As climbing grows in popularity, one thing has remained the same. Old school climbing boards continue to be a popular choice for training for both outdoor and indoor climbing. The boards we are looking at today: The MoonBoard, Kilter Board and Tension Board are, anything but old school. In fact they have become the most popular boards on the market and for good reason. These boards are also the most ‘accessible’ in South Africa, with many gyms investing in one or more of the below set-ups. This article will outline each board as well as highlight some of their unique features – giving you the beta to train better!
MoonBoard
The MoonBoard is what I would consider the OG training board, designed by Ben Moon in an original training space known as the “School Room” in Sheffield, England. The board was one of the first standardised training boards, meaning that the set of holds is unique to the MoonBoard and the board is set up in an identical fashion all over the world. This is done through a grid system, with the holds being set out in a specific asymmetrical format. The key idea behind this was to allow people to create problems, share them, and to have a benchmark system to allow climbers to track their progress. The MoonBoard has seen multiple iterations over the years and is still a popular choice as a home-wall setup or for commercial gyms.
The advantages of the MoonBoard is its difficulty. Lots of relatively small holds with small edges. While it may not be objectively the hardest board today, it was a huge step up for climbing training technology and definitely inspired the Tension and Kilter Boards that followed. The MoonBoard is recommended for intermediate and advanced climbers whose focus is training for primarily outdoor climbing as there are no beginner friendly holds (no distinct jugs).
The MoonBoard’s are great for developing power, building core strength ,and of course, finger strength. The only notable downside to the MoonBoard is that the grades on the app are quite sandbagged. While the app does have approved ‘benchmark’ grade problems, outside of these benchmarked climbs, problems tend to be harder than their listed grades. My advice – don’t spend too much energy on the grades, jump around, find what works for you and most importantly enjoy learning the ins and outs of Moon-Boarding while seeing those marked improvement in your climbing stamina and strength. If you are starting out, be cautious and spend limited time on the MoonBoard as it is very intense on the fingers.
Kilter Board
The Kilter Board was first brought out in 2018 and much like the MoonBoard before it, it is a variation of an asymmetrical training board. The Kilter Board has become one of the most popular training boards due to its variety of holds and how user friendly the board is, with none of the holds feeling too difficult or desperate to hold. Having holds that are more positive means that they demand less precision – this in turn allows climbers to focus more on their flow, efficiency and dynamic movements. It is also a highly reassuring design feature for many climbers as it ultimately means the risk of finger injuries or strained tendons decreases dramatically.
The LED system for the Kilter Board also illuminates the entire bottom section of each hold which makes route reading easier compared to that of the MoonBoard or Tension Board. The Kilter Board app also includes routes and circuits in addition to set problems. These circuits can be set to a specific pace, with the holds lighting up as you progress through the sequence. This is a feature that truly makes the Kilter Board unique as it means the board can be adjusted and used specifically for endurance training.
The only notable downsides are that the Kilter Board’s app does not promote a benchmark system, a feature that both the MoonBoard and Tension Board have. The holds are also strictly polyurethane which means your skin may take a toll more quickly as there is no variety in hold textures. Aside from these minor downsides, this board is perfect for beginner climbers all the way to advanced climbers.
Tension Board
The Tension Board released its first version in 2016 and unlike a spray or MoonBoard set up, it prioritised a symmetrical hold layout. Essentially this means that the holds are mirrored from the centre of the board, allowing climbers to do identical problems on either side of the board which helps to reduce strength imbalances and work specifically on weaknesses. For injury recovery this is also an ideal setup as climbers can choose to work problems on their non injured side.
While the first iteration consisted of primarily wooden holds, this is not the case for the second version that was released in 2022. Another distinct and adaptable feature with the second version is that it is designed with a symmetrical or asymmetrical set up in mind, allowing the customer to utilise the holds in two distinct set-up options – the best of both worlds. The holds for the second version also include more beginner friendly holds and a greater variety of holds and textures, which addresses the initial concern of the first Tension board as a board that excluded all beginners.
The advantage of this updated design means that the board is suitable for climbers of more diverse abilities and allows climbers to progress actively on the Tension Board through its sets of easy, medium, and hard holds as well as its progressive footholds that demand intuitive and specific foot placement. The great variety of the footholds specifically, encourages and requires increased body tension. This ultimately provides a tool for all climbers to work on their skill and technical ability aside from just building strength.
Considering that the holds are still more aggressive than those of the Kilter, I would be cautious as a beginner climber using this board. For intermediate or highly advanced climbers, this is a great option for improving overall climbing ability and technique.
Board Comparison
For a direct comparison between all of the boards, side-by-side, check our Road to V11’s Youtube review.
Concluding Thoughts
Every training board offers something a little different and promotes its own style of climbing. Depending on your current fitness, climbing ability, and goals, you may find one board more, or less, useful. In terms of pure accessibility, the Kilter Board is the clear winner. When it comes to sustained progression and footwork, the Tension board would easily be the top contender. Working on some hard outdoor boulders and cruxy sequences? The MoonBoard is probably your go-to. While I wish I could swear by one single board, they are all great in their own ways and if you have access to even one of them, its sure to make a marked difference on your climbing ability. Let us know your thoughts and preferences in the comments below!
*Before you use any of the above-mentioned training boards, we encourage you to do your own research and take into consideration your own strengths, weaknesses, or prior injuries. It is recommended that you start off with a moderate amount of board training if you are a beginner to reduce the potential for injuries.
