Mud Run, OCR, Obstacle Course Race & Ninja Warrior Guide

Product Review: “Just the Tip” Atomik Climbing Hangboards

Inception (shown in bottom right corner in green) alongside some of Atomik's other products. Top right (two dark green, one black, one brown, one red and one tan holds) are from the FREE Deals of the Day section.

If you feel that you have already done maxed out your closed hand crushing grip strength, maybe it is time to take things up a level. By working on fingertip strength you can add another level to your obstacle proficiency that may be the difference between success and failure.  After all, just before you fall off an obstacle, your hand is positioned with an open palm with just your fingertips on the bar/hold, so you might as well practice hanging and moving with your hands in that position if you want to add another layer of depth to your obstacle ability.

Quality:

I’ve already published two reviews on the high quality of Atomik Climbing holds products (read about their rig holds here and their peg receivers here). The hangboard and fingertip trainers are made of the same high quality material. I am yet to find a defective or even damaged product even after several year of rough use.

Colors:

You want colors? Atomik has the color you want, just take a look at your color choices.

Variety:

Just like every other product they produce, their selection lineup is deep with multiple type of hangboards, portable hangboards and customizable ones that you can build to your specifications.

 

Wall Mounted

Wall mounted hangboards are sold in two varieties the larger traditional one with more options or the two-part training block variant.

Traditional Hangboards:

Traditional hangboards are a great way to build fingertip and grip strength especially if you don’t have a lot of room. They can be mounted to a wall or above the door frame providing a perfect place for pull-ups, dead hangs or transitioning from one hand to another. Their hangboard has more fingertip and handhold combinations that I can count, making it a great tool for those just starting with grip strength all the way up to your podium level Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) champion.

Training Blocks:

Training blocks are another wall mounted hangboard specifically for those who may not have as much space as the traditional hangboard or are just looking for a different wall mounted way to train grip. At 8 inches tall, 4.5 inches wide and 2.5 inches off the wall, the two blocks can be mounted even in tight areas. They can also be mounted flush against the wall or angled away to increase the difficulty.

Portable Hangboards

Their portable hangboards come in two styles, Inception “The Total Grip Training Device” and The PULL.

Inception:

I personally own the Inception, which I primarily use when traveling. Instead of taking a bag full of holds I just bring Inception and use that to work on grips similar to a fat bar nunchaku grip, a ball grip and fingertip holds (offers ½’’ and ¾’’ crimps as well as two and three finger pockets).

The PULL:

If you are working on a specific hold from your rock climbing accessories, you can purchase the PULL instead. Just like inception this is a multi-use hangboard. However, with the pull paddle you can change the grip on the paddle taking it from beginner to expert in an instant.

 

Overall:

Atomik keeps pushing your limits creating products that force you out of your comfort zones. Fingertip strength buys you that extra couple of seconds to hold on to a hold as your grip fails or the ability to grab something that you only got part of your hand onto. The portable ones are great for athletes that travel a lot and don’t want to carry a ton of stuff but still have the ability to train any aspect of grip strength. Check out the deep product lineup of Atomik Climbing Holds, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed!

 

As a reminder, before you order, make sure you check out their “Deals of the Day” section. You can get discounted holds and sometimes freeholds added to your order. Definitely a nice touch to an already great product.

5/5 Stars

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