Subcategories

• 

  Bouldering Accessories

  What else is required for a successful boulder session either on the rock or indoors?

  Additionally to the main equipment such as shoes, crashpad and chalk a boulderer needs one or two more things if he/she wants to get the most out of a session. These are, brushes and tape. These 2 little but very important things can make the difference between flashing a boulder problem and needing a few extra tries, between sending your project, or getting stuck thinking your not strong enough yet.

  So it is very important to always have at least one brush with you, ideally a couple of them in different sizes and stiffness, to first of all clean the holds before you give it your try and also very important, especially outdoors in nature, ALWAYS brush the holds when done climbing/bouldering to preserve the rock and keep nature clean.

  

  Tape is advantageous when you notice that your skin on the tips of your fingers gets super thin, when feeling some kind of discomfort inside the fingers or when trying to jam your hand in a crack. Tape comes in different sizes and colours but is generally all the same, find a brand that you like and stick to it. 

  

  The choices are endless and difficult today so contact our Customer Service or send us a mail to help you choose the right product for your needs. 

  Shop online.........more time to climb.

  Casper's Supports Your Summit

• 

  Crashpads

  What to keep in mind when buying a crashpad?

  Bouldering consists of climbing through short yet very intense and difficult passages up to 10m high, although an average boulder is probably 4-5m high. The athlete has no harness or rope to keep him/her safe should the hand slip off the hold. To ensure safe landing on the ground, crashpads are needed. Climbers place them directly under the boulder problem and on spots they think they might land on depending on the swing, angle of rock and obstacles in the terrain. So, crashpads are the main tool to keep the risk of injury as low as possible when bouldering which is why there is such a big range of products available. 

  

  Crashpads are available in several designs and sizes, some are foldable for example, others rollable each having their advantage and disadvantage but generally facilitate transport from one bouldering sport to the next. This brings us to the next feature, the backpack-straps. Almost every crashpad comes equipped with them, for others you might need to look into purchasing them separately. They are essential because depending on where you are bouldering, the different rocks can be quiet far apart from each other, and to minimize the back load these straps are a huge energy saver. Furthermore, the degree of hardness between pads can vary, softer is generally better for boulders up to 4m high and the harder ones provide a better shock distribution when falling on them from a more significant height. 

  Generally all pads are manufactured in a similar way and consist of two or three layers of foam, sometimes wrapped in plastic to make it waterproof. The top layer is typically a bit harder to prevent the athlete from twisting his ankle upon impact. The lower layers are a bit softer to cushion the fall as much as possible.  

  

  The choices are endless and difficult today so contact our Customer Service or send us a mail to help you choose the right product for your needs. 

  Shop online.........more time to climb.

  Casper's Supports Your Summit

• 

  Boulder Chalkbags & Chalk

  CHALKBAGS

  Chalkbags, whether for bouldering or sport climbing, are a climbers best friend. Every climber has encountered the problem of moist and sweaty hands causing him/her to slip of a hold. That is why climbers fill up their bags with magnesium carbonate, aka chalk, to be able to quickly dry off that layer of moisture and assure safe grip on the next few moves. The difference between a climbers chalkbag and a boulderer's chalkbag is that the climber fixes his/her chalkbag around the waist in order to be able to chalk all the way along the route. A boulderer on the other hand does not need to carry the chalk bag into the problem, since they are generally climbing very short intense problems, and have a bigger chalkbag that can just stand on the ground by itself. 

  

  A climbers chalkbag should be light, small and handy to use. Easy and quick access is a must, hence the opening needs to be wide enough and is often reinforced to facilitate chalking. Furthermore, which is also necessary for a boulder chalkbag, the outside material of chalkbags should be water repellent and the closure system water proof, because the worst thing that can happen is for moisture to get into your chalkbag, it ruins your chalk and the whole purpose of drying your hands is lost. 

  

  Finally, the design of both boulder an climber chalkbags offers a huge variety of choice. Most chaklbags come with brush holders, some come with a zipper to hold on to valuables or whatnots. The final choice one has to make when purchasing a chalkbag is a personal one, there are so many prints, patterns and colours available that the choice seems endless.

