diff --git a/NIP.md b/NIP.md
index f46577f..fd61665 100644
--- a/NIP.md
+++ b/NIP.md
@@ -1508,6 +1508,7 @@ exists purely for community discovery.
     ["alt", "SkateSpots skater: <display name>"],
     ["stance", "regular | goofy"],
     ["level", "grom | intermediate | advanced | ripper"],
+    ["level_custom", "<free-text level, ≤40 chars, mutually exclusive with `level`>"],
     ["t", "<style>"],
     ["years", "<years skating>"],
     ["home_spot", "<freeform home spot>"],
@@ -1525,6 +1526,10 @@ Recognized `style` values (repeated `t` tags): `street`, `park`, `vert`,
 `diy`. A valid profile requires the `d` tag, a `title`, and the `skateskater`
 marker tag.
 
+Level is either one of the four presets via the `level` tag, **or** a
+free-text label via `level_custom` (max 40 chars) — clients should treat these
+as mutually exclusive and prefer `level` when both are present.
+
 ## The Lab — Service Profiles
 
 The Lab connects skaters with service providers. Each provider type is an
diff --git a/src/components/SkaterDirectoryCard.tsx b/src/components/SkaterDirectoryCard.tsx
index 1baa178..ab567ed 100644
--- a/src/components/SkaterDirectoryCard.tsx
+++ b/src/components/SkaterDirectoryCard.tsx
@@ -54,14 +54,18 @@ export function SkaterDirectoryCard() {
           You're in the Skater Directory
         </p>
         <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-1.5 mt-1.5">
-          {level && (
+          {level ? (
             <span
               className="text-[10px] font-black uppercase tracking-wide px-2 py-0.5 rounded-full text-black"
               style={{ backgroundColor: level.color }}
             >
               {level.emoji} {level.label}
             </span>
-          )}
+          ) : skater.customLevel ? (
+            <span className="text-[10px] font-black uppercase tracking-wide px-2 py-0.5 rounded-full bg-[#ccff00] text-black">
+              ✏️ {skater.customLevel}
+            </span>
+          ) : null}
           {skater.styles.slice(0, 3).map((s) => (
             <span
               key={s}
diff --git a/src/lib/types.ts b/src/lib/types.ts
index bd77d0d..b48312c 100644
--- a/src/lib/types.ts
+++ b/src/lib/types.ts
@@ -339,6 +339,7 @@ export interface Skater {
   stance?: SkaterStance;
   styles: SkaterStyle[]; // preferred terrain/disciplines
   level?: SkaterLevel;
+  customLevel?: string; // free-text level when none of the presets fit
   yearsSkating?: string;
   homeSpot?: string; // freeform, or a spot ref
   instagram?: string;
@@ -377,6 +378,7 @@ export function parseSkater(event: NostrEvent): Skater | null {
     stance: stance && SKATER_STANCES[stance] ? stance : undefined,
     styles,
     level: level && SKATER_LEVELS[level] ? level : undefined,
+    customLevel: tag('level_custom')?.slice(0, 40),
     yearsSkating: tag('years'),
     homeSpot: tag('home_spot'),
     instagram: tag('instagram'),
diff --git a/src/pages/BecomeSkaterPage.tsx b/src/pages/BecomeSkaterPage.tsx
index 5b0c249..082ab6b 100644
--- a/src/pages/BecomeSkaterPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/BecomeSkaterPage.tsx
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ export default function BecomeSkaterPage() {
   const [stance, setStance] = useState<SkaterStance | undefined>();
   const [styles, setStyles] = useState<SkaterStyle[]>([]);
   const [level, setLevel] = useState<SkaterLevel | undefined>();
+  // When set, the skater is using a free-text level instead of a preset.
+  const [customLevel, setCustomLevel] = useState('');
+  const [levelMode, setLevelMode] = useState<'preset' | 'custom'>('preset');
   const [years, setYears] = useState('');
   const [homeSpot, setHomeSpot] = useState('');
   const [instagram, setInstagram] = useState('');
@@ -80,6 +83,10 @@ export default function BecomeSkaterPage() {
       setStance(existing.stance);
       setStyles(existing.styles || []);
       setLevel(existing.level);
+      if (existing.customLevel && !existing.level) {
+        setCustomLevel(existing.customLevel);
+        setLevelMode('custom');
+      }
       setYears(existing.yearsSkating || '');
       setHomeSpot(existing.homeSpot || '');
       setInstagram(existing.instagram || '');
@@ -158,7 +165,11 @@ export default function BecomeSkaterPage() {
         if (!isNaN(lat) && !isNaN(lng)) tags.push(['g', ngeohash.encode(lat, lng, 7)]);
       }
       if (stance) tags.push(['stance', stance]);
-      if (level) tags.push(['level', level]);
+      if (levelMode === 'custom' && customLevel.trim()) {
+        tags.push(['level_custom', customLevel.trim().slice(0, 40)]);
+      } else if (levelMode === 'preset' && level) {
+        tags.push(['level', level]);
+      }
       for (const s of styles) tags.push(['t', s]);
       if (years.trim()) tags.push(['years', years.trim()]);
       if (homeSpot.trim()) tags.push(['home_spot', homeSpot.trim()]);
@@ -319,7 +330,7 @@ export default function BecomeSkaterPage() {
 
