![]() ![]() Similar to a sticky feta-cheese, Boost seals your hands before each burn, allowing for consistent attempts from the start of your project. Though liquid chalk is how a primer is often expressed, Tokyo Powder’s Boost flips the script with a more gelatinous mixture. Liquid chalk is an example of a primer that effectively creates a dry layer between your skin and the chalk. This combination allows the climber to finish the route with dry hands, reducing nervous slips that can cost you the send. It dries the hands and slightly hardens the skin, providing a great base to apply regular chalk over-top. For me, Mammut is the best liquid chalk on the market. I was skeptical for years, but the high-priced liquid chalk works. Similar to high-end chalk, it is easy to wonder whether or not this makes a difference. Effectively a combination of rubbing alcohol and chalk, this paste is rubbed into the hands as a base, reducing the amount hands sweat. Popular among competition and outdoor climbers alike, liquid chalk takes the concept of drying your hands to another level. A high concentration of magnesium carbonate makes a massive difference. This isn’t to say that there are not trace additives in it like other chalks, but it does dry your hands for a longer period of time. Each of the three textures offered by Friction Labs features a higher percentage of Magnesium Carbonate than any other chalk on the market. According to the Friction Labs website, “Magnesium Carbonate traps water molecules on the inside of the crystalline structure, leaving the surface dry.” Calcium carbonate serves more as a base for chalks and offers limited potential grip. The difference between high- and low-end chalks is in the mixture of magnesium and calcium carbonates. ![]() Friction Labs is the best example of this shift, featuring a hefty price tag and a popular product. This new-age of rock climbing brings with it the new-age of chalk. Instead it seems to cover the sweat with a film of dry powder. It is a good inexpensive chalk, but it wipes away quickly and doesn’t seem to dry the hands. Flashed, by comparison, does not hinder the climber in the same way, but it also doesn’t lend any advantage. The downside of the drying agent is that dried-hard skin splits. For me, it dries them throughout the session, allowing for harder and harder skin from one day to the next. Personally, I like Metolius because I have horribly sweaty hands. Where Flashed is additive free, Super Chalk boasts a drying agent that may or may not help with the climb at hand. The difference between these two chalks, specifically, is the inclusion of additives. Best represented by brands like Flashed and Metolius, loose chalk tends to be cheap, high volume, and dependable. Loose Chalks:Īll of the chalks on our list are variations of this bad boy. For the climber with a home wall, the chalk ball allows for easy breathing as well as ease of use. A loose chalks spills and seems to require a relative amount of mess. Whether you need to quickly chalk holds or reduce the amount of air-borne dust, the chalk ball is effective and difficult to replace. ![]() Frequently criticized for its poor skin application and its relative absence of grip, you may wonder why it has been brought up for review. The chalk ball is a unique applicator that is most commonly used inside the gym. ![]() From chalk balls to chalk paste, here are the five common varieties of power flour. With all of the chalks on the market, it can be difficult to know what defines one from another. Dry hands can mean the difference between clipping the chains or walking away disappointed. ![]()
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