In January 2020, with gyms popping up everywhere and climbing's Olympic debut just months away, the sport had no rival in terms of rising popularity. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic put a damper on things, temporarily closing indoor climbing gyms and sending Americans flocking to outdoor recreation retailers to empty inventories of kayaks, bicycles, and practically every piece of gear needed for a socially distant outdoors experience. The hands-on, shared surfaces nature of rock climbing seemed a death sentence for the emerging activity (though a number of outdoor climbing spots have seen a surge of activity, indoor climbers account for 52% of the American climbing population).
Six months later, Colorado-based FrictionLabs is here to save the day with the world's first hygienic chalk.
