Surf 'N Show Review: FRK Swallow

Press play above to watch Noel Salas and Surf 'N Show's review on the all-new FRK Swallow in I-Bolic Technology by Dan Mann and Kelly Slater.

From the crew at Surf 'N Show on the versatile performance shortboard:

Originally released with a round tail, the FRK gets an exciting update with a swallow tail for even more speed and maneuverability. Firewire sent over this high-performance shortboard in 5'6" and 5'7" stock sizes, and Noel put both to the test at Waco Surf.

Noel rode the 5'6" with a quad fin setup and the 5'7" with a pivot twin + trailer, and found both setups offered great performance. The 5'6" was more responsive, while the 5'7" delivered a looser, free-flowing ride with tons of traction. Eddie Lester of Southern California loved the pivot twin + trailer setup for its speed and ability to hold in smaller waves. Meanwhile, Asa Cascavilla, after adjusting from shorter boards, said the FRK Swallow was a rail-engaging machine, perfect for hitting the lip.

This board is ideal for solid intermediate to pro surfers, performing best in 2-to-4-foot punchy waves and up to 6-foot surf. Watch the full review to see how the new "FRK Swallow" stacks up against the rest of your quiver.

Meet the newest addition to the FRK quiver, the FRK Swallow in I-Bolic Technology designed by Dan Mann and Kelly Slater. The FRK Swallow was crafted to unlock performance in waves 5' and under, Dan Mann designed the FRK Swallow to be more versatile in its performance characteristics than any other FRK shape that came before it.

In addition to the new swallow tail design, Dan placed an emphasis on better distributing the volume directly between the surfer's stance and worked with Kelly to amplify the effect of the outline in the back third of the board against all-new rocker curves - both down the shape's centerline and on its rails. By specifically perfecting the curve at the board's center when compared with the curve at the rails, the FRK Swallow excels at creating speed in flat, sticky sections, without sacrificing on-rail performance.

Amongst the Slater Designs team, the unanimous feedback has been that the FRK Swallow feels better during downcarves and in fin releases than any other Slater Designs shape.

Designed to be surfed 2" shorter than the FRK and 1" shorter than the FRK+. Recommended to pair with our Endorfins KS1 Fin Set for best performance.