Hand care is a serious business in the climbing world, properly looking after your skin can help you climb better and for longer. We are real climbers and have checked out all the best balms, salves, and hand creams and narrowed it down to a few great options. If you are interested in the science behind hand balms, you can read more about that here.
| Editor’s Award | Product |
|---|---|
| Best Climbing Balm | ClimbOn Skincare Climbing Hand Recovery Balm |
| Non-Greasy Climbing Balm | Climbskin Non-Greasy Hand Repair Cream |
| Best Vegan Climbing Choice | Boulder Balm Natural Vegan Climbing Balm |
| Best Budget Climbing Balm | Rocket Pure Tea Tree Rescue Hand Balm |
Click to jump straight to each topic.
- The Best Climbing Balms Reviewed
- What We Think of Some Other Climbing Balms Available
- Frequently Asked Questions
The Best Climbing Balms Reviewed
Best Climbing Balm: ClimbOn Skincare Climbing Hand Recovery Balm
Best Climbing Balm
ClimbOn Skincare Climbing Hand Recovery Balm
So, if you have ever looked into climbing balms I bet you will have heard the words climbOn thrown about.
I know from personal experience a lot of climbers use it, and there is a reason for that. They make a good quality product at a great price.
So, what is it that keeps climbers coming back for more and more after each purchase?
I think it’s the fact that the climbOn bar is quite multi-purpose and can be used in various situations that a climber might encounter, heck, it’s so multi-purpose that a few none climbers use it too.
You can use it for chapped lips, flappers, spots where your shoes have gnawed away at your heels. And this is just to name some of the uses.
The ClimbOn team claim the balm has the following properties:
“The physical properties of this product include analgesic, antimicrobial, antiseptic, anti-toxic, cicatrizant (wound healing), insecticide, vulnerary, bactericidal, astringent, stimulates white corpuscles, and more.”
The balm has many properties that you would expect to see and a few extras that can come in handy. Another thing to keep in mind is ClimbOn is made from all-natural ingredients which might appeal to any new age travelers out there.
You might need to use the balm for a few weeks before you see much effect, but it’s great for softening up your calluses so they don’t tear but not removing them.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Non Greasy Climbing Balm: Climbskin Non Greasy Hand Repair Cream
Non Greasy Climbing Balm
Climbskin Non Greasy Hand Repair Cream
So Climbskin is a cream instead of a salve or balm and this helps sets it apart from the competition.
Unlike ClimbOn and other salves, it’s not made from wax. This means that your skin absorbs it at a much higher rate in comparison to balms. This can lead to deeper hydration of your hands which is the optimal condition for skin repair.
This might not sound like much, but it’s actually one of the best selling points of Climbskin.
A lot of the balms and salves can leave your hands feeling greasy, you then have to wait a little while for it to absorb into your hands.
As this can help reduce downtime it’s not a feature to be overlooked by those with busy schedules.
A lot of people think because it’s a cream they are going to go through a lot more of it than the balms.
However Climbskin sells a year supply which is 4 packs total, This means you can probably expect to be going through a tub every three months or so.
The cream was developed by climbers for climbers so it’s not surprising it’s a great product.
It is worth mentioning that not all ingredients are natural, which can put some climbers off.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Best Vegan Climbing Choice: Boulder Balm Natural Vegan Climbing Balm
Best Vegan Climbing Choice
Boulder Balm Natural Vegan Climbing Balm
Boulder Balm is a fairly new face in the world of climbing, however, it quickly became a crowd favorite due to its naturally sourced ingredients.
Opting to use candelilla wax instead of beeswax Boulder Balm is completely Vegan and fair trade.
Formulated by a climber especially help combat the rock and chalk abuse we put our hands through. Each balm is Meticulously handmade in a climber’s kitchen in Nashville, TN.
Included with each balm is a canvas gift/carry drawstring bag.
Recently they also moved from hemp oil to high oleic sunflower oil to improve the shelf life.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Best Budget Climbing Balm: Rocket Pure Natural Hand Balm
Best Budget Climbing Balm
Rocket Pure Tea Tree Rescue Hand Balm
The Rocket Pure is another all-natural balm that is popular in the climbing community.
It meets a nice middle ground between the Joshua tree and Climbon for greasiness.
Rocket Pure has traded the greasiness for waxiness, this tends to disappear however in around 10-15 minutes.
This is around the same time it takes for your hards to absorb most other balms.
One thing to note is that the Rocket Pure salve seems to be harder than other balms, most you can push your finger into and make a dent but the Rocket Pure is quite robust, even though it is made from natural essential oils.
I know everyone has certain textures they like and it can make all the difference in finding your favorite product.
Rocket Pure has been tried and tested over the years and stays relevant due to its excellent healing properties.
It can do wonders on any scrapes or cuts you get on the wall. Bonus point for being 100% Made in the USA!
Check the latest price on Amazon.
What We Think of Some Other Climbing Balms Available
Joshua Tree Organic Climbing Salve
The Joshua Tree climbing salve is one of the most highly rated out there and is always a favorite.
The salve is extremely greasy, you can see this as a good or a bad thing depending on your usage habits.
Because it’s so greasy it can take around 20 minutes to dry, this means it is not really a salve you can use between climbs, but more of a before-bed type of deal.
I was also interested to find out that it’s the exact same cream in the other salves they sell, but with different packaging.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does make me lean more towards balms and salves that have been developed with climbers in mind.
Don’t get me wrong the Joshua Tree Salve works great but I feel if they developed a salve with climbers in mind it could be even better!
O’Keefe’s isn’t exactly a climbing hand balm…but it is an effective cream for dry, cracked hands.
While not as well performing as some other options, it is very cheap!
In a pinch it will do the job for sure.
One thing to note is that this stuff is probably the highest-rated hand cream on the market. So even though it isn’t climbing-specific, it is a worthwhile consideration for dry, cracked hands (or feet).
Who can argue with a product that is claiming to be America’s #1 Hand Cream?
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you use climbing balm?
Using climbing balm is simple you just apply the balm or cream to your sore hands after climbing.
Should you cut off flappers?
Yes, You should cut off your flappers, this can be done with nail clippers, scissors, or teeth if you are a full-on dirtbag. If you want to carry on climbing, you can always tape it up and tough it out!
Whats the difference between climbing balm and hand lotion?
Great question…basically a hand balm is for repairing sever dry cracked hands. Hand lotion is more of a dryness preventative or mild moisturizer for normal dry skin. As climbers…hour hands are often too far gone for a simple lotion to help.
We hope this list of the best climbing balms has been helpful.
If there’s anything good that you think we’ve missed, or if you have any questions about anything, then let us know down in the comments below.
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