Flatface Fingerboards: The History and Journey to the Present Day

Few names in fingerboarding carry the same history, influence and longevity as Flatface Fingerboards. For more than two decades, the brand has grown alongside the modern fingerboard scene itself. What started as one young fingerboarder's hobby eventually became a globally recognised company, a major retailer, a gathering point for the community and one of the most influential brands in professional fingerboarding.

The story of Flatface is, in many ways, also the story of how fingerboarding evolved from a toy played with at school into a serious hobby with professional-quality equipment, dedicated riders, events and an international community.

Where It All Began

Flatface was founded by Mike Schneider, who began fingerboarding around 2002–2003 after discovering Tech Decks while he was getting into skateboarding. Like many fingerboarders of that generation, the appeal was immediate. A miniature skateboard could be used almost anywhere, and books, boxes and whatever else was available could quickly become ramps, stairs and obstacles.

Mike soon began experimenting beyond simply riding commercially available fingerboards. He customised boards, created graphics and started making his own products. One of his early homemade companies went through several names before eventually becoming Flatface. According to Mike's own account, the name itself was completely random—he never expected it to become a serious business.

That is perhaps one of the most interesting parts of the Flatface story. There was no grand business plan and no attempt to build a global company from day one. It began with a young fingerboarder making things because he enjoyed doing it.

From Grip Tape to Handmade Decks

Flatface officially dates back to 2003. In its earliest form, the company sold grip tape, although orders were initially few and far between. Mike continued experimenting and gradually moved into making wooden fingerboard decks.

This was a significant step. At the time, professional wooden fingerboards were still far less accessible than they are today. Mike began making miniature decks using the same basic concept as real skateboards: multiple layers of wood, glued, pressed, shaped and drilled. He initially sold some of his creations to classmates and other local fingerboarders before creating a website and reaching customers much further away.

As demand grew, Flatface decks went through multiple generations of development. The brand experimented with different construction methods, shapes and moulds as Mike refined his approach. The early years were not a straight line of constant growth, however. In 2006, Mike temporarily stopped producing decks, citing limitations including time and equipment.

That setback did not end Flatface. Instead, it led the company toward the product category that would become one of its defining achievements.

The Rise of Flatface Wheels

For many fingerboarders, the Flatface name is immediately connected with wheels.

The first Flatface wheels began as prototypes. From there, the brand continued developing new generations, improving materials, shapes, durability and performance. The early G-series wheels evolved through multiple versions, including the G2, G4, G5, G6 and G7 generations. Each step reflected the same approach that had been present since the beginning: make something, test it, learn from it and improve it.

Over time, Flatface wheels became some of the most recognisable and widely used wheels in professional fingerboarding. The company's own wheel history now spans more than 20 years and includes hundreds of different wheel variations, showing just how much development has taken place within a product that, at first glance, appears extremely simple.

This focus on continuous refinement helped establish Flatface as more than simply another small fingerboard company. It became a brand associated with performance and innovation.

More Than a Manufacturer

Another important part of Flatface's journey was its growth into a major retailer and distributor.

Rather than selling only Flatface products, the company developed into a place where fingerboarders could find equipment from a wide range of brands. This was especially important during earlier periods of the scene, when finding professional fingerboard products in the United States could be considerably more difficult than it is today.

Flatface helped make products from international brands more accessible to American fingerboarders, including products from major European companies such as Blackriver. At the same time, Flatface products found their way in the opposite direction, reaching customers and retailers outside the United States.

Today, the Flatface store remains a broad fingerboarding marketplace, carrying its own decks and wheels alongside products from numerous brands from around the world.

Mike Schneider: Rider, Builder and Business Owner

Flatface's history cannot really be separated from Mike Schneider himself.

Unlike many company owners who operate mainly behind the scenes, Mike became one of the most visible and recognisable figures in fingerboarding. He was not simply making products—he was actively riding, filming, travelling and helping demonstrate what professional fingerboarding could look like.

This gave Flatface a particularly strong identity. The person designing and selling the equipment was also deeply involved in using it.

Mike's dedication to fingerboarding eventually became a full-time career. His workspace and Flatface facility in Massachusetts developed into a large environment filled with fingerboard parks, ramps and equipment. In a 2022 feature, WIRED described the Flatface building as a huge space dedicated to fingerboarding, where Mike spent extensive time practising, building and connecting with other fingerboarders.

That progression—from playing with a Tech Deck at school to building a career around fingerboarding—is one of the most remarkable journeys in the history of the hobby.

Building a Community

Flatface's influence has never been limited to products.

Mike Schneider also played an important role in bringing fingerboarders together through events, most notably the Flatface Rendezvous. What reportedly began as a small gathering in his front yard eventually grew dramatically. In an interview from 2011, Mike described the first Rendezvous as having around ten people, while later events attracted hundreds.

This community-building aspect is one of the reasons Flatface has maintained such a strong position within fingerboarding. Products can be copied. Shapes can be changed. New brands can appear almost overnight. But building a genuine community and maintaining it over decades is much more difficult.

Flatface helped create spaces where fingerboarders could meet, ride together and feel part of something larger than simply buying another product.

The Modern Era

More than 20 years after its creation, Flatface remains active and continues to develop.

The company still produces handmade Flatface decks designed by Mike Schneider, while its online store continues to carry a large range of professional fingerboarding products and ship internationally.

The wider Flatface ecosystem has also continued to evolve. In 2025, Mike Schneider took over the operation of Blistered, a urethane wheel brand, using the experience and infrastructure developed through Flatface while keeping the original creator involved in the brand.

At the same time, Mike continues to remain involved in the wider culture of fingerboarding. A lengthy interview released in 2026 focused on his legacy, the history of Flatface, the evolution of the community and newer projects beyond the original brand.

This is important because Flatface has never been a company that simply stayed frozen in the era in which it became popular. The fingerboard industry has changed dramatically since 2003, and Flatface has had to change with it.

From a Random Name to a Fingerboarding Institution

Perhaps the best way to understand Flatface Fingerboards is to consider how unlikely its story originally was.

The name was chosen almost randomly. The company started with grip tape and handmade products. Orders were limited. Deck production stopped and restarted. Products went through numerous generations. The business grew gradually rather than appearing overnight.

More than two decades later, Flatface is still here.

It has survived changing trends, the arrival and disappearance of countless brands, changes in manufacturing and the transformation of fingerboarding from a relatively small underground hobby into a much larger international scene.

Flatface's success is not based on one single product or one viral moment. Its position was built through years of experimentation, product development, riding, events and an obvious long-term commitment to fingerboarding.

That may be the real legacy of Flatface Fingerboards.

It started with a kid playing with a Tech Deck and making things for fun. Over time, that passion became a company. The company became a recognised brand. The brand became a retailer, distributor and community hub. And after more than 20 years, Flatface remains part of the conversation whenever people discuss the history and development of professional fingerboarding.

In an industry where new brands appear constantly, longevity means something.

Flatface Fingerboards is not simply one of the older names in the scene. It is one of the companies that helped build the scene that exists today.

Official Flatface website: Flatface Fingerboards