The Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Fingerboard Concaves
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When choosing a fingerboard, width, length and graphics often get the most attention. But one of the biggest factors affecting how a deck actually feels is concave.
Concave is the curve running across the width of a fingerboard, from one rail to the other. It should not be confused with the kicks at the nose and tail. While kicks influence pop, concave changes how your fingers sit on, control and catch the deck. (Fingerboard Lab)
There is no universally “best” concave. A setup that feels perfect to one fingerboarder may feel awkward to another. However, understanding the advantages and disadvantages of low, medium, high and even extreme concaves can help you find the shape that suits your style.
Low Concave: Flat, Fast and Relaxed
Low concave has only a subtle curve. The deck feels relatively flat beneath your fingers, allowing them to move freely across the surface.
Advantages
The biggest advantage of low concave is its natural and unrestricted feel. There is less of a groove locking your fingers into position, making the deck feel smooth and relaxed.
Low concave can also feel excellent for technical riding. Because your fingers are not sitting deeply inside the board's curve, many riders feel they can manipulate the deck quickly and cleanly. It can encourage more precise technique rather than relying on the board's shape to catch tricks.
Other advantages include:
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A comfortable, mellow feel
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Easy finger repositioning
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Good for controlled and clean flip tricks
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Often preferred for longer sessions
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Can feel especially good on wider decks
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Less aggressive and more forgiving in terms of overall feel
Disadvantages
The downside is that there is less physical guidance for your fingers. Beginners may find that the board feels slippery or that flip tricks are harder to catch consistently.
Without pronounced rails, there is less tactile feedback telling you exactly where your fingers are positioned. Riders who enjoy a very locked-in feeling may find low concave too flat or even boring.
Best suited to: riders who prefer mellow setups, clean technical tricks, wider decks or a relaxed, realistic feeling.
Medium Concave: The All-Rounder
Medium concave sits between the two extremes and is arguably the safest choice for most fingerboarders. It provides enough curvature to give the fingers something to grip without making the deck feel overly aggressive.
Medium concave is widely regarded as the balanced option because it combines control with freedom of movement. (Fingerboard Lab)
Advantages
Medium concave offers a noticeable edge for catching tricks while still allowing easy finger movement.
It works well across a wide range of riding styles, including:
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Flip tricks
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Technical street skating
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Grinds
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Manuals
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Park obstacles
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General everyday fingerboarding
For someone who owns only one good setup, medium concave is often the safest choice. Community discussions also show that medium concave remains a popular preference, particularly when paired with medium or higher kicks. (Reddit)
Disadvantages
Its biggest disadvantage is also its biggest strength: it is a compromise.
A rider who loves an extremely mellow deck may still find medium concave too pronounced. Meanwhile, someone who wants maximum lock-in and aggressive flips may want something deeper.
Medium concave rarely feels wrong, but for some riders it may not feel particularly exciting either.
Best suited to: beginners, intermediate riders and anyone wanting one deck capable of doing almost everything.
High Concave: Maximum Control and Lock-In
High concave features a much deeper curve from rail to rail. Your fingers sit more noticeably inside the deck, creating a strong sense of control and connection.
Advantages
The main benefit of high concave is lock-in.
Your fingers have more of an edge to catch, which can make flip tricks feel more controlled. The deeper shape also provides strong tactile feedback, making it easier to feel where your fingers are positioned without constantly looking at the board. (Fingerboard Lab)
High concave can be particularly enjoyable for:
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Kickflips
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Heelflips
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Varial flips
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Tre flips
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Multiple flip tricks
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Technical combinations
Some riders simply love the aggressive feeling. A deep deck can feel more responsive and more dramatic, especially when combined with high kicks.
Disadvantages
The obvious disadvantage is that high concave can feel restrictive.
Because the fingers sit deeper inside the curve, repositioning can feel less natural. Some riders also find that aggressive concave makes the board feel slower or more difficult to manipulate cleanly during certain tricks.
A very deep deck can also exaggerate poor finger placement. If your fingers are not positioned correctly, the pronounced edges may make mistakes more noticeable rather than allowing you to recover smoothly.
