Fun by Design
We wake up every morning grateful to do what we love. This isn’t just work, it’s who we are: surfers, shapers, builders, designers, and collaborators, all connected by a shared passion for the ocean and the craft.
Behind every Firewire board is a global team that cares deeply about what we create. From our shapers and designers to our manufacturing team in Thailand, there is a shared commitment to doing things the right way.
This is a partnership built on trust, respect, and pride in craftsmanship. The people behind our boards bring not only deep experience and technical skill, but a genuine love for surfing, and it shows in the details.
As surfing continues to evolve, we’re seeing our boards ridden across more coastlines, in more conditions, and increasingly in wave pools around the world. With that shift comes a greater demand for durability, consistency, and performance over time.
We design with that reality in mind - building boards that are made to perform, and built to last.
We’re proud to be part of this moment in surfing, and even more proud to help shape it alongside a global community of surfers.
Thanks for being along for the ride. We’ll see you in the water.
Our Company
Founded in 2006, Firewire Surfboards exists to inspire and enhance the surfing experience through innovative, high-quality products built with the lowest practical environmental impact.
In 2016, eleven-time World Champion Kelly Slater launched Slater Designs, a brand focused on progressive surfboard design with a deep commitment to sustainability without compromising performance.
Today, Firewire Surfboards and Slater Designs are distributed in more than 60 countries, offering designs from some of the world’s most influential surfboard designers, alongside a curated range of premium surf accessories.
Designers & Collaborators
Rob Machado - There are very few world-class surfers who also design surfboards - and Rob Machado is one of them.
Since 2016, Rob has been central to Firewire’s design evolution, creating some of our most popular and accessible shapes. His philosophy is simple: surfing should be fun. That mindset has led to a range of versatile, high-performance designs like the Seaside, Too Fish, Sunday, and Seaside & Beyond, as well as collaborations like the Mashup with Dan Mann.
Dan Mann brings a unique blend of performance surfing and waterman experience, with a background that includes winning some of the world’s most demanding paddle races. His “Mannshape” designs focus on making high-performance surfing more accessible, with standout models like the Sweet Potato, Dominator 2.0, and Mashup, along with Slater Designs collaborations including the FRK+ and Boss series.
Daniel “Tomo” Thomson continues to push the boundaries of modern surfboard design. Known for his progressive approach and unconventional thinking, Tomo’s shapes like the Sci-Fi 2.0, Cymatic, and Revo - challenge traditional design and deliver a distinctly different ride experience.
Stu Kenson is widely respected for his deep roots in performance surfing and his ability to translate decades of shaping experience into refined, modern designs. His work reflects a balance of tradition and progression, grounded in real-world performance across a wide range of conditions.
Mark Woo brings a unique perspective shaped by a lifetime in Hawaiian surf culture. His influence spans generations, and his approach to design is rooted in experience, intuition, and a deep understanding of how boards perform in powerful, demanding waves.
