Warming up properly is one of the听best听things you can do to prevent听injuries听when rock climbing. Your tendons, muscles, and mind will thank you for it. But when you鈥檙e climbing outside听rather than hanging onto plastic in the gym, it can be hard to find easy climbs to ramp up on. That鈥檚 why听whenever I climb outside, I bring听听($75).
The Flash Board can be听hung from tree branches, bolts, or even hooked around听your听feet听with the included adjustable cord. Much like a hang board, this听board imitates common rock holds.听The cylindrical design has 13听holds, ranging in size from small crimps to 20-millimeter pockets.听By flipping the board upside down, you have access to a whole new set of听grips with different sizes.听When I鈥檓 first warming up, I start out with the biggest size,听lightly weight the board with my body, and transition听slowly from an open听to a closed crimp hand position. This gives my body a chance to get the blood flowing,听used to crimping again, and psyched for what鈥檚 ahead. Once I鈥檝e started to warm up, I move to smaller holds on the board.听
At just two pounds, the board is extremely portable,听easily fitting inside my Moon bouldering bag. I prefer the feel of wood holds rather than traditional plastic materials, as it鈥檚 a little easier on my skin. (Plus, wood holds are biodegradable.) Every听Tension product听is crafted from locally sourced American hardwoods and is processed and finished in Denver. The $75 price tag may seem steep for a warm-up tool, but your tendons will听be better for it in the long term. Looking to save a little money? Tension听also sells听Flash Boards with cosmetic defects for $65 .
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