Gripsy
Adaptive climbing equipment designed for athletes with limb differences. Developed in direct collaboration with the Brooklyn Boulders Adaptive Climbing Team.
Design Engineer
Concept Design, Ethnographic Research, Prototyping, User Testing
Year: 2017
Inclusive Design
The ethos of this projects is to create a sports product that supports climbers with limb differences to be successful.
This project was completed with Brooklyn Boulders Adaptive Climbing Team and specifically with one athlete. This athlete experienced difficulty and pain when griping climbing holds with their shorter arm, which they wrapped with tape every day before climbing. Through working in collaboration, a solution to assist their athletic pursuits was developed
Areas of Exploration
Friction Mapping
Before designing anything, I mapped the points of highest contact between the athlete and the wall. Tracking these friction zones made it possible to develop intuitive grip patterns that maximized performance while minimizing skin wear.
Material Exploration
Materials needed to be breathable, strong, flexible, and resistant to rotation under load. The investigation tested options for both the grip surface and the sleeve structure, landing on an elastic sports material layer beneath durable breathable netting, with climbing rubber applied specifically in the high-friction zones.
Pain Prevention
Skin abrasion and end-of-arm sensitivity were the primary pain concerns. Padding placement was informed directly by athlete feedback throughout prototyping.
Making
Development was iterative and athlete-led, moving from friction mapping and material testing through multiple sleeve prototypes refined with user feedback at each stage.
Final Concept
A textured grip pattern aligned with the high-friction zones identified during mapping. An elastic sports material layer sits beneath durable breathable netting to protect the skin. Climbing rubber provides added friction where needed. Padding at the end of the sleeve prevents pain. The sleeve fits over and vacuum adheres to a custom molded silicone sleeve, preventing rotation when weighted.
Special Thanks to Brooklyn Boulders Adaptive Climbing Team