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As you practice climbing, your skills and perception get better with every session, making you a better and experienced climber. However, sometimes, consistent climbing may not be a realistic option for you – be it you can’t afford the hefty gym membership fees or you are simply busy. This is where climbing hangboards jump in to make your life easier.
The best climbing hangboards can be used anywhere, making it convenient for you to train in your home. These boards are designed to simulate climbing conditions, giving you a chance to practice your skills at any time. Hangboards are also designed to help enhance finger strength and overall upper body strength, preparing you for the actual outdoors.
Listed below are the 10 best climbing hangboards in 2021. Each entry lists the unique features of the hangboard. It’s all up to you to go for the hangboard that appeals most to you.
OUR TOP PICK
Metolius Simulator 3D Climbing Hangboard
- What Makes This Climbing Hangboard Stand Out
- Available in a variety of 3 color patterns
- Holds in downward and outward tapering for added ergonomics and injury prevention
- Skin-friendly fine-grained texture
- Precision CNC milled technology for improved symmetry and balanced training
- Comes with mounting hardware and instructions
Material: Polyester resin
Dimensions: 28” x 8.75”
Weight: 10.44 lbs.
Grip positions: 2, 3, fine-grained and 4 finger holds, crimp grips
EDITORS CHOICE
Project By Metolius Climbing Hangboard
- What Makes This Climbing Hangboard Stand Out
- CAD/CAM master for superior symmetry and balanced training
- The fine-grained texture is skin-friendly and improves grip
- High-performing compact build
- Lightweight design
- Board tapered holds to prevent injuries
Material: Polyester resin
Dimensions: 24.5” x 6”
Weight: 7 lbs.
Grip positions: 2, 3, and 4 finger holds, crimp grips
BEST VALUE
Get Out Doorway Climbing Hangboard
- What Makes This Climbing Hangboard Stand Out
- Easy to install design with mounting hardware and installation guide
- Designed to stimulate holds to target contact finger strength, body tension core strength, and toning
- Designed to be used anywhere
- Lightweight design
- Affordably priced
Material: Plastic
Dimensions: 19” x 8”
Weight: 4.43 lbs.
Grip positions: 2, 3, and 4 finger holds, crimp grips
Metolius Wood Grips Compact II Climbing Hangboard
- What Makes This Climbing Hangboard Stand Out
- Compact and ideal for type 5.10 to 5.12 rock climbers
- Designed to improve finger strength
- Round edged design to prevent injuries and enhance hand tendon performance
- Affordable pricing
- Easy to install design
Material: Wood
Dimensions: 24” x 6.2”
Weight: 4.7 lbs.
Grip positions: 4 finger holds, Jugs, slopers, edges ad pockets
Trango Prodigy Climbing Hangboard
- What Makes This Climbing Hangboard Stand Out
- Triple textured surface for added grip on active areas and comfort on non-active areas
- Multi-use pockets for added versatility and performance
- Pinch grips to prevent wrist strain and maximize finger and thumb strength
- More than 30 grip positions
- Variable depth edge rails and micro edges allow you to customize your workout
Material: Polyester resin
Dimensions: 19” x 8”
Weight: 4.43 lbs.
Grip positions: 2, 3, and 4 finger holds, crimp grips
Metolius Contact Climbing Hangboard
- What Makes This Climbing Hangboard Stand Out
- Efficient curvature to prevent injuries and joint stress
- Huge indexed sections with 11 pockets, shallow to deep edges, jugs, and slopers for added versatility
- Skin-friendly fine-grained texture
- Comes with a training guide, mounting guide, and hardware
- Available in 3 vibrant color patterns
Material: Polyester resin
Dimensions: 32.5” x 11”
Weight: 1.87 lbs.
Grip positions: 2, 3, and 4 finger holds, edges, jugs, and slopers
Metolius Rock Rings Climbing Hangboard
- What Makes This Climbing Hangboard Stand Out
- Single point suspension design prevents injury
- Built with enhanced portability
- Sold in a set of 2
- CNC milled technology provides a balanced training
- Lightweight build
Material: Polyester resin
Dimensions: 72.5” x 5.75”
Weight: 4.2 lbs.
Grip positions: 3 and 4 finger holds, edges and jugs
Escape Unlimited Climbing Hangboard
- What Makes This Climbing Hangboard Stand Out
- Varying slot depths
- Accommodates versatile hanging techniques
- High-quality premium Baltic Birch construction
- Supports all levels of climbers from beginner to advanced
- Handcrafted in the USA
Material: Polyester resin
Dimensions: 23.5” x 6”
Weight: 5 lbs.
Grip positions: 3 and 4 finger holds, edges and jugs
So iLL Beastmaker 1000 Climbing Hangboard
- What Makes This Climbing Hangboard Stand Out
- Radiused holds prevent fingers from tweaking
- The package includes 6 mounting screws
- Compact design for more mounting options
- Excellent texture with enhanced grip
- Designed for beginners
Material: Polyester resin
Dimensions: 22.8” x 5.96”
Weight: 3.31 lbs.
Grip positions: 3 and 4 finger holds, edges and jugs
So iLL Beastmaker 2000 Climbing Hangboard
- What Makes This Climbing Hangboard Stand Out
- High quantity and variety of mono and 2-finger pockets
- Compact design for versatile hanging
- High grip wooden texture
- Comes with up to 6 sturdy mounting screws
- Designed for advanced climbers
Material: Polyester resin
Dimensions: 22.8” x 5.96”
Weight: 3.31 lbs.
