Ever wish you could train your fingers and pull-strength whenever you please, even when you’re on the road travelling and away from a rock climbing gym? Well, look no further. Whether you are an avid rock climber, boulderer or gym go-er, portable hangboards are the perfect tool for on-the-go training to keep up your rock climber form and physique. Though not as well-rounded as traditional hangboards/ finger boards and pull up bars, a portable hangboard or fingerboard can still serve as a great option to keep up the rock climbing training while on the move, regardless of the season or country you are in.
What is the Best Portable Hangboard?
To decide on the absolute best portable hangboard, we have examined dozens of hangboards that are portable and reviews left by real users and climbers who bought and used them. Based on what they experienced and shared, we have shortlisted the top 15 portable hangboards for you to consider, including their most important features and suitability in different setups to help you make an informed decision.
On top of that, to make it easier for you, we have also compiled a list of key/ critical things and frequently asked questions (FAQs) to consider before buying hangboards that are portable. You can find it further down in the article. So without further ado, here’s introducing the best portable hangboard and fingerboards for you to make an informed purchase.
1. Metolius Portable Power Grips
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| Price: 💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Weight: 0.1 Pounds (0.5 kg) |
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The Metolius Portable Power Grips are a lightweight, portable hangboard option that allows you to train a variety of grip strengths. Made of wood and easy to hang on a pull-up bar or with a similar setup, this portable hangboard is especially useful for people looking to train sloper strength.
Pros
- Lightweight and portable
- Affordable
Cons
- Can only support bodyweight, so not suitable for weighted hangs or pull-ups
- Not suitable for beginners
2. UCraft Climbing Evo Rings 3D
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| Price: 💲💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Weight: 0.8 Pounds (0.4 kg) |
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Perfect for beginners and experts alike, the UCraft Climbing Evo Rings 3D are a durable option that you’ll be able to keep and enjoy for a long time. They can be hung from a variety of positions, are lightweight and portable, and offer a variety of grip and training positions. They’re quite pricy, but you’ll be able to hold on to them for years.
Pros
- Offer various mounting options
- Provide a variety of training positions
- Lightweight and portable
Cons
- Expensive
- Can be confusing to mount
3. IronMind Eagle Loops
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| Price: 💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Weight: 0.3 Pounds (0.1 kg) |
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These super-light finger trainers are a great option for frequent travellers. At less than 2 ounces, you could easily put the IronMind Eagle Loops in your backpack or suitcase to take them on the go. They’re a great option for training finger, grip and pull strength, but you’ll have to have a pull-up bar to attach them to.
Pros
- Easy installation and mounting
- Great for travelling
- Good for training finger strength and pull-ups
- Lightweight
- Incredibly portable
Cons
- Requires a pull-up bar to set them up
- Can potentially cause blisters on your skin
- Limiting in the types of exercises that you can do
- Not as specifically targeted for basic pull-ups
- Can be dangerous for beginners to use
4. FITactic Cannonball Bomb Pull Up Power Ball
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| Price: 💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) |
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The FITactic Cannonball Bomb Pull Up Power Ball are ideal for experience climbers training pinch strength, a key element in climbing. Taking on the weight up to 250lb capacity, they’re a great tool for training your wrists and forearms, and they come in various sizes, allowing you to customise according to your hand size.
These ball hold grips are portable and can be easily hung in a variety of places, especially if you have a pull-up bar available. You can use them for dead hangs to focus on forearm endurance or work on grip and pull-up strength, making them a great training tool for the strongest climbers out there.
The grooved and ungroved models come in 3 different sizes – 3 inches, 3.5inches and 4 inches depending on your preferences.
Pros
- Targeting wrist and forearm strength
- Come in a variety of sizes for different preferences
- Suitable for pull-ups, chin-ups, and dead hangs
- Easily hung/mounted on any pull-up bar
Cons
- Too heavy for travelling
- Not suitable for beginners
- Slippery so some sanding may be required
5. Metolius Rock Rings 3D
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| Price: 💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Weight: 4 Pounds (1.8 kg) |
See it in your local store:
The Metolius Rock Rings are an excellent option for those looking for a portable pull-up training tool that also lets you target a bit of finger strength. The rock rings come with convenient straps that allow you to hang them in a variety of places, they are extremely portable, and they require no assembly. However, due to the fact that they are not fixed like a traditional hangboard would be, they offer minimal stability and might present difficulties for beginner climbers.
The rock rings are a dynamic exercise tool that can serve a multitude of purposes. They offer three distinct finger ledges plus offer the ability to do pull-ups. They can be a great option to hang in a space that doesn’t provide enough room for a proper hangboard.
