Frequently Asked Questions

We are a group of athletes who realized that quality chalk makes a big difference—whether you’re on the rock, swinging a kettlebell, or hitting the tennis courts, a better grip means better performance. And after rigorous testing with some of the best climbers and athletes in the world, we nailed the formula.

After we receive an order, we almost always ship the same day or next business day. Shipping in the US and Canada is free for orders over $49. First class shipments (under 1 lb) take 3-5 days, while Priority (over 1 lb) usually take 1-2. Faster options are available for an additional charge. 

If you’re in Europe or the UK, we recommend ordering from our European or UK sites. Other international orders can be placed on this site, but ship times and import duties vary by country.

United Kingdom: frictionlabs.co.uk

Europe: frictionlabs.eu

We also have a growing list of distributors around the world, so contact us if you're trying to buy but can't find it in your country.

You bet. We have retail partners all across the country. If you don’t see your favorite store here, let us know, and we’ll reach out.

For sure. Go ahead and contact us for more information.

Absolutely, we love our retail partners! Let's chat.

If you’re in Europe or the U.K., we recommend ordering from our UK or European sites:

United Kingdom: frictionlabs.co.uk

Europe: frictionlabs.eu

Other international orders can be placed on this site, but shipping costs are out-of-our-control high and ship times and import duties vary by country.

We also have a growing list of distributors around the world, so contact us if you can't find it in your country.

The Friction Labs Pro Program is designed to support retail associates, gym staff, route setters, industry professionals, military personnel, sponsored team members, and non-profit staff/volunteers working or participating in sports that require great grip. Sorry, that was a mouthful. If you’re one of those, you can apply to be a member here.

Just a heads up – acceptance isn’t guaranteed and can be revoked at any time. We’ll review and answer all applications within a few days. If you’re approved, we’ll send you a unique login to the Pro site via email.

Whether they’re pro climbers or amateur tennis players, our Athletes are good humans who use our chalk to perform their best. Our Athlete team is currently full, but please contact us if you believe there's a situation that requires special attention.

Not at all. No strings attached. Seriously.

If you aren’t satisfied for any reason, contact us and we’ll make it right.

Easy. You got a special link when you set up your subscription that lets you modify your plan however you want, including skipping months in advance. The subject line reads “Your Friction Labs Subscription - Save this email.” If you can’t find it…it’s over. It’s just over. There’s nothing we can do and you will be charged every month for the rest of your life. Hehe—don’t worry, just contact us and we’ll send it to you again.

Definitely not. When you add our chalk to your cart, you’ll have two options: One-time purchase or Subscribe & Save 20%. Our subscriptions are commitment-free and super easy to pause or cancel. Totally no strings attached.

By subscribing, you get the best pricing on Friction Labs products, automatically get more chalk whenever you need, and get access to special offers.

Your subscription order is processed and shipped when you place your first order and then every 30 days thereafter. We always ship on the same or next business day from when your order is processed.

All chalk brands claim to be 100% Magnesium Carbonate. When you run the tests though, the truth is that they all have significant amounts of impurities, drying agents, heavy metals, and other fillers. We’re the first to admit that our chalk isn’t 100% pure; it would be extremely expensive and impractical to make Magnesium Carbonate without any other trace elements. But our chalk has purity that can't be beat, meaning you can chalk up less, perform at your best, and keep your hands healthy and strong. Check out what others say when they try our chalk.

It's really just a matter of personal texture preference. If you're used to block chalk try Bam Bam (super chunky) or Gorilla Grip (chunky). If you like a smooth texture try Unicorn Dust (fine). All three provide the same premium sticking power. Our most popular blend is Gorilla Grip.

This mostly depends on the type of chalk, how often you use it, and the conditions in which you’re using it. 

For example, when using loose chalk, you’ll want 10 oz. per month if you’re going hard in the gym 5-7 times a week. If you’re only going once or twice a week or not using much chalk, start with 5 oz. or less.

For liquid chalk, a single 75ml bottle of Secret Stuff® will last about 100 uses. 

We refuse to use the same old chalk from the same old factories. That’s why we import the highest quality raw materials from around the world and do our own manufacturing at our facilities in Denver, Colorado. We use a proprietary process—and you’ll feel the difference as soon as you get your hands on it… er, get it on your hands. You know what we mean.

But don’t take our word for it. Check out our athlete testimonials and customer reviews. If you try it and aren’t psyched, let us know—we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Yes.

All three of our Secret Stuff® blends provide killer grip with less dust and less mess. If you’re just looking for a high quality liquid chalk, check out our original Secret Stuff blend — it’s 45% isopropyl alcohol-based. If you’re using chalk in particularly dry conditions, or have skin on the dry or sensitive side, try our gel-based, odorless Alcohol-Free Secret Stuff. Our new Secret Stuff Hygienic provides great grip with an added bonus: it’s shown to be just as effective as hand sanitizer in killing germs (including the coronavirus). Just ask the real live scientists at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

Yes, but hand sanitizer meets chalk? You have every right to be skeptical. That’s why we asked actual scientists at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus to test it—and their study found that Secret Stuff was “as good or better than using hand sanitizer.”

It’s just as it sounds – a ball of chalk. Except ours is reusable. It’s why we call it Magic. Magic comes in a permeable cotton fabric and is perfect for keeping in your chalk bag, either on its own or floating in one of our loose chalk blends. It’s designed to create as little mess as possible and to last significantly longer than the old chalk balls you're used to.

This really comes down to your personal preference. Some people prefer the feeling of chalk spheres to loose chalk, while others like to mix the two. Some gyms require chalk balls to prevent spills and dust. Chemically, they’re the same — you're getting the highest quality, cleanest chalk anywhere.

No, and for good reason. Because of the fabric, we use an extremely fine magnesium carbonate designed to transfer from the fabric onto your hands as easily as possible.

While we don't have a specific Magic refill product, Unicorn Dust works great as a refill since it's already so fine in texture.