Have you had to deal with the mess of dusty chalk after climbing? Did you know that the best liquid chalk for climbing produces a better grip with easier cleanup?
Liquid chalk is just regular chalk mixed with a liquid, usually alcohol, that evaporates when exposed to air.
Thanks to the addition of a liquid, the chalk goes on wet, sets faster and gives a better grip than dry chalk, making it a good choice for outdoor or indoor climbing.
It lasts longer, too, meaning you can use less or combine it with dry chalk for an even longer and stronger hold. Using less means less mess and lower cost!
We’ve reviewed some of the best chalks for climbing situations and assessed clean up, cost, durability and portability.
Read our climbing chalk reviews below to learn more!
The Best Liquid Chalk for Climbing
- Best Overall: Friction Labs Secret Stuff Liquid Chalk
- Best for Humid Conditions: Black Diamond Liquid White Gold Chalk
- Best for Sweaty Hands: PETZL Power Liquid Chalk
- Best for Outdoor Climbing: Fire Team Fit Liquid Chalk
- Best Endurance: Togear Liquid Chalk
- Best for Portability: Gladiator Gym Gear Battle Armor Liquid Chalk
Comparison Chart:
| Image | Product | Technical Spec | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Best Overall
|
Friction Labs Secret Stuff Liquid Chalk |
|
Check Price |
|
Best for Humid Conditions
|
Black Diamond Liquid White Gold Chalk |
|
Check Price |
|
Best for Sweaty Hands
|
PETZL Power Liquid Chalk |
|
Check Price |
|
Best for Outdoor Climbing
|
Fire Team Fit Liquid Chalk |
|
Check Price |
|
Best Endurance
|
Togear Liquid Chalk |
|
Check Price |
|
Best for Portability
|
Gladiator Gym Gear Battle Armor Liquid Chalk |
|
Check Price |
1. Best Overall: Friction Labs Secret Stuff Liquid Chalk
Friction Labs understands liquid chalk. They’re the only company we reviewed that offers three different varieties.
Their product line includes original, hygienic with hand sanitizer, and alcohol-free for people with sensitive or dry skin.
That’s why we’ve chosen their Secret Stuff Liquid Chalk as the best overall liquid chalk for climbing because they’ve taken a small 75 ml bottle and made some big promises, including 100 uses per bottle.
They’re the most expensive on our list, but they identify the source of their magnesium carbonate as originating from Denver, Colorado.
Use Secret Stuff as a chalk replacement or as a foundation layer. It’s long-lasting, so while you may have to replace the dry chalk, you shouldn’t have to add more liquid chalk.
Technical Details and Specifications
- Manufacturer: Friction Labs
- Size: 75 ml
- Weight: 23 Grams
- Ingredients: High purity magnesium carbonate, alcohol
- Origin: USA
Final Thoughts
How long before other companies start to offer multiple varieties of liquid chalk? This product is worth the extra cost if you have sensitive skin or want the added protection of hand sanitizer.
2. Best for Humid Conditions: Black Diamond Liquid White Gold Chalk
Climbing can occur on rock walls or outside, and either environment can affect your grip. This dust-free liquid chalk improves grip even in humid conditions thanks to a magnesium carbonate and alcohol mix that’s not too thin.
While other products may leave residue, the Liquid White Gold Chalk doesn’t leave marks on equipment or walls, making it safe for gyms.
Outdoors, with or without the addition of dry chalk, this liquid chalk is excellent for climbing even during humid or high moisture weather. As it’s dust-free, it won’t stick to rocks or roots or get all over electronics.
Make sure to buy in bulk as this liquid chalk is affordable.
Technical Details and Specifications
- Manufacturer: Black Diamond Equipment
- Size: 150 ml
- Weight: 300 grams
- Ingredients: Magnesium carbonate, alcohol
- Origin: USA
Final Thoughts
While any liquid chalk will work outdoors, using dust-free chalk will work well in humid conditions. Keep the chalk on your hands and not on your phone.
3. Best for Sweaty Hands: PETZL Power Liquid Chalk
Hands sweat, and that extra moisture can weaken your grip and cause you to slip. If you have sweaty hands, you need a chalk product like PETZL’s that can take on moisture quickly and efficiently.
This chalk absorbs moisture to strengthen grip with a high content of magnesium carbonate and isopropyl alcohol, so once it’s on your skin, it dries quickly.
The high amount of magnesium also makes it sweat-resistant and prevents residue from rubbing off on equipment while you’re climbing. After applying the liquid chalk, it stays put and doesn’t move until you wash it off with soap and water.
A bottle of PETZL Power Liquid Chalk will last for months; you only need an amount the size of a dime to cover both palms.
Technical Details and Specifications
- Manufacturer: Petzl
- Size: 200 ml
- Weight: 181 Grams
- Ingredients: Magnesium carbonate, alcohol
- Origin: France
Final Thoughts
Improve your grip by eliminating or reducing moisture on your skin. This quick-drying and sweat-resistant liquid chalk will help your climbing without leaving marks behind.
4. Best for Outdoor Climbing: Fire Team Fit Liquid Chalk
Rock wall climbing is fun, but outdoor climbing offers a unique set of challenges.
