Climbing Holds

Rock climbing holds are made of epoxy and fiberglass with fine silica sand for texture and friction. Synthetic rock climbing holds are the most popular, but wood and real rock holds can also be found. It is relatively easy to pick out a set of holds to target a specific climbing training need. Every type of climbing hold is available--slopers, crimpers, mono, jugs, jibs, ect.

Most climbers purchase climbing holds to use with their own home wall. Some put them up directly to the studs in their basement or garage wall. The climbing holds are probably the most expensive part of an indoor rock climbing wall construction project.

Popular indoor rock climbing holds:

• Crimper: Crimping is a way to grip a small hold with the thumb over the top of the fingertips which are pressing on the hold. A crimper is a hold just large enough for three or four fingers.
• Edge: Usually has a defined "edge", large enough for four fingers and a little bigger than a crimper.
• Handle (sometimes called ring): Shaped like a suitcase handle that can be gripped with the entire hand.
• Jib: These are small holds. They usually screw directly to the climbing wall. They are great for foot placement but can also be good for small hand holds. They usually have a non slip texture to them.
• Jug: This is a large hold easily gripped with the entire hand. It can also be a large hole that is easily and solidly gripped.
• Knob: Protrudes like a "door knob"
• Pincher: A thin hold designed to be "pinched". Usually two or three fingers on one side with the opposing thumb on the other.
• Pocket: The climbing hold has a hole usually big enough for one or two fingers.
• Roof Jug: Similar to a "jug" but designed for gripping upside down.
• Sidepull: This is similar to an under cling except turned on its side. The force is to the side with opposing pressure from the leg or other arm.
• Sloper: Size ranges from a few inches to a foot in length. Slopers are generally rounded and smooth in shape. The texture for slopers is usually mid-range in courseness. A hold is considered a sloper if the climber cannot wrap his/her fingers around the hold.
• Undercling: This type of hold is held from the bottom with upward pull. This technique is achieved by opposing pressure from legs or the other arm.

It is not difficult to make climbing holds. Holds can be easily made out of rock or wood. The best quality climbing holds are made from epoxy, fiberglass and sand. Here are some general steps to make your own holds.

To make a climbing hold:

1. Make a prototype shape: Use foam, clay, wood or any material that can be easily shaped. Create the shape of the hold but cutting the foam, clay or wood. Put the shape into a small cardboard box. The box should be nearly the same size as the mold. Seal any cracks in the box with glue.

2. Make a mold of the prototype. Prepare a silicone rubber mixture and pour it into the box. The rubber encapsulates the prototype. There are many silicone rubber products available for purchase. Purchase a liquid rubber such as Silicone, Polysulfide, and Polyurethane. These products are mixed as a liquid. The product hardens after time to form a rubber mold. Mix and pour the liquid rubber in the mold box. Completely cover the prototype with the liquid rubber. The liquid rubber will harden in approximately one day. Remove the rubber from the box. Remove the prototype from within the rubber. The rubber is left with a cavity. The cavity is the shape of the prototype climbing hold.

3. Make a climbing hold from the mold. Mix the epoxy/fiberglass/sand. Follow manufacturer's directions for mixing. Pour the epoxy resin into the cavity of the mold. Experiment with this process. You will be able to make very interesting climbing hold shapes for your climbing wall.

Climbing Hold Sets

Wood Grip Climbing Holds - 5 Pack
Wood Grip Climbing Holds let you get great training in at home and are easy on your fingers. Made from Alder, they are smooth and reduces friction. So Ill Holds Five Hold Assorted Kit These holds plus your wall will get you training. These climbing holds are sculpted for optimal grip training. They have the mounting hardware included. Just screw them on and go. So Ill Holds Start Bolt-On Kit This 53-hold set includes hardware. It has an assortment of jugs, incuts, and footholds to get your indoor training program started off right. So Ill Holds 2 Gingivitis Climbing Grips These large, bucket climbing holds add style to your wall and gives you variety. Rotate these holds just a little and they completely change the dynamic. Excellent for training. So Ill Holds 2 Phalanges Climbing Grips The 2 Phalanges climbing holds are large and easy to wrap your palm around. The smooth shapes offer an interesting training feature while presenting a pretty cool anatomical shape. So Ill Holds Five Hold Assorted Kit The So Ill Holds Five Hold Assorted Kit are hand-sculpted and come with all the necessary mounting hardware. Place them on your garage wall and let the workout begin. So Ill Holds 15 Hybrid Pills Footholds This is a set of 15 hybrid foot holds. One side of each hold is textured with raised bumps. These are bolt-on climbing holds so they are easy to mount and remove for routesetting or cleaning. Wood Grip Climbing Holds - 25 Pack
These climbing holds are made of Alder to give a unique feel and texture that doesn't rub the skin off your fingers. This gives you more training time and additional workout in the palm and fingers. Mega Pack Climbing Hold Set
This climbing hold package has a sample of types ranging from screw on to micros, modular holds, and mini jugs. This set comes with the hardware required to mount. Metolius Bouldering Set - 12 Pack
This 12 Pack climbing hold set is for bouldering. It has the good variety in holds for an addition in variety to the home wall. It has bolt on and screw on jibs, crimps, pockets, and slopers. Mini Jugs - 5 Pack
This Climbing Hold Set gives you defined the shapes needed for steep and overhanging training. It makes a good addition to your wall for power and bouldering strength training. Micros Micros - 5 Pack
These 5 micros give you excellent training on crimpy routes and balance. They can also be used as foot placement and come in a variety of shapes. Roof Jug Holds - 2 Pack
Roof jugs are one of the largest climbing hold and offer the best grip for extreme strength training the back, shoulders and forearms; plus they are good for finishing a gym bouldering route. Screw-On Foot Hold - 20 pack
These foot holds let you place just the right nub at the right spot. They screw on so you don't have to use a bolt hole to place it. They are excellent for developing footwork and finesse. Metolius Macro Hold Set - 2 Pack The Macro Hold set are two medium-size bolt-on holds help you set steep power moves. The smooth shape gives you the training you need to stick. Metolius Screw-On Handholds - 10 Pack This package is for beefing up your crimp strength. The screw on hand holds allow you to set some difficult edges and slopers. The three-hole screw patterns keep them from spinning. Metolius Super 7 Hold Set This climbing hold set includes a variety of shapes and sizes from small jibs to medium jugs. They are just right to add variety to your training. These slopers, edges, pockets, and buckets will compliment the diversity of your wall. Metolius Screw-On Footholds - 20 Pack Disperse these tiny jibs around your home wall for added variety and complexity of your bouldering problems. Each includes two screw holes to keep them from spinning. Metolius Modular Hold Set - 5 Pack These are mid-size holds that have a variety of shapes. They can be set as slopers, edges, or pockets.