One of the most important aspects that helps differentiate a mediocre climber from an excellent one is grip strength. If you are stuck at home and unable to head out to a rock climbing gym to work on improving your grip, this is where a grip strengthener comes in handy.
Even if you should have access to a home climbing wall at home or at a rock climbing gym, consider using a rock climbing grip strengthener as a supplement to your rock climbing workout and conditioning training.
What are the Best Grip Strengtheners for Climbers?
To find the list of absolute Best Grip Strengtheners for Climbers, we have researched many finger strengthener for grip strength and what people who bought and used them say about these products. Based on their experiences, we compiled for you the top 7 Grip Strengtheners.
Also, to make it easier for you to making the right choice, we also wrote a mini finger strengthener for grip strength Buying Guide and frequently asked questions (FAQs). You will find it at the end of this article.
1. Death Grip Finger & Hand Exercise Strengthener
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| Price: 💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) |
This 2-in-1 pack comes with both a finger strengthener and hand grip tool, meaning that you can target both climbing-specific muscles and antagonist muscles. Death Grip’s affordable price offers you a complete training set that is ideal for any climber.
Pros
- Comes with a number of different tensions, so suitable for climbers of any level
- Comes with both compression and expansion grip strengtheners
- A very fair price of a little over US$20 for 6 grip strengtheners
Cons
- Finger strengthener can be hard to use
- Individual fingers not adjustable
2. Prohands Pro Hand & Finger Exerciser
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| Price: 💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Weight: 0.18 pounds (0.08 kg) |
The PROHANDS grip strengthener is a lightweight, portable hand exercise device that is a product that is specially designed for advanced climbers. It is so small that you can even fit it in your pocket, and it also gives you the ability to train one finger at a time. However, you cannot adjust the tension in each finger, so it may pose difficulties when trying to train your pinkie or ring fingers individually. Therefore, it is best used as a full-hand grip training device.
Pros
- Durable
- Compact and pocketsize
Cons
- Individual fingers not adjustable
- Finger pads close together, so not appropriate for people with very big hands
- A bit expensive over US$20 for one
3. Wrist Blaster Hand, Forearm and Wrist Exerciser
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| Price: 💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Weight: 1.47 pounds (0.67 kg) |
This unique product differs from the other grip strengtheners listed in this article because it specifically targets a different part of your body: your forearms. If you are looking to strengthen your wrists and forearms, this is the product for you, though it won’t do as much to improve finger grip strength.
Pros
- Very durable
- Made of solid wood
- Lightweight (less than 2 pounds)
- Portable and great for traveling
- Weights can easily be switched out
Cons
- One of the more expensive options above US$20
- Doesn’t offer as much finger grip-strengthening capabilities
4. Vive Finger Strengthener
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| Price: 💲💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) |
The Vive finger strengthener, similar to other products listed above, is a great option for someone looking to simply increase finger and grip strength and keep their fingers active.
The three levels of intensity included makes it a great product for beginners, meaning that you can slowly ease your way into finger grip strength training.
Pros
- Lightweight (each item weighs about 4 ounces)
- Portable
- Three levels of intensity included
Cons
- Individual fingers not adjustable
- Springs sometimes get caught when compressing
5. CapsA Hand Finger Strengthener 8 Holes Grip
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If you’re a beginner who isn’t trying to shell out too much on a finger training tool, CapsA has a good product for you.
This budget friendly product offers a low-intensity training tool for those who may not possess much finger strength yet. It is the ideal style of grip strengthener for antagonist training due to the hand-opening movement that it requires to stretch out.
Pros
- Affordable at below US$20
- Easy to use for beginner climbers
- Safe and Suitable for young and old
Cons
- Intensity level is more mild to intermediate
- Not suited for those looking for closed grip finger strengthening
6. Digi-Flex Cando Hand & Finger Exercise
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This moderate-intensity grip strength training device is best suited for the intermediate climber who is hoping to supplement their training or treat a finger injury. It is more affordable than most other grip strengtheners, and can also be an excellent tool for warming up before climbing.
