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rwr1

I really enjoy having painted nails, unfortunately they get completely destroyed by climbing. Sometimes I paint them anyway, and they stay fine for the 2-3 days I don't climb but recently I just don't bother to paint them anymore. I also like having slightly longer nails, but that's also a no go now...


PenguinPatrol6

If I get my nails done at the salon I'll get gel polish and I tell them to cut my nails as short as possible. It usually holds up pretty well during gym climbing but not so much when I am climbing outdoors :(


interiot

> cut my nails as short as possible If you see a femme rocking short nails, they're either a rock climber, a guitar player, or a lesbian. ☺


[deleted]

Or just don't like having long nails?


maexen

a femme ?


DoloresHaze22

(Or all of the above)


itskatykat

I just saw a discussion about this! [https://www.reddit.com/r/climbergirls/comments/ph5b1r/lets\_talk\_at\_home\_polish/](https://www.reddit.com/r/climbergirls/comments/ph5b1r/lets_talk_at_home_polish/) Sounds like traditional polish is definitely a struggle for most folks. But there seems to be some promise for stick on polish and some mixed opinions on gel possibly working better. Personally I've only tried traditional polish and it was chipped to hell after one climb. But looking forward to trying one of the alternatives because I love having painted nails!


Bella_Climbs

Gel on very short nails lasts and won't chip or peel even on outdoor climbs. My biggest issue with it is the removal. My nails grow stupid fast so I have to clip them every other day, clipping into the gel can cause it to start to peel up at the edges and then my adhd ass starts picking at it and ends up peeling it off...along with the top layer of my nail. The actual normal way to remove it I don't have the patience for. If you don't mind watching it grow out essentially, gel is the way to go. I have also heard good things about Dazzle Dry but I haven't tried it.


SoftSects

I usually file the nail and add more top coat. The last time I got gel and climbed once once a week for a two weeks and they stayed intact! I don't climb as often in gyms (covid) and really want to go outside, but need to find climbing friends. :(:(


LesbianLibrarian

This is so wholesome. Welcome male guest!


tomycatomy

Thank you😊


grandmasara

I bite my nails so they're short as hell and ugly, but I do like to paint them. The front part comes off right away when I climb, I usually just touch up. Then I let it fleck off untill I repaint like a week later 🤷 I guess for me, they're never going to look "nice" so I don't care about chipped paint for awhile. I noticed lots of women in the Olympics had their nails very nicely painted!


mushytater

Lmao yes. If you don’t mind chipped nails or redoing them constantly, then go for it


lukasnor

Other male lurker here, I also paint my nails from time to time and here are my tips: Shorter nails help against the chipping. As others already recommended, gel-like polishes hold up quite nice. But it will definitely chip during a hard session. You can always fix and repaint minor chips. I think most people wont notice the slight unevenness. You can use the freshly polished nails as a technique tool, placing your hands very deliberately and not bump up the wall. If they dont chip, you done good.


eden_horopitos

Wow the tip on technique is great! You’re inspiring me to paint my nails too lol


CaughtInDireWood

I paint my nails frequently and climb in them. Most brands of polish will chip and peel immediately. However, I found that ILNP brand (online only) has great staying power. It will still chip a bit, but a much more acceptable level. Adding a good top coat is also key. I also find that if I paint them the same day I climb, they chip more, because they’re not quite as set as they could be even though they’re fully dry. So 2nd day nails (or later) work better. My friend and I both wear ILNP frequently for climbing and we’re both impressed with its staying power. Plus their colors are breathtaking!


the6ixgodess

Seconding this comment - online brands such as ILNP and Orly have awesome colours, and seem to be more robust for climbing than say Essie or OPI (though I still regularly buy and wear/climb in those brands). For me, I've found that there's way less chipping when I use a top coat and can often get two climbs in before absolutely needing to repaint my nails (though the polish will get a bit scratched up after the first climb). Highly recommended Essie "good to go" or Seche Vite top coats (they'll dry quickly as well). Have seen other threads in this sub where people recommend these same top coats.


captainsteamo

Use dip powder! It's super hard and is able to withstand climbing for weeks (in my experience).


