The main reason why I stopped posting/caring about the community as much as I used to is because at a certain point I could tell it had passed me by. Now obviously fingerboarding isn't something that only younger people or hipsters do nor am I saying that I've stopped because of my age. I still fingerboard proudly and probably will til the day I die.

What I mean by "passed me by" is that at a certain point, my views on how things should be done or should be viewed became a thing of the older dudes. For example, when I started in 2000, everyone wanted to make fingerboarding a replica of skateboarding. Even though I only was on the Tech Deck forums at the time, I could tell that not a lot of progression had been made in any part of the community other than the randoms being put down by the older people because "without footy it's fiction" type shit. By the time that I seriously started being a fingerboarder rather than just some kid dicking around, it was like 04' and I found Ingenunity, RZF, Skatch, Evolve, Arctic, Primo and the like. That scene was way different than just the tutorials on how to change the shape of your techdecks. We had started modifying the TD ramps with actual railing rather than just using metal coat hangers, more wooden ramps were coming out, I believe bearing wheels were just coming into being and so many others. The old way of thinking of the Techdeck forums was a thing of the past for the most part. I mainly saw people trying to push what we thought of as the community and how it operated. People were getting cleaner with their products and style. Camera work was getting there though still most people didn't have crazy good cameras to start with.

To stop going off on a nostalgia trip how I learned about style and what was considered good, is now old news. Now I know that not everyone copies the same style, but for the most part I stopped watching videos because I saw 50-75% of the tricks not even being landed in my view. Toe drag, starting and stopping before tricks, really lazy style, and all of the pulling up on the board were huge red flags when I was coming up yet is the mainstay style of now. It is just really off putting to me to see something that saved me from years of depression "go to shit" in my view style wise.

I didn't make this to try and change the view of people nor do I want to return to the older views because I know that even if we did that, we would be doing a huge disservice to all the companies that have made a name for themselves pushing for better products and styles. It's just really telling to me to have this big divide between new school and old school like "Oh I forgot you were there" type thing. I had a person tell me that "they forgot how good it was to see the styles of tight truck users", now I'm not gonna put them on blast but it disheartens me to hear that there is a divide.

Discuss whatever you'd like to in this thread just try to keep it on a focused topic and please do not dickride, it shows the bitch in you.

Sounds like you're judging the "fingerboard situation" by only seeing the things you don't like. Is there anything new in fingerboarding that you do like?

Fingerboarding to me is whatever I like about it. Everything else gets caught in my doo doo filter. Much like everything else in life.

Well honestly you're right, I did forget to mention the things that I do like in the post. I like that people now don't have mental barriers on what tricks people deem "possible". I like that the art style of fingerboarding isn't so "clique"-y anymore. Like if you were a supporter of Vegas fingerboards, you were a rocker and all of their graphics/ads showed that. I like that people now all find a different way to use the same obstacle even if the tricks are the same.

I have noticed that a lot of the mental side of fingerboarding has changed like it used to be, "how can I wow everyone when I have the exact same bag of tricks.... I know! Bigger obstacle" and now it's like "Well we all have similar setups (ramps and decks wise) so how can I make my self stand out... I know! I'll grind x side/part rather than the normal!". Also the communication between people in general has opened up, it's a lot more positive.

I don't honestly see the videos that you're mentioning here.With the amazing fingerboards out now,that film great quality videos(At least to me)for example like Gabe Scott,ToBrokeToAffordBrr and so many others. The fingerboarding scene is so awesome right now, full of creativity and new companies popping up everyday.Plus fingerboarding is all about fun, not wether you film quality videos that are up to others standards.Change is good.
Just my feelings on the current "scene"

Baby Face Bubsy wrote:

I don't honestly see the videos that you're mentioning here.With the amazing fingerboards out now,that film great quality videos(At least to me)for example like Gabe Scott,ToBrokeToAffordBrr and so many others. The fingerboarding scene is so awesome right now, full of creativity and new companies popping up everyday.Plus fingerboarding is all about fun, not wether you film quality videos that are up to others standards.Change is good.
Just my feelings on the current "scene"

Ya know, it REALLY has been a long time since I've watched videos... I was going to pick 5 random videos, watch them and then link them here as examples of what I was talking about. Though in my search I actually subbed to 3 of the 7 that I watched, 2 of them were obviously supposed to be non normal fingerboard vid, 1 was of a person that was just starting out and the rest either didn't show it at all or there wasn't enough to justify linking it.

Honestly I am surprised to see that it's changed this much. Thanks for helping me see a broader view. I feel a bit better about my view having watched a couple vids though that comment still gets me. "Oh I forgot" comment is proof that a lot of people copy whether or not it's to be cool or because they want views and such. IDK maybe I am just reading too far into this shit. It is just fingerboarding.

I feel like there are some real ones out there. Down to earth people, that know what is up, are true to the scene, etc. Then there's the kids who just want the trending decks, want a sponsor, are starting companies from craft store/china garbage, flick the board into as many spins and flips they can and have terrible style and control. Those are what are saturating the "new situation" I believe. I mean, I am by no means part of the old generation or whatever, but I like to believe I understand what is up, and what is not. I keep a fair distance away from fingerboarding as a super pivotal lifestyle point or whatever. I pop on the forum to see what the real ones are up to, watch a few videos every now and then, and just fingerboard as a side hobby thing as to not get buried in all the saturated crap that IS going on. I stick to my basic tricks and grinds, try to float everything, try to add as much style and realism to it as I can, always keeping things within the realistic boundaries. So when give the amount of focus I do into the fingerboarding scene and community, I just pay attention to the same sort of stuff coming from the same sort of people. There will always be the morons in every sport/hobby who are in it for the totally wrong reason, huck huge out of porportion tricks with little to no style, but those are prettyyyy dang easy to spot. So I guess like what Robert said, focus on the stuff you do like.

Robert wrote:

Fingerboarding to me is whatever I like about it. Everything else gets caught in my doo doo filter. Much like everything else in life.

lol

fingerboarding is great.. the internet is kinda wacky
I just have fun!
when I was like 15 I thought realistic fingerboarding was "cool" but its just about having fun. fuck what everyone thinks just be yourself and enjoy the now.

You just gotta be like "oh damn son, this is a fingerboard and i do it for fun" and then you will be all happy n shit.

Jacob Piller wrote:

everyone wanted to make fingerboarding a replica of skateboarding.

and they still do! people like gabe, sam, and joel are some good examples. you can tell their trick choice and style is replicated from skating. when no complies made a comeback in skating why do you think more fingerboarders started doing them in their videos? same with skate grip and all that.
fingerboardings also starting to be filmed a lot more like skating, take a look at jays latest video.

why do people get so caught up in what they dislike about fingerboarding lol its a tiny piece of wood with wheels, if someone wants to grind the side of a ramp let them, its not hurting you dude.

alexander wrote:

its a tiny piece of wood with wheels, if someone wants to grind the side of a ramp let them, its not hurting you dude.

Although I agree with some of the previous posts....
The last post was pretty legit!

The lazy style literally makes up maybe 15% of fingerboarders out there, let's say. That means, with simple math, there's about 85% of fingerboarders out there that could potentially produce something you enjoy to watch. All it takes is a bit of digging, so grab a fucking shovel.

Fingerboarding is meant to be fun, no one person is in a position to criticize how someone else fingerboards. If you don't like someone's style, don't watch them, simple as that. I personally don't prefer the lazy style, so I find people who I could watch on a loop... instead of complaining about the styles I don't like.