The best for outdoor climbing can only be Fire Team Fit Liquid Chalk as it has a unique blend of properties and ingredients like cellulose as a binder that keeps it where it’s supposed to be all day long.
Once it’s in place, the addition of binders and waxes helps prevent blisters on the skin and strengthen grip on rocks and natural formations. Don’t let the ingredients worry you. However, both additions are necessary to improve the strength of the liquid chalk.
After a day of climbing, you’ll be able to wash off the chalk quickly and easily with water and soap, and the specially denatured (SD) alcohol shouldn’t dry out skin like hand sanitizer alcohols will.
Technical Details and Specifications
- Manufacturer: Fire Team Fit
- Size: 2 x 50 ml
- Weight: 132 Grams
- Ingredients: Magnesium Carbonate, Specially denatured alcohol, hydroxypropylcellulose (as a binder), colophonium (a wax-type chemical)
- Origin: USA
Final Thoughts
Quick on, quick off, and lasts all day are the keys to using liquid chalk during exercise outdoors. Fire Team Fit has made a product perfect for outdoor climbing.
5. Best Endurance: Togear Liquid Chalk
No one wants to spend time applying chalk to their hands, and that’s why we chose Togear Liquid Chalk as the best endurance liquid chalk.
The thickener in this liquid chalk serves two purposes: it smells good and helps extend the chalk’s staying power. Thickeners extend the life of a coating and keep it in place.
Many of the best chalks on this list smell like hand sanitizer or alcohol, but this chalk for rock climbing has a pleasant scent that isn’t overwhelming.
You won’t have to apply this very often, but even if you did, its no-mess formula would keep it from being a problem, and it doesn’t leave residue when it touches equipment.
Technical Details and Specifications
- Manufacturer: Togear
- Size: 50 ml
- Weight: 76 grams
- Ingredients: Magnesium Carbonate, thickener, alcohol
- Origin: USA
Final Thoughts
Do you want to spend more time climbing or applying chalk? The answer is obvious, but with Togear Liquid Chalk, you’ll notice your prep time will significantly reduce and reapplying will decrease.
6. Best for Portability: Gladiator Gym Gear Battle Armor Liquid Chalk
Due to its addition of a hanging clip and small size, we’ve included the Battle Armor Liquid Chalk as the best for portability either in the gym at the climbing wall or outdoors scaling rocks.
Regular chalk can be messy, but Gladiator Gym Gear has found a way around that by offering liquid chalk in a highly portable travel-friendly size container.
That means you won’t need to portion the chalk into another container to carry it onto a plane or fit it into a backpack to trek into nature. Once you put it on, it will only take 30-40 seconds to dry completely.
Thanks to an added thickener in the liquid chalk formula, you won’t need to reapply it often, and if conditions are very wet, you may only need to apply it once.
Shake well before using it and contact the manufacturer if it comes to you a little dried out.
Technical Details and Specifications
- Manufacturer: Gladiator Gym Gear
- Size: 50 ml
- Weight: 134 Grams
- Ingredients: Magnesium Carbonate, thickener, alcohol
- Origin: USA
Final Thoughts
Take your liquid chalk everywhere you go, and you’ll always use it. Gladiator Gym Gear’s extra hanging clip will let you improve your grip wherever you decide to climb.
How to Use Liquid Chalk for Climbing
Using liquid chalk is more straightforward than loose chalk and a lot less messy.
Application
Squirt a dime-sized amount of liquid chalk into your hand and then rub both palms together to spread it around. After evenly distributing the product, stop rubbing.
Don’t rub the mixture into your skin like hand lotion.
Use as a replacement for regular loose chalk or as a foundation to increase grip with loose chalk on top of it.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does liquid chalk really help with climbing?
Liquid chalk improves grip on the rock or wall you’re climbing on by helping to absorb moisture that might cause you to slip. It also helps to prevent hand stress and blister development.
Is liquid chalk better than normal chalk?
Liquid chalk is just dry chalk that has been compounded with alcohol and water to create a thick liquid that you apply to your hands. Some climbers will also add regular chalk on top.
Is liquid chalk unhealthy?
Provided you don’t have an allergy to alcohol or magnesium carbonate, applying liquid chalk shouldn’t pose a danger to your help.
How long does liquid chalk last?
The average bottle of liquid chalk should last six months with regular use. Liquid chalk uses less, stays on longer and requires fewer applications.
Does liquid climbing chalk go bad?
Magnesium carbonate is inert, so it doesn’t go rancid. However, liquid climbing chalk can dry out or freeze over time. Shake the liquid chalk well before use and replace it if it begins to dry out.
Conclusion
Liquid chalk can be a gamechanger for outdoor and indoor climbers. Unlike loose chalk, which gyms can prohibit to preserve their equipment, liquid chalk that doesn’t leave residue will usually be permitted.
In addition to climbing, you can also use this chalk for gymnastics, weightlifting and any time you need a strong grip.
We recommend Friction Labs Secret Stuff Liquid Chalk for new climbers and professionals alike. If the price is too prohibitive, the next best chalk for climbing is the Black Diamond Liquid White Gold Chalk. It’s an equally excellent product that will stay put and not leave residue behind.
