[Danny]

Are these a good idea, or a return to the days of unnecessarily ratty and painful indoor holds?

https://www.instagram.com/p/CaUwGaMO-fH/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
 
I tend to want to save all my skin for the often sharp AF rock in the South West. Train on wood > antihydral up > bleed on rock. 

[edshakey]

That reminds me of something similar: does everyone find climbing outdoors makes their tips more tough and resilient? I suffer from very soft tips and have been on rock more than normal recently, and all that's happened is they take ages to recover, and it's not stronger when it does come back. Do I just need to keep doing this for ages, or am I expecting something to happen that is unlikely to be true?

In response to the rough edge thing above: simply going to the wall makes my skin thinner so I'd imagine I'd not get any different benefit from this! 

[MischaHY]

That reminds me of something similar: does everyone find climbing outdoors makes their tips more tough and resilient? I suffer from very soft tips and have been on rock more than normal recently, and all that's happened is they take ages to recover, and it's not stronger when it does come back. Do I just need to keep doing this for ages, or am I expecting something to happen that is unlikely to be true?

In response to the rough edge thing above: simply going to the wall makes my skin thinner so I'd imagine I'd not get any different benefit from this! 

No, it doesn't do anything for me. The informing factor is always how much you sweat and this varies hugely. For me the only thing that works is regular application of antihydral - as soon as I stop for more than five days I get super soft and sweaty skin that runs out very quickly. With antihydral around 2/3 times a week to build up and then 1/2 times per week to maintain I have excellent skin which is easy to manage in terms of elasticity because if I find it's a little dry I can just skip an application and it sorts itself out. I didn't discover antihydral for the first five years of climbing and honestly just thought I was really soft and other people had better pain tolerance, but once I sorted it out I suddenly understood how people could climb 5-6 days a week and multiple days in a row. The difference is huge.

However combined with antihydral I find training on sharper edges has a very good conditioning effect on the tips and makes them much stiffer. This usually takes around 2 weeks to achieve and makes a big difference on small edge durability on rock.

[Hollo]

That reminds me of something similar: does everyone find climbing outdoors makes their tips more tough and resilient? I suffer from very soft tips and have been on rock more than normal recently, and all that's happened is they take ages to recover, and it's not stronger when it does come back. Do I just need to keep doing this for ages, or am I expecting something to happen that is unlikely to be true?

In response to the rough edge thing above: simply going to the wall makes my skin thinner so I'd imagine I'd not get any different benefit from this! 

Climbing frequent short sessions outdoors without wearing all the skin off makes my tips tougher and thicker, but if I rest for more than three days all of it just tends to peel off in thick strips. I would imagine that climbing on rock constantly in gradually longer sessions would be ideal.

[edshakey]

I didn't discover antihydral for the first five years of climbing and honestly just thought I was really soft and other people had better pain tolerance, but once I sorted it out I suddenly understood how people could climb 5-6 days a week and multiple days in a row. The difference is huge.

Here I am in exactly the same position! I'll have to get some, it seems to be the solution for people who have the same problem as me. Do you find your skin repairs ok if you do manage to wear it down even while using antihydral? I can't help wondering if the lack of moisture hinders repair.

Climbing frequent short sessions outdoors without wearing all the skin off makes my tips tougher and thicker, but if I rest for more than three days all of it just tends to peel off in thick strips. I would imagine that climbing on rock constantly in gradually longer sessions would be ideal.

Yeah maybe that's the key - as the evenings get longer, hopefully I'll be able to employ this tactic much better.

Cheers both

[M1V0]

Do you find your skin repairs ok if you do manage to wear it down even while using antihydral? I can't help wondering if the lack of moisture hinders repair.

I use a combination of antihydral to build up thick skin, then rhinoskin to maintain it (or more antihydral if climbing on course textures), regularly interspersed with moisturiser throughout the week. Along with regular sanding of any flaking skin to avoid the entire tip peeling off...

Problem with antihydral is that it becomes an obsessive routine!

[shark]

That reminds me of something similar: does everyone find climbing outdoors makes their tips more tough and resilient?

Skin is one thing but there is also what feels like painful bruising the tips you get pulling hard on sharp limestone holds. First sessions of the year can be hell but then you get used to it or you desensitise the nerves or something.

[User deactivated.]

Whilst we're on the topic of antihydral I've had the realisation that being well hydrated is important for reducing the glassy skin sensation when using it.