  

  CHALK

  Chalk is part of the basic climbing equipment, it dries off the athletes hands in order to have a safe grip on the next few moves. Especially during the summer, or just on warm days, chalk can make a difference like day and night. Holding on to slopers or tiny crimps in moist conditions can seem impossible..apply some of the magic powder to the hands and all of a sudden the hand just sticks to the rock. 

  

  At it's core, chalk is chalk, how much could magnesium carbonate vary, after all its a molecule that is always the same.. For some reason the blends of chalk still vary, from super fine powdery chalk to more chunky parts that the athlete crushes with his fingers. Some chalk will last you for 10 moves, other chalk blends might just dry the hands for the next 5 moves. These are details that vary from athlete to athlete and from skin to skin. Chalk reacts differently on each skin type, depends on the outside temperature and probably many tiny factors that cannot always be taken in consideration. It is recommended to try out as many different brands as possible to find one that suits personal needs the best.

   

  Then there is also the option of choosing chalk balls or liquid chalk. Chalk balls are sth like "socks" filled with chalk, they prevent loose chalk falling out of your chalkbag and are generally good for kids to prevent a chalk mess in the bag or car. Liquid chalk is a paste, preventing any chalk particles escaping in the air. Some smaller gyms will only allow liquid chalk to keep the air clean and breathable. 

  

  Chalk was not always part of climbing, in the very beginning it was considered cheating and harmful to the rock your climbing on, especially sandstone. Which is why there exist some climbing sites where chalking is not allowed. 

  
  The choices are endless and difficult today so contact our Customer Service or send us a mail to help you choose the right product for your needs. 

  Shop online.........more time to climb.

  Casper's Supports Your Summit

• 

  Training Accessories

  Climbing specific training accessories

  Climbing specific training was first introduced, and established, around the 80s/90s by climbers such as Wolfgang Güllich and has developed drastically ever since. The variety of tools available to train specific climbing strength, technique and endurance is incredible. From super advanced training boards to campus boards and even portable training gear, the access to train has never been easier. And these tools are not only limited to professional athletes, most climbing gyms provide all of the above mentioned tools to train even further after your bouldering / climbing session. It is however important to know your limitations. These tools might be available to everyone but should probably not be used by beginners because the risk of injury is pretty high if tendons and muscles are not used to this type of effort.   

  The fingerboard for example is without a doubt one of the most popular methods of climbing training. Different manufacturers have created different training boards that each provide different types of grip, from jugs and slopers to tiny finger holes and tiny crimps, making it easy to train specific weaknesses from the comfort of your home.

  

  DON'T FORGET TO WARM UP / STRETCH AFTER

  Like with every other sport, it is necessary to properly warm up your body to avoid injury and perform at maximal level. In climbing it can be a bit more confusing to warm the fingers up properly, the back muscles..how do you proceed. Well the range of products available to assist you is wide, you could for example look into resistance bands or latex bands. When it comes to stretching after a boulder / climbing session, you could again use resistance/latex bands or look into BlackRoll, who have a huge range of products specifically designed to release tension in sore muscles. 

  

  PORTABLE EQUIPMENT 

  Not everyone can start drilling holes into their walls at home and not every outdoor climbing site provides good warm up possibilities. That is exactly why manufactures such as Metolius or Problemsolver have developed portable hangboards or juggy holds hanging off a piece of rope. These can easily be mounted on a tree branch or anything else you might find that can bear some load. Then there are lots of non climbing specific tools you could use to train general body strength.   

  

  The choices are endless and difficult today so contact our Customer Service or send us a mail to help you choose the right product for your needs. 

  Shop online.........more time to climb.

  Casper's Supports Your Summit

• 

  Fingerboards

  The Finger board is hands down to most popular training method among climbers and boulderers. There is nothing more annoying than loosing your summer gains over the winter just because there is no gym close by or other training facility. That is where the finger board comes in. It offers the possibility to train on all sorts of holds, jugs, slopers, crimps, pockets... Allowing to isolate a weakness and work on it. There are generally two types of finger boards, wooden board and plastic ones. Plastic boards are usually cheaper, have a similar texture to climbing holds in the gym (which can be aggressive to the skin sometimes). Wooden boards look beautiful and are pleasant to he touch, less aggressive on the skin. Finger boards do not take up much space, can basically be installed anywhere and are like previously mentioned, the best way to build climbing specific strength. Depending on the design of the board you can expect basic to super complex training programs, focusing on the muscles in the fingers, arms and upper body. 

