Alex Honnold, Adam Ondra don’t use chalk … what’s doing on?
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Chalk absorbs the moisture from sweat, and adds an abrasive layer that digs into both your skin and the imperfections in the surface, increasing traction. This in turn enhances the friction between the climber and the wall. It’s for the same reason you chalk the end of a pool cue to ‘grip’ the ball slightly better on a shot.
If you over-apply chalk, you run the risk of drying out your skin too much, which lowers its flexibility and makes you more prone to pain or tearing.
Genetics affects how much we sweat, especially from the tissue on our hands and feet. So some people need a copious amount of chalk, and others climb best with no chalk at all.
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