A subambient pressure air bearing slider for disk drives and the like is presented where features of the slider are modular, in that certain parameters of the slider can be modified independently of one another. In one example, lateral dimensions and placement of side and trailing air bearing surfaces can be used to control flying height sensitivity due to crowning in the slider. Longitudinal dimensions of the side air bearing surfaces can be used to control flying height sensitivity due to camber in the slider body. Low-profile members (e.g., ones that do not form air bearing surfaces) may be used to control the dimensions of the subambient pressure region to control overall flying height.