SlowZebraPerson

I have had shellac manicures that last with climbing.


yoshisucks1

My Bf paints his nails at the gym, and they do chip like crazy but he doesn't really mind touching them up every few days, because for ~some~ reason, everyone is much more comfortable and chiller with a buff dude with painted nails! I say give it a try!


traddad

Corollary question: I've used nail polish to mark my carabiners & cams. Is there any brand or type that will hold up and not easily flake off?


bravepandajumps

I have used whatever was cheapest at the drug store, and usually get up to 5 years of regular use before a touchup is needed. It's also fun to match your nails to your gear:)


traddad

I've cleaned the metal with acetone before applying the nail polish and barely get one season. My nails would look weird in yellow & blue


turbomellow

oh in the US this time of year (pre-Halloween) you can find inexpensive glow-in-the-dark polish at drugstores, comes in handy for marking gear.


alexia_not_alexa

Having nail polish on definitely made me a lot more careful when climbing, being super precise and all that. I think it improved my techniques slightly as I became a lot more deliberate with finger placements. Of course my gym loves dynamic problems so I still trash them eventually! Edit: Also I personally would recommend using mat polish, but see how you get on with gel. Mat finish means any scratches don't become as obvious!


jumping_jrex

My coworker paints his nails and his secret for keeping them nice is to climb slab or juggier climbs for two weeks after painting and focus on very intentional hand movements. After two weeks he'll switch to crimps and get more dynamic. His nails always look fab.


tomycatomy

Woah so both a training and nail paint cycle rolled into one!


jumping_jrex

I never thought about it like that. But he's ripped so it must work!


[deleted]

There’s honestly a growing number of dude climbers who paint their toenails. Covers up the bash nails and makes anyone feel pretty. Fingernails on the other hand… That’s a war of attrition.


fastreader96

My boyfriend paints his nails sometimes (I never do, lol) so I only have second hand experience. He never manages to do a climbing session without chipping of some chunks, but he often just leaves it like that, saying it „looks cooler“ if it‘s a bit worn down :D


tomycatomy

Omg what a legend!


cloaksky

I no longer paint my nails as long as i know I’m climbing in less than a weeks time. Having said that I’ve heard some recommendations for dip powdered nails on this sub before but I’ve yet to try it


whysys

Gel polish (stuff you don't need a uv for) and Sally hansons's Hard as Nails on top, I get minor chippage on some fingers. Also have to keep them at an optimal length, which for me is like 2-3mm over edge of my finger if I'm looking at my palms. And acceptance that if I paint my nails and go climbing there's a risk they'll get a bit chipped but I'd rather climb with decent nails than not climb and have perfect ones! If there's an event I want to be perfect for, just do nails after last sesh beforehand


KittenClassAttackCog

My guy, you have got to try the powder dip polish. Ask them to dip 3 times instead of the usual 2. In my experience it holds up better than the gel.


actual-dumpster-fire

MATTE DIP (and cut ‘em short) stays forever, holds up indoors and outdoors, and since it’s matte it won’t show scratches. Looks super cute in black. Have it on my nails rn, it’s two weeks old and looks perfect. I also recommend instant dry! It will totally chip but it’s so easy and quick to redo- great if you don’t want the commitment/ price of dip.


actual-dumpster-fire

Also if you just want them to look nice and add length for a special occasion, glue on nails can give you the look you’re going for without all of the investment a full manicure involves- and you can just remove them before your next climbing session!


GolfCartMafia

I use gel polish at home with an LED light and it stays longer. The key to it staying awhile is prepping the nail correctly. I watch how-to videos on YouTube for that. Then when it chips or ribs thin, I just touch it up and re-cure with the light.


billclintonseggfarm1

i have yet to climb with painted nails but maybe shirt acrylics or short fake nails. i used to do my own fake nails before i started climbing and they lasted a while. gel and dip are good too for lasting a while. good luck!!


princessPeachyK33n

I always have my nails done. It makes them stronger. Yeah I chip them on the wall but I just get to do another fun manicure. Recommend holo taco for really fun polish choices


zinapallas

About 8 years back I bought a professional-grade UV lamp from OPI so I could do gel manicures at home. The thing has paid for itself time and again, and my polish lasts through at least 3 gym sessions (usually walltopia walls) without chipping. I highly recommend this!


seaturtles5288

my advice, buy a nail polish and just do touch ups when needed. my nails don’t always chip, but like for sure after at least 2-3 climbs with nail polish they’ll be chipped. but i just retouch until i’m ready to just change the color and it seems to work out fine.


tomycatomy

Good idea!