  

  There is a variety of choice when it comes to hang boards. Over the past 30 years so many manufacturers recognised the potential and benefit of designing their own board. Today the most famous brand out there, represented in almost every gym, is Beastmaker. This board for instance offers a huge choice of grips, slopers, jugs, pockets, crimps, different depth for all of these and a phone application to help you setup a training program. Made of wood it also looks very nice and could be installed in your living room as part of the decoration. Then there are more basic boards that are more beginner friendly, offering a few good jugs, with the main purpose of building up the muscle and ligament strength to progress to more advanced training boards. So it is important to first identify where your body and muscles are at, and determine what you want to achieve with the fingerboard. Do you just want a board to do a couple of pull ups from time to time to stay in shape or do you plan on working on weaknesses and locking yourself in the basement for hours working those finger muscles.  

  

  A final thing to consider is, that the installation of some finger boards requires drilling holes above door frames which is not a possibility for most people renting their place. That is why manufacturers such as ProblemSolvers came up with their portable fingerboard. A piece of string allows you to easily hang the board on a tree branch or anything else that is load bearing. This is also a great tool to have in your backpack when climbing / bouldering outside. There is not always an easy way to warm up your fingers properly before going for the rock, hence these portable boards are the perfect solution. 

  

   

  The choices are endless and difficult today so contact our Customer Service or send us a mail to help you choose the right product for your needs. 

  Shop online.........more time to climb.

  Casper's Supports Your Summit

• 

  Climbing Walls

  Climbing walls are usually used to practice indoors while waiting for better weather conditions to go outside and climb on real rock. They are artificially constructed walls featuring holds for both feet and hands. Initially they were constructed of simple brick or wood, whereas now a days most climbing walls are made of multiplex board. These boards have holes drilled into them that each contain special t-nuts to allow the fixation of climbing holds. If you are looking to build your own home wall there are a few more things that need to be considered.

  1) Evaluate the space you have available and design the wall in a way to make the most efficient use of it. If the wall is indoors, you’ll want to maintain access to electrical outlets and to the back of the wall to make any necessary repairs to the T-nuts once it is finished.

  2) How to support your wall. Fixing the wall to an already present structure/wall can be easier to design and construct but will lock you into that location. You must also ensure that the existing structure is strong enough to support the additional load the bouldering wall will add to it.

  3) You need to think about the frames. OIdeally build a frame for each part of the wall that you then attach to the main structure. 

  4) Falling zone. Don't forget that you need space to add some crash pads or other type of shock absorbing material wherever you might fall. 

  5) Fix your holds. Now you can start setting your boulder problems on the wall. Use tape, numbers or go by colour of holds to determine different circuits and problems. 

  6) Finally comes maintenance, once your wall is ready and you climb on it regularly, it is necessary from time to time to check that all the holds are still fixed and haven't gotten loose. Make sure there are no broken / sharp edges or screws sticking out. 

  

  The choices are endless and difficult today so contact our Customer Service or send us a mail to help you choose the right product for your needs. 

  Shop online.........more time to climb.

  Casper's Supports Your Summit

• 

  Lattice

  THE WORLD'S LEADING CLIMBING COACHING & TRAINING PLAN COMPANY

  Every climber has unique strengths, weaknesses and goals so no single training plan will work for everyone. That is also the main obstacle for most climbers when trying to set up a plan, getting started is hard because where should you get started?? This is where Lattice comes in and why they write every training plan lite by hand.

  Before starting on a training plan lite Lattice will first put you through a mini-assessment. This allows them to identify and measure your strengths and weaknesses. They will also ask you a few details about your goals, training history, available facilities etc. Once they have this information they will sit down and write you a 3 month plan that is uniquely tailored to you.