[yetix]

That reminds me of something similar: does everyone find climbing outdoors makes their tips more tough and resilient? I suffer from very soft tips and have been on rock more than normal recently, and all that's happened is they take ages to recover, and it's not stronger when it does come back. Do I just need to keep doing this for ages, or am I expecting something to happen that is unlikely to be true?

In response to the rough edge thing above: simply going to the wall makes my skin thinner so I'd imagine I'd not get any different benefit from this! 

Climbing frequent short sessions outdoors without wearing all the skin off makes my tips tougher and thicker, but if I rest for more than three days all of it just tends to peel off in thick strips. I would imagine that climbing on rock constantly in gradually longer sessions would be ideal.

This. I find griffs is great for skim conditioning personally, presses my skin loads and feels much tougher a week or so later and then my skin doesn't sweat half as much.

[Danny]

So it sounds like the aforementioned rough rock edges might have some potential use then, particularly if you couldn't get out on rock regularly.

My problem is that even short sessions on the SW granite are incredibly skin intensive. And I'm relatively heavy with softish skin. Antihydral obligatory. SW granite is pretty much the sharpest rock I've ever pulled on. Thank god the spring is here and I can focus on skin friendly coastal stone.

Could be worth experimenting with some rough rock edges—surely more predictable than boshing about on uber sharp crystals outside.

[Thedevonshirepiemuncher]

I've always thought I had pretty good skin and tolerance to pain even when it's completely through but I've never got to a point where my skin is better from climbing outside more
It just wears out the more I climb and I think as shark said you just get better at managing the pain

I do use rhino skin products and climb on in equal quantities to both harden and avoid glassyness and it does seem to work for performance whilst I have the good skin but once it has gone I don't feel these products are a magic bullet to suddenly getting that good skin back

My woodie in my garage is the place to develop and condition the good skin, if I only climb on that for a week I get to the point where I am ready for a trip away

I climb mostly on South West granite which will destroy even the best prepared skin in 2 full days(or less), I will get 4 or 5 full days on something like rhyolite and even longer in Font if my elbows don't give up first

As long as I don't go through completely I reckon that one week window of not climbing on any holds that actually wear the skin is a minimum for me to be back in good nick

[Bradders]

Could be worth experimenting with some rough rock edges—surely more predictable than boshing about on uber sharp crystals outside.

If I've taken one thing from all the conversations about climber's skin I've been party to over the years, it's that it's an incredibly individual thing. We'll worth experimenting to find what works for you.

[Monolith]

My woodie in my garage is the place to develop and condition the good skin, if I only climb on that for a week I get to the point where I am ready for a trip away

Amen to this. My opportunities to climb outside with any level of consistency are few at the moment with two very young children. I avoided any entirely wooden holds-based set on my home 45 board and opted for a hybrid of wood and plenty of resin holds. I figured this would permit my skin enough of a workout and coupled with a regular Rhino routine, it seems to be keeping my tips rock ready for when the opportunities present themselves.

[MischaHY]

I didn't discover antihydral for the first five years of climbing and honestly just thought I was really soft and other people had better pain tolerance, but once I sorted it out I suddenly understood how people could climb 5-6 days a week and multiple days in a row. The difference is huge.

Here I am in exactly the same position! I'll have to get some, it seems to be the solution for people who have the same problem as me. Do you find your skin repairs ok if you do manage to wear it down even while using antihydral? I can't help wondering if the lack of moisture hinders repair.

Yes, so the trick is to apply it 2-3 times over 3-4 days and then avoid knackering the skin for the next couple of days. You then get noticeably tougher skin which will then need sanding after sessions etc but is much stiffer and more durable. The big advantage of having very sweaty skin is that simply stopping applying antihydral for a few days results in a very quick recovery (well hydrated skin heals faster). After a while you'll find the balance where as long as you avoid totally destroying your tips you can maintain a very good skin quality for a long time using just antihydral and occasionally something like Climb On after a hard session. For me its 1-2 times antihydral per week in winter and then 2-3 times per week in summer (but I live in Germany so summer is warmer). The big difference to appreciate with using antihydral is that your skin doesn't get damaged to the same extent so needs less healing time.

[edshakey]

That does make sense yeah, my main aim is to prevent the wear in the first place so toughening it up has got to be the way to go.

To the antihydral shop!