Liquid chalk improves your grip and creates less dust than powder or block chalk. If you have sweaty hands or climb in hot weather, a bottle of liquid chalk is a necessary addition to your climbing kit.
Fit Grip Liquid Chalk came out top of our list in terms of performance, but its extreme drying ability won’t suit everyone.
To find the best liquid chalk for you, check out the pros and cons of our favorite products.
Fire Team Fit Fit Grip
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fit Grip | White Gold | Pro Grade | Friction Labs | Liquid Chalk | Spider Chalk | Liquid Chalk | Liquid Chalk | Liquid Gym Chalk | Liquid Chalk | |
| Sizes | - | - | 8.5 oz | 2.5 fl oz | 1 fl oz | 8 fl oz | 8.5 fl oz | 1.7 fl oz | 1.7 fl oz | 7 fl oz |
| Ingredients | Magnesium carbonate, SD alcohol, hydroxypropylcellulose and colophanium | Contains ethanol, magnesium carbonate | Alcohol, Magnesium Carbonate, Honey, Thickener and Fragrance | water, magnesium carbonate, hydroxypropyl starch phosphate, phenoxyethanol, and ethylhexylglycerin | SD alcohol 40, Silica, Methyl Glycol, Pheny Trimethicone and Cyclomethicone | Unclear, though it contains magnesium carbonate and bonding agents | Magnesium carbonate base | Unclear | Unclear | Magnesium carbonate base |
| Price per fl oz | $6.50 | $2.96 | $1.92 | $7.48 | $7.99 | $3.12 | $2.18 | $6.50 | $5.88 | $1.92 |
| Hanging loop? | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Much loved by weightlifters, this is also a great option for rock climbing. Great coverage and performance in a small, sturdy bottle.
It was a tough call to pick one liquid chalk to stand above the rest, but Fit Grip’s performance makes it our pick for the best liquid chalk.
A small amount of this liquid will be enough for a full session unless you have particularly sweaty fingers. It dries within 10 seconds, coating your hands white.
It scores highly in drying out your hands to give you a better grip. As it doesn’t leave much residue, you don’t have to worry about coating your rope in chalk.
That said, you may find it dries your skin out too much, causing it to crack and split. If that’s the case, you may be better off looking at the White Gold or Secret Stuff chalk.
The small bottle works out quite pricey, but you can buy a larger 250ml refill bottle which is better value.
This gives you the best of both worlds as the 50ml bottle is a handy size for stashing in the top pocket of your climbing pack. It also comes with a carabiner in case you want to attach it to your harness.
The powdered version of Black Diamond’s White Gold was the best all-around chalk in our guide to the best climbing chalks. The liquid version is just as good.
White Gold Liquid Chalk is one of the cheapest products we’ve reviewed and a strong contender for the best liquid chalk. It’s particularly effective if you suffer from sweaty hands.
It does have an alcohol base, but the non-toxic formula is pretty gentle on your skin. This makes it a good option if you’re climbing several days in a row or if you struggle with sweaty tips (when the skin on your fingertips thins).
Another big advantage of White Gold is that it doesn’t leave much residue on the rock. You won’t leave unsightly chalk marks on routes or spend ages brushing off the tick marks on your project!
There’s no option to clip the bottle to a carabiner or your harness but the bottle won’t take up much room in your pack.
This large bottle is great value and provides excellent coverage. A good option for your gym bag.
Unlike some liquid chalks, which you can barely see after applying, this chalk will turn your hands white.
The thick consistency means it’s easy to get good coverage and you won’t sweat through it in a hurry. It’s a great option if you only want to apply chalk once at the start of your session.
Unfortunately, the chalk rubs off more easily than other brands. It’s not as messy as loose chalk but you’re likely to transfer chalk dust to rock, climbing holds and anything else you place your hands on.
Make sure you wipe up any excess from around the cap when dispensing the chalk. Otherwise, when it dries, it can block the nozzle or prevent the cap from closing properly.
You may also find the hinge on the lid weakens over time, particularly if you’re opening and closing it a lot. The large bottle should last you ages but it’ll add a bit of weight to your pack and it’s not really suitable for carrying on climbs.
One of the few alcohol-free liquid chalks available, Secret Stuff is our top pick if you have sensitive skin.
Friction Labs Secret Stuff chalk was a close contender for our best all-around chalk. It’s pricey, but a favorite of many pro climbers.
