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The Boss Up is the midlength evolution of the S Boss, and marks Kelly Slater’s first official foray into midlength design. Created in collaboration with Dan Mann and Kevin Schulz, this board was built to deliver maximum versatility—capable of handling everything from soft, weak waves to heaving overhead barrels.
With its extended outline and tuned rocker, the Boss Up cruises effortlessly across flat sections while still maintaining the control and responsiveness needed to navigate steep drops and tight pockets. The extra volume (recommended at roughly +13 liters over your standard shortboard) provides excellent paddle power and early entry, making it an ideal travel board when conditions are unknown.
The board’s shape balances flow and performance—equally suited for trimming and carving on clean point breaks or locking into tubes when the swell pulses. It’s that rare midlength that performs like a shortboard when you need it to, but offers the glide and accessibility expected from its size.
Pros:
Ultra-versatile design suited for everything from soft waves to hollow tubes
Extra volume improves paddling and wave-catching without feeling sluggish
Great travel board—truly a one-board quiver for unpredictable trips
Balances glide and drive with performance turning
Handles size and power better than most midlengths
Cons:
May feel like “too much board” for surfers used to compact shortboards
Not a specialty board—trades hyper-specific performance for broad utility
Less ideal for surfers looking solely to noseride or log
Summary:
The Boss Up is a high-performance midlength with true go-anywhere range. Whether you’re threading barrels or grooving down the line, it’s designed to handle it all with confidence and control. If you want one board that can do nearly everything—with power, flow, and paddle advantage—the Boss Up lives up to its name. It’s the perfect choice for travel, variable conditions, or anyone who wants added foam without compromising performance.
