Second-hand climbing holds in the UK

Used holds turn up all the time. Gyms reset and sell off old stock, people move house and break up a home wall, and marketplace listings offer a crate of plastic for less than a new starter set. Some of those crates are a good start to a wall. Some are a box of the wrong thread.

This page is a checklist. It does not quote prices or tell you what a fair deal is, because we have not surveyed the market and listings change by the hour. It is about what to look at before money changes hands.

Bolt and thread size first

The thread is the specification. A home wall built on a standard grid takes a bolt that matches its T-nuts. For a UK adult wall, and for Moon's metric kits, that is M10, as set out in the climbing holds guide. The T-nut is chosen once, when the grid goes in, and covered in the T-nut grid guide.

A second-hand set can be wrong in several ways:

• A different thread entirely. Holds made for children's play frames often use smaller bolts. Some older or imported holds use an imperial thread. Neither will go into an M10 nut.
• No bolts at all. Many used holds come without bolts. That is fine if you budget for a correct set, and annoying if you assumed they were included.
• Mixed bolts. A tub of bolts from a gym reset will include lengths that suit holds you did not buy. The volumes, chalk and bolts note explains why "nearly the right length" is the hold that spins.
• Screw-on only. Small footholds and some volumes are fixed with wood screws, not a bolt. That is not a problem, but it changes what you need and where they can go.

Ask the seller what thread the holds take. If they do not know, ask for a photo of a bolt beside a ruler, or of the bolt hole with a known bolt in it. If the answer is still a shrug, assume they may not fit.

Washers and the bolt pocket

A climbing hold has a recessed pocket for the bolt head, often with a washer that spreads the clamping force. Used holds frequently lose their washers. A bolt head sitting directly on the plastic can crack it, or sit too high and leave a metal edge under your fingers.

Check each hold's pocket. If washers are missing, the hold maker or a climbing shop may sell suitable replacements. Match the washer to the pocket and the bolt, not to whatever is in the drawer.

Worn texture

Polyurethane holds have a texture that gives friction. Years of use, especially in a busy gym, polish the most-used surfaces. A jug that is polished is still a jug. An edge or a sloper that is polished is a different, harder hold, and sometimes a useless one.

Look at the holds in good light. Run your hand over the main gripping surface. A glassy feel on the top of an edge, compared with the rough sides, means wear. Chalk build-up can also look like wear, so ask whether the holds have been cleaned. The cleaning and rotating guide covers what washing can and cannot recover.

Cracks and damage

A crack in a hold is a reason not to use it. Look closely around the bolt hole, at thin edges and at the back face where the hold sits on the wall. A hairline crack can open under load. Do not try to repair a cracked hold and put it back on the wall.

Also check:

• The back face. It should sit flat. A warped or chipped back will rock on the panel and loosen the bolt.
• Set-screw holes. Many holds have a second hole for a small screw that stops them spinning. Check it is not split.
• The material. A climbing hold made by a climbing brand is usually polyurethane or a resin. A lump of hard, shiny plastic from a toy set is a different object.

Volumes and big shapes

Used volumes can be good value and can also be hard to fit. Each one has a hole pattern and needs T-nuts, or timber for screws, where its fixings fall. A big shape bolted across a sheet joint needs support behind the joint. If the volume is from a gym, it may have been designed around a different wall system. Check the fixing pattern before you carry it home.

Hygiene

Holds from a gym or someone else's wall have been handled by a lot of people. Wash them before they go on your wall. Warm water and a brush do most of the work. The cleaning guide sets out a routine without naming products.

Questions to ask the seller

1. What thread do they take, and are bolts included?
2. Are the washers all present?
3. Have any been cracked, repaired or dropped onto concrete?
4. Where were they used, and for how long?
5. Can you see them before you pay?

A seller who answers all five clearly is easier to deal with than one who sends a single photo of a crate.

When to walk away

Walk away when the thread is wrong for your grid and you have no plan to change the grid. Walk away from cracked holds at any price. Think twice about a crate that is all tiny crimps, because a home wall needs comfortable holds before hard ones. A cheap set you cannot climb on is not cheap.

Before buying anything, check that the plywood and grid plan in the materials guide fits the holds you are looking at. It is easier to choose holds for a wall than to build a wall around a crate.

FAQs

Are second-hand climbing holds safe to use?

We cannot assess a hold we have not seen. Do not use cracked holds, check the bolt and washer, and make sure the thread matches your T-nuts. If in doubt about a hold, leave it off the wall.

Will gym holds fit my home wall?

Often, if the gym used M10 bolts and your grid uses M10 T-nuts. Check rather than assume, because some holds use a different thread and many come without bolts.

Can I restore worn texture on old holds?

Cleaning removes chalk and rubber, which can make a hold feel better. It does not restore polyurethane that has worn smooth. Treat a polished hold as a harder hold, or retire it.