I was听the queen of flappers鈥攗ntil recently.听I鈥檝e been climbing on and off for over six years now and I feel I鈥檓 just learning how to take care of my hands properly. The secret of my听success (which isn鈥檛 a well-kept听secret) is filing down my calluses when they protrude too much and听applying balm regularly. I haven鈥檛 had听a flapper in months and I鈥檓 no longer ashamed to shake hands. But not all balms are created equal. These are the four I would recommend.
ClimbOn! Lotion Bar ($9)
What I like: Delightful herby lemon smell;听doesn鈥檛 absorb too quickly; the bar itself lasts longer than other balms.听
What I don鈥t like: Bar design can be听hard to use;听thick consistency is not ideal for the workday.
I鈥檝e had 听for nearly four years, as you can tell by the battered听metal case. It is听by far my number-one pick for climbing balm. The lemon-herb smell听has become quite nostalgic for me, and the lotion bar is听the best for really getting into the small cracks in my hands. The balm stays听on my hands longer than others I鈥檝e tried and has a thicker consistency, which helps its healing powers听but isn鈥檛 ideal for workdays.听That鈥檚 why I听mainly use this balm right before bed at night as听an ultra-deep听moisturizer, or other times when听I don鈥檛 mind my hands听being all greased up. The lotion bar design can be unwieldy听to use and I have to give the metal case a good shake to get the bar out in hot temps. Overall, this is the balm I reach for when my hands are in dire shape.听
Metolius Climber鈥檚 Hand Repair Balm ($10)
What I like: Not too听oily; small tin;听solid consistency.
What I don鈥檛 like: Off-putting smell;听melts easily in hot conditions.
This is 听I grab during the workday or听other situations where I need clean, non-greasy hands. The听formula is the least oily of the bunch and settles into the skin quickly without leaving much of a residue. It鈥檚 easy to get as much as I need without overloading. But buyer beware:听I did leave this balm in my climbing bag on a particularly hot trip in the desert and it melted fast鈥攔equiring me to wash my bag afterward.听Leave this balm at home for best results. The smell is supposedly lavender听and tea tree听but I find it a little reminiscent of gasoline.
Charlotte鈥檚 Web Hemp Infused Balm ($15)
What I like: CBD-infused; small tin;听a little goes a long way.
What I don鈥檛 like:听Greasy formula; overpowering scent; small amount in tin.
CBD-infused products are all the rage these days, with some athletes even ditching ibuprofen听for the extract,听and听 have听found CBD to听have anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, and pain-relieving properties. is my go-to balm when I have an open wound that won鈥檛 heal or inflammation听in my joints or muscles. It has a thinner consistency than other balms in this review and can be quite greasy, so I use it only at home. The smell is an overpowering mix of menthol and cinnamon that can be too much sometimes, but it can have an听aromatherapy effect听when I鈥檓 in the right mood.
Dr. Bronner鈥檚 Organic Magic Balm ($10)
What I like: The most bang for your buck; scentless; made from all organic ingredients.
What I don鈥檛 like:听Very loose consistency; the听bigger container takes up more space in my pack.
If you鈥檙e looking for quantity, 听has you covered. For the same price as others in this review, you get twice the amount with very a similar formulation. I love this balm because it has no noticeable听smell and only a few ingredients. The balm has a very loose, almost buttery consistency听but that means听a little goes a long way. Unlike other balms, this one can be found at most drug stores so it鈥檚 easy to replace when you run out. The larger size means I don鈥檛 usually carry it with me to the crag.