How Beta Help works
- Post the attempt. Add a photo or a video of up to 60 seconds, the grade and a line on where you come off.
- Get advice. Other climbers reply with what they would change: a hip position, a foot you missed, a different sequence.
- Mark what helped. Tell people which replies made the difference. Helpful advice counts towards the Beta Help reputation shown on a climber's profile.
- Add a retry. Post the next attempt to show what changed, and keep the thread going if it is still not there.
- Mark it sent. Close the request as sent or resolved when you are done.
How to get better answers
- Film from the side or slightly behind, with your whole body and the next hold in frame.
- Say what you have already tried, so nobody suggests it again.
- Name the move that fails. "Left hand to the sloper at the lip" beats "the top bit".
- Mention anything that limits your options, such as reach or a tweaky finger.
Ask the people who know the set
Tag a request to your gym and it reaches climbers who have been on the same problem. Every gym in the UK gym directory has its own community, with the open beta requests for that wall gathered in one place.
Giving beta
The Open Beta view in Discover lists requests that still need an answer. When the person who asked marks your reply as helpful, it adds to your Beta Help reputation, which sits on your profile next to your grades and achievements.
A community with rules
Beta Help is part of the Chalkboard Community, so the same rules apply. You can report a post or a comment and block anyone from inside the app. The terms set out what is not allowed.
Common questions
What does beta mean in climbing?
Beta is advice on how to climb a particular problem or route: which holds to use, where to put your feet and how to position your body for a move.
Is Beta Help free?
Yes. Asking for beta, replying to other climbers and everything else in the Community is free.
What can I post in a beta request?
A photo or a video of up to 60 seconds, the grade and a note on where you come off. You can add up to four photos or clips to a request, and up to four more to each retry.
Who sees my beta request?
Other signed-in climbers on Chalkboard. If you tag the request to your gym, it also appears in that gym's community, where people are more likely to know the problem.
What if someone is unhelpful or abusive?
You can report a post, a comment or a profile from inside the app, and block anyone so they can no longer contact you and you no longer see their content. Reports are reviewed, and content that breaks the community rules may be removed.