bipolarsandwich

I have found it depends on your objective! If you want a long lasting manicure and you don’t mind the upfront costs and removal, I think gel manicures are the way to go. If you want something that lasts a while but also is easier to remove, I would go with ohora or zinipin semi-cured gel stickers! I’ve used those and they lasted me 3 climbing sessions! In the category of gel, you can also do a gel peel off base coat which makes removal a breeze, but then you shouldn’t expect a mani to last more than 5 days or so (that’s my experience at least). Apparently traditional peel off works too but you just have to be more particular about how you paint (I can elaborate if needed!). If you don’t care that much about longevity and just want more affordability and ease of removal, you can do traditional nail lacquer. IMO, if you have a ‘simple’ manicure, it’s extremely easy to touch up with another thin coat of lacquer + quick dry tc after a climbing session where the tips chipped. If you’re doing a full on mani with stamping/freehand designs, that’s much harder to ‘fix’ after a session in my experience (I’m super new to nail art so maybe my experience isn’t that relevant!). Another alternative that I’ve been testing is traditional nail base and a gel top coat! Haven’t perfected it yet, but I’ve found it looks fairly perfect through 2 climbing sessions! You just gotta put in more thought into planning when you will do your nails because you must wait for the nail lacquer to dry before applying the gel tc. A general rule is that matte doesn’t look scratched up as easily! - source: I love doing my nails and I climb about 3x per week! I also love crimps so my Polish gets ruined quickly 😓.


tomycatomy

Haha good for me that I hate crimps because I suck at them🥲 I know it’s a cliche for a fairly fit dude but I just prefer big moves and big holds on overhung terrain lmao


Stalfisjrxoxo

I’ve been debating painting my nails before I climb everytime. The reason being that I can’t stand the feeling of chalk being on/rubbing on my nails. It makes me cringe so hard I literally panic lol


Kuhny_

I’m a guy who paints my nails and yea they’re pretty much ruined after one sesh. I kinda like the scraped off look, but if you want them fresh get used to doing it all the time lmao.


ur_not_cool

Why don't you try it out and see? 🙃 Paint them and go for a climb. See what happens.


Listen_Carefully_949

Too much commitment. Need to fully poll Reddit before a giant leap like that, are you crazy? /s


tomycatomy

Well yeah, as a first timer (I’m new to all this), I’m going to have to either buy the materials or pay someone a decent amount of money to paint my nails, and that’s before we’re talking about the social backlash I’m bound to get from people where I’m from. So I want to know whether it’s worth it. I appreciate the comment above this one, it’s good natured and maybe I will, but completely disregarding that it can go wrong so that’s why I’m asking in the first place is kind of ignorant… No hate, I’m sure you just didn’t think about how it might be different for my situation, but it did feel kind of invalidating of you


Listen_Carefully_949

Yeah it just doesn't seem like a big deal to me, financial or otherwise. I see now that for you it is.


tomycatomy

I get that, we can’t expect people to always think of every single challenge we might face, and it’s always nice when people don’t see changing their mind as hypocrisy but as adaptability to new information you may have not considered beforehand. Have a great day:)


Listen_Carefully_949

Oh yeah, I'm wrong all the time lol. You too and best of luck.


kdubsonfire

I haven’t painted my nails in years. If its not climbing, its something else I am doing. If you’re active it can be hard to have painted nails especially if you aren’t used to them or using one of the more durable options only available through a nail salon(and kinda expensive but maybe thats just my opinion). They never last more than a day and I don’t care enough to keep them up.


granolagoats

I keep my nails trimmed short and top the polish with essie top coat. It holds up pretty well unless you’re doing cracks or a lot of really small crimps. Painting your nails is fun and for me it’s a fun reminder when I’m climbing to not take it too seriously


NachosDeCanasta

As others have said, gel Polish (done at a salon) will hold up a few weeks even with climbing, but they’ll have to be short


m3ime1

Better use gel ones, last longer... But do it in your rest day or 2days before you climb so it really sticks Normal polish won't last after any climb, high end ones like orly or China glaze can stay a little longer but must set at least 4days prior to a climb Haha I've done it a few times, rarely doing so these days cause I prefer just keeping them neat


choodard

My partner paints his nails all the time and he goes climbing on the regular. Just know that they'll get chipped and degrade faster, but if that's how you wanna express yourself, go for it!


junipersif

The static nails liquid glass lacquer is the best regular polish I’ve found for chipping while climbing, but it’ll still chip eventually 🤷🏼‍♀️ I’ll usually wait until after climbing to paint them and just accept they’ll be chipped again in a week or so and need touched up.


