Home-Wall Hold Kits

Atomik Climbing, $99, 40 holds
Overall grade: B+
Atomik is a relative newcomer to the hold-making scene, but it betrays no inexperience. Their kit features a variety of resin holds from mid-size jugs to small sandstone-like edges and knobs. Particular standouts in the set were the granite-style holds, which have a variable texture: regular surface around most of the hold and then a chunkier, but still skin-friendly, gripping area that afforded many pulling options depending on orientation. Atomik’s available hold colors vary, but we liked the black-and-gray holds we received for setting subtle, hard-to-read sequences. Creativity and variety of the kit were average. The kit included abundant bolts, T-nuts, and a wrench. For those of a screw-on bent, Atomik also offers a screw-on-only 50-hold polyurethane kit.
Atomik Climbing Holds: (801) 404-0280, www.atomikclimbingholds.com

Cheap Holds, $95, 40 holds
Overall grade: B+
Don’t mistake Cheap Holds’ name as a statement of quality. While these grips are inexpensive, they’re good. The set includes a selection of Cheap Holds’ overall line from mid-size jugs to screw-ons. Of special note were the included dual-texture holds, primarily pockety in nature, which offered an intriguing challenge, especially when set on accuracy-dependent, reachy deadpoints. Brilliant colors abound in this set, perfect for playing add-on and encouraging remarks such as, “Dude, slap for the hot-pink dish.” The set included bolts, screws, T-nuts, and two wrenches.
Cheap Holds: (989) 779-1792, www.cheapholds.com

e-Grips, $230, 42 holds
Overall grade: B+
The polyurethane, flowstone-like e-Grips were among the most beautifully sculpted holds in the review. The level of detail carved into each grip was amazing; small dimples, ripples, and micro-features abounded, which made for many creative setting opportunities. The kit includes equal parts of three basic styles: edges, pockets, and swirling knobs. We were somewhat disappointed in the pockets. Some were very useful, but others were too abstract; splayed-out tri-mono-pockets just don’t cry out to be trained on. The set includes bolts, T-nuts, and wrenches.
e-Grips: (800) 860-3653, www.e-grips.com

EntrePrises, $147, 41 holds
Overall grade: B+
EntrePrises created the artificial-grip market and they’re still one of the dominant players. Their all-resin kit draws a wide variety of shapes from their extensive line, providing a plethora of bolt-on and screw-on pockets, edges, slopers, and pinches. We really liked this colorful set for its challenging slopers and subtly sculpted, sandstone-like features. What we didn’t care for were the smaller, first-knuckle pockets and edges, which often pressed right into our already overstressed tendons. The shapes were challenging and highly useful, to be sure, but pain often led us to ignore some of the shapes when it came time to set new problems. The kit includes bolts, T-nuts, and a wrench.
EntrePrises: (800) 580-5463, www.epusa.com

ETCH, $99, 37 holds
Overall grade: B+
What better place to conduct market research than your own gym? ETCH’s resin holds were developed in parent company Earth Trek’s Maryland gyms. The results are holds that are relatively simple in design yet offer a multitude of route-setting options. ETCH’s home starter kit draws from their lines of angular, multi-edged grips, bubbly Fontainebleau-esque slopers and jugs, and smoothly curved, gym-standard scoops. The holds were great for quickly setting problems, as the shapes are easy to figure out, but sometimes we found ourselves wishing that the holds offered more creative gripping options. The kit includes bolts, but no T-nuts.
ETCH: (800) 254-6287, www.earthtreksclimbing.com