The Taylor Jensen Special T's Timeless Innovation
Dan Mann's father had an original Phil Edwards board. Old school. The real thing. Growing up around that board left a mark — Mann developed a deep appreciation for the way classic surfboards were shaped, what they felt like underfoot, and why they worked so well in the first place. When Taylor Jensen came to him with an idea for a new longboard, that appreciation became the starting point.
Jensen is a three-time World Longboard Champion. He surfs at the highest level. But he also understands that high performance and classic style don't have to be opposites — and he wanted a board that proved it. That conversation between Jensen's competitive instincts and Mann's old-school eye is what became the Firewire Special T.
The Design Choices That Make It Work
The Phil Edwards influence shows up in the details. Dan Mann didn't just borrow the aesthetic — he understood why classic boards were shaped the way they were, and he built those reasons into the Special T.
- Soft 50/50 rails — smooth and forgiving, built for the flowing style of traditional longboarding
- Scoop nose concave — gives you stability and control when you walk to the tip and plant your feet there
- Extra tail flip — more control in critical sections, where you need the board to respond quickly
- Relaxed nose entry rocker — keeps the board gliding through smaller waves, and makes noseriding feel effortless
From the beginning, the goal was style. Not performance wrapped in a classic look. Style first.
What Helium Core Does for the Ride
The current version of the Special T uses Firewire's Helium Core construction. If you've never ridden a Helium board before, the first thing you'll notice is the weight — or more accurately, the lack of it. Lighter board, easier to maneuver, more responsive when you push into a turn.
Three things make Helium Core work:
- EPS core — expanded polystyrene, high-density, lightweight. Keeps the board buoyant without adding weight.
- Variable-flex I-beam stringer — adds strength while allowing the board to adapt to different wave conditions. You feel it underfoot — the board is alive, not stiff.
- Paulownia and Balsa rails — a combination that controls flex and generates speed in everyday waves. Not just for big days.
For 2024, Firewire added a wooden nosecap. It improves noseriding across all wave conditions and gives the board a cleaner, more classic look. Small addition. Big difference when you're up on the nose.
It Won the 2022 Duct Tape Invitational
Taylor Jensen didn't design this board to look good in a shop. He designed it to win on, and it did. The Special T took the 2022 Duct Tape Invitational — one of the most prestigious events in traditional longboarding. Three World Longboard Championships. A Duct Tape win. This board has been tested at the highest level and came out ahead.
Photo courtesy: surfmusicartstyle.com
What Jonson Found on His First Paddle Out
We caught up with Jonson — over ten years of surfing, particular about his equipment — after his first time out on the Special T.
He paddled out expecting a good board. What he got was a great one. The balance was immediate — the board felt matched to his body weight from the first wave. Takeoffs were smooth. The glide speed was better than anything he'd ridden before. He said it felt like an extension of his body in the water, not something he was managing. After a decade of surfing, he called it his dream ride.
That's the thing about a board that was designed carefully. You feel the decisions that went into it.
The Waves It's Built For
The Special T works best in beach breaks and softer waves — the kind where you have room to set your line, walk the board, and actually surf it the way it was meant to be surfed. The flat rocker helps you catch waves easily, even when the swell is small. The rounded pintail gives you hold and stability once you're up.
If you're drawn to noseriding, to smooth trims, to surfing that looks effortless — this is the board for it. It rewards a slower, more deliberate style. Not every board does.
Dan Mann's father's Phil Edwards board was built in a different era, with different tools, for different waves. But the reason it was worth keeping — the reason it made an impression on a kid who grew up around it — is the same reason the Special T works. Good design doesn't go out of date. It just gets refined.
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