Installing Crack Training Systems at Home
In this blog, we’ll be going over the step-by-step process for installing our modular Crax Volumes for your home climbing gym or at a professional climbing gym. As we’re running the Home Gym Holiday Special through the end of December 2020, we thought we’d show off some more detail about how easy it is to install and adjust for setting new crack routes. If there’s a crack climber you love, this product would make their holiday season shine bright in a year when things are a bit different. So, let’s break it down!
Lucky for us, we’re friends with some truly amazing people in the crack climbing community, including the incredible photographer and videographer, Jon Vickers. Jon has worked with industry leaders such as Black Diamond, Petzl, and The Access Fund (Protect America’s Climbing). Add to that his work with professional and amateur professional climbers, incredible outdoor shoots, and climbing gyms throughout the country, Jon really knows how to capture climbing. Soooo...why are we bragging so hard on Jon Vickers? Because we feel pretty fortunate to have him doing our photography and videography! These pictures and especially the video segments highlighted below really help in getting a solid look at the installation process, and how easy the Crax Volumes are to use and adapt to your training needs. The hardest part about setting up our home climbing gym crack walls is probably picking a route you want to try first!
Installing the Frame of the Crack Climbing Wall
We’ve posted a few of the short videos of the installation process, now we’re going a bit deeper. In this section of the video, you will hear directly from our cohort and world-renowned route setter, Steven Jeffery, on how to install and adjust the JamWalls Crax Volumes.
Step one is hanging the frame, which is what the Crack Pods are mounted on to. The frame screws onto a wall easily with the provided T Nuts and can come off the wall to adjust the width of your cracks as desired. The frame installation portion of the video portion we've cued up below is about 1 minute long, check it out and give a pause once he starts climbing the ladder to install the crack pods.
As you can see, all it takes is a wall that can bear weight and a power drill to get this thing set up and ready for climbing! While this video features one of our taller units that would be installed at a professional gym, the installation process, versatility, and adjustability are exactly the same for your home climbing gym. Below we’ll go over all the parts that come with your Crax Volumes as well as going further in-depth on the installation process.
Parts For Your Home Gym Crack Climbing Wall
The Crax Volumes we create are a three-part system that provides a tremendous amount of versatility. The three main parts that are included are the frame, the crack pods, as well as the faceplates, and we also provide all necessary t-nuts and an end cap to place at the top of the climb. Once the frame is bolted onto your home gym wall, you will then mount the pods for the route you wish to train on. Just like the frame, the pods can come on and off easily with a power drill to create an entirely new route, ensuring your training can continuously advance. This video portion we've cued up is about 2 minutes long, give it a pause after the end cap is installed.
Adjustable and Versatile Crack Climbing Wall
While homemade crack machines or the permanent cracks you can climb and train on at your local gym absolutely have value and our respect - it’s time to take it to the next level. Our Crax Volumes have the closest to the real feel you can get your hands on and have incredible versatility. As you’ve seen, the mounted frames and pods easily come unscrewed to adjust the width of the crack and to change the entire route of the crack climb, as well. It will bring your training for crack climbing up by more levels than you can imagine. We’ve also ensured there are places to easily mount climbing holds along the way as you build your strength and technique for the crack you’re training on.
The next section of cued video below will go into further detail as to how the pods and frame adjust to continue advancing your training and your fun! Steven Jeffrey walks you through taking the pods off and swapping them to amp up your next climb, as well as installing some little jibs in key spots while you build your crack climbing strength. You can let the rest of this video run to the end as this is where it all caps off.
Home Gym Holiday Special
Whether you’re looking to buy a gift for a climber you love and/or sponsor, or if you’re looking to treat yourself and boost your own crack climbing skills at home, we got you covered. Our Home Gym Holiday Sale knocks a chunk of change off the total cost of your purchase, see what set-up works for you!
Check Out The JamWalls Home Gym Crack Climbing Walls For Yourself
Below you’ll find our standard modular home gym crack climbing wall set-ups. However, you should bear in mind that you can also message us to make a custom crack if you’re training for a specific crack climbing adventure. We would love to help you send it!
Don’t sleep on your winter crack climb training as spring climbing season will be upon us sooner than you think!
Graphite Home Gym Package
Includes:
- 2 graphite volumes (4" & 8")
- 2 gray crax pods of your choice (4" & 8")
- 1 graphite + gray volume transition
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Orange Home Gym Package

Includes:
- 2 orange volumes (4" & 8")
- 2 gray crax pods of your choice (4" & 8")
- 1 gray volume transition
Sandstone Home Gym Package

- 2 graphite volumes (4" & 8")
- 2 sandstone crax pods of your choice (4" & 8")
- 1 graphite + sandstone volume transition
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Hey Phil, Great question. These volumes are made for indoor only use right now. The ribs are made from MDF currently and wouldn’t do too well outside. We will be working on an outdoor version of the Volumes soon and will keep everyone up to date!
Justin – JamWalls
How would this system hold up on an outdoor wall? Exposed or partially covered. Looks like its plastic (glass filled nylon maybe?) which seems like it would be better than the alternative plywood volumes.