Tension Climbing makes wooden hang boards and holds for climbing, as well as climbing tape and a shoe spray – for the rubber not for the smell! We are doing an interview with Roy Quanstrom Global Sales and Marketing to learn more about this climbing small business.
Tell us more about some of the history of Tension Climbing. Who is behind it? How did it get started?
A few of us who work here actually went to college together. We fell in love with our little climbing gym, and discovered creative ways to train. Frequently there were ideas about how we could improve our space, and the tools we used, but we didn’t have the resources to follow through. It wasn't until Will and Ben connected with Gabe Adams that Tension became a reality. Gabe had the machinery and experience to bring the ideas to life and is a big part why Tension has been able to grow so quickly.
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You all make a variety of wooden hang boards and holds. Why wood?
There are many reasons for wood. One of the biggest things is sustainability. We also feel that using wood improves the climbing experience. Wood is friendlier on the skin, the texture lasts longer than plastic, and it looks nice too! |
The Flash with edge sizes
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The Grindstonee
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If I have a home wall, how will Tension holds make my wall even better?
The short answer is found in our name, Tension! If your holds have texture, they grab you back. That is to say, it’s easier to hang on them. The nice thing about wood is, it forces you to climb with more intention and aggressive precision.
[Ed. NOTE: Tension has several multi-piece hold sets all the way to a full-on Tension board set with variety of holds that can cover home-made boards of different sizes, with or without LED lights, and an accompanying app for training programs.]
The short answer is found in our name, Tension! If your holds have texture, they grab you back. That is to say, it’s easier to hang on them. The nice thing about wood is, it forces you to climb with more intention and aggressive precision.
[Ed. NOTE: Tension has several multi-piece hold sets all the way to a full-on Tension board set with variety of holds that can cover home-made boards of different sizes, with or without LED lights, and an accompanying app for training programs.]
The Tension Board with LED lights
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You also make climbing tape. What do climbers need to know about tape that we aren’t aware of?
No one likes to climb with tape, but if you have to we’ve got you covered. The Tension tape sticks better to the skin. I don’t even use super glue anymore to make sure my tape doesn’t slip while I’m climbing. What is the difference between your tape and the tape you get from the first aid section of Walgreens? Where some tape feels like it reduces sensitivity and connection to the rock, this tape doesn’t give up quite as much performance. The adhesive is also particularly sticky which reduces re-application and inspires a little more confidence on the wall. It comes in a .3”, .5”, and 1” widths which makes it easier to find the size you need and get back to climbing. Is this tape also good to make crack gloves? Our tape might be too sticky for reusable crack gloves. Although, taping knuckles for finger cracks would be a great use of our tape. |
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You have a shoe spray. I’ve never heard of such a thing. What is it and how will it help? Shoe spray is the thing I didn’t know I needed. It’s basically a deep cleaner for high performance rubber. Over time, rubber that is exposed to the air starts to harden and get slick. The compounds in the shoe spray deoxidize the rubber to bring back the original out-of-the-box tackiness. Cleaning and wiping down your shoes also helps prevent the polishing of holds by removing debris from the rubber surface. The Shoe Spray is especially popular in comp climbing where the pads get dirty from high traffic and friction is imperative. |
Interviewee Roy Quanstrom using the shoe spray
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Does everyone that works at Tension Climbing climb?
For the most part yes, but it’s not a prerequisite. Just by the nature of our business we tend to attract climbers to work for us.
COVID has hit many small businesses hard, but the pandemic has forced many climbers to train at home using hangboards and building their own climbing walls. How has things been for Tension Climbing?
We’ve definitely seen an increase in demand from home training folks and have been doing our best to keep production up to speed while following COVID guidelines, regulations, and restrictions. This has been a very stressful time for all small businesses and we’re grateful to our customers, employees, and community for all the support.
What has the Tension founders learned about owning and running a climbing-related business?
As the climbing industry has grown it’s given us the opportunity to speak to a more niche, progression-focused group in the climbing community and still be able to develop a business.
Do you have any specific goals or visions for Tension Climbing for the future?
Our goal is to stay true to our pursuit of climbing. We are always trying to improve and new ideas are never off the table.
Our goal is to stay true to our pursuit of climbing. We are always trying to improve and new ideas are never off the table.
What’s something our readers don’t know about Tension Climbing and should?
Some people think we’re a bigger company than we actually are. In reality we’re just a few friends doing the best we can. We finally got real desks for everyone after 4 years of operation so we’re pretty hyped about that.
Some people think we’re a bigger company than we actually are. In reality we’re just a few friends doing the best we can. We finally got real desks for everyone after 4 years of operation so we’re pretty hyped about that.