Slater Designs "FRK" Surfboard Review by Noel Salas EP.84

Ho Noel! Amazing review, I’ve just picked up a 6’0 30.7 ltr and I’m 178cm/76kg. I was undecided between 6’0 and 6’1 but Kelly suggest to take the one it feels a little bit smaller!
I’ll be off to indo in 5 days hope to try it in good waves. Hope I made the right decision ☺️

Mate, love your shows, best out there.
Question, would you use it as a mini step up or even step up board? I am 6.1, 84kg, fit and surf often but looking for a board for the bigger days, point breaks and hollow fast beachies. All 5 foot and up. Thanks in advance.

Any chance you have a FRK + review planned? Thanks for all of the great reviews. My last 4 boards have been purchased and enjoyed from your input! 🙏🏼

That style-rides great!!!!!!!

Yeah Different boards create different sensations. Theres a threshold between, lets call, a good and bad board. If the board of the moment sits in that threshold I would safely say, given time, it will create many good sensations and thats what its all about. So, go out and try new equipment based on a bit of research, insist a bit and It will render many treasurable recollections. That has been my take on it for a long time. Tried many different boards, very different, most of them had real spark. Some of them were pretty meh.

Does anyone have a view or experience with volume for this surfboard. I’m thinking about going for one in the lower range for my volume… wondering if it’ll work, or am I risking it?

Hey Noel- My liters for the FRK are stuck right between the 5'10 and 5'11, any suggestion? Thx you!

This board was sick with the R6 vapor core this morning I put in the honeycomb AM2 it’s the first large fins that I’m testing let you know how it goes yeeewww

For ONCE you and I rode the same fins.

Interesting

Noel/Surf n Show....anyone know what "FRK" actually stands for ?

Noel you’re the guy I’m looking forward the most for a Stab in the dark

Looks like an old school pro-board. If the board/tail is more narrow than usual, smaller fins work better.

Noel pleaaaaaaaaaase do a review on the Tomo Evo, super interested on what your thoughts are and more so on fin selection!!!!!

Noel, I don't know, but I think you look more like Kelly than any other surfer I've ever seen, in style, ergonomics, or what ever you call it, in the lines you draw, in the way you throw your arms around, through turns, the approach to the lip, and your overall stance. Of course I'm not supposed to give you that much credit, but it is amazing, on the talent you hold as a high performance surfer. Another thing that I find interesting is, you are so talented, that no matter which one of these brands or models that you ride, you always look fairly similar. The difference that I see is in how good the boards are. You seem to be approaching all of your manuevers in a similar way, but depending on the board, you look flappy and choppy or you smoothly annihilate the wave like Kelly. I'm a board designer and shaper of 60 years, and I know what I'm talking about. To me, your talent level, and steadfast desire to surf an extremely advanced style, enables someone like me to see the very fine aspects of what you are riding and how it either hampers your style, or allows it to flow. I don't know how old you are but you look somewhat older but in incredibly good shape. So this show really works. But I must say that it works for the state of the surfboard industry to a certain extent. Production has dictated the industry to this point, and so that is what the surfing world is stuck with. So with what it is stuck with, you are a great analyser, performing very well on consistently fun waves.

Try getting cleaned up when it's big with a LFT. Duck diving is a bastard & you WILL cop it in the head. They're ok the LFTs, but PU is superior for me.

Just picked up a 6’0 FRK. Thanks for the review, it helped in my decision making!

Hey Noel, What fcs fin would you recommend for 5-8ft wave faces? I was thinking the kolohe medium or filipes? really not sure what would translate from the futures

Hi Noel
For 4-6ft+ hollowed waves, which would you recommend - FRK or Pyzel Shadow?
(Intermediate surfer)

dan said..''its key to where your foot is"'... this was in relation to you not getting the rail to engage..
so if they moved the fins up 5mm would that mean you could turn the board with your back foot being a couple of inches futher up the board?.. mmm because my back foot is always over the side fins or in-between the front and thruster fin

What size would recommend Im 5’10 150lb intermediate, 5’10’or 5’9?

