Hacker News Reader

Comment by hartror | Hacker News Reader

It gives me sweaty palms too. I wonder why that particular physical reaction happens, surely sweaty palms is the opposite of what you want?

View on HN

Probably a byproduct of generalized "increase sweat output b/c you might have to run / fight in the near future" response.

If I recall fun trivia from my childhood correctly, slightly damp skin has better grip. Obviously drippy hands won't work, but it makes some sense in the context of cartoons showing the character spittin on their hands before putting their back into something (like an axe whose head inevitably flys off the handle (which was expected to have better grip now)).

I doubt this. Rock climbers carry powdered chalk to constantly dry their hands. It's my own experience that dry hands grip better, as well.

Note, we like other apes evolved to climb trees not rock walls.

I will note also that compared to climbing rocks, climbing trees with slightly sweaty hands is MUCH easier than with dry or chalked hands. I think its due to bark being the grip target versus rocks.

Nothing more than my experience but sending a cliff is nothing like climbing trees.

Eh, if you can wrap your fingers around something like a branch, then it probably doesn't matter. I find that for that first ten feet of bare trunk, however, dry hands are better.

Just noting climbing a tree is infinitely different than sending a 5.10b route.

The strategy involved in the two is night and day. One focuses on fingertips not slipping and the other involves not losing grip.

Actually there's a moisture level that is ideal for climbing on rock. Chalk just helps climbers stay near that ideal level.

In fact there's a high level climber who's sweat glands do not work and to compensate he has to bring a water mister around with him so that he can climb.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com