Foam Tape or Grip Tape on Fingerboards?

Fingerboards looks exactly like a skateboard, but some uses foam tape instead of grip tape on their deck especially if they are using a wooden deck.  Why use a foam tape? Why not just use an ordinary skateboard grip tape? Before comparing, let me start by describing a grip and a foam tape.

A grip tape is that sandpaper like thing with adhesive that is used for friction on the skateboard (or longboard) deck’s surface. It gives the rider more friction to control the board. A foam tape serves the same purpose for fingerskating, only that it is smoother and made of rubber like material.

Foam tape is preferred by fingerboarders because it is smooth and it prevents scraping of the fingers. Think about this, you use nothing to protect your fingers while fingerboarding while there’s skate shoes to protect your feet when skateboarding.

You can find foam tapes on your favourite online fingerboard store or purchase them on eBay. There are also alternatives for those who want to make a foam tape on their own, you can watch on YouTube for tutorials on how to do these things.

I personally prefer foam tapes. I love grip tape on my skateboard, but using them on a fingerboard is different. Tricks are easier and smoother when using foam tapes.

Choosing the Perfect Deck Shape

Two aspects of board shapes are kick height and concave. Kick height is how steep the nose and the tail on the deck while concave is how much the board curves inward toward the middle starting at each side.

Some prefer using a deck with higher kicks since it gives more pop, but starters find it difficult to control. Many prefer medium to low kicks since it gives a more relaxed feel. I advise beginners to choose medium kicks so that they can decide whether to go for a higher or lower kick height for their next board.  

High Kicks

Low/Medium Kick

Concave plays an important role in catching flip tricks as it gives the rider control of the fingerboard. More concave can be helpful if you’re doing a lot of flip tricks, but flat decks are good for beginners. Again, I advise going first for medium concave and decide what is suitable for you.

There are a lot of different wooden fingerboard maker that offers different board shapes. Try purchasing first the cheaper ones as it performs almost the same as the expensive decks. When you are certain of what is the right shape for you, go for whatever brand you want.

Wood Fingerboard Deck vs Plastics

If you are still using plastic fingerboards like TechDeck, you might want to upgrade to a wooden deck. I started using Tech Decks that are made of plastic, but when I experienced what it’s like to use a wooden fingerboard, I started collecting and using different fingerboard deck made of wood. 

Plastic decks like those in TechDecks are easy to find, they don’t break easily and comes in different forms and graphic designs. Plastic fingerboards are cheaper too but it’s more difficult to perform tricks using plastic decks. 

A wooden deck is made of veneer wood with average of 5 plies depending on its thickness. Fingerboard deck made of wood looks and feels authentic. It gives more pop compared to plastic decks. The downside is it is more expensive than plastic and not as durable. 

I recommend using plastic decks for beginners. But as you progress and land more tricks, you might want to consider using wooden fingerboards.