Why does it seem like everyone prefers mob to jessup? I've been using jessup for years and never had a problem
I'll tell you some reasons why, both in product quality differences as well as some skate-industry politics you might find interesting. Not because I necessarily agree with all of them though.
-Mob is grippier than Jessup, if that's your thing. (Standard Mob griptape that is. Those seeking a Jessup-like grip now have M-80).
-Mob lasts longer. Maybe because it's grippier off the bat, but the grit itself does last longer. Jessup tends to wear out or get "flat" faster than Mob, if your board lasts that long.
-Some people feel the quality of Jessup got worse when they quietly switched from the US to overseas for manufacturing.
-Mob is better marketed than Jessup (they have full page ads in Thrasher every month) so it has better brand recognition .
-Mob is skater-owned (NHS), and supports skateboarding and pros moreso than Jessup. Jessup is an industrial non-skid tape manufacturer and skate griptape is just one of their many products that they make. See:
http://www.jessupmfg.com/ -Many skate industry people were upset how Jessup treated Bud Smith, the former Jessup Griptape manager who made them the dominant brand in griptape and the industry standard. He was so highly regarded that NHS immediately hired him after he'd been unceremoniously fired from Jessup. See:
http://www.axsgear.com/blog/longboard-business-market/axs-profile-mr-griptape/