What Cloud 9 does

Cloud 9 (legal entity: Cloud 9 Griptape LLC) is a privately held, direct-to-consumer e-commerce brand that designs, manufactures, and sells premium skateboard grip tape and complementary skateboarding apparel. Founded in 2012 and operating out of Crown Point, Indiana with 1-10 employees, the company sells primarily through its Shopify storefront at cloud9griptape.com, with secondary distribution on the Amazon marketplace and a wholesale program for brick-and-mortar skate shops. The business is bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional funding and no parent company, operating as a single-country (US) entity.

The core product is grip tape manufactured via a proprietary 6-layer process producing all-weather durable sheets with 893 micro piercings per sheet to prevent air bubbles during application. The catalog spans approximately 33 graphic grip tape SKUs (including city-themed designs, specialty themes, and pro skater collaborations), classic clear and black variants, plus roughly 20 apparel SKUs (hoodies, t-shirts, fleece crewnecks, beanies) and accessories. Pro skater signature collaborations — including Kris Markovich, Sierra Prescott (Ever Rad), Trevor Wallace, Cody McEntire, and Shama Beckford (CJF) — anchor brand credibility, alongside a co-branded Champion apparel drop.

The company generates revenue from one-time product sales at $14.99–$49.99 for grip tape and $29.99–$89.99 for apparel, plus digital gift cards (from $25) and wholesale B2B transactions. Marketing is community-driven, relying on pro skater endorsements, social proof (212 verified 5-star reviews), and organic/email channels. Operations are lean, with same-day shipping on 99% of orders from a single Indiana warehouse, ShopPay installments on orders over $50, and an industry-leading 365-day money-back guarantee.

Name

Cloud 9

Legal name

Cloud 9 Griptape LLC

Website

https://cloud9griptape.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cloud 9 Griptape is a privately held, bootstrapped DTC e-commerce brand selling premium graphic skateboard grip tape and skateboarding apparel via Shopify, Amazon, and wholesale channels, serving individual skateboarders and pro skater collaborators from a single Indiana warehouse.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Crown Point

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: One-time purchase revenue from selling grip tape products and skateboarding clothing/apparel directly to consumers through their e-commerce storefront. Products include graphic grip tapes, black grip tape, clear grip tape, hoodies, t-shirts, beanies, and accessories.
2. Wholesale B2B Sales: Bulk wholesale pricing for brick-and-mortar skate shops, allowing skate shops to stock Cloud 9 grip tape products for retail sale.
3. Pro Skater Collaboration Products: Special edition grip tape products developed with pro skateboarders including Kris Markovich, Sierra Prescott, and Shama Beckford, sold as premium collaboration items.
4. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold starting at $25, allowing customers to purchase Cloud 9 products as gifts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cloud 9 manufactures and sells skateboard grip tape using a custom 6-layer process with all-weather durable materials and 893 micro piercings to prevent air bubbles, offered in graphic, clear, black, logo-branded, and pro-skater collaboration designs. The company also sells skateboarding apparel (hoodies, t-shirts, beanies), accessories (logo stickers), and digital gift cards through its DTC e-commerce store and wholesale channel.

Product overview

Cloud 9 is a skateboard grip tape company whose products are described as 'Grippy. Sticky. Durable. Unique.' The core offering centers on skateboard grip tape with a proprietary 6-layer manufacturing process featuring durable, all-weather materials designed to withstand extreme temperatures and resist peeling or flaking. The product lineup is organized across three main collections: (1) Graphic Grip Tape featuring bold edge-to-edge designs including city-themed grips (Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, San Francisco), flag designs (Chicago, Colorado), specialty themes (90s, Rose, Palm Trees, Moon Phases, Shark, Space, Elephant Print, Wave, Anime, Bananas, Tie-Dye, Checkerboard), and pro collaborations (Sierra Prescott x Ever Rad, Kris Markovich Pro, Shama Beckford X CJF, Trevor Wallace); (2) Skateboard Grip Tape covering Black Grip Tape Pro, Clear Grip Tape, and Logo variants with colored logos; (3) Skateboarding Clothing and accessories including hoodies, t-shirts, beanies, and stickers. The company ships same day from Indiana and backs all products with a 365-day money-back guarantee. They also operate a wholesale program for brick-and-mortar skate shops.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clear Skateboard Grip Tape Clear grip tape that lets the skateboard deck graphic show through while providing grip and control; made with the 6-layer, all-weather process. Priced at $14.99 per sheet.
• Black Grip Tape Classic black grip tape providing maximum grip and control using the 6-layer ultra-durable grip formula. Priced at $14.99 per sheet.
• Graphic Grip Tape collection Bold, edge-to-edge graphic grip tape combining long-lasting grip with vivid skateboard-deck customization; built with the 6-layer manufacturing process and all-weather adhesive. Most designs priced at $21.99; premium Anime design priced at $49.99.
• Kris Markovich Pro Grip Tape Pro-model grip tape co-developed with Kris Markovich featuring his signature artwork in rasta, black, and clear colorways; built with the 6-layer process.
• Sierra Prescott Grip Tape (Ever Rad collaboration) Signature grip tape featuring Sierra Prescott's galaxy design in partnership with her brand Ever Rad; 6-layer construction with edge-to-edge graphics.
• Shama Beckford X CJF Grip Tape Signature grip tape collaboration between Shama Beckford and CJF skate brand; long-lasting grip with custom graphics.
• Texas Grip Tape Texas-themed graphic grip tape co-designed with pro skater Cody McEntire, featuring ultra-durable grip formula and same-day Indiana shipping.
• Skateboarding Apparel (Hoodies, Sweatshirts, T-shirts) Cloud 9-branded skateboarding apparel including hoodies ($79.99–$89.99), sweatshirts, and t-shirts ($34.99) with tie-dye and collaborative (Champion x Cloud 9) graphics for skateboarding and casual wear.
• Cloud 9 Logo Cuffed Beanie Cloud 9 logo cuffed beanie in 100% acrylic gray, soft fit designed for skate sessions in any weather; priced at $29.99.
• Cloud 9 Logo Sticker Cloud 9 logo sticker available in blue, orange, white, and black; priced from $1.99.
• Cloud 9 eGift Card Digital gift card usable across Cloud 9's grip tape, apparel, and accessories; denominations from $25 and up.
• Wholesale Program for Brick-and-Mortar Skate Shops Bulk wholesale pricing program that lets brick-and-mortar skate shops stock Cloud 9 graphic and pro-collaboration grip tape for retail resale; onboarding via questionnaire and Cloud 9 Wholesale team contact.

