How to Use a Kilter Board

The Kilter Board in the perfect training tool for building strength, power, and technique. It’s also a total blast – proper Type 1 fun climbing. While the MoonBoard’s fingery holds are better suited to advanced climbers, the Kilter Board, with its adjustable angle and comfy holds, is suitable for just about anyone.

If you’ve never used a Kilter Board before, this article is for you. Jumping on a new LED board for the first time can be intimidating, especially if there are a bunch of super strong climbers on the board. This short article will help you get up to speed with how to use a Kilter Board – getting set up, some climbing rules, and a few points on etiquette.

The Kilter is a truly amazing board. The holds have built-in LED lights so that you can easily tell which ones are yours to use. The wall is adjustable in angle, meaning that if a problem is too difficult, the angle can be adjusted back 5 or 10 degrees to have success. As you master a problem, you can try it at a steeper angle to progress your climbing. The Kilter contains a variety of grip types – crimps, edges, slopers, pinches, jugs – all designed to be ergonomic to the fingers and friendly to the skin.

Getting Set Up

To control the Kilter Board, you need to use your phone. The first step is downloading the Kilter Board app. With Bluetooth enabled, follow your gym’s instructions for connecting your phone to the board.

In the app, choose the angle that the board is currently at, which can typically range from 0 to 70 degrees. Next, you can search for problems based on the grade you’d like to climb. You can set minimum and maximum grades to narrow your search. You can also filter in or out problems you’ve previously sent, attempted, or not attempted. For each problem, the app shows you how many others have sent it, a star rating, and a link to Instagram videos for beta.

Once you’ve found the problem you want to try – and it’s your turn to climb (more on this later) – select the problem in the app and then tap the lightbulb icon to connect your device to the board. The problem will then light up on the board. If you send the problem, you can log your ascent by clicking the checkmark icon. You can enter in how many attempts it took you and give it a star and difficulty rating.

The Rules

What are the rules of the Kilter Board? The starting holds are lit up green. If there are two green holds, start with one hand on each. If there is only one green hold, start matched on it. Finish holds are purple. To send a problem, you must finish with both hands matched on the purple hold.

In between the green start holds and purple finishing hold there will be yellow and blue holds smattered about the board. The yellow holds are for your feet only. Do not grab them with your hands. The blue holds can be used by your hands and feet. As you climb a problem, do you best not to dab any unlit holds on the board. This can be tricky, especially when you swing out and back in after cutting feet during a dynamic move.

Board Angle & Etiquette

Kilter Boards are super fun, and because of this, they can get extremely busy. The angle of the board is usually chosen through group consensus. If the angle is too steep or too vert for your liking and there is no one else at the board, ask a gym staff member to change the angle for you. If there are other climbers already using the board, inquire with them (politely) if they’d be open to an angle change. The angle is typically chosen by whoever got there first, or more often group consensus. Be open to trying different angles, as this will work your weaknesses. Some holds that felt comfy at 30 degrees may feel impossible at 40 degrees.

Following some general rules of etiquette makes Kilter Boarding more fun for everyone:

• Stay off the matts and out of the fall zone when you’re not climbing.
• Don’t put your chalk bag, shoes, water bottle or any other personal item under the Kilter where someone could fall or trip on it.
• Wait your turn an don’t cut in line – a natural rhythm will develop. If you’re unsure if it’s your turn, ask the other climbers if you can give your problem a go.
• Never light up your problem while someone else is climbing theirs.
• Don’t give beta or tell someone how they should climb unless they ask.
• And as always, brush the holds.