Mob flips are a nice break from the norm. They fall into that weird territory where, technically they are done “wrong,” but if done by the right person, at the right spot, in the right video, we’ll offer the skater a collective pass, and in the case of this article, even offer them praise. You can think of them as the self-produced basement demo tapes that are the answer to the polished pop mega tracks that blare on the radio.

So peep these fine mob connoisseurs below and remind yourself that it’s A-OK to let that front foot have a break every once in a while (or all the time).

Mark Gonzales – Thrasher (1993)

Not everyone is a fan of mob, but I know we all get giddy every time Gonz tosses his board in front of him and finds his way back onto it. This kickflip is no exception. Going mach 10, Gonz set the bar high with the most iconic mob flip the skate world has ever seen. Your best attempt will never compare to this natural and unplanned beauty.

Una Farrar – Goodnews (2022)

How do you follow up an unexpected back 50 push-off grind? If you’re Una, you keep it random by flicking one of the most blasé mob flips ever done. It’s so mobbed her foot looks like it goes under the board. That’s craft folks and planned or not, it’s peak modern mob.

Shawn Powers – Powers Surge (2013)

You know how it’s really cool to just breeze into a nollie flip all casual and barely look at your board? This is the complete opposite of that.

It’s not that Shawn Powers is overly-focused on a basic flip trick—he’s really good at skateboarding—but it’s more that he generally looks pissed off that he has to do said trick and does so with such a quiet anger that only a New Yorker could conjure. This one is particularly spicy because of how it levitates at a jarring angle before returning to his feet. Bonus points for continuing the line and showcasing a proper fakie flip at the end, proving the mobbing was intentional.

Jim Greco – Baker has a Deathwish (2008)

Greco should have his own dictionary of skate-isms so we need to bask in the glory of the switch version of the term he made colloquial in skateboarding.

You really need to appreciate this switch mob mastery down Carlsbad Gap for the poetic moment where his front foot almost goes behind him, doing a mid-air foot plant on an imaginary surface. From the fisheye and blown out colors to the droning music, it’s possibly the most hypnotic example of mob put to pixels.

Alex Gourdouros – Thanks Camera 3 (2008)

Remember what we said about Greco’s contribution to this list? Like Greco, Alex Godouras mastered the art of kicking behind himself so well that it almost looks like he’s doing an airwalk—then something really wild happens. This mob wizard decides to add some rocket action to the mix, increasing the risk of a major credit card decline. This one… wow, it’s so disgusting that it becomes sexy ugly, making it top tier mob.

Jeff DeChesare – Upstream (2021)

Although we’re stretching the list a bit, we had to include this heinous nollie double flip because it manages to miraculously rocket both ways. Unlike the controlled mob stylings of others on this list, Jeff is just trying to make it back from this ridiculous hail mary.

Brian Anderson – Modus Operandi (2000)

Despite coming from a mobby generation and most likely learning to kickflip on a board without a modern-day nose, BA’s not really a habitual mob flipper. But that’s why when Brian throws a beaut of a mob flip into the middle of a line ending with a noseslide on a handrail, we took notice.

Danny Way – Questionable (1992)

OK, if we time travel back to 1992, Daniel’s double flip here would be considered bolts which tells you where skateboarding was at. In the era of flip and pray, “stomping” a double flip down an above-average set (for the time) was slow-mo-worthy and pretty fucking epic.

Don’t let the Mega Ramp® or Great Wall stunts fool you, in the early-’90s Danny Way was a top-tier street skater as evidenced by this gyrating feat of beauty.

Mark Gonzales – Real to Reel (2001)

Like almost everything, it all starts and ends with The Gonz and… fuck, I mean, this one is Mark doing Mark things, exemplified. Tearing down a busy street and leaping a good two feet above his board during an act of mob is pure legend shit. This is just what happens when your style is so loose that anything is possible.

Words: Anthony Pappalardo & Jack Bravstein
Special Thanks to the #skatetwitter friends for chipping in on your favs.
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