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What is the Grasshopper Board?

Updated: Oct 28

The Grasshopper Board is not just any training wall; it's the "official adjustable training wall of USA Climbing." This official recognition speaks volumes about its quality and performance. If you haven't heard of it, you may be familiar with its popular competitors, the Kilter, Moon, and Tension Boards. Many climbing gyms have invested in one or more of these systems. Much like its competitors, The Grasshopper Board's engaging digital interface allows users to create boulders or try climbs created by others worldwide. When connected to a Bluetooth device, hand and foot holds light up, often with different colors denoting start, finish, hand, and footholds, ensuring a challenging and rewarding climbing experience. 


Compared to other popular climbing boards like Kilter, Moon, and Tension, the Grasshopper Board stands out for several reasons. One of the primary factors that sets the Grasshopper Board apart is its innovative design and construction. The board is meticulously crafted to provide climbers with a challenging yet rewarding climbing experience, incorporating a variety of holds, angles, and features that cater to climbers of all skill levels.


Moreover, the Grasshopper Board offers a diverse range of climbing routes and configurations, allowing climbers to challenge themselves and improve their skills continuously. This versatility is a significant draw for climbers looking to enhance their climbing abilities and push their limits.


In addition to its design and versatility, the Grasshopper Board is also known for its durability and quality. The board is built to withstand heavy use and uses high-quality materials that ensure longevity and performance. This durability makes the Grasshopper Board a reliable choice for climbing gyms and enthusiasts.


Furthermore, the Grasshopper Board has gained recognition and endorsement from USA Climbing, a testament to its credibility and effectiveness as a training tool. The board's reputation for excellence and its endorsement by a reputable climbing organization further solidify its position as a top choice for climbers seeking a high-quality training experience.


Overall, the Grasshopper Board's unique design, versatility, durability, and endorsement by USA Climbing all contribute to its popularity and make it a standout choice for climbers looking to advance their skills.


  • Designed by USA National Team Head Coach

Josh Larson, the head coach of the USA National Team, played a pivotal role in creating The Grasshopper Board, collaborating with founders Boone Speed and Jeremy Huckins to design a revolutionary training system. This board has been meticulously engineered to provide a comprehensive platform for climbers to enhance their strength, refine their technique, and elevate their overall climbing performance. By utilizing The Grasshopper Board, athletes can simulate the challenges some of the world's top climbers face, enabling them to push their limits and reach new heights in their climbing journey.


One notable advocate of The Grasshopper Board is Nathaniel Coleman, the Silver Medalist in Sport Climbing at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. His endorsement of this training tool underscores its effectiveness and appeal to elite climbers seeking to fine-tune their skills. Coleman's preference for The Grasshopper Board highlights its relevance and impact within the climbing community, further solidifying its reputation as a game-changer in climbing training equipment.


  • 3 Different Board Sizes 

Choose the perfect board size that suits your needs from the three options: the Ninja 8x10, Master 8x12, and GrandMaster 12x12. The Ninja 8x10 board size is ideal for those looking for a compact and portable option, perfect for small spaces or on-the-go creativity. The Master 8x12 board offers a slightly larger canvas, providing more room for artistic expression without being too bulky. Meanwhile, the GrandMaster 12x12 is the largest option, offering ample space for elaborate designs and intricate details. Each board size caters to different preferences and requirements, ensuring a suitable choice for every artist, whether a beginner exploring your creativity or a seasoned professional looking for a spacious canvas to bring your visions to life.


  • 3 Structural Setup Options

In addition to three board sizes, there are three frameworks. Customers can select the hydraulic, hanging, or freestanding. Each framework allows for angle adjustments so climbers of all levels can train on a Grasshopper Board. The freestanding design is unique, as Grasshopper has patented their design. Other training wall companies offer hydraulic or hanging systems. 


  • Extensive Hold Variety

The Grasshopper Board uses plastic holds, which come in every desirable shape. There are 468 individual holds available for purchase. One of the favorite hold types of Nathaniel Coleman (USA National Team and Olympic Silver Medalist Climber) is the pure sloper hold. The variety of holds ensures that 5.9 and V16 climbers can use the wall to improve.

Additionally, the Grasshopper team knows that climbers love the Kilter, Tension, and Moon Boards, too, so Grasshopper has designed its walls to be compatible with holds sets from other companies. As Grasshopper holds use set screws instead of T-nuts, you'll have to add on a purchase of the T-nuts, but all options are available on the website. 


  • Distinct Hold Colors

Aside from various meticulously designed holds, The Grasshopper Board uses three distinct hold colors: blue, yellow, and black. Blue holds comprise the 'Flow' subset, and its designs focus on movement, coordination, awareness, warm-up, and cool-down. Yellow holds comprise the 'Engage' subset and are best for next-level movements (more complex than Blue), circuits, and muscle engagement. Finally, the black holds comprise the 'Master' subset. The hands and footholds allow the climber to boulder freely at every difficulty and steepness. 


  • Symmetrical Design

The creators of the Grasshopper Board hold sets and boards intended for the setup to be symmetrical so that you can train your left and right sides equally and create mirror-image boulders. The Tension Board is another symmetrical training wall, but it lacks the versatility of the Grasshopper Board and uses a combination of wood and plastic holds rather than all plastic. 


The Grasshopper Board might be the most well-rounded and versatile board option. Compatible with hold sets from other training wall brands, it offers three hold subsets (Flow, Engage, and Master), leaving customers with options galore. Three mounting systems and wall sizes enable The Grasshopper Board to fit into almost any space, making it perfect for commercial gyms or home walls. Although you're more likely to come across a Kilter, Moon, or Tension Board at a climbing gym, give it a go if you can try out a Grasshopper Board! A training wall designed with the best US climbers in mind will surely provide a top-quality climbing and training experience! If you've climbed on a Grasshopper Board before, comment on your experience and thoughts below!

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