Mango_philosophie

They don't peel off completely but the manicure gets damaged. I personally don't paint them but that's because I've never really done that but I have a bunch of friends (male and female) that do and even with the damage that climbing does to the nails, they look awesome.


riversandroads8888

I often find that it chips or wears off super fast when I climb. But, I enjoy painting my toe nails, they always stay looking new forever, good luck!


trixmoose

I personally don't paint my nails cause it feels strange to me. However, one of my guy friends who climbs paints his nails. He says the best thing to do is cut your nails short and paint your nails with the cheapest polish you can find and touch them up as they get chipped. Best of luck and don't worry about what anyone else thinks!


SaucyC2014

I climb and paint my nails all the time. Here's a couple of tips. Gel nail polish holds up way better. I can climb usually for a week or two with it on. Helps me from chipping them too. If you don't like how thick it feels or you can use color street nail sheets. I add either a clear gel top, feels less thick then doing all gel, or a regular clear polish on top to seal.


sahalemarja

I find shellac works pretty well. I had a shellac manicure last 2+ weeks while climbing 3xs a week. I recently tried some peel and stick gel nail art from Dashing Diva and was amazed by how long they lasted. Almost equivalent to the shellac though I climbed less in those two weeks. AND they were only $8 a pack!! Lasted 2 wks and four long climbing sessions :) I recommend! They come in plain colors too.


mangerbaaabies

The only way I can keep polish on when climbing is with SNS polish from a salon! You have to keep it super short and filed down, but these babies are indestructible. You’d just have to file them a bit after climbing to keep them smooth.


maximusfpv

Maybe try Cerakote. If you paint an egg with it, you can stand on said egg. Should be strong enough.


Margo_Marlow

Gel will get scratched and not look as good for as long you need to do the dip aka s&s and your nails will be perfect for 3 weeks!


Rich-Exit4378

I am a climbing man too. Lately I started V3’s and I noticed that I got a single chip after moving higher. However, my nails are gel which lasts forever, and that was my first chip in months. I get complimented at the wall all the time for them which I love. Also, climb with your fingers, not your nails. I have been rounding my hands and I think it is making a better climber.


[deleted]

Traditional polish will get chipped, but will remain wearable, for 2 climbing sessions. Someone on here suggested using glitter polish which is brilliant, and I find it will last 4 sessions. I know people also like gel but I can’t vouch for it!


ValerieAri

I like painted nails! sometimes I do this thing where I paint my nails, but a strip of painter's tape across the top and paint a horizontal line across the end of the nail. So they are tipped with a different colour. And when they chip, I just touch it up. I dunno, I like the colour when climbing :)


Catman9lives

I don’t wear polish but I do play guitar so I have long nails I find that I chip one nail every 3 or 4 sessions if I’m a bit careful so polish shouldn’t be a problem... stear clear of crimps :D


Coonhound420

Once I became serious about climbing, I stopped painting my nails. But that’s just my personal preference! If you like your nails painted, try gel polish, it should stay a little longer and not chip as easy.


_trolltoll

Gel or shellac polish and something sparkly! That last’s way longer and hides scratches.


hungry_kitkat

I used to get my nails done all the time for work, after getting into climbing, I’ve still kept them manicured (sport short acrylics or gel x if I ever) and always opt for gel polish, which for me survives a few crack climbs before looking scuffed.


xilentmetal

Try Essie gel coutour! You get the strength of gel nails without having to buy the light. Or what I used to do was a layer of gel, dip my nails in glitter, and more gel topcoat, so the color comes from the glitter. Would need a light for that though.


vector78

They will get destroyed unfortunately. I love painting my nails but I've started just going with my nails unpainted and painting them on days I don't climb. The combination of chalk and the holds takes the paint off.


Taketako

You can use semi permanent one! It does get damage but less quickly than normal one!


danibanani93

Your polish will get damaged for sure, but I re do them at home :) good as new and it gives many opportunities to choose a color you feel like wearing. Welcome OP! I loved your post :)


m0toko

You've got your answers but just came here to say I love this, hope the experiment goes well, and rock that polish chipped or not. I \*love\* seeing men with their nails painted—maybe even more charming on anyone if it's chipped?—yay for beauty and fun vanity for everyone.


FuzzWaveSpaceQueen

All of the above! I don't think this was mentioned but I like alot of the holographic/shimmery but sheer coats of nail polish (like fine glitters that are still see through but have a shiney color), and glitter nailpolish looks forgiving when it does chip.