Are you serious about improving your climbing performance? Hangboards are a game-changer!
Whether you’re a beginner aiming to build stronger tendons or an experienced climber looking to build strength and avoid injuries, hangboards are one of the most effective tools to enhance your grip, build power, and even endurance.
In this guide, we’ll explore some of the best hangboards on the market and dive into how they can be used to level up your climbing game. Here’s your guide to the best hang boards in 2025 and what they are used for. And, most importantly, how to choose one.
An introduction to hang boards for training for climbing
Gone are the days when beginners weren’t supposed to use a hang board and simply climb for years and years until they mastered the climbing technique. The word has evolved and so is climbing.
Hangboards, or fingerboards, are essential tools for climbers, providing a targeted way to avoid injuries and train different grip types, endurance, on crimps, slopers, pockets, and jugs. Having access to a variety of hangboards and, most importantly, choosing the right one for you, will mostly and surely improve your overall climbing performance.
The main benefits and purposes of using a hang board
1. Finger strength
Strong fingers are crucial in climbing. The more you climb, the stronger your fingers get. But there comes a time when hangboarding is the next step. Why?
Hangboards are great for targeting specific muscle groups in the fingers and hands to increase strength. Training regularly on a board will help you make holding onto small or challenging holds during climbing seem easy.
2. Grip endurance and specific grip types
The ability to maintain a strong grip over extended periods is a great skill in climbing. Thanks to the variety of holds (e.g., crimps, slopers, pinches), hangboards are an efficient way to improve grip and prepare you for endurance-based climbs.
3. Body tension and core strength
Not only great for building finger strength, hang boards can also improve your body tension and core. Many exercises on the hangboard require you to actively engage your core and maintain body tension, which ultimately adds up to your overall climbing stability while on the wall.
4. Injury prevention
Training with a hang board makes your fingers and tendons stronger. Therefore, by doing so, you can contribute to reducing the risk of injuries, such as sprains or strains, while climbing.
Watch introduction to hangboards
YY Vertical Board Evo
Wooden boards have become super famous in the past years and the YY boards make no exception. The YY Vertical Board Evo is particularly beneficial for climbers aiming for systematic training, as it provides a progressive range of holds to target specific areas of strength.
This training board has an ergonomic and versatile design that makes it suitable for climbers of all levels – from beginners to advanced athletes. It includes monos, two-finger pockets, inclined pockets, and slopers that can be tricky to hold on to, to easy and essential grips for good warm-ups and progression.
Additionally, the central handle allows one-armed workouts and it can also be used as an attachment point for an elastic band to lighten yourself on various exercises or warm-ups. Curious about it? Check it out in our boulderflash shop.
Beastmaker 1000 or 2000
The Beastmaker 1000 was meant for climbers of all levels, but thanks to its ergonomic design it can facilitate the training of those who are also relatively new to training and eager to make quick progress (5a to 7c).
Compared to the 2000, the 1000 includes two jugs with the possibility of doing assisted one-arm dead hangs.
Therefore is ideal for those looking to push their limits even further.
Beastmaker 1000 is a good option for beginners and intermediate climbers because it comes with a variety of gentler edges and is easier to warm up on.
The story is different when it comes to the Beastmaker 2000, which is clearly not aimed at beginners. It has been designed with the help of some of the best UK climbers and has as its main goal testing the limits of finger strength.
It comes with three levels of slopers (45, 35, and 20 degrees); therefore, rest assured you’re going to work both your grip and body tension.
Not to mention 3 sets of finger pockets that will give you Bosi’s fingers. In time. 😂
Metolius Project Training Board
Simple and compact, the Metolius Project was built for climbers of all skill levels, from beginners to advanced athletes.
It offers a great variety of holds – just what you need to train for that bouldering problem that keeps you awake at night. It has an ergonomic design that minimises the risk of finger injury and the fine-grained texture is gentle on the skin.
For beginners, it provides a range of holds that help develop basic finger strength, while intermediate and advanced climbers can use it to work on more specific grip types and intensity.
The board comes with a training guide, mounting instructions and hardware, and a very affordable price. Curious about it? Buy it here.
YY Vertical Board Light
Do you wish for a simple training board to hang in your living? Look no more! Check out the YY Vertical Light – to me it works great for those days when I don’t feel like going to the gym, but I still want to train and keep fit.
Designed for those climbers looking to get into training, this board comes with all the essentials: jugs, 4 finger pockets, two knuckle deep pockets, and 1 pad deep pocket.
Moreover, it has a central handle that can be used as an attachment point for an elastic band like this one, so you can help yourself during pull-ups.
As long as you’re not a hangboarding deep pockets maniac, this is all you’ll ever need.
YY La Baguette
Our Boulderflash pick, the YY La Baguette is a game changer! I can’t emphasize enough how convenient portable boards are because you can take them just about anywhere. They’re amazing for warming up before climbing, keeping warm between boulder tries on colder days, and even for training!
Worried about where to hang your Baguette? From my experience, most of the time you’ll find a bolt, a sturdy tree, or some other reliable stuff to hang them from.
Buy it here
What are the main benefits of warming up on a board before climbing?
- Reduced risk of finger injury on small holds
- Reduced risk of shoulder injury on big moves
Tension Climbing Grindstone Mk2
Are you looking to improve your grip strength and endurance? The Tension Climbing Grindstone Mk2 is an excellent training board for climbers focused on exactly that: grip strength and endurance.
With edge sizes from 8 mm to 30 mm, and an asymmetrical layout for even spacing, this training machine is good for everyone: beginner to advanced. Made from comfortable wood, it reduces pressure points, and it’s ideal for training with one, two, three, or four fingers at a time without the need for designated pockets.
Compact and easy to hang anywhere, the Tension grindstone Mk2 is a great addition to your training room.
Watch Are Tension climbing hangboards worth it? With Robbie Phillips
How to choose your hang board for climbing: Wooden vs Classic
With so many options out there, there’s no easy way to make your choice. Your choice will depend on your climbing experience, training goals, and, ultimately, preference. Here’s some help:
Classic hang boards are often made from resin or plastic, offering a variety of holds at more affordable prices. These materials are generally more durable and won’t degrade over time. However, the grip is rougher on the skin.
Wooden hang boards have gained popularity in recent years due to their smooth texture, which is generally gentler on the skin, and their eco-friendliness. They are often preferred by climbers who value joint health and focus on long-term, high-volume training.
Wood generally also tends to offer a more natural feel, which can be better for climbers who want to mimic real rock conditions, especially when working on slopers. Additionally, wood is less aggressive for the skin therefore it reduces the risk of abrasions and tears.
How to choose your hang board for climbing
To wrap it up, no matter where you are in your climbing journey, hangboards can provide the targeted training necessary to push your limits and keep you progressing in bouldering. And it’s nice to have them hang in your house as well.
And one final note: no matter which hang board you decide on, the key to becoming a stronger and more skilled climber lies in your consistency and motivation to show up to your training.
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