’s current range, so it cannot be special ordered. The FRK+ (squash tail) and the DRK (Kelly’s refined version) are the current models; we can special order either from Firewire’s range if the size you want is not in stock.
