Best Hangboards for Beginners: Buyer's Guide
Buying your first hangboard should be exciting, not overwhelming. But with dozens of options at every price point, it is easy to overthink it. Do you need wood or resin? How many holds? What edge sizes? This guide breaks down the best beginner hangboards on the market, what to look for, what to avoid, and why certain features matter more than others when you are starting out.
Here is the short version: as a beginner, you need a board with large, comfortable holds to start on, smaller edges to grow into, and (this is the part most people miss) labeled edge depths so you can actually track your progress. That last feature is the difference between structured training and just hanging on random holds hoping something works.
Whether you are a new climber, training at home, or picking up a climbing fingerboard for beginners as your first piece of gear, these are the boards worth your money.
What Beginners Actually Need in a Hangboard
Not every feature matters equally when you are starting out. Here is what to prioritize:
Progressive Edge Depths
This is the most important feature. You need a board that grows with you. That means multiple edge sizes, from comfortable jugs (35-45mm) through large edges (25-35mm) down to standard training edges (18-22mm) and eventually small edges (10-15mm). The progression is the training. Starting on big holds and working your way down to smaller ones over weeks and months is how you build finger strength.
A board with only one or two edge sizes limits your progression or forces you to buy another board within months.
Comfortable Hold Shapes
Beginner-friendly holds have rounded, ergonomic edges that do not bite into your skin. Aggressive, sharp edges are unnecessary and uncomfortable for high-volume training. You want holds that feel good under your fingers so you can train consistently without shredding your skin.
Solid Mounting
Your board needs to be secure. Most hangboards mount directly above a doorframe with screws into a stud or a mounting board. Some work with pull-up bar adapters for renters. Either way, it should not flex or shift under load. Our mounting guide covers every option.
Reasonable Size
A board that is too small limits your hold options. A board that is massive takes up wall space without adding much training value. For most home setups, a board around 50-60cm wide works well.
Top Picks: Best Hangboards for Beginners
The labeled edges are a game-changer.
The Hangboard is a beech wood fingerboard with edge depths from 40mm down to 10mm, and every single edge is labeled with its depth in millimeters. That sounds like a small detail until you start training and realize you need to know exactly what edge you are hanging on to track progress, follow training protocols, and know when to move to the next size.
Most hangboards do not label their edges. You are left guessing, measuring with a ruler, or consulting online forums to figure out what you are training on. The Hangboard solves that completely.
- Every edge labeled with millimeter depth
- Beech wood: skin-friendly, durable, comfortable
- Six edge depths covering years of progression
- Clean, functional design
- No pockets
- No pinches
Structured training with precise progress tracking. Climbers following protocols like Abrahangs or MaxHangs who need to know exactly which edge they are on.
Best budget option with variety.
The Simulator 3D is one of Metolius's most popular boards, and for good reason. It has a huge variety of holds: edges, pockets, slopers, pinches, and jugs. The 3D shaping adds texture and ergonomic contouring that feels more natural than flat-profiled boards.
- Excellent hold variety at a mid-range price
- Great pocket selection for two- and three-finger training
- 3D ergonomic shaping
- Includes mounting hardware and training guide
- Edges not labeled with millimeter depths
- Resin texture rougher on skin than wood
Climbers who want the most hold variety for the money. Great if you want to train pockets and slopers alongside edges.
Most hold variety in the Metolius lineup.
The Contact is Metolius's most comprehensive training board. It has 11 pockets, 4 central edges, top-mounted jugs, rounded slopers, flat slopers, and variable-width pinches. If hold variety is your top priority, the Contact delivers.
- Massive number of holds (edges, pockets, slopers, pinches, jugs)
- You will never outgrow the training options
- CNC-machined mold for symmetry
- Includes mounting hardware and training guide
- Edges not labeled with millimeter depths
- Large board (~82cm wide), may be tight for some setups
- Resin rougher on skin than wood
Climbers who want every grip type on a single board. Great for training pockets, pinches, and slopers in addition to edges.
Premium wood board with a strong reputation.
The Beastmaker 1000 is probably the most recognized hangboard in climbing. It is a beautiful piece of tulipwood with ergonomically designed holds. The "1000" is their beginner-friendly model (the 2000 is the advanced version with smaller edges).
- Gorgeous tulipwood, excellent ergonomics
- Holds feel great under your fingers
- Companion app with guided workouts
- Strong community and brand reputation
- Edges not labeled with millimeter depths
- Higher shipping costs for US buyers
- No pinches or slopers
- US availability limited in recent years
Climbers who value premium wood quality and a beautiful board. The companion app is helpful for guided training.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | The Hangboard | Simulator 3D | Contact | Beastmaker 1000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $89.99 | ~$70 | ~$90 | ~$138+ |
| Material | Beech wood | Resin | Resin | Tulipwood |
| Labeled edges | Yes | No | No | No |
| Edge range | 40-10mm | Various | Various | Various |
| Pockets | No | Yes | Yes (11) | Yes |
| Slopers/pinches | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Best for | Structured training | Hold variety | Maximum variety | Premium wood feel |
Why Labeled Edges Matter
This is the single feature that separates good training from guessing, and most hangboard brands do not offer it.