  The Training Plan Lite is based around sessions from their Crimpd App. This means you can leverage the best logging and analytics platform for your climbing training and track progress over the weeks. By purchasing the Training Plan Lite you are getting access to their team of highly experienced plan writers who will schedule your training to target the results of your assessment and details of your goals to help you become a stronger and fitter climber.

  Requirements

  • You must be uninjured to start a training plan lite with Lattice.
  • You must be 18 or over to start a training plan lite with Lattice.
  • You must be able to competently use a fingerboard. If not you should seek instruction at a local wall and complete at least 3 fingerboard sessions prior to starting a plan. You should be able to comfortably hold bodyweight on a 20mm edge.
  • You must have climbed at least 6b/10+ or V4 in the last year.
  • You are solely responsible for execution of the plan and Lattice nor CCS cannot accept any liability for injury sustained during the plan.
  • You must have access to the Crimpd App on either iOS, Android or the website as this contains all the details of each training session.

  In order to purchase and use a Training Plan Lite you will need to be injury free. This means that you currently have no injury which could affect your ability to rock climb or train and have not been advised by a medical professional to cease climbing related activities.

  The Lattice Team will be creating training plans based on the understanding that they are working with an un-injured climber. Starting any training, such as a Lattice Lite plan, with an existing injury could result in further injury. Through our premium plans we work with U18 athletes and also climbers who are wishing to start their rehab process back into full fitness. The premium package includes weekly email access to our coaches. If you mislead the Lattice Team regarding any climbing related injuries Lattice and CCS reserves the right to withhold training services without refund.

  Most physical training involves a risk of injury. The Lattice team will act as training plan consultants in order to help you schedule your training. The team cannot accept responsibility for the application of this training beyond prescription. Advice and guidance will be provided by the team regarding reducing risks, however, you should begin this process only if you are happy with taking responsibility for associated risks.

  Please note that your Training Plan Lite must be used within 6 months of purchase.

  "Super satisfying to come back after a year like this and actually manage to climb [my first 9a]. A big thanks to Lattice Training for helping me with a training plan for the year - I don't think I could have stayed motivated and on track without them."

  ALEX HONNOLD

  Lattice Client

  "Easily the best investment in my 20 years of climbing. The Lattice crew are incredibly diligent and responsive. Most important, the plan works—and then some."

  JAN PIOTROWSKI

  Lattice Client

  "I have worked with Lattice for over 2 years now. In that time, I have made huge improvements in my climbing, from redpointing 7c+ to redpointing 8b+. Both Tom and Ollie are amazing coaches who offer a fantastic service. Without Lattice, I would not have climbed anywhere near as hard or as well as I have done and I am hugely grateful for the time and effort that has been put in to me as a climber. In short, working with Lattice is pretty mint."

  Sammy OakesGB Climbing Team

  "I just want to say once more how happy I am with the the training and the support from you guys. The beginning of this season has just been crazy good... sending my long term project NBK 7c+ and yesterday I sent my first 8a! I guess the magic formula is simply consistent hard work and to trust the process! Cheers from a very happy client!"

  Nanna BrandtSweden

  "I really can’t emphasize enough how different I feel. I am definitely the fittest I have ever been for climbing, with probably the best finger strength too. Being able to do hard moves, then just shake out, chill for a moment, and then just keep going feels great!"

  Paul Hayward

  "You guys are great, but the thing that makes you so awesome is your attention to detail, responsiveness to questions and positive feedback. I’m feeling really successful working with you guys. The combination of the detailed assessment/analysis resulting in/outlining very clear goals to shore up weaknesses and the personal attention via email has been rad!"

  Kim McCallum

  "I really appreciate the attention you pay to my personal situation and my specific goals, it really inspires confidence in the plan. I can be sure I'm doing the right work to get closer to my goals."

  Dan Verge

  "I had a good trip to Squamish and was able to quickly send Fitness World (first day on). Very happy about Fitness World; really think the training with Lattice has helped! The send felt absolutely amazing! The two full days rest really helped me realize all the training gains I had acquired. One of my proudest moments climbing so far. Encouraging me to come back stronger on the climb this year after injuries over the last couple of years (including a broken heel from the climb itself)."

