Climbing Chalk Will Never Be The Same

Someone should make edible chalk that tastes like chocolate and is named chalkolate

If this is actually safe, using it as a first layer and adding chalk on top might be a game changer for me

Silica effect on the respiratory system is very well documented, it’s only safe when applied in a way that won’t reach ur lungs— not sure of this product’s safety in the long term. That said, I’m curious how this would feel if you apply this with slightly moist hands lol

Love the video, can see 3 big areas where this could be good: 1. Base layer - just use it in combination with chalk, so you get benefits of both, optimal performance with chalk and still good layer when it wears off during longer climb. 2. Competition ice climbing - yes, we ice climbers use liquid chalk inside our gloves! That makes it impossible to rechalk during a climb which can be up to 8 minutes. So this might be a good alternative. 3. Sandstone climbing - in the Czech and Saxon sandstone areas, chalk is forbidden in order to not leave a trace and also not damage the rock. If this stays on your hands and does not transfer to rock, this might be a great option compared to not using chalk at all.

DO NOT USE THIS INDOORS. Silicosis is a big problem. Do not use this indoors. This goes for any chalks with silicon based drying agents. At the climbing gym I manage and route set at, this very much not allowed to be used

Silica instantly raises my hackles, silicosis is a big issue in comstruction. Apparently this is a well known product used already in make up and is created to be non lumg damaging but i still think about the sheer abount of chalk on everything and cringe

I wonder how it would perform using both, this to decrease overall sweat levels but chalk to maximize performance

Would also be cool to do some comparisons between hangboarding etc with this or your go-to chalk

As someone with sweaty hands, I wonder if the two combined would provide a benefit compared to having to re-chalk mid-problem on trickier climbs

When you poured it onto your hand and I saw nothing. I thought of tale of "The Emperor's New Clothes", you buy a bottle of invisible chalk, rub it in mentally, and you climb better because you paid $25 for a small bottle. That would have been a great april fools video.

Would love to see a higher end climber / climbing that relies on friction more with this product and how it compares.

cool i didn't think that aerogel powder would work as "chalk"

Would like to think about the long term use of this on real rock, especially sandstone and slate, would you think a build up on the holds would be an issue? also the use of brushing with this / the overall performance of an outdoor hold of this pre/post rain and wind.

maybe a good option for people that dont like to use chalk, or because the skin goes too dry, but really dont think is something that will replace normal chalk in any way.

I've seen a few comments on safety concerns since this product contains a form of silica, but according to the MSDS of silica silylate, it's fine as long as you don't light it on fire. My bigger concern would be the long term effects of anything besides magnesium carbonate chalk on natural rock. Some companies sell chalk with a rosin additive and some climbers have in the past been certain that they discovered the new perfect climbing moisture absorber with rosin. For the most part, people who swear by rosin tout the same benefits as this product: consistent moisture absorption and grip enhancement without the chalky residue. The problem is, builds up on the rock over time and makes it slick as hell. Not saying that silica silylate will have the same effect, I haven't used it, but studying the long-term effects on routes might be a good idea. Also, FWIW, generic silica silylate is waaay cheaper if you were to get it from makeup suppliers. Generic will run $6 for a 29g package vs $25/8g package for this stuff. Take that with a grain of salt though as I haven't looked into that at all beyond the price.

Nice video, will probably get my (unusually sweaty) hands on some when it's available in my area. Would have liked to have seen you doing multiple attempts on a slab with tiny holds so see how it stood up to that

How is it on dual-texture holds? It is well known that non-chalked hands can have an advantage at these. Perhaps this is a good mix between dry hands for normal holds and not too dry for smooth holds? And it would be nice to see how it affects the holds long-term, does it spread to the holds such that they get (a bit) water-resistent? Will it be a problem for cleaning them?

Real question is, does a base layer of this plus chalking up work even better?

The problem here is, we actually depend on the chalk to come off of our hands once they do eventually slip because it saves our skin.

I’m genuinely curious about this product because, as a climber who sweats near 0% of my hands, I use chalk to prevent my skin from being used too quick. So my question is: did you feel like you used much more skin than usually? and was the feeling more painful when slipping off some ruggish holds?