Black Diamond  ECO Gold Liquid Chalk

Go Eco Climbing

REI sent me Black Diamond Eco Gold Liquid Chalk to try. Liked this is the byproduct of the desalination process, not mined. One application pre-climb offered a good grip, stayed on well, didn't melt with sweat & washed off easily with water. Not sure about multi-pitch climbs. We did miss dipping in our chalk bags. Worked great on boulders. Would recommend a try. @REI.com #reitrailblazers!

NEW AND WORTH TRY

Great all around chalk

Black Diamond Eco Gold is an amazing chalk product. It only takes a small amount to create a good layer. I have used this chalk for many bouldering problems in the Albuquerque area. I typically will use this as a base and then use powder on top. It has good adherence and dries all the way to the tips of my fingers. I have also used it for crimp board workouts in my garage with no additional chalk needed. Great for pull up workouts as well. One tube of the chalk has lasted me a month, but I do use it for everything so it may last you longer.

Spreads easily and evenly.

Spreads easily and evenly. On the thicker side of liquid chalk when applied. Takes longer than other liquid chalk to dry on hands. When dry, there is a dense coat of finer chalk on hands. Provides 7/10 grip. Relatively resistant to sweat. With regards to how long it lasts when applied, I'd say it has average longevity. Has very low alcohol smell when first applied and no smell when dry.

Harder to use than regular chalk indoors .

“I received these products for free from the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review.” My adult son is a daily gym climber (he’s the expert climber in my house ) In his opinion “ this item kind of felt sticky in a weird way and wasn’t all that much chalk when it did finally dry, compared to other liquid chalks I’ve used in the past. It did dry out my hands tho, which is good. It didn’t have the same pervasive alcohol/sanitizer smell as other liquid chalks so that was nice. Overall it just seems kind of unnecessary to me. You have to like tie in and get your shoes on before you put it on, then either hand it off to your belay partner or carry it with you which feels awkward, or leave it with your ground shoes. Just seems like something else to deal with which is a minor gripe but I’m always looking to simplify things in climbing and this is just an added (albeit minor) complication that feels unnecessary .”

Great, but not sure I need this.

This seems like it’ll be a great addition to my gear! What I like: it gets great, even coverage, and it lasts a bit longer on a route than standard chalk. It dries really quickly, providing that great and even coverage for the grip I need. I was really impressed at how a little goes a long way. What I don’t love: it’s hard to use mid-route as opposed to a regular chalk bag, and it comes in a plastic tube which I’m sure can’t be recycled. Also according to the packaging apparently it’s flammable? That is a bit weird. I’ll use it until it’s gone, and I’m not sure how long the product will last due to it’s liquid state, but once it’s gone I’m not sure I’d buy another. I’m an amateur climber, so maybe this would be better for a more aggressive athlete.

Best liquid chalk so far

I have used this twice now at two different bouldering gyms. I find it longer lasting than other brands. I'm not a fan of liquid chalk in general, but since one gym requires it (no loose chalk, I get it, clean up), this will be my go to LC. I have good ol clammy hands, so I burn through the cheap stuff. This works for multiple climbs, roughly 3-5 climbs I would say.

Won't replace dry chalk in my chalk bag

I tried out the Eco Gold liquid gold on a day at the gym figuring I sweat more there than anywhere. I liked that it's in a tube and I don't have to worry about it falling out of my chalk bag onto everything else in my climbing pack. I had never used liquid chalk before and I like the idea that I could put it just on my palm and that side of my fingers so that maybe my cuticles wouldn't get so dried out. It goes on easily and somewhat light and then quickly dries so your hands have an ample coating of chalk. I felt like perhaps I had put too much on, but just clapping my hands together removed the extra. Then it was time for a climb. It works fine, but it doesn't last much longer than regular dry chalk and I found myself still dipping my hands into my regular chalk bag. Maybe that's just my habit of getting a little "powered courage" while I climb though. :-) Regardless, I feel that it would need to be reapplied every so often and you're not going to do that mid-climb. For me, using my regular chalk and chalk bag seems more convenient, so I don't think I'm going to switch over to this, at most, it would only be something I use in conjunction with dry chalk.

Environmentally conscious and purity are the draws

Bottom line up front (BLUF): Black Diamond’s Eco Gold Liquid Chalk has a unique place in the market by offering a product that focuses on being environmentally conscious and pure. The use of the product, because of its inherent liquid form, has its specific uses. Indoor climbing and bouldering? Yes. Top rope and any longer length climbing? Most definitely not - bringing that bottle with you and constantly opening/closing the cap does not work. Product: consistency of the liquid is quite interesting. I thought it’d be a lot chunkier or viscous, but it has the viscosity of liquid sunscreens. It takes some time rubbing it in for it to “set” and the liquid to evaporate and the chalk to stay behind. It’s quite a clean process overall compared to regular chalk (one of its selling points). Beware, you will get the bottle dirty as there’s no way around it and you have to close the lid after use to keep it from drying out. The purity and efficacy is great as well. Usage: it doesn’t make sense to carry this bottle with you up a route so you really can only use it when starting off. Therefore, it would only be appropriate in bouldering where you don’t often have to continue using chalk. Would be appropriate for both indoor and outdoor. Product labeling: a lot left to be desired here in the marketing of the product. Its main selling point is that it’s environmentally conscious (the magnesium carbonate is a byproduct of the desalination process) but it’s not obvious from the front as it only has a small icon that says “Made from Sea Water.” Quite mundane and more can be done to make this clearer to the consumer. Interesting tidbit: I used to work in water purification so I’m quite familiar with the processes used to desalinate water. From what I could find online, this is legit (as it has to legally be because if it’s on the label, of course) compared to other marketing gimmicks used in consumer products (e.g., “sulfate free” on shampoos). MgCO3 is indeed a byproduct, but how they separate this from CaCO3 as well is an interesting question I have.

nice product if you have long sessions

i have never used a liquid chalk before and i can see the appeal. this product stays on and applies more evenly than traditional chalk. you have to give it a couple seconds after applying for it to settle on your hands. totally odorless and smooth. one of the downsides may be that i find it tends to dry your hands more and even after washing them, it feels like the product continues to dry your hands. i would probably use this for longer routes or on climbs when i want to minimize residue. for shorter bouldering routes or quick gym sessions, i might still use traditional chalk.