Good Chalk Etiquette Part 4: What Indirock is doing to reduce chalk dust

For the first three parts of our Good Chalk Etiquette series, we’ve focused on the small things we can all do as climbers to reduce chalk dust. For Part 4, we wanted to share what we’re doing behind the scenes at IndiRock.

With lots of climbers using chalk every day, some chalk dust is inevitable. That’s why, alongside encouraging good chalk etiquette, we have several measures in place to help manage chalk dust and reduce how much builds up around the centre.

Powerful ventilation, around the clock

Our ventilation system runs continuously, helping to keep air moving through the centre and reduce the build-up of airborne chalk dust.

StaticAir units

We also use StaticAir units, which are designed to capture fine airborne particles. These work alongside our ventilation system as another way of helping us manage chalk dust around the climbing space.

Getting chalk out of the mats

A lot of chalk eventually settles into the mats. As people walk, climb and land, some of that settled dust can be disturbed and become airborne again.

That’s why we’ve invested in a New Chalk Technologies vibrating chalk extractor vacuum. It’s specifically designed to extract chalk that has worked its way into the mats, helping us tackle the dust that regular surface cleaning might not reach.

Monthly overhead dust clearance

Chalk can also settle in less obvious places, including beams, fixtures and other areas above the climbing space. We’ve introduced monthly overhead dust clearance to regularly tackle this build-up and keep accumulated chalk dust under control.

Cleaner air is a team effort

There’s no single solution to chalk dust in a climbing gym, so we’re tackling it from several angles, ventilation, StaticAir units, chalk extraction from the mats and regular overhead cleaning.

Alongside better chalk habits from all of us, these measures help us keep chalk dust under control and make IndiRock a more comfortable place to climb.

So keep climbing, keep brushing, and help us keep the chalk where we need it, on our hands and holds, rather than floating around the gym!