Pros
- Easy to mount
- Portable
- Suitable for training a variety of finger positions
- Can train both pull-ups and chin-ups
Cons
- May be difficult for beginners
- Little stability
- A bit on the pricier end
- Bulky/ heavy for traveling purposes
6. Maxgrip Hybrid
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| Price: 💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Weight: 2.5 Pounds (1.2 kg) |
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If you are looking for something multi-functional that is both portable for travel and training finger strength, this Max Climbing Maxgrip Hybrid is for you. You can use it to warm up at the climbing wall or for personal antagonist training.
It comes with 6 different positions from slopers, jugs, pinches to crimps. If you are looking at mainly full ups and dips, the top hold is a lovely jug just for that, and you do not even need to drill in fixed bars and fingerboard.
The deepest jug segment can even serve as a pull up bar, though be mindful that you may want to invest in a pair of hand grips and gloves to prevent calluses.
Pros
- Targeting wrist and forearm strength
- Suitable for pull-ups, chin-ups, and dead hangs
- Easily hung/mounted on any pull-up bar
7. The Pull Pack
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| Price: 💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Weight: 0.6 Pounds (0.3 kg) |
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The Pull Pack is a compact, customizable portable hangboard training system that offers you to train a variety of hand positions. They come with the option to train slopers and crimps, and you also have the option to mount your own climbing holds in your home gym, allowing you to completely customize your training experience. Additionally, the resin material is the same as climbing holds, so they offer some of the best grip around.
Pros
- Great grip
- Extremely customizable
Cons
- A bit pricey
- Limited in hanging options
8. Core Prodigy New Talon Grip
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| Price: 💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Weight: 2 Pounds (0.9 kg) |
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This super strong nylon device designed for finger & thumb loop is a really good hand and arm strengthener. It is perfect not just for rock climbers, but for other athletes that would like to increase their hand, wrist, forearm and finger strength for sports like ninja training, MMA, bodybuilding, tennis, shooting and even golf.
It is available in black and luminous yellow in colour, and the best part about it is that it comes with a lifetime warranty. How awesome is that!
9. Metolius Wooden Rock Rings
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| Price: 💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) |
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Very similar to their other model, Metolius also makes a set of wood rock rings. They offer a smoother surface than the resin of the original rock rings and are perhaps even better for those looking to train crimp strength, as they come with labeled 38, 20, and 15mm ledges. However, as with the original rock rings, their lack of stability might pose difficulties for beginner climbers.
If you are looking for something sleek looking in your house and still a very reputable brand, then this light brown/ creme colour pair here is your best bet for a portable wooden hangboard.
Pros
- Great option for when you have limited space
- Labeled edges for finger training
- Easy to hang and mount
Cons
- Can’t train slopers or finger pockets
- Can present the risk for injury for beginner climbers
10. Zlagboard Pro
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| Price: 💲💲💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Weight: 0.3 Pounds (6.5 kg) |
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Don’t be deceived. This Zlagboard might look like any other fingerboard at first glance, but it is actually recently re-designed with solid feedback/ input by world-class climbing coaches. One thing I really love about the Zlagboard Pro and Zlagboard Evo is that the brand is environmentally conscious as the board was made from wood and paper products from sustainably managed forests.
Lastly, apart from its optimal holds and sizes, it also comes with a free set of training plans to get stronger.
11. Max Climbing Spinchboard
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| Price: 💲💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) |
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This 2 piece spinchboard, another name for fingerboard, uses a one-bolt mounting that gives you the flexibility to spin the holds around between the different modes you change it too. This provides you heaps more options and degrees of difficulty per hold than the average fixed finger board.
Its super versatile and suitable for all levels of competency, as long as your goal is to train a variety of pulling directions apart from the normal vertical type.
12. Solo Hybrid Spinchboard
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| Price: 💲💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Weight: 4.2 Pounds (1.9 kg) |
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This solo piece offers a wide range of different grips, pockets and slopers with varying textures, making it perfect to build your strength and endurance.
Just like the Max Climbing Spinchboard about, it has a special mounting system so that you can tweak the board direction to switch between beginner to advance climber mode.
Pros
- Skin Friendly Wooden Texture
- Environmentally Conscious Brand
- Wood is made from sustainable renewable source
13. Metolius Project Hangboard
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| Price: 💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Weight: 5.3 Pounds (2.4 kg) |
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The Metolious Project is a multipurpose wall-mounted pull-up bar that will fulfill all of your climbing training needs. This rock-climbing pull-up board is simple to mount and requires no assembly. Additionally, aside from training pull-ups, you will be able to work on your finger strength thanks to the variety of finger ledges that the board offers.
