Liquid Chalk: What’s All the Fuss? (Top 5 Products)

Introduction

There’s nothing worse than reaching for that last hold, in the final move of an epic climb, to feel your fingers slowly slipping. Then bam – you’re on the ground! Those sweaty hands will be the death of us all! It’s a struggle we all have experienced from time to time. Some more than others. It is one of those things that our body naturally does, and we cannot control it.

I had a friend who did a ton of extremely hard bouldering, and he was the sweatiest person I had ever met. He used to get so frustrated midway through a challenging climb, when he would slip off, not because he was exhausted or that the climb was too hard. But he would fall because he could not hold his grip from so much sweat. It was a combination of fear, but also just simply being a sweaty person.

It sounds insulting when we call someone a “sweaty” person, but let’s be real for a minute. Everyone sweats, and it isn’t necessarily something that has to do with anyone’s hygiene. We can sweat heavily in our hands and or feet from being excited, or nervous, regular excess oils or even environmental humidity.

So even though my friend was an extremely advanced climber, he still struggled with it. We went on a hunt for the best chalk we could find for him, and just for our own knowledge of climbing products. Everyone knows the basic essentials for climbing. Whether you are a novice, or have been climbing for years, you know exactly what you need to get into the sport. A pair of your very own climbing shoes is a must, a harness (if you dare to explore ropes), and a chalk bag full of your favorite chalk.

What is the best chalk for rock climbing?

Over my years of climbing I have explored different types of chalk. From different brands, to different textures, to different pricing. There are lots of options out there for you. This continues to be true, and only seems to be expanding with time as the love for the sport grows.

I have used so many different kinds of chalks over the years, but I would say for the first few years I stuck with the standard chalk block. Climbing gyms carry them on a regular basis, they are always fully stocked at REI, and in general they are usually the cheapest and easiest option. However, I felt like I was going through blocks of chalk every 2 or 3 weeks. It felt like I was always running out.

One day, I came across the brand Friction Labs on instagram and was drawn instantly to the branding more so than anything. I mean who doesn’t want to use a chalk strain called Unicorn Dust?!  I was sold. This chalk was one of the best chalks I have ever used. It kept my hands dry, without actually drying them out. It was pretty amazing.

They offer Unicorn Dust as a fine texture, Gorilla Grip as a chunky texture, and Bam Bam as super chunky. My first bag of Unicorn Dust lasted me well over 8 months of climbing, while climbing 2-3 times per week in the gym, and 1-2 times per month outside. So though you will see a higher price than the standard chalk block, it will last you a significantly longer period of time. You get what you pay for is a phrase that rings true for this brand.

Sure enough this brand took off, and started implementing other new products as they expanded. Then one day they introduced the “Secret Stuff.” The Secret stuff is their very own line of liquid chalk.

What exactly is liquid chalk?

My first instinct was to question how liquid chalk could help with sweaty hands. I definitely wouldn’t think to put something liquid on my hands when I am trying to avoid moisture altogether. It feels a bit conflicting. It didn’t quite make sense, until I read more about it. To put it scientifically, this liquid chalk is an isopropyl alcohol based gel, and after drying creates the perfect layer of magnesium carbonate in every nook and cranny on your hands. Wow! This seems rad, right? Let’s see what else liquid chalk has to offer.

What are the benefits of liquid chalk?

One of the first things I noticed right off that bat, was that this eliminates so much mess. I am definitely guilty of spilling chalk all over the gym, all over my pants, all over my car, and pretty much all over the planet. It happens. But liquid chalk lessens this happening. It keeps you cleaner, the gym cleaner, rocks cleaner, and also eliminates product waste.

Sure it is less messy, but is it actually better for your health?

Another benefit to this specific liquid chalk is that it also helps with hygiene. It acts as a hand sanitizer as well, at least in the alcohol based version (also available in an alcohol free version for sensitive skin). It kills all the bacteria that your hands will likely gather over the course of a workout. This is quite brilliant in my opinion. Considering the state of our world currently through the impact of Covid-19, hygiene will play a much larger factor in our decisions over the next few years. Especially if you are working out in any sort of gym setting.

Forget about climbing for a second. Think of weightlifting, gymnastics, or any sport where multiple people are touching the same equipment daily. That can get dirty, real fast. Imagine knowing that every weightlifter in the gym is also using an anti-bacterial chalk, while sharing the same equipment as you. That eases my mind just thinking about it. So this antibacterial feature really is intriguing. In my opinion this makes liquid chalk the best option for weightlifters also…

Liquid chalk AND standard chalk? Let’s double up!

People who severely suffer from sweaty hands, like to double up with both liquid chalk, and loose powder chalk. I imagine this would be the ultimate combo for anyone who struggles to keep their hands dry. In fact many companies actually brand their product this way, recommending you use the liquid chalk as a base layer, and then apply the powdered chalk as a finishing touch. This sounds like a heavy duty way to stay extra dry.

So I went to explore the options of liquid chalk. Much to my surprise, there are tons of different options. Many don’t have more than 10 reviews so they are likely much newer,  but there were several brands that stuck out to me. Let’s take a look!