What is the Tension Board?
The Tension Board is a popular indoor climbing training board designed to help climbers build strength, improve technique, and target weaknesses.
Tension Boards integrate with the Tension Board App, where climbers can:
- Browse a large library of preset climbing problems
- Create custom routes
- Track sessions and progress over time
- Identify and target specific weaknesses on the wall
- Climb on a wide variety of grip textures
The original Tension Board 1 features all-wood climbing holds, while the Tension Board 2 includes a mix of wood holds and dual-texture polyurethane holds for added variety and grip challenges. If your gym has the Tension Board 2 it may be set up either with the spray wall-style layout or with the mirrored layout, giving climbers different ways to train and track progress.
Board setups vary by location, including whether the wall is at a fixed angle or adjustable incline, which impacts difficulty and training style. For the most accurate details, contact your local gym to see which Tension Board setup they offer.
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
For grading, expect board climbs to feel harder than gym grades: add roughly one grade (for example, a V1 on the board may feel closer to a V2 in the gym).