The 3D Simulator is straight-up the best hangboard for the price. However, don't let this statement fool you as this is a great hangboard, regardless of cost. Our testers love this model's above-average ergonomics and appreciate its number and variety of edges and pockets that truly provide a good avenue for most people's climbing progression.
Edges and pockets are the foundation of fingerboard training; thus we weighed performance in this area the heaviest. For clarification, in our review, a hold that is four fingers or wider and is less than 2" deep is an edge. A pocket is any hold that is three fingers wide or narrower.
The Simulator offers an above-average amount of edges and pockets among models we tested (and even considered testing). All of our testers love the variety of edges and pockets, especially its very ergonomically designed characteristics. The first characteristic is common in a number of models; the edges and pockets higher up on the board stand further out than the ones located lower on the board. This overhanging design helps minimize how much the lower portion of the board gets in your way when using the upper holds.
The other design characteristic our testers appreciate is this board's slightly downward turned design which encourages the user to perform various workouts with better ergonomics, thus reducing the amount of stress on shoulders and elbows. Even for folks without shoulder or elbow pain, this model gets bonus points for the comfort and good form its design encourages.
The 3D Simulator offers one of the best collections of usable edges. The bulk of the climbers out there will take advantage of its four sets of different four-finger edges. The depths of these edges are 1.5", 1", 3/4", and 1/2". We like the downward curve designed into these edges that are more supportive of our fingers and offer an overall less harsh feel. This versatility in edges will appeal to a wider range of users, with some deep edges appropriate for warm-ups.
PocketsThis model has four sets of three-finger pockets and two sets of two-finger pockets, as well as a single two-finger pocket and three standalone three-finger pockets all located down the middle of the board. These depths of three-finger pockets are 1.5", 1", 3/4", and 5/8". These depths are great for folks working into using fewer fingers while fingerboard training, and most climbers will take a while before a 5/8" three-finger pocket feels easy. This model's two-finger pockets also offer two good depths to encourage a nice progression. Their depths are 1.5", which is a great segway into two-finger pockets, and a 3/4" depth that will nearly always feel hard for a majority of climbers.
All of our reviewers love the two slopers featured on this board as they complement each other wonderfully. One sloper set (the pair closer to the middle) is more rounded and is geared towards warming up. The other set is more tilted/slopy and great for finishing off a pump.
This model sports one pair of wide-set jugs that are great for warming-up and cranking out pull-ups. We found the positioning of these to be above average for a majority of our testers as far as encouraging a better pull-up position and thus easier on several testers' shoulders.
This model is constructed of plain old polyester resin. With that being said, this model's fine-grained texture is above-average among non-wood models and is one of our favorites of all resin models we tested.
What constitutes a good texture? One that is smoother and less damaging to the skin of the users' fingertips. Because hangboard sessions are generally quite intense on a very small portion of your finger (mainly the first and maybe part of the second pads) grippier texture can tear the skin up in these locations if performed too regularly (which we would all like to do). Plus, on a fundamental level, a smoother surface is more slippery and thus requires more strength to hang-on, resulting in a better workout.
This model doesn't sport any pinches. This isn't a super big deal as only a few of the models we tested do.
This model is relatively easy to mount. It comes with the eight screws required to mount it. While more of a mid-sized fingerboard, it is still small enough to fit above most average-sized doors in rooms with 8 foot ceilings. It is a little tight to do complete pull-ups in these locations, but a hangboard is more for hanging and building strength.
This model requires a little more space when mounting because of its slightly downward-curved nature compared to non-curved models. Of course, the advantage of this board over either of those is you get more holds and the shape is a little easier on most people's shoulders and elbows. Unless strapped for space and seeking the most compact board possible, most users will appreciate the Simulator's increased ergonomics and the multitude of holds.
We think this is a sweet hangboard in general, but for its price, the 3D Simulator is impossible to beat for value. Simply put, we feel there is no better hangboard for the price than this one. The Simulator has more holds, edge depths, and pocket sizes than a majority of models in our review, and its overall design proved above-average for ergonomics (something many climbers' elbows and shoulders will appreciate). Compared to other top-scoring models, the Simulator costs a lot less, and the majority of climbers won't be giving up almost anything in the way of performance with this board.
GearLab is founded on the principle of honest, objective, reviews. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing and comparison.
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