                 {/* Photo */}
                 <div className="space-y-2">
-                  <Label className="text-sm font-bold uppercase tracking-wide text-gray-400">Action shot</Label>
+                  <Label className="text-sm font-bold uppercase tracking-wide text-gray-400">Profile Pic</Label>
                   <div className="flex items-center gap-4">
                     {image ? (
                       <div className="relative w-28 h-28 rounded-2xl overflow-hidden bg-gray-800 flex-shrink-0">
@@ -417,23 +428,65 @@ export default function BecomeSkaterPage() {
 
                 <div className="space-y-3">
                   <Label className="text-sm font-bold uppercase tracking-wide text-gray-400">Level</Label>
-                  <div className="grid grid-cols-2 sm:grid-cols-4 gap-2">
-                    {levelEntries.map(([key, { label, emoji, color }]) => (
-                      <button
-                        key={key}
-                        type="button"
-                        onClick={() => setLevel(level === key ? undefined : key)}
-                        className={cn(
-                          'px-3 py-2.5 rounded-xl text-sm font-black border transition-all text-center',
-                          level === key ? 'text-black' : 'bg-white/5 border-white/10 text-gray-300 hover:border-white/30',
-                        )}
-                        style={level === key ? { backgroundColor: color, borderColor: color } : undefined}
-                      >
-                        <div className="text-lg leading-none mb-0.5">{emoji}</div>
-                        {label}
-                      </button>
-                    ))}
+                  <div className="grid grid-cols-2 sm:grid-cols-5 gap-2">
+                    {levelEntries.map(([key, { label, emoji, color }]) => {
+                      const active = levelMode === 'preset' && level === key;
+                      return (
+                        <button
+                          key={key}
+                          type="button"
+                          onClick={() => {
+                            setLevelMode('preset');
+                            setLevel(active ? undefined : key);
+                          }}
+                          className={cn(
+                            'px-3 py-2.5 rounded-xl text-sm font-black border transition-all text-center',
+                            active ? 'text-black' : 'bg-white/5 border-white/10 text-gray-300 hover:border-white/30',
+                          )}
+                          style={active ? { backgroundColor: color, borderColor: color } : undefined}
+                        >
+                          <div className="text-lg leading-none mb-0.5">{emoji}</div>
+                          {label}
+                        </button>
+                      );
+                    })}
+                    {/* Custom level toggle */}
+                    <button
+                      type="button"
+                      onClick={() => {
+                        if (levelMode === 'custom') {
+                          setLevelMode('preset');
+                        } else {
+                          setLevelMode('custom');
+                          setLevel(undefined);
+                        }
+                      }}
+                      className={cn(
+                        'px-3 py-2.5 rounded-xl text-sm font-black border transition-all text-center',
+                        levelMode === 'custom'
+                          ? 'bg-[#ccff00] border-[#ccff00] text-black'
+                          : 'bg-white/5 border-white/10 text-gray-300 hover:border-[#ccff00]/40',
+                      )}
+                    >
+                      <div className="text-lg leading-none mb-0.5">✏️</div>
+                      Custom
+                    </button>
                   </div>
+                  {levelMode === 'custom' && (
+                    <div className="pt-1">
+                      <Input
+                        id="custom-level"
+                        placeholder="e.g. OG, Weekend Warrior, Retired…"
+                        value={customLevel}
+                        maxLength={40}
+                        onChange={(e) => setCustomLevel(e.target.value)}
+                        className="border-[#ccff00]/30 focus-visible:ring-[#ccff00]/40"
+                      />
+                      <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground mt-1.5">
+                        Your own label — shown on your skater card instead of a preset.
+                      </p>
+                    </div>
+                  )}
                 </div>
 
