Gripped Magazine
A Look at the New Metolius Climber’s Edge Hangboard
Metolius is one of the pioneers of finger training. They launched their iconic Metolius Simulator hangboard in 1987, which was a total game-changer for climbers looking to build strength, warm up safely, and rehabilitate injuries. Since then, the company has continued to develop versatile training tools for climbers of all levels, with products that can be used anywhere, from top-tier training facilities to on-the-go at the crag. And while of course, anything goes when it comes to interior design, Metolius’ wooden hangboards offer a more aesthetic option for your at-home setup. Their Wood Grips Compact and Deluxe have been popular boards for climbers of all levels.
The new Metolius Climber’s Edge Training Board is a complete redesign of their Wood Grips training board. The new and improved board moves away from a design focused mostly on pockets to one focused on edges. The new board is extremely functional, allowing you to get strong from the comfort of your living room. With six different edge sizes, round slopers, flat slopers, and jugs, this is a serious upgrade from their previous well-loved Wood Grips offerings. The Climber’s Edge is wider than some other offerings on the market, making hangs comfortable. It measures 23.6 inches (60 cm) wide and 6.3 inches (16 cm) tall, and comes with mounting hardware and instructions.
The biggest improvement of the board is the added edge sizes and hold types. The board includes 7.5 mm, 10 mm, 12.5 mm, 15 mm, 17.5 mm, and 20 mm edges, plus a 40 mm radius round sloper, a 20-degree flat sloper, and jugs. It should be noted that missing from the edge sizes is a larger one, such as a 25mm, which could be a concern for climbers nursing injuries or those with hypermobility issues.
The wood on the Climber’s Edge has a nice texture, perfect for training without damaging your skin. If you have come this far in your climbing and have not yet used a wooden fingerboard, you will notice that wood is much easier on your skin. While it feels smoother, wood still provides enough friction for training at your limit (especially when using some chalk). That said, the slopers are undoubtedly harder to grasp on wood than plastic. Don’t be discouraged – see this as an opportunity for growth, as most slopers on real rock will not have the sandpaper-like friction you encounter on a new plastic board.
If you’re on the market for an at-home training board, or looking to upgrade the eyesore hanging over your bedroom door, the Climber’s Edge Training Board is the perfect way to acquire a whole bunch of new edges, slopers, and jugs. In fact, it’s a board that any climbing gym should be happy to mount, as climbers of all levels can benefit from all it has to offer.
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