Training Programs Need Specific Edges
Every serious hangboard training protocol specifies edge depths. Eva Lopez's MaxHangs research uses specific edges for testing and progression. The Abrahangs protocol starts on a comfortable edge and tracks improvement on specific depths. When someone says "hang 20mm for 5 sets of 10 seconds," you need to know which edge on your board is 20mm.
Without labels, you are left measuring edges with a ruler (tedious and imprecise), searching online for "what are the edge depths on [brand] [model]" (frustrating and often contradictory), or just guessing (not training).
Progress Tracking Becomes Effortless
Your training log should read: "Week 6: 4x10s on 22mm, half crimp. Moving to 20mm next week." Not: "Week 6: 4x10s on the second edge from the bottom. I think it is around 20mm?"
Labeled edges turn your hangboard into a calibrated training instrument. You know exactly where you are, exactly where you have been, and exactly what the next step looks like. Over months of training, that precision compounds into measurably better results.
It is Standard in Every Other Training Tool
Dumbbells are labeled with weight. Barbells have markings. Resistance bands come with tension ratings. But somehow, most hangboards ship with unlabeled edges and expect you to figure it out. The Hangboard labels every edge because that is obviously how a training tool should work.
Wood vs. Resin: Which Is Better for Beginners?
Wood (Beech, Tulipwood, Birch)
Gentler on skin, especially during frequent training. Natural texture that provides grip without excessive friction. Tends to feel warmer and more comfortable in cold conditions. Requires occasional light sanding to maintain texture. More expensive per board on average.
Resin (Polyester, Polyurethane)
Typically more affordable. Can be molded into complex shapes (pockets, slopers, pinches). Consistent texture that does not change over time. Can be rougher on skin during high-volume sessions. More hold variety possible in a single board.
The Verdict
For beginners focused on edge training and progressive finger strength, wood is the better material. For a deeper look at why climbers love wood boards, see our wooden hangboards guide. Wood is kinder to your skin during the frequent sessions that build real strength, and the comfort matters more than you would think when you are training 2-3 times a week. If hold variety (pockets, slopers, pinches) is a priority, resin boards offer more options in a single board.
What to Avoid
Boards With Only Jugs
A hangboard with just jugs and one edge size will last you a few weeks before you outgrow it. You need progressive edge depths to keep training effectively for months and years.
Ultra-Small Edges With No Progression
Some boards skip straight to aggressive, small edges with no comfortable holds to start on. As a beginner, you need big holds first. The board should have a clear path from easy to hard.
Portable Boards as Your Only Board
Portable hangboards are great for travel, but they typically have limited hold variety and are not designed for daily home training. If you are buying one board for home, get a full-sized one with proper edge progression.
Overpaying for Features You Won't Use
A $200+ board with 30 different holds sounds impressive, but most of your training time will be spent on 3-4 edge sizes and jugs. You do not need a board that looks like a climbing wall. You need a board that lets you hang progressively smaller edges with good tracking.
Ignoring Mounting
The fanciest board in the world is useless if you cannot mount it safely. Before buying, figure out your mounting situation. Screws into studs? A pull-up bar adapter? A dedicated mounting board? Check the manufacturer's mounting recommendations and make sure they work for your space.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Hangboard at $89.99. The combination of labeled edges, beech wood construction, and progressive sizing from 40mm to 10mm makes it the easiest board to train on with a structured program. You will know exactly what you are hanging on from day one, which matters more than any other feature when you are building a training habit. If budget is tight, the Metolius Simulator 3D around $70 is a solid alternative with more hold variety but unlabeled edges. Once you have a board, our beginner hangboard workout gives you a complete 8-week program to follow.
$60-$100 covers all the best beginner options. Below $40, you are usually getting a board with limited progression that you will outgrow quickly. Above $120, you are paying for premium materials or brand prestige, which is nice but not necessary. The sweet spot for the best beginner hangboard is right in that $60-100 range.
It matters more than most people expect. Wood boards (beech, tulipwood) are notably more comfortable on your skin during frequent training. If you are training 2-3 times a week and doing 4-5 sets per session, your fingertips will appreciate the smoother, gentler texture. Resin boards offer more hold variety but can feel abrasive during high-volume work.
Yes. Pull-up bar adapters let you mount a hangboard over a doorframe without any drilling. Our hangboard mounting guide walks through every option. Freestanding pull-up stations work too. The board will not be quite as rigid as a wall-mounted setup, but it is absolutely functional for training. Many rental-friendly climbers train this way.
At minimum, you want 4-5 distinct edge depths: a jug (35-45mm), a large edge (25-35mm), a standard edge (18-22mm), a small edge (14-16mm), and ideally something below 14mm for long-term progression. That gives you a clear training path from beginner to intermediate and beyond. The Hangboard covers this with edges from 40mm all the way down to 10mm.
Edges are the foundation of hangboard training. Pockets and slopers are nice additions but not essential, especially starting out. If you do most of your training on edges (which you will), a clean board with well-designed progressive edges is more useful than a board packed with holds you will rarely use. That said, if you climb on pocket-heavy routes and want to train pockets specifically, the Metolius boards offer excellent pocket variety. For a primer on getting started with any board, see Hangboarding 101.
Ready to pick your first board?
Six labeled edges. 40mm to 10mm. Beech wood. Built for beginners and built to last.
Shop The HangboardReady to start training?
6 edge depths from 40mm to 10mm. European beech wood. One board that grows with your climbing.