This board was designed by Tony Yaniro, one of the god-fathers of climbing-specific training who was on climbing's cutting edge in the late 1970s through the 1990s. He was one of the first Americans to climb 5.14 and had many notable ascents, including Grand Illusion near Lake Tahoe, which was the first 5.13c (8a) in the world.
This rowdy board is geared for folks who have been hangboarding for a while or are already sending 5.11+. There are some decent holds on this board but the majority of the edges and pockets on this model are burly. The Yaniro Power hangboard is best for folks who are already doing mostly 2 and 3 fingered 2-armed hangs or one-armed with three (or four) finger hangs for the majority of their workouts. If this isn't you, then you'll be better off with a model that will offer you more options for your training progression. If this does sound like you, there is no better board for advanced climbers looking to take it to the next level.
This model has the greatest number of pockets and edges of any model we tested. The downside for more novice climbers is that the majority of them are on the harder end of the spectrum. With that said, this model works for a greater range of users than the Beastmaker 2000, which is really geared toward 5.12+ climbers. This board is no doubt geared toward stronger climbers but will work for 5.11+ climbers through 5.15.
This model has four sets of four finger edges including 3/4-inch with a positive incut, 5/8-inch that is flat, 5/8 inch that is slightly sloped, and a pair of slightly slopped 3/8" edges. There is also a single 1" deep flat edge in the center of the board as well as a slightly positive 3/8" edge. Compared to other boards, this is a significant number of grips and this board would work for a climber already sending mid-to-harder 5.11s.
While this model has more edges than all but the Trango Rock Prodigy, the main reason to get it is its impressive number of pockets. Besides the sheer number is Atomik's attention to detail on the shape of each pocket. Some have a slight downward slope, some are flat, while others are slightly positive. Nearly all of the pockets have a slightly more rounded edge which provides lots of support for your fingers while hanging.
This model has a ridiculous four pairs of three-finger pockets, five pairs of two-finger pockets, five pairs of one-finger pockets. The three-finger pockets are 1.5-inches rounded, 3/4-inch positive incut, 5/8-inch positive split-finger (claw hold), 5/8-inch flat. The five pairs of two-finger pockets include 1.5" rounded, 1-inch slightly positive, 3/4-inch slightly slopping, and a vicious 1/2-inch slightly slopping (more slopping than the 3/4-inch). The one-fingered pockets are 1.75-inch slightly rounded, 1.5-inch slightly rounded and a very elite .75-inch slightly rounded.
All of our testers felt this collection of pockets and edges offered one of the very best progressions of holds and was very near equal to our Editors' Choice winner. For all finger groupings, we were very happy with the selection of depths and shapes to help foster strength building and accommodate gains nicely. We didn't even feel like there was a gap missing that we wished this model had.
This model has two fairly easy jugs as well as two long slopers that gradually increase in difficulty as you move further out towards the outside of the board. There is also a wider single sloper in the center of the board that rolls more steeply. None of these grips proved especially difficult but were perfect for warming up on or finishing our forearms off when we were already pretty pumped. The slick texture of this model also makes this model's slopers feel particularly pumpy.
This model offers no real pinch-type training. You can kind of fake it by engaging your thumb on some of the slopers, but then it just makes those holds easier. While this model has a ton going for it, pinches aren't one of them. For the majority of folks, this shouldn't be a dealbreaker, as only a handful of models have decent pinches. Good edge and pocket options are the foundation of most training regimes, and the progression of holds this model offers are nearly unmatched.
This board has fantastic ergonomics, and its slightly wider design helps reduce strain on most people's shoulders and elbows. The only other models that could offer as shoulder-friendly of a design were the Trango Rock Prodigy Training Center (which is a two-part design that allows you to decide the right width for your body), the Metolius 3D Simulator, and the wider-than-average So iLL Iron Palm.
This is the smoothest board we tested of any material. Typically polyester models don't offer as skin-friendly a texture as wooden models, but that simply isn't the case with this model. In particular, Atomik rounded and smoothed out the 2-finger pocket edges, letting you train longer without wrecking your skin. Our review team found this model's texture to be the best overall and both the easiest on our skin and the most challenging for a given hold size (a good thing).
The plethora of holds and great ergonomics come at a cost — size. This thing is big. At 29" x 8.75", this is the biggest board in our review. It isn't way bigger than some of the other larger boards out there, and most of that size comes in length rather than height, but this thing won't fit above most doorways with below-average ceiling height (7ft). It will fit above many doorways with an average ceiling height (8 ft).
As it's so big and made with Polyester Resin, it is heavy. While that makes it more of a pain to mount, once it's up, weight plays little to no role. This model mounts with only six screws which is less than average for boards of this size. Atomik makes that work because each of the six included screws is 2.5", long so they pack plenty of strength.
We think this model offers tremendous value as it both contains the greatest number of holds and is designed with an excellent progression in difficulty among its grips. Its ergonomics and texture are top-tier, and as long as you are strong enough to be using this board (already climbing mid-to-harder 5.11s or, better yet, have redpointed a 5.12a), it is tough to outgrow this model from a strength and difficulty standpoint. It's easy to clean off, and it would take a LONG time to wear this thing out, even in a gym setting.
The Atomik Yaniro Power hangboard isn't for everyone, but for folks already climbing at a moderately high level, it is the best board out there. Few fingerboards offer such a well though-out progression of holds as this one. As long as you are climbing well enough to get started, it is the best model available for folks already sending at least harder 5.11s or 5.12a. Once there, it can take you as far as you want to push yourself. It is hard not to notice the attention to detail with the specific shape of each hold. Any climber who has spent some time hangboarding will appreciate how each hold is designed with a nice progression to the next. Not too big a step in difficulty, but not too small either. This model's slick texture makes you stronger and helps protect your skin, with its only real downfall being its large size, which fits a lot of places but not everywhere.
