Outdoors & Fitness · Head-to-head
Friction Labs Loose Chalk vs Spider Chalk Super Performance Powder Chalk
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Gym Chalk: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
Friction Labs is the only maker here that sells chalk by texture rather than by weight, with three named grinds and three sizes so you can find yours without buying a pound of the wrong thing. Spider Chalk gives you a comparable product in one large resealable bag for far less per ounce.
Friction Labs Loose Chalk
Buy itThree named grinds in three sizes, so you can find the texture you actually like.
- Three distinct blends sold by texture rather than weight: Unicorn Dust as powder with chunks, Gorilla Grip as chunky and Bam Bam as super chunky.
- Three sizes at 2.5, 6 and 12 ounces, so a small box is a cheap way to test a blend before committing to a large one, with a bundle of all three offered at a discount.
- Made in Colorado, in fully recyclable packaging that Friction Labs says should leave nothing for landfill.
- It is by a wide margin the most expensive chalk here per ounce.
- No magnesium carbonate purity figure or composition is published.
- Blend names describe texture in words rather than in particle size, so the only way to compare them is to buy them.
Spider Chalk Super Performance Powder Chalk
Buy itTen ounces of US-made lab-grade magnesium carbonate, in your choice of two grinds.
- Lab-made pure magnesium carbonate in an ultra-refined grind, which Spider Chalk says is why it lasts longer and stays dry through a sweaty session.
- A 10 ounce extra-large resealable zip-lock bag, which is real volume rather than the small bags the climbing market usually sells.
- A choice of two textures, Chunky with dense block pieces mixed through powder or Powder as a fine consistent grind, and Spider Chalk states it manufactures in the USA rather than relabelling imports.
- Lab-grade and ultra-refined are descriptions rather than measurements, and no purity percentage is published.
- One size only, at 10 ounces, with no small trial option.
- No particle size figure is given for either texture.
Side by side
| Friction Labs Loose Chalk | Spider Chalk Super Performance Powder Chalk | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Climbers and lifters who care how chalk feels and want to choose a grind deliberately. | Anyone who already knows they want loose chalk and would rather buy it by the bag. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $$ · mid-range |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Friction Labs Loose Chalk - Three named grinds in three sizes, so you can find the texture you actually like. Choose the Spider Chalk Super Performance Powder Chalk instead if anyone who already knows they want loose chalk and would rather buy it by the bag.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Gym Chalk: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).