[dave]

I'm not convinced. That review is presumably the guy using JUST the liquid stuff, whereas pragmatically most real-life use will be with the liquid stuff as a base layer with a light normal chalking on top. It should actually reduce the amount of chalk on the rock.

[psychomansam]

I'm not convinced. That review is presumably the guy using JUST the liquid stuff, whereas pragmatically most real-life use will be with the liquid stuff as a base layer with a light normal chalking on top. It should actually reduce the amount of chalk on the rock.

I think his point was that it reduced the amount of chalk on the rock, but increased the amount of chalk in the rock, so to speak.

I expect its currently a minimal problem. But there's no regulation or publication of the amount of resin being used in different products. There's been no rigorous testing. And chalk use may change. I've certainly seen a couple of people chalking exclusively with liquid chalk. If his test is accurate, then even just one of these people working a problem could affect the rock negatively.
You don't need to use pof in liquid chalk. We know it causes problems. Why is it being used? I certainly won't be buying any unless I'm clear its pof-free.

Might be worth noting I've also seen a product for sale which is a mix of (dry, standard) chalk and pof. Perfect.

[SA Chris]

Isn't it all synthetic rubber now?

No idea, I'm not a rubber expert. The rest of the points still stand though.

I know, I'm just being a pedant/dick.

[dave]

I'm not convinced. That review is presumably the guy using JUST the liquid stuff, whereas pragmatically most real-life use will be with the liquid stuff as a base layer with a light normal chalking on top. It should actually reduce the amount of chalk on the rock.

I think his point was that it reduced the amount of chalk on the rock, but increased the amount of chalk in the rock, so to speak.

I expect its currently a minimal problem. But there's no regulation or publication of the amount of resin being used in different products. There's been no rigorous testing. And chalk use may change. I've certainly seen a couple of people chalking exclusively with liquid chalk. If his test is accurate, then even just one of these people working a problem could affect the rock negatively.
You don't need to use pof in liquid chalk. We know it causes problems. Why is it being used? I certainly won't be buying any unless I'm clear its pof-free.

Guessing its a cheap thickener, readily available, something like that? The cynic in me half expects most liquid chalk type products to be accidental offshoots from existing products from outside of climbing, like something already produced for engineering purposes or something like that!

[lagerstarfish]

byproduct from the animal husbandry industry, innit?

[Drew]

Friction labs claim to be better because they're 100% Mag Carb, but Moon Dust makes the same claim, so why pay more for Friction labs?

Ummmm... I don't think Friction Labs are claiming 100%. In fact they're outright not. They're stating around 75% MgCO3, where most others are around 10-40% the rest being mostly CaCO3, plus a few other elements. If you're interested there's a podcast somewhere where the two guys say that they take the same base material (Dolomite), but they treat it to remove as much CaCO3 as possible. I think Moondust is just lying.

http://frictionlabs.com/pages/the-science?view=the-science

Also, I believe SuperChalk's drying agent isn't pof, but is silica. Less harmful to the rock, more harmful to you.

[SA Chris]

Now available in UK.

http://www.climbonline.co.uk/friction_labs_chalk.htm

Might try some when my Superchalk runs out / people post glowing reports

[SA Chris]

Any glowing reports??

[T_B]

I've been using some for the past month, but only indoors and on limestone and generally in not great conditions. It does seem to stay on your fingers for longer than other chalk, but I haven't noticed any other benefits really. So, maybe useful on some desperate redpoint or long boulder where you can't chalk up?

[Muenchener]

I hadn't realised that climbing chalk had so much actual chalk (calcium carbonate) in it. What would be wrong with just buying pharmaceutical magnesium carbonate from a chemist like we used to do bitd?

I presume that's reasonably pure MgCO3. Naively perhaps.

[mrjonathanr]

Didn't it have much higher water of crystallisation content?

[Duncan campbell]

I used some of a Mates for a session on the hardest route I've ever tried (now done) and I don't feel it made any difference (I didn't do it that day) we used the gold one and it feels nice and silky ad smooth but I didn't feel like it improved my grip, don't remember the conditions being bad though. Maybe it would be worth it for an onsight of a greasy sea cliff classic?? All you people saving it for those redpoints are mental - you do know you can just have another go don't you?!?! 

[petejh]

My trial pack is still unopened - can't bring myself to use it up.. It's probably a drawback when you're treating chalk like it's too precious to use (and I didn't even pay for mine!)

All you people saving it for those redpoints are mental - you do know you can just have another go don't you?!?! 

With the high average age on here, for some of us there isn't another go

[fatneck]

Had a go with Ste G's the other day but it didn't seem to stick to your hand, thus confidence in it was lacking. I did only have a couple of dips though...

[T_B]

You've only got to look at the testimonials on their website (no-one you've ever heard of) to work out it's not a game changer, but nice marketing. At more than 3 times the price of Moon dust, I very much doubt the shops outside of London are going to shift it.

[kelvin]

I did only have a couple of dips though...

There went a tenner...

[tim palmer]

used it a bit,  didn't seem to make much difference on redpoint (but did feel nice and dry when chalking up on the ground). 
I did think that it utterly cakes the rock so if you are using small friction dependent holds you really need to brush them between goes (which is a bit of a pain if you have to bounce up the rope to get back on the rock).

[sxrxg]

I have used some of this stuff recently and haven't found it to make any real difference over block chalk. It has got me thinking about chalk now though and I was wondering what other chalk people would or would not recommend.

[tomtom]

Personally, I go with the chalk thats kindest to my hands (they all seem to work as the same for me climbing wise) - which is the simond stuff from Decathlon.. I am lucky though in not having sweaty hands ~ so primo chalk might be less of an issue for me..
TT

[Kingy]

Yes the Simond chalk from Decathlon gets my vote. Its pretty cheap and seems a nice compromise between superchalk type products which can promote skin splits and block chalk, which for me is not grippy enough

[abarro81]

Superchalk is my default, although I now use the friction labs stuff for redpoint goes and hard onsights.
Standard block chalk is ok but superchalk is drier. Edelweiss stuff is quite good. Moon stuff I had some once and hated it, felt like flower and like it was damp, never bought it since.

[SA Chris]

I like Superchalk too, i don't climb often enough for it to do damage to my hands, esp if I balm up after each session.

(I was going to make a lame flower/flour related pun, but can't be hooped)

[abarro81]

My bad on the spelling. Rather disappointed in myself actually! 

[Richie Crouch]

From what I've been using a lot of recently, I still find the friction labs better than standard block chalk but only marginally better than beta chalk. Those little dense beta blocks are great value and definitely keep sweaty fingers dry.

[SA Chris]

Those little dense beta blocks

Does Dense make them?