Many climbers turn to physical training to help boost their performance. One of the best and oldest tools for finger strength training is the hangboard, also called a finger board. Naturally, a favorite training strategy of climbers when they’re away from the rock or the gym is to hang off their own at-home structure, so we’re here to help you choose the best climbing hangboard to do just that.
Hangboarding is a training technique used to build finger strength, but hangboards can meet a multitude of training goals. Depending on the board you choose, you can train all sorts of grip types and track your progression.
We recommend finding a safe and applicable hangboard training program to get you started.
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO FIND THE BEST CLIMBING HANGBOARD
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CLIMBING HANGBOARDS 101
4 THINGS TO CONSIDER TO FIND THE BEST CLIMBING HANGBOARD
1. PURPOSE
Before purchasing a hangboard you need to assess your ability and consider your specific training goals. Hangboarding can be hard on the body and it is critical to pair your equipment with your current level. Some boards offer a friendly introduction to beginners whereas others are intended for climbers with extensive hangboarding experience.
There are many ways to train for rock climbing, but when it comes to hand and finger strength, hangboards are the way to go. Consider whether you want to train multiple grip positions using slopers, pockets and edges, or pure finger strength using an open hand or half crimp position.
2. HOLD TYPES AND SIZES
If you are aiming to improve your stamina in a variety of different hand positions, choose a hangboard with many grip types. Several hangboards offer an assortment of jugs, slopers, edges, and pockets. Boards with a lot of variation and positive holds make it easier to warm up before starting your actual work out. They are also beneficial for beginners.
If pure finger strength is the goal, there are two options for how to pursue gains. The first is to decrease the size of the edges the climber is holding, and the second is to add weight to the climber’s body as they hang from a given hold. To best approach finger strength gains it is important to have a board with a progression of holds that become smaller or less positive.
Take care to ease yourself onto smaller holds gradually to minimize risk of injury.
3. CUSTOMIZABILITY AND SIZE
Nowadays several companies produce hangboards that the climber can customize for their training. Some boards have a separate right and left side so they can be mounted at the perfect width for your body. Other boards come with inserts to change edge depths or built in rotation features to change the angle of holds.
It is worth considering the size and space required to hang your board as well. If you’re always on the road, check out the small, portable options that are hitting the market. Some hangboards take up very little space but can be customized to meet a progression of difficulties. On the other hand, if you have a full training space in your home you could indulge in a larger board that has a lot to offer.
4. TEXTURE
There is no point in owning a hangboard if you find it too uncomfortable to hang on! We recommend testing the hangboards at your climbing gym, or feeling the surface of available boards in a local shop before making your purchase. Most hangboards are made of either plastic, typically a polyurethane or polyester resin, or wood.
Resins can be molded into any shape; thus plastic hangboards can offer many different hold types. The friction is greater due to the fine grained texture, but they can be uncomfortable on the skin. It is possible to sand down sharp edges on a plastic hangboard if they are too rough.
Wood can be more comfortable on the skin, but is not for everyone. Some people find wood hangboards difficult to grip due to reduced friction during grueling sessions. Wooden boards are also limited by the variety of grip types they are offered.
