Liquid Grip Review (2023): Good Liquid Chalk for Climbers?
Originally designed for gym training, Liquid Grip is an industry-leading product that’s also suitable for climbers by delivering a better and firmer grip.
Verdict
As with all liquid chalks, Liquid Grip means less mess than traditional chalks. It stays on better and doesn’t transfer to other surfaces like typical chalk products.
Although this product is aimed at gym buffs, I like to use it as a climber because of its convenient format: the smaller one comes with a hole and a pocket carabiner (not rated for climbing, obviously) allowing you to clip it to your harness for sport climbing or just to your short or pants for bouldering.
Liquid Grip’s water-soluble base offers a smooth and creamy application and quick-drying properties, adding a solid layer of extra grip on your skin. I didn’t experience any irritation, but I’m not allergic to rosin. Liquid chalk manufacturers use this binding agent and known allergen to obtain a smoother and homogenous texture. Unfortunately, Liquid Grip also uses it, so be careful. If you have a sensitive skin, we recommend going for a rosin-free option.
Overall, we recommend Liquid Grip for its convenient format and affordable price. Chalk is chalk and you don’t need to stick to climbing brands for optimal performance and value.
- 100% natural and biodegradable ingredients
- Creamy consistency that allows for easy application
- Quick-drying time
- Creates a strong, long-lasting grip for climbing
- Transfer-proof, mess-free formula binds to the skin’s fatty acids
- Available in two convenient sizes
- Uses rosin as an ingredient, which can trigger allergies in some
- The moisturizing properties keep hands less dry than traditional climbing chalk
Introduction
The Liquid Grip company has been around for over a decade. Gym athletes love the chalk product for its intense gripping power and the friction it adds to palms, allowing for a stronger hold.
With liquid chalk becoming popular among climbers, especially for bouldering, Liquid Grip is an interesting pick that easily competes with specialized liquid chalks from climbing companies.
Packaging/Messiness
Liquid Grip’s packaging has a sleek gradient blue color scheme. There are two convenient sizes available: a larger 8 oz container and a mini 1.5 oz bottle with a carabiner (making it easy to hook onto your harness). The front of the big bottle lists the many activities people use Liquid Grip for—and rock climbing tops the list!
When it comes to how messy the product gets, very little residue transfers off your hands. Liquid Grip’s formula binds with the skin’s fatty acids, sticking to you rather than leaving a trace on every surface you touch. With less mess than traditional block chalk, Liquid Grip is perfect for indoor gyms.
Texture and Feel
One of the best features of Liquid Grip is its smooth and creamy consistency, making it easy to apply. The product is water-based, allowing for more absorption than regular chalk. Once rubbed onto your hands, Liquid Grip fully dries within a few seconds and leaves a firm layer of grip on top of the skin.
The product does a great job keeping its tack and consistency. It doesn’t dry out or lump up as time goes on and won’t liquefy as you sweat, so say goodbye to constant reapplication! One application should offer enough grip for your climbing adventure.
Grip/Friction
The grip offered by this product makes it one of the most helpful tools that you can have as a climber. Liquid Grip’s ingredients include a water-based mixture of chalk and rosin, allowing for the ultimate grasp. The revolutionary formula gives users a strong hold, fights off the slippery effects of sweat, and increases friction between your hands and what you’re climbing.
By using the gripping properties of both chalk and rosin, you get the best of both worlds. Chalk enhances friction, so you can have a better hold as you climb, especially as your body temperature rises and you start to sweat. Rosin makes for an easier and more creamy application and keeps your hands from callusing against the rough climbing face.
Together, the chalk and rosin ingredients forge the ideal grip to give you confidence as you climb.
Staying Power
Liquid Grip’s water-based solution mixes rosin with chalk to bond with your skin’s fatty acids. What does that mean? Once you apply it and it dries, the product stays put and does not rub off or sweat off. It coats your palms in a durable layer, so there is no need to reapply, giving you more time to enjoy your climb.
The binding and staying power of Liquid Grip is one of the top reasons climbers prefer it over traditional chalk. Powder chalk transfers off your palms easier, leaving a mess behind on every surface you come into contact with.
For this reason, many climbing gyms frown upon or even ban using chalk. But with Liquid Grip, transfer mess is a thing of the past! It stays on well, so you won’t have a problem.
Skin Friendliness and Ingredients
This is where things get tricky. Remember rosin, the ingredient that gives Liquid Grip its smooth and uniform consistency? It’s also an allergen. Also called colophony, rosin is a natural but complex substance (it has over 100 compounds) made from pine trees. If you’re allergic, you can develop allergic contact dermatitis or even breathing difficulties. Therefore, we would recommend to stay away from it if you have any doubt.
Other than that, Liquid Grip is completely safe to use on your skin! The 100% natural and biodegradable ingredients will keep your hands comfortable thanks to its hydrating formula, so you can enjoy your climb without itchiness or cracking.
Value
Based on all of the features and benefits in this Liquid Grip review, the value you get for the price is better than most traditional chalks. The bottles do not cost much, and the company even offers a combination pack with both sizes together for a discounted price.
Liquid Grip also lasts a long time with just a small application needed to coat your hands well. Unless you’re climbing multiple times a day, the 8 oz container will last you a few months. Personally, I don’t need anything else. Sure, if another similar chalk is cheaper I may go for it. Otherwise, Liquid Grip is a solid budget pick that delivers good performance for climbing.
Bottom Line
With its specialized formula, Liquid Grip allows for an extremely sturdy and reliable hold. It may not be marketed for climbers, but it works just the same!