First Look: Secret Stuff Hygienic Liquid Chalk
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Quantity: 75mL
Tech: 80% ethanol composition – comparable to hand sanitizer
Secret Stuff Hygienic is a new liquid chalk from FrictionLabs, a variation on their classic Secret Stuff. This new version is revamped to be, well, “hygienic,” with a concentration of 80% ethanol. This means that it essentially doubles as hand sanitizer.
[Also Read: FrictionLabs Alcohol Free Secret Stuff]
This 80% alcohol concentration is even more than the 60% recommended by the WHO, CDC, and FDA for alcohol-based hand sanitizers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Independent laboratory testing has shown that Secret Stuff Hygienic may actually outperform hand sanitizer when it comes to killing the coronavirus.
Secret Stuff Hygienic is pretty impressive, and not just because of the hygiene factor. It’s good performance chalk, too. The inclusion of 80% ethanol has no negative impact on performance. This chalk applies evenly and smoothly. Based on my experience, there’s even a slight improvement in terms of how long it stays on compared to the traditional liquid Secret Stuff. As with all liquid chalk, it’s also much less messy than loose chalk.
One of the other boons is that FrictionLabs has pledged to donate 10% of the proceeds from all sales of Secret Stuff Hygienic to organizations working to support racial equality, such as the NAACP.
All told, in the age of COVID-19, Secret Stuff Hygienic is a stellar product for those looking to get back into indoor climbing safely. Not only will this hand sanitizer chalk help to keep you safe, but it may also help to protect others from any germs that could be on your hands, too.
Gym Climber vigorously tests all gear it reviews for either 50 days or 50 pitches. This is a time-consuming process and limits the amount of new equipment we can present to our readers. Every year hundreds of new products hit store shelves, and most of these aren’t reviewed due to our stringent selection and review process. To better keep you more up to date on what is new, we present First Look. Gear in First Look has not always been field tested, but is gear we think you’d like to know about as soon as it is available. Some of the gear will be reviewed using our 50 days/50 pitches criteria, in future print and online editions of Gym Climber. We have opted to use affiliate links in our gear reviews. Every time you buy something after clicking on links in our gear articles you’re helping support our magazine.
Owen Clarke is a freelance writer currently based in Puerto Rico. He is a columnist for Rock & Ice, Gym Climber and The Outdoor Journal. He also writes for Friction Labs and BAÏST Gloves. In addition to climbing, he enjoys motorcycles, anime, and power metal.
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Can Liquid Chalk Protect Climbers From Coronavirus as Gyms Begin to Reopen?