Grip positions: 2, 3, and 4 finger holds, edges, slopers, and jugs
How To Choose A Climbing Hangboard – Buying Guide
Material
The material is an important feature to examine when choosing the best hangboard for climbing as it determines grip and comfort. The majority of climbing hangboards are either made of wood, plastic, or polyester resin. The fine-grained texture of polyester resin provides increased friction which in turn accounts for a great grip. Â
Because of its ability to be easily molded in any shape, polyester resin boards tend to have different hold types. Wooden hangboards on the other end are skin-friendly, however, they may not be ideal for everyone because of their smoother texture, the grip may be an issue with many.
Wingspan
The wingspan of your climbing hangboard denotes its width. Your hangboard should not be too scrunched up in your hand or above your shoulder when holding the widest points. Yet, at the same time, you don’t want the points to be too far away from each other unless that’s your intention. Thus, when picking the right climbing hangboard, it is important to examine the wingspan. Typically, when handling a hangboard your elbows should have a slight 45 degrees angle when you do a dead hang.
Size
The size of your climbing hangboard is also important. A good hangboard should be portable and compatible. This allows you to hang it anywhere. However, if you want a board that will offer more versatility, then a larger one is a better option.
Some boards even feature inserts to change edge depths or built-in rotating features that allow you to explore different hold angles. Additionally, to ensure you have the right-sized hangboard, go through real-life customer reviews to truly understand the features. Buying from a seller with a flexible return policy also doesn’t hurt as you can easily return or exchange the board in case it doesn’t work for you.
Shape
The majority of the best hangboards for climbing are curved rather than straight. Curved climbing hangboards are more naturally inclined to your body. Curved hangboards are also easier on your shoulders and elbows making even complicated and hard training techniques achievable with reduced risk of injuries. The only limitation to curved hangboards is that they may be difficult to mount on areas such as doorways and frames.
Holds
Holds come in different shapes and sizes depending on the hangboard. In general, you will find jugs, slopers, pinches, pockets, cramps, and edges, it all depends on what you are looking for. As a general rule of thumb, go for hangboards with larger holds when you are beginning, then scale down to smaller holds as you advance through the training.
Grip Positions
Grip position also affects your training results. For example, if you want to achieve finger strength, then the size of the edges you hold on must be decreased and you need to add weight to your body as you hang. If you are aiming at improving different hand positions, then go for a hangboard with several types of grips.
Edges
The edges of your climbing hangboards define the three or four finger holds at the extreme ends of the hangboards. They are great for beginners as they use them to strengthen their grip and technique. Shallower edges tend to fit in more fingers.
Pockets
Climbing hangboards denote the two or three-finger holds on the board. These pockets are used to add variations to your training. The best hangboard for climbing is built with multiple pockets to help diversify your climbing workout whilst the different widths and depths help to increase perception in climbing.
Slopers and Jugs
Some climbing hangboards are built with two to three slopers at the top. Jugs are ideally used for warm-up sessions. Slopers are normally fitted at the center top and on either side of the top bar. Typically, a hangboard will be fitted with three jugs. They help to maintain balance and during those short rests, they offer support.
Difficulty Level
The best hangboard for climbing will offer a wide difficulty range. They are more ideal for training. This doesn’t mean that you can’t find hangboards that are designed for advanced climbers with mostly shallow holds and strictly smaller grip positions.
Design
The design of your climbing hangboard is highly influenced by the material used. The best hangboard for climbing will either be straight or curved. The number of holds and workout technique options are determined by material, so you must always know what you are looking for. The design will also affect performance and usability – for example, you cannot hang a curved hangboard on your doorway.
FAQs
Q: Should I Buy A Hangboard?
Yes, if you want to improve as a climber. Buying a hangboard is a good idea as it gives you the chance to practice as well as enhance finger and upper body strength from anywhere. Rather than hitting the gym every day and having to spend more on the gym membership fees, you can simply mount a hangboard in your home and train from your home.
Q: What Are Hangboards Made Of?
Hangboards are most commonly made of plastic, polyester resin, or wood material. Whilst polyester resin is favored for its increased friction and ample grip, wooden hangboards are favored because they are skin-friendly and rest comfortably under your hands.
Q: How Do You Hang A Hangboard Without A Drill?
The majority of hangboards come packaged with their mounting hardware and to make it easier for you they also come pre-drilled. That said, it’s essentially impossible to hang a hangboard without a drill unless you already have holes drilled in your wall + studs.
Q: What Is Hangboard Climbing?
Hangboard climbing is a training technique used by many climbers, beginners, and advanced climbers alike. It works by hanging the board and practicing your climbing techniques to enhance perception, stamina, and finger strength on the board. Hangboards are great for upper body workouts in general.
Globo Surf Overview
The climbing hangboard reviews here outline how useful each board is for your training. These climbing tools are ideally designed to help build your strength and stamina – whether you are preparing for the wild outdoors or simply indulging in a healthy workout. Who doesn’t want a toned torso?! The buying guide above provides a detailed guideline of what to look for when choosing the best climbing hangboards. The list of the 10 best climbing hangboards above is an excellent place to begin your search.