For deck makers, deeper concaves can also be more demanding to manufacture consistently, since more aggressive bends place greater stress on the outer plies during pressing. (Fingerboard Lab)
Best suited to: riders who want maximum control, aggressive setups and a strong physical connection with the deck.
Extreme Concave: When Is Too Much?
Beyond conventional high concave is the extreme or very deep concave setup.
This is where fingerboarding becomes highly personal. Some riders love an exaggerated curve because it creates a very distinctive feeling and can make the board feel extremely responsive beneath the fingers.
However, more concave does not automatically mean better performance.
An extremely deep deck can become restrictive and uncomfortable for some riders. It may make the board feel overly aggressive and can reduce the freedom to move your fingers naturally across the deck.
There is also an important point here: concave measurements and labels are not standardized across the fingerboard industry. One company's “medium” concave may feel closer to another company's “high” concave. Community discussions regularly demonstrate how subjective these labels can be. (Reddit)
This means buyers should not rely entirely on terms such as low, medium and high. Photos, comparisons, measurements and rider feedback can often be more useful.
Best suited to: experienced riders who already know they enjoy aggressive shapes.
Low Concave vs High Concave
The simplest comparison looks like this:
| Concave | Main Advantage | Main Disadvantage | Overall Feel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | Freedom and smooth movement | Less lock-in | Flat and mellow |
| Medium | Excellent balance | Not extreme in either direction | Versatile |
| High | Maximum grip and control | Can feel restrictive | Aggressive |
| Extreme | Very distinctive and locked-in | Can be uncomfortable or overly restrictive | Highly specialized |
Concave Also Changes Depending on Deck Width
Concave does not exist independently from deck width.
A low concave on a narrow 29mm deck may feel very different from the same concave on a 36mm deck. On a wider deck, the curve can feel more gradual because the distance from rail to rail is greater.
This is one reason why wider fingerboards have created new possibilities for deck shapes. A rider might enjoy medium concave on a 32mm deck but prefer a deeper concave on a 36mm deck.
The same applies to narrower decks. Too much concave on a narrow board can make the setup feel extremely curved and aggressive.
This is why the ideal shape is not simply:
“I like high concave.”
It may actually be:
“I like medium-high concave on a 34mm deck with medium kicks.”
The combination matters.
Concave and Kick Height: The Combination Matters
Concave is only one part of a deck's shape.
A fingerboard with low concave and high kicks can feel completely different from a deck with high concave and low kicks.
Some popular combinations include:
Low Concave + High Kicks
A relatively flat platform combined with plenty of pop. This can create a fast, technical feeling while keeping the deck from feeling overly locked-in.
Medium Concave + Medium Kicks
The classic all-round setup. Balanced pop, balanced control and suitable for almost every type of riding.
High Concave + High Kicks
An aggressive combination designed for riders who want maximum responsiveness and a very locked-in feel. Great for some technical riders, but potentially overwhelming for others.
Low Concave + Low Kicks
A mellow, relaxed setup that rewards precise technique and controlled riding. This combination may not provide the easiest route to huge pop or rapid multiple flips, but many experienced riders enjoy its consistency.
Which Concave Is Best for Beginners?
There is no absolute answer.
A beginner who struggles to keep their fingers positioned on the board may benefit from medium or higher concave because the rails provide more physical feedback. (Fingerboard Lab)
On the other hand, some riders prefer learning on a lower concave because it encourages cleaner finger movement and does not feel restrictive.
If you are completely unsure, medium concave is probably the safest starting point. It gives enough control for learning tricks while leaving room to discover whether you prefer something flatter or deeper.
The Final Verdict: Concave Is About Preference, Not Progression
One of the biggest misconceptions in fingerboarding is that deeper concave is automatically more advanced.
It isn't.
A rider can perform extremely technical tricks on low concave. Another rider may prefer high concave because it gives them the control and feedback they enjoy. Neither is objectively better.
Your preferred concave may also change over time. You might start with high concave because you enjoy the locked-in feeling, move toward something mellow as your technique improves, and eventually return to deeper concave simply because you miss the way it feels.
The best way to discover your preference is simple: try different shapes.
Low, medium and high concave each offer genuine advantages. The right one depends on your deck width, kick height, finger placement, riding style and, most importantly, what feels good to you.
In fingerboarding, there is no perfect concave.
There is only your perfect concave.