I purchased my first Moon Bouldering chalk bag over ten years ago and it is still used on the odd occasion when my partner remembers to take it to the crag or wall. It has seen better days, but then so have I. I actually only replaced it with an upgrade due to misplacing the first one. The replacement second generation bucket was warmly welcomed and the old one moved into a training specific pack along with my wall shoes etc. With the new bucket I was treated to a slightly more robust material, it was larger, the pockets held more and I remember thinking at the time that it was still a bargain at under £20 (this was still 7+ years ago). If you look at the pictures you can see that it is still in brilliant condition too and this has really been all over the place.

So what’s changed and do I really need the new one? Well, obviously I don’t need to upgrade but I will because how else can I give an opinion on what I like or dislike about the changes?

My first dislike is that the latest Moon Bouldering chalk bag costs more, but this is the old man in me moaning about the good old days like when Fredos cost 10p and the most expensive pair of rock shoes were a whopping £75! On the upside, this boulder bucket it still an absolute bargain. Pretty much every comparable boulder bucket on the market in 2019 is much more expensive and in my opinion no better. From what I have seen so far there is not a single new feature that I don’t like.

The pocket now has a zip which is a welcome addition for me, but I do question how that will fare with years of abuse. I like that there are multiple brush holders of differing size which gobble up the plethora of brushes available on the market now. Obviously, the bag will serve the same practical purpose but will contain my precious Friction Labs chalk that I have vowed to only use outdoors and not for training. My bank balance really can’t take that kind of hit. Climbing indoors is just training for outdoors, right?

It’s a nice big chalk bag to carry your chalk and ever-increasing selection of brushes, reels of finger tape, sanders, nail clippers, along with whatever guff you might have stuffed in it. What more is there to say? It’s a good size, with a good closure system and packs down well without spilling chalk everywhere. It sits reassuringly on the floor without tipping over; if it is knocked or tipped over the velcro closure sits shut and keeps that precious dust safe. Lastly, it comes in a variety of colours and patterns and it says Moon on it!

My favourite quality of life change is that Moon reduced the amount fleece used inside the bag by nearly half. I think this is a great little adjustment as you don’t lose as much chalk to the lining itself and the unlined band which rolls down to seal up the bucket at the end of a session is better. No longer does my bag need dusting down from little leaks.

Choosing a bouldering bucket is 80% picking a colour you like and 20% asking, “Is it as well thought out as the other market leaders?” Moon’s is.

- Jack