It’s a very smooth, fine chalk which you’ll either love or hate. Coverage is reasonable, though if you have very sweaty hands, you may have to reapply it or use extra powder or block chalk.
Because it’s alcohol-free, you don’t get the same nasty odor that most liquid chalks have.
As it’s kind to your skin, Secret Stuff is a great option for multi-day climbing trips in cool climates.
The screw-top lid is more secure than a flip-top and is less likely to break or leak in your bag. A couple of reviewers have reported issues with the packaging splitting in transit, but this doesn’t seem to be a widespread issue.
A thin liquid chalk for climbers who want a bit of extra grip but don’t suffer from sweaty hands.
Unlike most liquid chalks, which have a magnesium carbonate base, Dry Hands uses silica and alcohol. It’s thinner than other chalks, so you may need two coats, but it is an effective base for loose chalk to stick to.
Dry Hands is especially popular with gymnasts and pole dancers as it’s less messy than other options. It won’t turn your hands white or leave chalky marks on the rock and it doesn’t smell too bad.
It’s a good middle-ground choice, but you may find it’s not strong enough to keep sweat at bay.
Dry Hands comes in a tiny 1 fl oz bottle, small enough to slip into the pouch of your bouldering bucket or an outer pocket of your climbing pack. This convenience comes at a price – it’s the most expensive liquid chalk in this review.
Some people love it, some hate it. Spider Chalk offers reasonable value and performance but doesn’t excel.
Spider Chalk targets the weightlifting and CrossFit markets. It’s quite divisive, with reviewers either raving about it or finding it useless. How well it works for you may come down to your skin type and the conditions you’re climbing in.
It’s thinner than a lot of the other chalks and you may find you have to apply it more often. While it doesn’t leave as much of a white coating, it does give a tacky grip without creating much dust.
Spider Chalk keeps its ingredients list secret, though it claims the unique formula will keep your hands drier for longer. From the smell, we’re pretty sure it contains alcohol. The chalk used is laboratory-grade magnesium carbonate.
If you’re debating trying it, you haven’t got much to lose. Spider Chalk has great customer service and offers a 30-day no-questions-asked guarantee.
A reasonably-priced, middle-of-the-road option.
Edelweiss is a climbing gear manufacturer that’s better known for its ropes than chalk products.
The uninspiring packaging makes this feel like a no-frills product, but it performs reasonably well. It gives decent coverage and doesn’t feel too chalky. You can apply it once and it’ll last all day.
On the downside, it can be hard to wash off your hands. This won’t be an issue if you’re at the gym, but if you want to clean your hands at the crag before driving home, you’re going to struggle to get it off.
The large bottle is good value, but you won’t want to carry it on multi-pitch routes. You’ll also need to make sure you keep the cap clean as the chalk could dry up, blocking the nozzle. If you don’t use liquid chalk often, it may be better to buy a smaller bottle.
A decent product in a nice package. Make sure you shake it well before use.
Like Spider Chalk, MIDAS is a divisive brand. There are people who’ll swear it’s the best chalk out there and others who don’t get on with it at all.
One reason for the complaints could be that liquid chalk can separate when left for a while. If you don’t shake the bottle before use, you might end up squeezing out a watery layer of alcohol rather than the thick, chalky liquid you’re expecting.
With its sleek branding, two bottle sizes to choose from and a neat carabiner on the smaller bottle, MIDAS gets top marks for packaging.
It also claims to be antibacterial, though this could just be down to the alcohol! MIDAS doesn’t publish the ingredients list so you’ve no way of knowing exactly what you’re putting on your skin.
Used more by weightlifters than climbers, Grip God is an average product with a better scent than most. It’ll do the job, but there are better options.
It gives reasonable coverage and dries quickly – within about 10 seconds. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last long, particularly if you sweat a lot and you may find yourself having to reapply it several times during a session.
Despite this, several users have found it can be hard to wash off when you want to clean your hands.
Performance aside, there are a couple of areas in which Grip God has an edge over other brands. It comes in two sizes, meaning you can carry a small bottle around with you but save a bit on refills.
You also have the choice of a citrus-scented version. Sweet perfume it is not, but the citrus version definitely smells better than the strong alcohol smell you usually get.
One of the cheapest liquid chalks on the market. Unfortunately, the product isn’t as good as the price.
It’s perhaps surprising that Mammut’s liquid chalk comes bottom of our list. Given it’s a specialist climbing company with an excellent gear and clothing range, I expected a decent product from them.