  Mike Ness

  "A few days ago I logged my 100th outdoor route and onsighted my third 6b+. The programme has given me the focus and structure needed to push my ability and I can’t wait to continue this amazing journey."

  David Edwards

  "I REALLY found your training plans extremely helpful and beneficial. My climbing goals of climbing 5.13 trad routes before my 60th birthday are within grasp. My bouldering levels have gone from V4/5 to V7 and I have climbed a couple 5.13a sport routes. I had hoped to be in Yosemite to attempt/work on The Phoenix 5.13a and I hope that by next June I will be able to get back to the Valley to accomplish my goal. If that happens it will be as a result of the help I received from your team."

  Eric Forney Premium Plan Client
• 

  Slackline

  The origin of slacklining dates back to the 80s and can be attributed to the climbing community in Yosemite National Park. Climbers would use it as a pass time while at the same time training their core strength, balance skills and keeping their focus; basically all skills that contribute to better climbing. 

  Generally, a 1"-2" wide nylon / polyester webbing is being stretched between two trees (or any other 2 anchor points) and can vary between 15m-50m, the longer it is the more difficult it is the maintain balance. 

  Outside the climbing community, recreational slacklining has become more and more popular over the past 10 years and has seen a huge increase in newcomers, groups that have formed, gear improvements and of course huge exposure through social media. It is considered a good balance training or even a moving meditation. It has gained so much attention that organizations such as the International Slackline Association have been founded to support the community. 

  Meanwhile, the traditional slacklining has evolved to the point that completely different disciplines have established themselves such as:

  Waterline

  If a slackline is stretched across water it is described as waterline. This discipline tends to be more difficult because the constant movement of the water (constant moving ground) makes it harder to focus and control balance. Furthermore, the risk of injury is the lowest when waterlining since your landing in water. 

  Highline

  Highlining consists of fixing a slackline at extreme heights. One might think that this is a sport for thrill seekers, adrenaline junkies, but in fact these people are able to stay super calm and focused in these extreme situations. A highline is always backed up with several fail systems, so that if one thing goes wrong the line doesn't immediately cut loose. Most highliners wear a harness so that in case of a fall they only catch a small swing. Some however, just like in climbing, go free solo. No harness, no safety measure, the only thing they have in case of a fall is the reflex to hold on to the line. 

  Trickline

  A trickline is stretched in a way to allow more bouncing, such as a trampoline effect. On these lines athletes perform acrobatics involving bounces, jumps, flips and more. 

  Yogaline

  Here slackliners perform yoga poses on the slackline with the intention of increasing the difficulty of sometimes very simple poses.

  Rodeoline

  Rodeolining is a pretty new version of slacklining where the slackline has almost no tension and forms a sort of "U" form. Athletes then start swinging from left to right, which is called surfing. 

  The choices are endless and difficult today so contact our Customer Service or send us a mail to help you choose the right product for your needs. 

  Shop online.........more time to climb.

  Casper's Supports Your Summit

• 

  Nutrition

  The debate on what is the right performance fuel in climbing is a highly discussed subject. Nutrition is very individualistic but it is well worth paying attention to it and setting up some kind of diet to complement your climbing / bouldering training. 

  pre climb	- Figure out the intensity and duration of the session - short intense bouldering -->  easy-to-digest carbohydrates such as dried fruit, bananas, quick oats - longer and lower intensity climbing sessions like alpine climbing --> slower digesting carbohydrates such as brown rice, quinoa, or beans - Consider the timing of the meal  - try to ingest about 25g - 30g of carbs  30 minutes before a climb, Chimpanzee - 20 grams of protein within 30 minutes of training or climbing, Sens Chips
  mid climb	Replenish glycogen levels every 60-90 minutes  - high-quality carbs that digest slowly such as  berries, rice, leafy greens, quinoa, lentils, honey as sweetener...  - drink enough water!
  post climb	Recovery starts the minute you stop training - as soon as training is over, refuel with carbs and protein, try and avoid fats  - Stay hydrated at all times

  The choices are endless and difficult today so contact our Customer Service or send us a mail to help you choose the right product for your needs. 

  Shop online.........more time to climb.

  Casper's Supports Your Summit