                 <div className="grid grid-cols-2 gap-4">
diff --git a/src/pages/NIP19Page.tsx b/src/pages/NIP19Page.tsx
index 6842b91..d6f7f40 100644
--- a/src/pages/NIP19Page.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/NIP19Page.tsx
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ function ProfilePage({ pubkey }: { pubkey: string }) {
   const levelMeta = skater?.level ? SKATER_LEVELS[skater.level] : undefined;
   const skaterWebsite = skater?.website || website;
   const hasSkateLayer = !!skater && (
-    !!stanceMeta || !!levelMeta || skater.styles.length > 0 ||
+    !!stanceMeta || !!levelMeta || !!skater.customLevel || skater.styles.length > 0 ||
     !!skater.yearsSkating || !!skater.homeSpot
   );
 
@@ -247,14 +247,18 @@ function ProfilePage({ pubkey }: { pubkey: string }) {
                       Skater
                     </h2>
                     <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
-                      {levelMeta && (
+                      {levelMeta ? (
                         <span
                           className="text-[10px] font-black uppercase tracking-wide px-2.5 py-1 rounded-full text-black"
                           style={{ backgroundColor: levelMeta.color }}
                         >
                           {levelMeta.emoji} {levelMeta.label}
                         </span>
-                      )}
+                      ) : skater?.customLevel ? (
+                        <span className="text-[10px] font-black uppercase tracking-wide px-2.5 py-1 rounded-full bg-[#ccff00] text-black">
+                          ✏️ {skater.customLevel}
+                        </span>
+                      ) : null}
                       {isOwnProfile && (
                         <Link
                           to="/become-skater"
diff --git a/src/pages/SkatersPage.tsx b/src/pages/SkatersPage.tsx
index 779a752..c6b968d 100644
--- a/src/pages/SkatersPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/SkatersPage.tsx
@@ -49,14 +49,18 @@ function SkaterCard({ skater }: { skater: Skater }) {
                 {name.slice(0, 2).toUpperCase()}
               </AvatarFallback>
             </Avatar>
-            {level && (
+            {level ? (
               <span
                 className="absolute -bottom-1.5 left-1/2 -translate-x-1/2 text-[9px] font-black uppercase tracking-wide px-1.5 py-0.5 rounded-full text-black whitespace-nowrap"
                 style={{ backgroundColor: level.color }}
               >
                 {level.emoji} {level.label}
               </span>
-            )}
+            ) : skater.customLevel ? (
+              <span className="absolute -bottom-1.5 left-1/2 -translate-x-1/2 text-[9px] font-black uppercase tracking-wide px-1.5 py-0.5 rounded-full text-black whitespace-nowrap bg-[#ccff00] max-w-[90px] truncate">
+                ✏️ {skater.customLevel}
+              </span>
+            ) : null}
           </div>
 
           <div className="min-w-0 flex-1 pt-0.5">