How to make a climbing brush

Q: Why do climbers brush holds?

Heres the deal: Climbers use brushes to clean holds and get better grip. In the gym or outside, holds get dirty.

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Super Simple DIY Extendable Bouldering Stick Brush | This post goes over how to make a quick and easy homemade extendable climbing brush to take with you next time you go boulde…
Super Simple DIY Extendable Bouldering Stick Brush | This post goes over how to make a quick and easy homemade extendable climbing brush to take with you next time you go bouldering. The tutorial is super simple, and this bouldering brush will make a fantastic addition to your rock climbing gear arsenal. | shedreamsofalpine.com #rockclimbing #bouldering #climbing #SheDreamsofAlpine
Super Simple DIY Extendable Bouldering Stick Brush | This post goes over how to make a quick and easy homemade extendable climbing brush to take with you next time you go bouldering. The tutorial is super simple, and this bouldering brush will make a fantastic addition to your rock climbing gear arsenal. | shedreamsofalpine.com #rockclimbing #bouldering #climbing #SheDreamsofAlpine
What are climbing brushes made of?
Can you use a toothbrush as a climbing brush?
Why do climbers brush holds?

Is there any reason not to use your toothbrush to clean holds, or should I buy a branded climbing brush?

—Dave Arelieus

Climbers have used toothbrushes to clean holds for at least 40 years, which is as far back as I can remember. A toothbrush has the advantage of being available and inexpensive, costing $1 to $3. Said tool will do a decent job of removing chalk and dirt, but unless you also use water, a toothbrush won’t completely clean the hold, it’ll leave some residual chalk and dust. A toothbrush will also wear out quickly because the bristles are made for teeth and gums, not rock. The really cheap toothbrushes break easily. Still, a toothbrush is adequate.

A gun-cleaning “toothbrush” is a step up. This type of brush has bristles on both ends. One end approximates the head of a toothbrush. The other end is much thinner, more knifelike, and useful for reaching into crannies the wider head can’t reach. You can get a 10-pack of gun-cleaning toothbrushes on Amazon for about $9. A gun brush usually has stiffer bristles than a toothbrush, and cleans holds a bit better. Disadvantages: These also wear out quickly and the harder plastic handles like to break rather than bend—it’s good to have the 10-pack.

Brushes purpose-built for climbing make a mockery of tooth and gun brushes. These can have nylon or natural boar-hair bristles. Climbing brushes have at least twice the surface area as a toothbrush, and some have up to four times that. They have robust handles and a denser pack of bristles. They last longer and do the best job of cleaning holds.

I prefer the animal (boar) bristles. The Sublime brush I use has 9,000 boar-hair bristles, according to Sublime (I didn’t count them). Boar hair does remarkable work. Brush a hold with a nylon brush and it’ll look clean, but brush it again with a boar-hair brush, and you’ll be shocked by how much chalk and gunk still come off the hold.

Climbing brushes cost more, but the amount is inconsequential. A three-pack of Sublime boar-hair brushes, enough to last an average climber at least three years, is around $20. Brushes from other climbing brands are similarly priced. Gear Guy has spoken!

Nature Climbing Brush Set

The Nature Climbing Brush Set consists of both the big climbing brush and the small climbing brush. When you buy the set you get a free sander! We make both of the brushes, as well as the sander, in a beautiful color of your liking. The brush set comes with options for customization of the entire set. Compared to buying the brushes alone, you save on the customization.

Nature Climbing Brushes – The Process

All our Nature Climbing Brushes are made of European FSC certified white maple wood. The sides of the climbing brushes are burnt to make a beautiful contrast between the light wood surface and the dark burnt area on the sides. At the back of the brushes we attach a piece of walnut wood or granite (+€40 incl. VAT) with an engraved logo. The hand-selected 70 mm long boar’s bristles of the highest quality are attached by looping separate bundles through the backside of the climbing brush by hand and attached very close together. Finally, the bristles are cut 19 mm and 16 mm long respectively, to create a smooth and effective brushing experience. All bristles are attached by hand, which ensures superior quality and durability. All the bristles are attached by blind brush masters in close cooperation with the blind organisation “Blindes Arbejde” in Denmark.

The brushes and sanders are all 100% handmade in Denmark.

We do spectacular custom made engravings on all our brush sets (+€20 incl. VAT).

Super Simple DIY Extendable Bouldering Stick Brush | This post goes over how to make a quick and easy homemade extendable climbing brush to take with you next time you go boulde…

She Dreams of Alpine | Outdoor Adventure + Backpacking + Travel

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Super Simple DIY Extendable Bouldering Stick Brush | This post goes over how to make a quick and easy homemade extendable climbing brush to take with you next time you go bouldering. The tutorial is super simple, and this bouldering brush will make a fantastic addition to your rock climbing gear arsenal. | shedreamsofalpine.com #rockclimbing #bouldering #climbing #SheDreamsofAlpine

What are climbing brushes made of?

Your average climbing brush will have stiff bristles made of boar hairs. On the other hand, toothbrushes tend to have bristles that use nylon. A nylon bristle will be much softer than boar hair and won't last as long. We use brushes to clean baked dirt and chalk off holds.

Can you use a toothbrush as a climbing brush?

Said tool will do a decent job of removing chalk and dirt, but unless you also use water, a toothbrush won't completely clean the hold, it'll leave some residual chalk and dust. A toothbrush will also wear out quickly because the bristles are made for teeth and gums, not rock.