Sick! What dimensions was Mags riding - 5'9"?

Watching Slater at lowers has been done we need a different rider

Having a tough time finding the right size . I’m 6’0 155 -160 would the 5’10 be to short?

What length is everyone riding on this board? I'm 6'1" and 175lbs and would be using this as a travel board (Costa RIca, Puerto Rico, Indonesia). Thinking of getting a 6'2" based on the volume and size of waves this board would be used in, I generally ride 32-35L. Thanks in advance.

Terrible acoustics really annoying, but always love your reviews Noel! Could understand the other dude, mumbled too much. Board looked good under your feet on the bigger waves ! Still think a wider board has more flow nicer to watch. Trestles you & the neck B 2 , yehh lively fluid and radical

Hey Noel, I have another question for you if you have time to answer....If the waves were a little bigger, and you were more focused on drawn out turns rather than top to bottom surfing, do you think you would have enjoyed riding this board an inch longer at 5'10x18.5, almost like a semi step-up? Is it like the SKX where your back foot must be over the thruster, or do you think the sweet spot is a little more forgiving?

still don't understand how shapers shape a board for front footed and back footed surfers.. do they move fin cluster further up the board or something for front footed?

Hey Noel, great review as always! Curious how you feel this board would work in steep barreling waves? All the comments about about how sensitive it is are holding me back some. Do you think it can be tightened up considerably with a proper fin combo? I'm looking for something between the SKX and Hydronaut. Thanks in advance, your reviews are very educating. If anyone else wants to chime in, that would be cool too.

is this board easy paddle???

I'm thinking Noel looks like he's surfing a board from the mid nineties on that FRK. In stark contrast, the few waves at the end on the No Brainer, look smooth and flowing in comparison.

Thanks for posting for I just got a Sharp Eye disco with a Future fin set up and this review helps !

Hi Noel,
I have an SKX 6'5, Go Fish 6'1, Seaside 5'11 and i'm looking for an intermediate board for 2-4 foot beach break waves, with a short board conduct, No Brainer or Cymatic ? Thanks for your answer and review !

Hello Noel Salas. How much weight this board and others slater designs EPS?

Looking forward to the No Brainer review!

How does it paddle in general? Is there any difficulty catching waves? And how does it paddle compared to the gamma?

Can you recommend size for 6’2 200pds ?

FRK or GHOST Noel?

I ride 5'8" scfi and js monsta box, just love the scfi. Wanted to get an board for bigger and better waves. Thinking frk or an mosnta 8? Any thoughts?

Aloha, round pin goes vertically easier than others I would say.

Looks like a miss to me. Board for advanced surfers in really good waves. Lack of versatility in a crowded line up of good boards. He's knocked it out with shapes like the Dominator and Potato boards.

Excellent review Noel!! I appreciate the detail, and the commentary with Dan. I found very similar results, this board needs a good wave, has very good drive, and is relatively easy to get vertical. It is a sensitive board though due to the width and rails.

Hi bro, would the FRK be more suited towards a power surfer? I'm in that category and am looking for something with a bit more bite..... Thanks in advance

How does this compare to something like the pyzel ghost or shadow. The outlines look similar to me

This guy has horrible style

i want a frk but ive been buying too many boards lately...

How do you like the P6/P8 fins in other boards? What's the best type of board or wave conditions for them in your opinion.
Thanks brother

Great Review! Def something special happening with Firewire and epoxy tech these days. Wondering if you could do the Tomo Hydronaut and Hydroshort..?! Also loving the guest surfer reviews with additional footage, great seeing it from different points of view and styles on the same board. The Fireball review with Jason Shibata board comparison and footage was great! YEEW

Lookin great on the FRK.
Man, I' m gonna broke and my kids will have to wait on college if I keep buying boards that you rip on

How come Kelly isn't riding it in comps