Photo by http://ift.tt/2pcSDGU
CLIMBING HANGBOARD REVIEWS
1. BEST CLIMBING HANGBOARDS FOR BEGINNER USERS AND UP
TRANGO ROCK PRODIGY
MATERIAL: Plastic
DIMENSIONS: 9.1 inch x 12.1 inch (Each half)
HOLD TYPES: 15+ different grips
CUSTOMIZABLE: Yes
PROS: Board designed by the Anderson brothers, covers most trainable grip positions including excellent pinches which orient thumb on bottom, texture is grippy
CONS: More difficult and involved to mount than other boards
METOLIUS ROCK RINGS
MATERIAL: Plastic
DIMENSIONS: 7.25 inch x 5.75 inch x 2.5 inch
HOLD TYPES: Jug with slot pockets
CUSTOMIZABLE: Yes
PROS: Inexpensive, innovative, portable training device, friendly on skin, allows for rotation of joints because of free hanging design
CONS: Not for advanced climbers, very little hold variety
SOILL BOOST
Check out the latest price on:
Amazon
MATERIAL: Plastic
DIMENSIONS: 24 inch x 9.5 inch x 2.25 inch
HOLD TYPES: Jugs, slopers, pockets of various depths and widths
CUSTOMIZABLE: No
PROS: Beginner friendly with progression of hold depths for use as climbers develop strength
CONS: Quite large and bulky
METOLIUS PROJECT
MATERIAL: Plastic
DIMENSIONS: 24.5 inch x 6 inch
HOLD TYPES: Jugs, slopers, pockets
CUSTOMIZABLE: No
PROS: Inexpensive, friendly on the skin, with a variety of holds that taper downward ergonomically
CONS: Additional board required for mounting
2. BEST CLIMBING HANGBOARDS FOR INTERMEDIATE USERS AND UP
PROBLEMSOLVER
Check out the latest price on:
Problemsolver
MATERIAL: Wood
DIMENSIONS: 15.75 inch x 6.3 inch x 0.95 inch
HOLD TYPES: Edges of variable depth
CUSTOMIZABLE: Yes
PROS: Portable and customizable hangboard that is great for traveling, comes with inserts to create variable depth holds, board can be tilted to change angle, holds can be added to the back of board to train additional grips positions
CONS: Requires a structure to be hung from every time, minimal grip variation
TRANSGRESSION
Check out the latest price on:
Transgression
MATERIAL: Plastic
DIMENSIONS: 15 inch x 22.8 inch x 5.9 inch
HOLD TYPES: Eight edges of decreasing size from 18mm to 6mm
CUSTOMIZABLE: No
PROS: Decreasing edge sizes from top to bottom, offering pure finger strength benefits; one of the only boards and training methods derived from a doctoral thesis
CONS: Limited to pure finger strength, no variation in hold types
BAM!
Check out the latest price on:
Bam Climbing
MATERIAL: Wood
DIMENSIONS: 2 foot x 2 inch x 3.5 inch
HOLD TYPES: Edges, pockets, and slopers range of varying difficulty
CUSTOMIZABLE: Yes
PROS: Very narrow height makes this board a good space saver, minimal and effective with adjustable depth and angle, board rotates in 10 degree increments from 0 – 30 degrees
CONS: Not suitable for beginner climbers
METOLIUS SIMULATOR 3D
MATERIAL: Plastic
DIMENSIONS: 28 inch x 8.75 inch
HOLD TYPES: Jugs, slopers, pockets of various depths and widths
CUSTOMIZABLE: No
PROS: Number one selling training board in the world, board tapers for better ergonomic benefits to climbers, multiple grip options to ease progression
CONS: Additional board required for mounting
3. BEST CLIMBING HANGBOARDS FOR ADVANCED USERS
MOON FINGERBOARD
Check out the latest price on:
Moon Climbing
MATERIAL: Wood
DIMENSIONS: 27.5 inch x 5.5 inch x 1.5 inch
HOLD TYPES: Edges, pockets, and slopers
CUSTOMIZABLE: No
PROS: Simple and compact advanced board with few hold types, designed with a “less is more” philosophy in mind
CONS: Not suitable for beginner climbers, board is difficult to acquire
BEASTMAKER 2000
Check out the latest price on:
Amazon
MATERIAL: Wood
DIMENSIONS: 23 inch x 6 inch x 2.25 inch
HOLD TYPES: 45, 35 and 20 degree slopers, multiple pockets from three finger to mono
CUSTOMIZABLE: No
PROS: Comfy on hands, wide variety of holds carefully designed to minimize chance of injury
CONS: No pinches or small crimps, can be slippery
The post Climbing Hangboards 101 appeared first on The Adventure Junkies.
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