Pros
- Affordable option appropriate for intermediate climbers
- Great for training and warming up your hand and fingers
- Very lightweight (only 3 ounces)
- 3 lbs Resistance
Cons
- Individual fingers not adjustable
- Only comes with one intensity level
7. Ironmind Captains of Crush Hand Grip Strengthener
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| Price: 💲💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) |
One of the most popular hand strengthener in the market. Owns the The Gold Standard of Grippers.
The design allows for 11 levels of strengths, from beginners to experts (starting from 60 lbs to 365 lbs). It focuses mainly on developing a strong finger grip for climbers and boulderers, but it can be used for a vast variety of purposes to strengthen and condition both finger, grip and forearm strength.
Pros
- Owns the The Gold Standard of Grippers
- Catered for climbing and bouldering athletes
- Made with alloy steel
- High-quality crafting
Cons
- Could result in blistering
Verdict
After all of our long research about the Best Grip Strengtheners for Climbers, we found that Death Grip Finger & Hand Exercise Strengthener is the best Grip Strengthener available today.
There’s also a Premium Option with all the best features and high-quality materials if you have more money to spend, namely Prohands Pro Hand & Finger Exerciser.
However, if you are on a slightly tighter budget, you can also consider the Wrist Blaster Hand, Forearm and Wrist Exerciser as an affordable alternative.
Our other reviews you may find useful in your research:
- Best Finger Strengthener and Trainer
- Best Hand Strengthener for Beginners
- Best Gifts for Climbers and Boulderers
What You Should Know Before Buying Grip Strengtheners
Advantages & Benefits of Finger Grip Strengtheners
Finger grip strengtheners are a great way to target specific hand and forearm strength that can otherwise only be gained by rock climbing. Grip strength is something that many climbers, especially beginners, lack, and using a finger grip strengthener can be a great way to help reinforce those muscles that are so important to climbing.
Unless we’ve been climbing for an extended period of time, our fingers are likely not used to clinging onto holds like we have to do when rock climbing. Using a finger grip strengthener can help your fingers to gain the strength and muscle memory needed to have climbing-grade fingers.
Additionally, finger grip strengtheners can be great tools for injury rehabilitation. One of the most important parts of treating an injured tendon or pulley is making sure that blood flow is reaching your fingers, something that a grip strengthener can certainly help with. Thanks to the fact that many of them can be personalised to fit individual abilities and needs, you can either use them to gain/maintain strength or nurse an injured finger or hand.
Features to look out for
There are two types of grip strengtheners on the market – compression grip strengtheners and expansion grip strengtheners. The main difference has to do with the movement that your hand makes when using them. On one hand, compression finger strengtheners rely on closing your hand, while expansion grip strengtheners focus on a hand-opening movement.
Both types of grip strengtheners are useful, but keep in mind that, because use different movements, they target different muscle groups. Grip strengtheners that require you to close your grip strengthen the specific hand muscles that are used when climbing, while those that require you to open your hand target antagonist muscles, which can help to prevent common climbing injuries, such as those caused by overtraining.
Grip Strengthener VS Hangboards
While both are climbing-specific training tools, finger grip strengtheners and hangboards work different parts of the body. While hangboards or also known as fingerboards are commonly used to strengthen the tendons in your fingers, grip strengtheners target broader hand and forearm muscles. Though both are important for climbing training, you should be aware that the use of one cannot replace the other.
Precautions
Just like with any training device, there are certain precautions that you should keep in mind when using grip strengtheners. If you are a beginner, for example, you have to be careful about training these muscles too quickly or too intensely. Muscles and tendons develop at a slower rate than our training and motivation often does, so it’s important to not overdo it.
Additionally, if you are using a grip strengthener as a method of injury rehabilitation, be sure to consult with a medical professional, such as a physical therapist, before using it. If you use the wrong tool or you are using it in the wrong way, you could just end up doing yourself more harm than good. So be careful and take the necessary precautions.
How do I decide between a pull-up bar or grip strengthener
Choosing between a pull-up bar or grip strengthener depends on what your specific training goals are. If you would like to work on your pinch and forearm strength, then you should probably lean towards rock climbing grips or grip strengtheners. However, if you are looking for a more versatile piece of equipment that will allow you to train pull strength, then you will undoubtedly want a pull-up bar.
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