The main criticism is that the chalk often flakes off after the liquid has dried on your hands. Applying a very thin layer can help prevent this, but then you don’t get the full benefit of liquid chalk.
You get a large tube which has a screw cap that’s a bit more secure than the flip-top lids many bottles use. Over time, the packaging can wear and split (particularly if you squash it into your bag), so if you’re an infrequent user, it may be better to buy a smaller bottle.
On the plus side, Mammut’s liquid chalk is one of the cheapest you’ll find. We should also emphasize that chalk is a personal thing and Mammut chalk does have its aficionados. It just doesn’t quite match the high standards of its competition.
Our performance criteria in the reviews above assesses how well the chalk improves your grip, but you won’t know how it affects your skin until you test it out.
Generally, thicker liquids will coat your hands more thoroughly, leaving them white when the liquid dries. Thinner liquids may look less effective, but they can still do the job and are less likely to leave chalky marks.
The strong alcohol smell is definitely a downside of liquid chalk. Some manufacturers add a fragrance to help with this.
The quicker the chalk dries, the faster you can get on with sending your project!
Liquid chalk works best if you wash and dry your hands before applying. Give the bottle a shake in case the ingredients have separated before squeezing a little bit onto your palm.
Rub the liquid thoroughly into your fingertips, then spread the excess back onto your palm and wait for it to dry.
Pro Tip: Always make sure the chalk is completely dry before touching anything. Waving your hands around can help!
It’s not so much that liquid chalk is better than powder – it’s just different. Some climbers prefer using liquid chalk, some prefer powder but most use a combination of the two.
Liquid chalk is great for preparing your hands for a day’s rock climbing. It coats your skin, giving a base for loose chalk to stick to, meaning you won’t need to chalk your hands as often.
The big downside is that it dries your skin more than powder chalk. This can cause irritation, particularly if you’re applying it a lot. Ideally, you want a product that you only have to apply once at the beginning of a session.
Although some bottles come with a carabiner to clip to your harness, you’re unlikely to carry liquid chalk with you when climbing. Not only is it impractical to apply it mid-route (even on multi-pitches), you don’t get the psychological boost from dipping your fingers in your chalk bag while contemplating your next move.
One of the great things about liquid chalks is that a little bit goes a long way. Just one application of liquid chalk can often last you a full climbing session. If you sweat a lot or climb in hot weather, you may need to re-apply it a couple of times a day or use loose chalk as well. Personally, I often use it before an important redpoint attempt, though that could be for the psychological benefit!
Liquid chalk cuts down on chalk dust and spillages, but it can still make a mess of you and the rock. Some brands are better than others at minimizing transfer and applying a thin layer means there’s less excess to brush off.
Another potential issue with liquid chalk is leakage. Most bottles are pretty secure, though the hinge on flip lids can wear and break over time. If your chalk comes in a tube, try to store it loosely in your pack rather than folding it as this can cause the packaging to split.
Pro tip: Always keep your liquid chalk in a sealed plastic bag. Like a water bottle exploding, if it does leak, it’ll get over everything.
Non-climbers may look at the vast array of climbing chalks on offer and wonder how they differ. After all, chalk is chalk, right?
As a climber, you’ll know that one brand of chalk can feel and perform much better than another. It’s a very personal choice!
A good place to start is to look at the brand of powder chalk you currently use and see if they sell a liquid version.
You could also check out what your friends use and ask if you test their chalk when you’re out climbing. This allows you to try different brands before you buy.
If you know you have sensitive skin, then we’d recommend trying Friction Lab’s Alcohol-Free Secret Stuff as it’s specifically designed to be non-irritating. If you don’t have a favorite brand or you’re not sure where to start looking, then start at the top of our recommended list and work down.
Also bear in mind that you may use different brands of liquid chalk in different conditions. In cool weather, you may be able to get away with a skin-friendly brand as you won’t sweat as much. In hot, humid weather, you may need a product such as Fit Grip Liquid Chalk that really dries your skin out.
There are many brands of liquid chalk to choose from. Based on our reviews, we’d recommend looking outside the climbing niche at products marketed at other sports such as weightlifting, crossfit or gymnastics.
Fire Team’s Fit Grip is our recommendation for the best liquid chalk to keep your hands dry, but it’s closely followed by Black Diamond’s White Gold which works out cheaper by volume. Sportmediq is a worthy budget version if money is tight and if you know your skin is sensitive to alcohol, we’d recommend splurging on Friction Lab’s Alcohol-Free chalk.
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