If you are trying to work out the best Slushcult fingerboards to start with, the shop is smaller and more opinionated than it looks. There are really four buying decisions here: a complete, a pro deck, an obstacle, and grip tape. Get those right and you have a working setup on a desk in under ten minutes.
Below are the picks worth ordering first, what each one is actually made of, and who each one suits. Every spec quoted comes from Slushcult's own listings.
Best first fingerboard: the Grom Series completes
The Grom Series is Slushcult's entry point and the only thing here that arrives ready to ride. The Slushcult x Samborghini 8-Ball complete lists at $30 and the Keep A Breast Foundation collaboration at $28.
- 34mm x 98mm in the new Monster Shape
- Medium concave with medium kicks
- New single axle metal trucks with molded bushings
- 100 duro polyurethane wheels with real bearings
- Two sheets of foam tape and a fingerboard tool included
- Pre-assembled in the box, so you only grip it
Metal trucks with molded bushings and real bearings are the two specs that separate a fingerboard from a toy, and both are here at the cheapest price in the shop. That is why this is the default recommendation.
The Samborghini board is also Slushcult's first artist series, made with a Seattle and LA artist, so it doubles as the more collectible of the two.
Best pick with a cause attached: Keep A Breast x Slushcult
Same Grom Series build, $28, and a stated donation of $5.00 from every collaboration complete sold on slushcult.com plus $1.00 from every unit sold at Zumiez, going directly to the Keep A Breast Foundation. If two boards are otherwise equivalent, that is an easy tiebreaker.
Best pro decks: the Slushcult x DK shop series
Once someone has ridden a complete for a while, the upgrade is a bare pro deck. Slushcult's are built with DK, described by the brand as a well known deck maker that has supplied wood to several brands in the scene for years, and the graphics are now produced in house.
- 96mm in length
- Medium concave
- Current graphics include Green Chex, Pink Chex, You're A Star, Znog, Sword and Groovin
- Several are sold as Clear - Random, so the colorway is a lucky dip
Pick a solid colorway such as the green You're A Star, the yellow Znog, the black Sword or the blue Groovin if you want to know exactly what shows up. Pick a Clear - Random if you like the surprise and want the translucent look.
Because graphics are handled in house, the brand says it can run more frequent drops and limited edition series, and it plans to keep adding sizes and shapes. Translation: buy the one you like when you see it.
Best obstacle: the Double Sided Pole Jam
One obstacle changes a fingerboard from a fidget into a hobby, and this is the one to get first. It is 5 inches long and 2 inches high, powder coated black, made in the USA, and built with a thicker diameter rail for strength and wide feet to stop it wobbling.
The long side is for grinds and the shorter, steeper side is for bonks and wallies, so you get two features from one piece. Mounting screws are included, but the brand also suggests sticky tack if you are not ready to drill anything, which makes it a safe pick for a shared desk or a dorm room.
Best cheap upgrade: FBS Extra Smooth Tape 5 Pack
Grip is the single cheapest way to make a board feel better. FBS Tape has been one of the most used tapes in the fingerboard scene since 2008, and the appeal is that it arrives already feeling grippy and worn-in, then improves the more you use it.
- Five uncut sheets plus one sticker sheet per pack
- Each sheet is 110mm long, 38mm wide and 1mm thin
- Big enough to fit just about any fingerboard
Five sheets means you can re-grip several decks or recover from a bad first attempt, which is exactly what a beginner needs.
Best guest brand: Civilmade decks
Not everything on the wall is Slushcult, and the Civilmade boards are worth a look. They are handmade in the Philippines by a maker building since 2009 that relaunched in 2020, and each deck has a custom engraved top ply, so no two are the same.
The Rage shape is a realistic profile with medium kicks at 34mm x 96mm, and each deck ships as a 5 ply with foam tape and stickers. Graphics run from Rage and Crown to Skull Swing, Toxicity and Hare Force.
How to order in the right sequence
- Start with a Grom complete so there is something to ride on day one.
- Add the FBS tape pack, because re-gripping is how you learn what feels right.
- Add the Pole Jam once basic ollies are landing.
- Upgrade to a 96mm DK shop deck when the complete's deck is worn out.
That order spreads the spend and means nothing sits unused. For a wider look at hobby purchases that hold their value, see our roundup of gifts people actually keep, and the best kids and toy brands list if you are comparing categories.
Check current stock and this week's drop at Slushcult.
Quick answers
Which Slushcult product should I buy first?
A Grom Series complete. At $28 to $30 it includes metal trucks, real bearings, foam tape and a tool, and it is pre-assembled.
What does Clear - Random mean?
It means the graphic is fixed but the colorway you receive is not chosen by you. If you need a specific color, buy one of the solid colorways instead.
Do I need grip tape if I buy a complete?
No. Completes include two sheets of foam tape and a tool. The FBS 5 pack is for re-gripping and for bare pro decks.
Compare the current decks, completes and obstacles at the Slushcult Mini Mart.