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:

Make a prototype shape
Make a mold of the prototype
Make a climbing hold from the mold

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.

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.

Wood Grip Climbing Holds - 25 Pack.

Climbing holds made of Alder provide a texture that's easy to train on for longer periods of time. The reduced friction provides a much more intense work out on the fingers and forearms to maintain positive grip.

Mega Pack Climbing Hold Set.

This package has a sampling of different types, from screw on holds to micros, modular holds, mini jugs, and comes with the hardware required to mount. You also get the Metolius "How to Build a Home Bouldering Wall" booklet.

Mini Jug Climbing Holds - 15 Pack.

These are 15 good medium sized holds that are useable for setting easy or hard problems. They make great starting bouldering route holds.

Inside Out Climbing Holds.

The Inside Out Holds provide a realistic alternative to the screw on climbing hold. Just cut a square hole using the included template and they mount easily.

Mini Jugs - 30 Pack.

This mini jug set gives you 30 bomber in cut climbing holds. They make the best start/finish holds and roof work and negative incline practicing. They are easy to grip so you can really focus on the shoulders and back training.

Screw-On Inside Corner Climbing Holds - 2 Pack.

Screw-On Inside Corners give you the opportunity to vary your training and types of holds. You can practice climbing a dihedral on your garage wall and make good use of your limited space.

Modular Climbing Holds - 5 Pack.

These 5 Modular climbing holds are medium in size and give excellent variety. Each pack has an assortment of hold types that are great for training.

Screw-On Outside Corners - 2-Pack.

Outside corner climbing holds give you the capability to set arêtes for training at you garage wall and make great use of what would otherwise be unusable training space.

Modular Climbing Holds - 15 Pack.

This set has 15 medium size modular climbing holds. They are various shapes for training variety, from sloper to crimp. This set offers a good diversity in types.

Modulars - 15 Pack Holds.

This 15 Pack. These medium size holds give you multiple grip options on each one, making them as versatile as possible. Each pack comes with an assortment of different holds from pockets to slopers to good in-cut crimps.

Mini Jugs - 15 Pack.

Mini jugs are considered medium sized climbing holds. They give very positive control and are good for starts, finishes and negative inclined wall sections.

Modular Climbing Holds - 30 Pack.

These modular holds are 30 to a pack and give you a wide variety and type to set many varying types of routes using varying grip options. This pack will keep you from getting bored with the same hand positions.

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.

Mini Jugs - 5 Pack.

You get a 5 pack of Mini Jugs that are good for setting easy routes or get improved grip on steep and inverted climbs. You can use them for starting or finishing holds as well.

Modular Climbing Holds - 5 Pack.

Medium size holds give you more diversity in grip. Each pack has an assortment from pockets to slopers and cut in crimps.

Mini Jug Climbing Holds - 5 Pack.

These medium sized 5 pack holds are great for a variety of climbing routes and they make an excellent starter set. Each holds package has a variety of medium size, easy to grip climbing holds.

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.

Roof Jug Climbing Holds - 2 Pack.

These large jugs are perfect for route finishing or negative angle / back hanging walls and roof climbing routes. Beginners' and children's routes make use of these too.

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.

Mini Jug Climbing Holds - 30 Pack.

These 30 medium size climbing holds are good for starting holds or finishing holds. There is a good assortment of medium size that are easy to hang onto.

Mega Pack - Kid's Climbing Holds.

This is a climbing hold package for kids. It features the same type and shape that adults use to give them the positive grip and experience climbing on real holds. They are specially made for smaller hands.

Micros - 5 Pack.

This package has 5 micros that give you the flexibility to set up difficult technical problems and work balance and finger strength. The can also use as foot placement locations.

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