Chalk drying agents

I was curious if anyone here has tried to use baby powder, with chalk block, as a drying agent. I know there chalks with drying agents, but they tend to be a bit more expensive.

Thoughts?

Eliot Augusto wrote:I was curious if anyone here has tried to use baby powder, with chalk block, as a drying agent. I know there chalks with drying agents, but they tend to be a bit more expensive. Thoughts?

This seems like an unspeakably bad idea. Baby powder is talc with fragrances. Talc is wicked slippery. Chalked up holds are bad enough without a bunch of talcum powder on them.

There are several threads about drying sweaty hands if that's a problem. I think Dave MacLeod has a blog entry on the subject.

Terrible idea. Just get unscented spray anti-perspirant and apply it to your hands 20 minutes before you start climbing.

is chalk with or without drying agents REALLY that expensive?

Mmmm... chalk IS a drying agent. I've never seen chalk with additives either, curious about that.

metoliuos super chalk has a drying agent in it. it instantly makes my cuticles bleed.

costs the same, maybe a little more than other chalk

Eliot Augusto wrote:I know there chalks with drying agents, but they tend to be a bit more expensive. Thoughts?

Super Chalk has a drying agent added to it….but its not anymore expensive than any other chalk. If you want to call chalk expensive in the big picture of climbing….

try liquid chalk as a base. or make your own with rubbing alcohol and chalk. google it.

slim wrote:is chalk with or without drying agents REALLY that expensive?

No. I just get really sweaty, and I use a lot of chalk as a result. I think it's only going to get worse when it stops being winter. So, I was looking for a home recipe for chalk that dries my hands out more that I can make in bulk.

several things that might help;
1) iontophoresis machine. you can build one (slightly dangerous) for about a $100 or buy a real one for about $650
2) tite grip. about $8 a tube, basically antiperspirant for your hands. there are other brands, etc. I've heard antihydral is pretty good.
3) liquid chalk. you can buy it for about $8. of the ones that I have used I think the mammut is the best. you can also make it for real cheap (rubbing alcohol and powdered chalk).

if I am bouldering in the gym, I usually put on some tite grip first. do a couple warm up problems. put on some liquid chalk every 5 problems or so. this usually keeps my hands fairly dry.

^ thanks. Definitely provided some interesting reading about the iontophoresis machine. Might be a long term solution. I'll definitely have to try tit grip.