Skin Care for Rock Climbers
Skin care for climbers is essential!
Whenever elite climbers come off a climb, they instinctively check their hands. This is for a good reason: skin can be one of the biggest limiting factors for both novice and elite climbers.
A split in your skin can ruin a trip. Thin skin can stop you performing in the gym.
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Know your skin type
Everyone has different types of skin: some people have dry skin which can be prone to splitting. In contrast, others have overly soft skin or may finds themselves with sweatier hands. This is unhelpful when friction is needed (for example, using slopers or climbing on gritstone) and can make you prone to thin skin or ripping.
The first step for maintaining skin health is identifying the quality of your skin as these different skin types require different methods for maintaining them.
Skin care for dry skin
If you have dry skin, I recommend using Rhino Skin Spit or Repair, or another moisturising cream, 3-4 nights per week. Regular moisturising is integral to any climbers skin care routine.
Using a damp cloth to wet your hands before attempts can also help.
If the worst happens and you do get a split in your skin, I recommend filing it down so it’s smooth and packing it with a healing cream.
Skin care for sweaty skin
If you have wetter/soft skin, I recommend using Rhino Skin Dry or Performance to dry out your skin. This will make it tougher and improve friction.
If it’s too late for skin care and your skin is already thin, then it is worth taping for your warm-up and only removing the tape once you’re trying hard!
If you have calluses or notice bits of skin peeling off, you should make sure you file this down to avoid them ripping off and creating flappers!
We’ve just added Rhino Skin products to our shop, take advantage of our multi-buy offer! Get 5% off when you buy 3+ skin care products
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