Handy Things, Part 2

2nd day of climbing in Bishop.

Another handy factor coming into play on this Bishop trip was a little tincture I'd never heard of before, called Benzoin. "Maybe this is the way!" I thought. This liquid comes out quick and stains your hands brown anywhere it touches, like chocolate. Or baby poo. It also has an interesting aroma (not like baby poo); pleasant I thought. Turns out this stuff has been around for hundreds of years in one form or another. Currently it's used mostly for bandaging wounds by creating a tacky surface, while also acting as an antiseptic and sealant for the skin.

Instructions for using Benzoin Tincture at the crag:

1. Clean and dry tips.
2. Spray on tincture (or lightly dab if you have a different bottle; watch out, it comes out quick!)
3. For best results, air dry for 20 minutes. If you don't want to wait you can merely chalk your hands up, or spray some alcohol on them and then chalk up. It didn't seem to be quite as thick if done this way, though it could have been my imagination
4. Climb.
5. Repeat as necessary.

Using benzoin felt like actually creating an extra layer of skin. Being that Bishop was surprisingly warm for the 2nd week in February, we found ourselves seeking shade and fighting the sweat in near 70 degree temps. "Using," as we jokingly called it, was especially helpful prior to a send go. It certainly didn't hinder my skin, and I could definitely tell a positive difference at the end of the day when the clock struck "crush-o'clock."

And it did. And I crushed. And I was psyched.