Using Your MoonBoard FAQs

• All problems start two handed. If there is only one start hold you must start with matched hands.
• All problems start with both hands on the designated start hold or holds and finish on the designated finish hold or holds.
• The rules for which footholds are allowed are indicated in the problem details in the MoonBoard App.
• Depending on which hold setup you have chosen there are up to 5 possible options.

1. Feet follow hands
2. Feet follow hands + Screw-on footholds
3. Screw-ons only
4. Footless + kick-board footholds
5. Footless (no kick board).

• All kickboard footholds are allowed.
• All kick-board footholds are placed slopey side facing up.
• All problems finish on the top row of the MoonBoard either matched if there is only one finish hold or on separate holds if there are two finish holds. You must hold the finishing hold or holds in control for 2 seconds.
• You are permitted to use any part of the numbered hold.
• Matching and heel hooking is permitted.
• The grading system is either Font or V grades. You can change this in the MoonBoard App settings.

A hold set is a pack of around 50 holds of the same type and colour. We offer a range of different hold sets, some made of wood, some made of polyurethane (PU) and our 2024 set are all polyester (PE). A number of hold sets together, and placed on your MoonBoard to the exact specification, is known as a setup.

A setup is a collection of hold sets, set at a specified location and orientation on the MoonBoard. There are currently five setups, the 2016, the 2017, the 2019, the 2020 - Mini Moonboard, the 2024 and the 2025 - Mini Moonboard. The 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2024 setups can be installed on a choice of either the 25´ or the more challenging 40´ board angle, so in practice there are ten MoonBoard setups. Select and buy the setup that you want for your MoonBoard. Once installed, select your setup on your app and browse through 1000s of problems, including the benchmarks for your setup.

MoonBoard Benchmark problems have been curated by a small group of MoonBoard moderators. They are generally considered to be high quality problems and a good "benchmark” for the grade. Additionally, they are used to establish a users MoonBoard ranking. For a comprehensive understanding of the ranking process, please refer to the ranking section available in the MoonBoard App.

Grades range from 5+/V2 to 8b+/V14 depending on which set up you choose. Download the app, select the various different setups and have a look at the range of problems and grades to see what’s right for you.

A DIY Kit and Freestanding MoonBoard is available for each setup. You can choose which angle to have for your 2016, 2017, 2019 or 2024 setup. (The 2020 and 2025 Mini Moonboard setups are both 40° only.)

Selecting a setup for your MoonBoard is a matter of personal preference. Each setup has been designed to make you stronger, but all users have different opinions as to which is their favourite. We highly recommend downloading the MoonBoard app and experimenting with the different setups to get a first-hand experience of their unique characteristics.

Check the hold sets you need for the setup you want, a you may need to buy different or additional hold sets if you want to change setup. Some setups share hold sets (although the same holds will be in a different location in a different setup). For example, the 2016 setup features Original, School Set A and School Set B holds. The 2019 setup features those same holds (in a different location) plus the Wood Sets A, B and C. For this reason, the 2016 setup is a popular setup to start with, as you can add the wood holds at a later stage to give you the 2019 setup.

The Freestanding MoonBoard is built on a steel frame that can be configured to either the 25-degree or 40-degree angles during its setup. It is also self-supporting which means that you do not have to construct any other supporting elements for the frame, unlike the traditional DIY MoonBoard Kit. The Freestanding MoonBoard includes all panels, holds and components required to provide a fully-functioning MoonBoard training system.

The DIY Kit requires basic carpentry skills. The kit includes all panels, holds, hold fixings and LED System component. It does not include any of the materials required to construct the supporting frame for the wall. Since every space is unique in design, your DIY MoonBoard may have different support requirements to other MoonBoards. For this reason, we do not provide any instructions or templates on how to build a MoonBoard frame. If you are unsure what the requirements for your space are, please seek professional advice from an experienced carpenter or climbing wall builder. Alternatively, you may wish to consider purchasing the Freestanding MoonBoard, which does not require any additional construction other than the assembly of its MoonBoard parts.

Make sure your LEDs are not taped down too tightly, otherwise you may damage them. It’s also important that the LEDs are flush with the front of the climbing wall where they cannot be stepped on, hit or damaged in any other way, so make sure that they are not being pushed out. When working on the back of the wall, take care that they are not stepped on. We don't recommend that more than two LEDs are replaced in the strings as this will compromise the functionality of the kit by causing too much resistance in the system. For this reason, we don't sell spares.

We wouldn’t expect your holds to need cleaning. However, if you do need to clean them, do not soak them in water for an extended length of time. For your wood holds we would recommend alcohol, or a brush with mild soapy water (not immersion in water) and quick, thorough drying. For the PU and PE School Holds, we recommend jet-washing them if you have one, or just washing them by hand in warm soapy water.