This is one of the most popular ones you see at many gyms around the world. Besides its pretty swirly blue colours and the versatility of the use, it also comes with a clear set of instructions how to set it up without injuring yourself or breaking something in the house.
Pros
- No assembly required
- Excellent for training a wide variety of climbing strength exercises
- Offers both crimp and finger pocket options
Cons
- May not come in the color displayed
- You must attach it to a 2×4 plank of wood
14. Beastmaker 2000
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| Price: 💲💲💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Weight: 3.5 Pounds (1.6 kg) |
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Perhaps the best hangboard pull-up bar on the market, the Beastmaker 2000 is an excellent training tool for any climber, from beginners to experts. Its range of holds lets you train pull-ups, crimps, slopers, and 3-finger, 2-finger, and 1-finger pockets as well. Though it is on the pricier side, this is a hangboard that you will be able to use for a lifetime.
What makes it so unique is that there isn’t another board out there that gives such precise training for every single finger type. Also, the variation of depths (Deep, mediuma and small pockets) makes it a real gem when you want to get very technical in building your finger strength.
Pros
- Extremely versatile
- Fit for any level of climber
- Allows you to train a wide range of hand positions
- No assembly required
Cons
- Premium Pricing
- Cannot be mounted without drilling
15. Trango Rock Prodigy
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| Price: 💲💲💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Weight: 5.3 Pounds (2.4 kg) |
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Another one that has gotten quite a bit of attention recently is this Trango Rock Prodigy. Unlike the others, this ergonomic design hangboards comes in 2 pieces with a Training Manual created by Mark & Mike Anderson. Along with this kit is the RPTC Pulley Kit, so its a really nice set to give.
Verdict
Following all the research, comparisons and information we have gathered about these top portable hangboards, we can confidently say that Metolius Portable Power Grips is the best portable hangboard out in the market.
However, if you are on a slightly tighter budget, you can also consider the UCraft Climbing Evo Rings 3D as an affordable alternative.
Lastly, if you are looking for something with all the best features made with high-quality materials and would like to consider all the premium options out there, we strongly recommend the IronMind Eagle Loops.
What You Should Know Before Buying Portable Hangboards
How To Choose The Best Portable Hangboard
To know what type of hangboard you should choose as a rock climber or boulderer, you must first know where and why you will be using it. Different types of hangboards offer different types of grips and training, along with varying ways to hang them. The type of grip that each hangboard offer will be key in deciding on which portable hangboard to purchase.
Another good question to ask if you are looking for a travel hangboard to bring it along for your rock climbing excursions and outdoor expeditions, or more of just for your home workout use during COVID19 lockdown. When that is a condition, size matters!
Advantages And Benefits
There are many advantages to having a portable hangboard, the most obvious of which is that it’s portable and easy to bring along! Especially if you choose a lightweight option, portable hangboards can be packed into your suitcase or Arcteryx backpack and go with you when you travel to places! This also makes a perfect climbing present or gift amidst a whole suite of other climbing gifts to buy.
Additionally, if you don’t want to mount a permanent hangboard in your home (especially if you suddenly have important guests coming and you don’t want hangboards being visible to the average person), they can be a great temporary option for at-home rock climbing training.
Things To Look Out For That Differentiate
Portable hang boards come in many shapes, sizes, and styles, so there are a few things to pay special attention to when making your decision. First, you should focus on the type of hold. Do you want to work on your finger strengthening? Look for crimps. Pinch strength? Look for balls or pinches.
You should also pay attention to how the hangboard can be mounted. Know where you plan on using your portable hangboard before purchasing, as different hangboards require different mounting setups.
Mobile Hangboard Setup & Usage
The best part about a portable mobile hangboard is that you can use and hang it practically anywhere. Though some are certainly smaller and lighter than others, virtually all portable hangboards can fit in a suitcase, meaning that they can go with you on your travels and be set up on a nice ledge in your AirBnb or Guest house.
The best way to use them is to mount them safely to a secure setup, which will vary depending on the hangboard or fingerboard you purchased. After that, the training is on! Use them to do pull-ups, weighted pull-ups, finger strength training, and a number of other climbing related exercises.
Precautions To Note
It’s important to note that not all hang boards can be mounted on all setups, so your ability to mount and use any given hang board will depend on the setup that you have access to. Some need to hang off of a pull up bar or pull up handles,, while some can be tied to a variety of objects, even a tree branch! Just be aware that you might not be able to set up your hang board everywhere that you go.
Additionally, you shouldn’t be starting to do hangboard finger training until you have been climbing for at least six months, preferably a year, so no need to rush this purchase if you’ve just started climbing!
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