4 ms·
I am not a climber. What's the chalk for ?
by Lordarminius 9y ago
I am not a climber. What's the chalk for ?
- betenoire 9y agoit's 50% placebo, 50% soaks up the sweat so you don't feel like you are pulling on a sheet of glass. My ratios may be wrong, adjust to taste.
- takk309 9y agoAgreed, dries hands and magically builds confidence. The ratio depends on weather and grade of the climb.
- crikli 9y agoAnd the type of stone. There are places in Colorado where I don't bother with chalk because it's sandstone and is so gritty that chalk is ineffective.
- briandear 9y agoOn Chamonix-area granite, chalk is essential for me. Makes a huge difference. Definitely depends on the rock and the amount of sweat your hands produce.
- mcphage 9y agoWhen I was a math grad student, most of the other grad students hated getting chalk on their hands because it dried their skin out. Whereas I'd grab extra chalk from the board, and rub it over my hands to keep them dry.
- justinator 9y agoChalkboard chalk is calcium sulphate, whereas climbing chalk is magnesium carbonate. You would not want to use chalkboard chalk for climbing, as it would make holds actually slipperier. Some climbers do carry a piece of chalkboard chalk to mark key holds, though.
- praneshp 9y agoI (as a somewhat mediocre climber) love chalk when climbing outside because it tells me what the next hold likely is :)
- Obi_Juan_Kenobi 9y agoThere's a mental aspect (chalk = business time) but it's not a placebo. Have someone deadlift with a particular grip with and without chalk, and they'll lift more with the chalk, no question. It helps grip.
- betenoire 9y agoCan anything literally be only part placebo? obviously hyperbole, but anyone who has stuck their hand in a chalk bag knows how comforting it is in spite of it being the 7th time on that same rest hold.
- robotresearcher 9y agoYou put it on your hands to improve grip.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- DontGiveTwoFlux 9y agoIt keeps your hands dry when they get sweaty, making it easier to hold onto the rock. It's standard equipment for climbers.
- original_idear 9y agoKeeps your palms dry allowing for better grip
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- cardiffspaceman 9y agoAs someone whose best day climbing was a 5.6 route on Yosemite's Cathedral Peak with a guide, I will add that one purpose of chalk might well be for guides to mark where the holds are for their clients.