At the very least it will get you used to the different ways in which you can approach and grip a hold and will probably result in some increased grip strength over time as well. I’ve been using the Pinch Hold as my main drinking mug over the last week or so and wanted to make a quick video (above) to share my thoughts. But I have been using it to drink hot coffee and tea and, while the handhold heats up a little bit, you can still drink from it as long as you’re careful. If I’ve missed anything, feel free to reach out in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer them. TEAM aim to create seemingly commercial products and services that cause people to re-evaluate the world around them.

Rock Climbing Mugs - Etsy UK Rock Climbing Mugs - Etsy UK

Set up partly as an outlet for their quirky creativity and partly to help fund the other side of ma3t: TEAM.

You can use different four, three, and even two finger grips and, because the handhold is asymmetric, holding the mug in your left hand opens up even more options. So, for newbie climbers especially, I would say that using this mug is bound to have some benefits that will translate over to climbing. In some cases, these can become loose if the adhesive is exposed to too much heat (for example, from a hot drink). It’s made in Stoke-on-Trent, which is about a three-hour drive from where we’re based in the South West of the UK. Well with a Pinch Hold Mug, even when your relaxing with a cuppa, you'll be getting a little bit stronger.

Climbing Hold Mug - Etsy UK Climbing Hold Mug - Etsy UK

Whether the Pinch Hold Mug is just a bit of fun or whether you can actually increase your grip strength by using it is hard to say. As you can see from the video, the mug is really good quality; it’s fully ceramic with the handhold moulded directly into the design of the mug. sized cuppa, and the Espresso cup is designed to classic Italian standards to fit a double espresso with room for a dash of steamed milk.However, I definitely feel that my fingers have to work to hold it, especially when using a harder grip. The varied shape of the hold also facilitates a variety of different grips—some being harder than others. So, overall I really like the Pinch Hold mug and would definitely recommend it as a gift for both new and experienced rock climbers alike. Some other climbing-themed mugs I’ve seen have an indoor-climbing-wall hold glued onto a ceramic base instead. Instead of having a handle like a traditional mug, it’s sculpted to look like a rockface and requires the drinker to pinch the hold, in a similar way to holding a rock handhold on a crag or indoor climbing wall.

Pinch Hold Mug - Etsy The Original Pinch Hold Mug - Etsy

It’s actually quite easy to hold, at least when using a standard five finger grip, and I haven’t had any problems with the mug slipping. The good thing about the Pinch Hold is that there’s no adhesive and the handhold is part of the mug itself.

However, it could also be used creatively to warm up before practising on a fingerboard of something. Maybe you've got climbing holds above every doorway to keep up your strength in readiness for those multi day climbs. Though, it’s still fairly easy enough to hold the mug using a full five finger grip for left-handers. Maybe you don’t climb, but it would obviously make a great gift for climbers you know, not to mention a perfect fathers day gift.