chalk alternative?

[dope_on_a_rope]

Does anything besides chalk work? The reason I ask is that since I started climbing, my fingers have been peeling like crazy, making my little digits very sensitive, and not in a good way. I've been on injured reserve for almost 5 weeks now, haven't touched a chalk bag, and they are still peeling. Any suggestions for substitutes?

[chucK]

Just say no dude. That chalkbag is a monkey, literally hanging on your back. Give it up, or at least, put a beer in it.

 

Wear cotton clothes and wipe your hands on 'em, and use tape. You won't have to sweat HAW! forgetting your chalk bag, or needing to buy chalk.

 

Without a chalkbag you can be one less person marking the way, giving away the route's secrets.

[dope_on_a_rope]

Yeah, looks like I'll have to give up my hand modelling gig! I do wash and lotion my hands religiously after climbing, but this is almost like a chemical burn, it peels that deeply. I'll try the bag balm though, thanks for the idea.

[salbrecher]

somebody call a waaambulance, my hands are dry !

[dope_on_a_rope]

yeah, just call me wimp on a rope.

[thelawgoddess]

hey "dope",

 

ALWAYS [wash your hands and] use lotion after climbing. i climb at the gym about 3 times a week (sometimes more) AND go outside when i can, so i end up using quite a bit of chalk. i've actually had to upgrade from just using lotion, and now i use "bag balm" ... and often times more than once/day. and i still use lotion, too; just not all at once. chalk REALLY dries out your skin, but even if you don't use chalk your skin likely still needs the help that lotions and ointments can give it. for some reason, scraping your fingers across rocks all day isn't all that great for your skin!