Slater Designs

Slater Designs · Performance Twin + Stabiliser Shortboard

Slater Designs Great White Twin Review

8.9/ 10 Estimated score

8.9

Estimated from 2 independent sources (no numeric scores published)

Average price$980Range $980–$980 across 1 retailersSee sources

Kelly Slater's twin-fin experiment with a performance outline: a deep swallow tail, a wing to shrink tail area, and a third box so you can run a stabiliser when the wave has some push. Built in I-Bolic Core with Volcanic lamination.

View on Firewire

Quick specs

Shaper: Slater Designs (Kelly Slater)
Construction: I-Bolic Core with Volcanic lamination
Outline: Performance outline with wing/bump before the tail
Rails: Pulled-in, medium-to-lower apex
Tail: Deep swallow
Fin setup: Twin + optional stabiliser (third box)

Surfex is an aggregator and does not test surfboards. Everything below is compiled from Firewire's product data and published reviews.

The Great White Twin is Slater Designs' attempt at a twin fin that behaves like a performance board. Rather than the wide, flat, keel-driven fish template, it uses a performance outline with a wing to reduce tail area, a deep swallow tail and pulled-in rails with a medium-to-lower apex. A third fin box lets you add a stabiliser when the wave demands more control.

Firewire builds it in I-Bolic Core with Volcanic lamination, in a stock ladder from 5'6" at 26.3L up to 6'6" at 44.3L. Firewire lists it at $980 through the 6'2", rising to $1,000 for the 6'4" and 6'6".

Pros & cons

Third box means it runs as a straight twin or as a twin + trailer
Deep swallow and pulled rails give a twin genuine hold in better waves
Volcanic lamination over I-Bolic core is light without feeling fragile
Wide stock ladder from 5'6" to 6'6" covers most surfers

Refined performance rail — reviewers suggest sizing up a stock size in the ocean
Suits back-footed surfers; front-footed surfers need to adjust stance
Premium price for a twin fin
Frequently sold out in popular sizes

How it surfs

Noel Salas's Surf 'n Show write-up is the most detailed public review. He notes the board has "great traction with its deep swallow tail, medium-to-lower-apex rail and overall rocker" and recommends going up a stock size in the ocean because the rail is refined. In the same episode Ian 'Wooly' MacPherson rode a 6'0" in Western Australia and preferred it with the trailer fin, while Asa Cascavilla — a more neutral-to-front-footed surfer — had to move his weight back before the board came alive.

Kamaki's review for Hawaiian South Shore describes riding a 5'6" both as a twin and as a two-plus-one. He rated the hold at Gas Chambers in 3–4 foot surf running Slater's Endorfins, then took the same board to Sunset on a sizeable day in the two-plus-one setup and was surprised by how much hold it kept in bigger waves — crediting the EPS flex and the flatter forward section for stopping it bouncing.

Read together, the picture is consistent: this is a twin for surfers who already surf off the back foot and want twin-fin release without giving up drive. Add the stabiliser as the waves get better rather than treating it as a small-wave board only.

Volume & sizing chart

Use the chart below as a starting point. Add half a litre if you are less experienced, subtract half a litre for a looser feel.

Size	Volume	Rider weight	Best for
5'6"	18 3/4" x 2 3/8" — 26.3L	Under 72 kg	Intermediate+
5'8"	19 3/8" x 2 1/2" — 29.0L	70–78 kg	Intermediate+
5'10"	19 15/16" x 2 5/8" — 32.0L	78–85 kg	All levels
6'0"	20 1/2" x 2 13/16" — 36.0L	85–92 kg	All levels
6'4"	21 9/16" x 2 7/8" — 41.2L	Over 95 kg	All levels

How it compares

Board	Best at	Wave range	Aggregate score
Slater Designs Great White Twin	Twin with performance hold	Waist to overhead	8.9
Firewire Seaside	Twin-keel glide	Ankle to chest-high	9.0
Channel Islands Twin Pin	Drawn-out twin	Chest to overhead	8.8

Recommended fin setups

Slater Designs Endorfins Twin + 2 — Kelly's own twin set with the smaller stabiliser — the reference setup for this board.
Surf 'n Show Pivot Twins + Trailer — Noel Salas's recommendation, run either with or without the stabiliser.

Verdict

Aggregator summary: a twin fin built on performance-shortboard logic rather than fish logic. Reviewers consistently praise its hold and drive, and just as consistently suggest sizing up and surfing it off the back foot.

Estimated score: 8.9 / 10

Estimated from 2 independent sources — see full list below.

What reviewers around the web are saying

Surfex does not test gear directly. Below are independent retailer and editorial sources. When a source publishes a numeric score, it is normalized to a five-point scale; otherwise the source is listed without a score.

Estimated score

8.9/ 10

8.9

2 sources, none scored

Source	Score	Summary
Surf 'n Show — Slater Designs Great White Twin (Noel Salas)	No numeric score	"The board has great traction with its deep swallow tail, medium-to-lower-apex rail and overall rocker. Noel proposes going up a stock size in the ocean due to the board's refined performance rail."
Hawaiian South Shore — Great White review by Kamaki	No numeric score	"Kamaki took the board to Sunset on a sizable day using a two plus one setup and was pleasantly surprised by its performance and hold in bigger waves — the flex and flat front section stop it bouncing around."

Where to buy & average price

Listed prices come from verified retailer pages. The average price below is an unweighted mean of verified retailer prices — converted to USD (≈) when retailers list in different currencies. Click any retailer to verify the native-currency price.

Average price

$980

$980–$980 · 1 retailers

Retailer	Price	vs. average
Firewire Surfboards	$980	—	Visit

Frequently asked questions

Should you ride the Great White Twin as a twin or a twin plus one?+

Both work — it has a third box for a stabiliser. Reviewers run it as a straight twin in smaller, softer surf and add the trailer once the wave has more size or push for extra hold.

What size Great White Twin should you buy?+

Noel Salas recommends going up a stock size for ocean surf because the rail is refined for a twin. Stock runs 5'6" at 26.3L through 6'6" at 44.3L.

Is the Great White Twin good for beginners?+

No. It rewards surfers who already drive off the back foot. Front-footed or developing surfers will find the pulled rails and swallow tail less forgiving than a keel fish.

How much does the Great White Twin cost?+

Firewire lists it at $980 USD for sizes up to 6'2", and $1,000 for the 6'4" and 6'6", in I-Bolic Core with Volcanic lamination.

What fins suit the Great White Twin?+

Slater's own Endorfins Twin + 2 set with the smaller stabiliser is the reference setup. Surf 'n Show's Pivot Twins + Trailer are the other commonly recommended option.