Quantifiable outcome

• 893 micro piercings per sheet prevent air bubbles during application
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• ChampionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCloud 9 collaborated with Champion to create a Cloud 9 x Champion Logo Hoodie, a premium hoodie featuring both brand logos. This is a limited edition collaborative apparel product sold through Cloud 9's storefront.
• Sierra Prescott / Ever RadcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSierra Prescott, a professional skateboarder, collaborated with Cloud 9 on the Sierra Prescott Grip Tape. This is a collaboration with her brand 'Ever Rad' and the photo on the grip was taken by Sierra herself. The product features her signature art in a galaxy design.
• Kris MarkovichcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerKris Markovich, a legendary professional skateboarder, released his first-ever pro grip tape with Cloud 9. This is described as a milestone in his career, featuring his signature art available in rasta, black, and clear styles.
• Shama Beckford / CJFminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration between professional skateboarder Shama Beckford and CJF (a skate brand) to create the Shama Beckford X CJF Grip Tape, sold through Cloud 9's storefront.
• Trevor WallacecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTrevor Wallace, a professional skateboarder, launched his first pro grip tape collaboration with Cloud 9, featured prominently on the website's athlete showcase section.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mob Grip: Mob is the leading premium skateboard grip tape brand and Cloud 9's most direct competitor. Both brands sell adhesive-backed grip sheets to skaters via DTC and skate shop wholesale, with comparable product positioning around grip performance and graphics.
• Jessup Original: Jessup is one of the longest-standing skateboard grip tape manufacturers and a primary competitor to Cloud 9 in the grip-sheet category. Both companies supply pro-grade grip tape to skateboarders and wholesale skate shops.
• Grizzly Grip: Grizzly is a graphic and pro-collaborator-driven grip tape brand that competes head-to-head with Cloud 9's value proposition of bold graphics plus premium grip. Both brands lean heavily on pro skater endorsements and graphic customization.
• Shake Junt: Shake Junt sells branded grip tape and skate hardware as part of a pro-skater-led streetwear catalog. Comparable to Cloud 9 in combining skater-owned brand identity with grip tape and apparel SKUs.

Broad incumbents

• Diamond Supply Co. Diamond is a broader skate and streetwear brand offering apparel, accessories, and grip-adjacent products. Comparable to Cloud 9 in serving skate-culture consumers with branded apparel and lifestyle accessories beyond a single SKU.
• Spitfire Wheels: Spitfire is a flagship hardgoods brand within skateboarding (wheels, bearings, accessories) with strong pro-athlete marketing. Relevant peer for understanding premium skate-brand economics, distribution, and athlete-roster strategy.

Emerging players

• Heroin Skateboards: Heroin is an art-driven skateboard brand known for graphic-heavy decks and accessories. Comparable to Cloud 9 on the aesthetic-customization axis, both targeting skaters who buy products as self-expression.
• Welcome Skateboards: Welcome is a graphics-forward skateboard deck and accessories brand with a similar indie/artist-collab identity. Useful peer for Cloud 9's expansion into lifestyle apparel and graphic-driven products.

Regional players

• Active Ride Shop: Active is a large skate and snowboard retailer that also stocks grip tape and apparel brands. Comparable as a wholesale distribution channel and stocking benchmark for Cloud 9's brick-and-mortar expansion.
• Tactics: Tactics is a major US-based skate e-commerce retailer that carries multiple grip tape brands including Cloud 9 peers. Comparable as a key online distribution partner and benchmark for skate e-commerce merchandising.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cloud 9