The Moonboard, a tool that has become a symbol of climbing prowess, was born as a tribute to the School Room. Established in the 1990s, the School Room was the crucible of intense training for some of Britain’s most formidable climbers. Malcolm Smith, Stuart Cameron, Jerry Mofat, and Ben Moon, who later became the creators of the Moonboard, were regulars in this hallowed space.
The wooden boards in the School Room were the training tools for these climbers to push their limits. Problems varied to V13 and went unrepeated for many years. Then, Ben Moon expanded on the wooden training boards, creating the Moonboard.
The Moonboard stands out with its unique features. It features a 25° or 40° overhung wall, a set of holds specifically designed for training, and LED lights that connect to a smartphone app. This innovative concept revolutionized board climbing, allowing users to log their sends wherever a Moonboard is located.
What Options Are Available for the Moonboard?
The Moonboard offers versatility in its construction. It can be built at 25° or 40 °, providing different climbing experiences depending on your gym’s option or your preference for a home wall.
The 40° Moonboard has four hold sets with thousands of route options.
- 2016 layout – 72,000+ problems
- 2017 layout – 50,000+ problems
- 2019 layout – 6,000+ problems
- 2024 layout – 1,050+ problems
The 25° Moonboard has the same number of hold set options, yet there aren’t as many problems integrated into the board’s app as the 40° option.
- 2016 layout – 72,000+ problems
- 2017 layout – 13,000+ problems
- 2019 layout – 6,000+ problems
- 2024 layout – 320+ problems
The Mini Moonboard offers the same famous board climbing for those with limited space, without the top six rows. There are over 5,500 specific problems for the Mini Moonboard!
How to use a Moonboard
Using a Moonboard is quite simple. First, download the smartphone app and determine what hold setup you’re climbing on. Then, change the layout in the settings and sync to the board using Bluetooth.
Once synced, browse through the thousands of problems and filter by the grade you’re looking for. You can set a range of grades you want to climb, say V3-V5, or search for a single specific grade.
The Moonboard allows you to filter by the most recent, most repeated, least repeated, unrepeated, highest rated, and oldest problems. Once you’ve climbed a problem, you can log it in the app in your logbook. The next time you climb, you can also add a filter to exclude your repeats so you only see new problems.
Once you select a problem on the board, the LEDs light up and display it. Green is the start hold(s), blue is the subsequent holds, and red is the finish hold(s). You climb the hold above the LED, not the hold below it!
When using the Moonboard, the kickboard is always on for feet. But once you leave the ground, the only place you can put your hands or feet is where the LED holds are. i.e., feet follow hands.
Why Use a Moonboard?
The Moonboard is designed to take your climbing to the next level. You can train 4x4s, climb laps, and try projects created worldwide. With the standardized hold sets, the Moonboard is designed to be the same anywhere in the world.
You can even get into the brain of a route setter by creating your board problems in the app. Setting intentional moves is more challenging than you realize! Doesn’t everybody look for little beta breaks?
With a worldwide database of thousands of problems, it would take years to climb everything. Plus, more problems are always being added, so you could spend a lifetime climbing on just a Moonboard.
What Are You Waiting For?
Exploring the Moonboard at your gym opens the door to a unique community within the climbing world. Board climbing has dedicated enthusiasts, including boulderers, sport climbers, and trad climbers. Join this global community and experience the thrill of the Moonboard.
Just be respectful if you’re climbing with others on the Moonboard and take turns trying each other’s selected climbs. Who knows, you may convert to a board climber!
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